[ronster]

It depends on the CPAP device you get as some are progressive in reaching your maximum air pressure to keep your air passage open. You can set the device to reach max pressure up to ten minutes and typically by that time you and your spouse are asleep. The mask you select can also have an affect on how you sleep depending on whether you select a full mask, that covers your nose or a pillow mask that has soft inserts that sit on the nostril opening. Pillow masks are typically lighter, smaller and less intrusive. The hardest part is dealing with the hose and how it comes out of the mask either over your head or out of the bottom of the mask. I just switched from a pillow mask that had the hose coming out the top and over my head to one that comes out of the bottom of the pillows and is on a swivel. The new mask is much more comfortable and easier to deal with.
There are different types of sleep apnea the most common being the type where your tongue relaxes and falls back in your throat sealing the air passage off and the worst type is the deterioration of the throat muscles so they collapse when you relax into sleep. You need to find out which you have. Losing weight will not have any affect on the second type and may have some effect on the first but not always.
I cannot urge you strongly enough to start addressing your apnea issue quickly as the long term effect of lack of oxygen and carbon dioxide buildup in the body has a severe effect on health of internal organs, has been linked to heart disease, stroke and severe brain damage as illustrated by tabs.
You will also see a change in personality and more positive outlook on life as you begin to get the quality of sleep that you need to be a functioning human being.