MS and Sleep Issues - Apnea

Does anyone know if there is any relationship between sleep apnea and MS?

Julie

[Wobbly]

I don't know...but I do know that the Dr check for it when they are looking for a Dx?  I don't think it's in the same area?  But then I'm no Dr... hope others can help with this.

take care
wobbly

[Quixotic1]

Near the very beginning of this forum someone posted a study showing that sleep apnea was far more common in MS than in the general population.  We already know that MS causes many types of sleep disruption.  I would expect to see central sleep apnea, and weakness or spasm of breathing muscles could cause other types.  Also, pain meds and other sedatives can suppress the breathing drive.

Maybe someone can find us some scientific data on this again.

I have often wondered if sleep studies should be used more often in following MS.  It has never been suggested for me.

Quix

[Lulu54]

That was Dr. Park from the sleep disorder forum polling with questions about sleep patterns and MS.  You might want to pop over to his forum and ask you questions - he is great at answering everything.  

I'll see if I can find that post - it was from at least 18 months ago, if not longer.

Lulu

[Sarahsmom46]

I am wondering if the 4mg of zanaflex is making this situation worse. My poor daughter says my snoring is keeping her awake at night.  I'm also waking up with little gasps, nothing dramatic though.

I recall while in the hospital the nurses doing their rounds mentioned my snoring and were concerned that I was having apnea.  The nurse suggested that I use oxygen.  They put me on 2 L at night. The respiratory therapist came in one day noticed I had the oxygen set up and asked why they were giving it to me.  I told her that it was for apnea. I was told that that was the wrong thing to do.  Something about the wrong message being sent to the brain that I was getting enough oxygen and my lungs getting lazy to breath on their own. I don't recall, but she said not to use oxygen for apnea.

I had a sleep study almost 2 years ago and it was borderline mild/moderate.  I am wondering now if that study needs to be done again to see if there has been any changes.  

Julie  

[Lulu54]

Try this one and see if its what you were looking for ............

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Multiple-Sclerosis/A-Question-For-People-With-MS/show/757658

[Csativa]

For whatever it's worth, I have sleep apnea, MS and degenerative disk disease.  Also insomnia which could be caused by pain and sleeping meds (go figure!).  I saw my pulmonary specialist/sleep doc after the dx of MS and he said there is a link to MS.  He wants to repeat sleep tests every two years.  I can't recall what the numbers from my last study are but I'll be repeating the test soon; I feel the need to research this more.  The more I read about apnea, the more concerned I get.  Perhaps I'm being too neurotic, but it's frustrating because the intense fatigue, tired all time, depressed, high BP, etc. are obviously all part of the MS and apnea.  I am being treated w/ CPAP but it's difficult to tell which is impacting me more, apnea or the MS or both.  Apnea can be lethal if not treated properly.  Good info provided by other members.  Thnaks.

[Sarahsmom46]

Were you given a CPAP after your last sleep study?  Your numbers must have put you in the moderate or severe category. I'd think another study is warranted.

The results of my last sleep study, almost 2 years ago, showed that I was having 15 apnea events per hour. That is like one every 4 minutes.  Sounds scary, but they didn't put me on CPAP.  

Did you have problems using the CPAP?  

-Julie

[Csativa]

I was given a CPAP after the first study and have tollerated it fairly well at night.  I can sleep OK with the mask, when I do sleep.  But my wife if ever thankful for not torturing her with snoring anymore.

The numbers were quite high alhough I can't recall how high they were but they were high enough to cause alarm.    I am really not overweight - 190 for a 5'11"   You are right about another study though.  Sleep doc will be ordering another study soon.  My CPAP has been adjusted (pressure raised sveral times) over the past three years.  The big concern at this time is the high BP although the fatigue is a real pain!

Frank

[Sarahsmom46]

Are you taking any meds that would have made your apnea worse like muscle relaxants or other pain meds? Your weight seems reasonable so at least that isn't a factor, but your high BP really concerns me.  

I am doing an experiment.  I didn't take my zanaflex last night.  My daughter said my symptoms (snoring) didn't seem as bad but it was still happening.  

Funny that my husband never complained of my snoring.  When my neuro asked him about it, he played it down. That didn't help me of course.  

Thanks for the info about the CPAP.  I've heard the mask is a pain to learn to sleep with.  

[Csativa]

I'm taking baclofin, up to 30 mg daily.  I was on 1500 of Methacarbramol but thats been replaced by the baclofin.  I take up to 60 mg daily of Oxycodone for the pain.  Also on 2700 MG of Neurontin, I'm signed up for a pain clinic to see if I can reduce the Oxycodone, but I'm not to hopeful.

The high BP also concerns me.  I think with everything I am dealing with right now, the BP is my biggest concern.