Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
Possible sleep apnea with anxiety, do I need CPAP test too?
Answered by
CO
This forum is for questions and support regarding lung and respiratory issues such as: Allergies, Asthma, Bronchitis, Colds - Flu, Chronic Cough, COPD, Cystic Fibrosis, Emphysema, Fibrosis, Lung Abscess, Nasal Polyps, Pleurisy, Pneumonia, Sarcoidosis, Sinusitis, Tuberculosis.
Possible sleep apnea with anxiety, do I need CPAP test too?
by Beabun, Feb 06, 2008 02:49PM
I had a sleep study done which showed an apnea/hypopnea index of 6.6. They said that was mild sleep apnea, but the cutoff being at 5, but my doctor wants me to have another study with the CPAP. Would this mild sleep apnea be at all related to having trouble breathing through my nose and would that have any affect on the CPAP. The sleep study was done in the first place because of anxiety and some depression but the psychiatrist said that the same anxiety feelings, (feeling nervous all the time for no apparent reason), could also be caused by sleep apnea. The anxiety that happen alot when I first wake up, feel like something scared me in my sleep, but don't remember a dream, and that feeling will sometimes last much of the day and sometimes not. It even happens with a short nap. In your opinion, could this be true anxiety and I need psy. med. or actually sleep apnea? Thank you so much.
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish Health, Feb 14, 2008 05:10PM
, Feb 14, 2008 05:10PM
Having trouble breathing through your nose could have an effect on both, sleep apnea and the use and effectiveness of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. What your psychiatrist suggests is correct.
The first thing to determine is the degree, and whether or not correction of your nasal obstruction is indicated. Much that you describe suggests obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). After the nasal obstruction problem is resolved, a trial of nasal CPAP would be appropriate. Also, if you ever experience sleep paralysis, the diagnosis of narcolepsy should be considered.
Also, one need not have a high apnea hypopnea index (AHI) or all the symptoms of OSA for the diagnosis to be present, with benefit from CPAP.
The first thing to determine is the degree, and whether or not correction of your nasal obstruction is indicated. Much that you describe suggests obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). After the nasal obstruction problem is resolved, a trial of nasal CPAP would be appropriate. Also, if you ever experience sleep paralysis, the diagnosis of narcolepsy should be considered.
Also, one need not have a high apnea hypopnea index (AHI) or all the symptoms of OSA for the diagnosis to be present, with benefit from CPAP.
