Brain and heart - sleep apnea and psychosis

[compnet]

Hello board.  I've had two short periods of "atypical psychosis" and it looks like I've got sleep apnea after a sleep study I just had based on some of what I've been told but I haven't gone over the results yet, they did find something wrong though and are having me go in for testing with the sleep apnea airway mask.

Anyway, I've read a brain tumor could be the cause of psychosis.
I also read that sleep apnea could be caused by a brain tumor, stroke, atrial fibrillation or congestive heart failure.

I see a possible connection there with brain issues.  My question is, what brain or heart condition might be most likely the cause of both psychosis and sleep apnea?  

Also, brain tumor or something else, what would be most likely for a type of psychosis that has only come twice for a limited amount of time, no symptoms the rest of the time, and nothing found with a neuropsychological?  (Major stress seemed to trigger the episodes.)

I'm interested in getting a CT SCAN and MRI to examine possible heart or brain causes for the psychosis episodes and sleep apnea.

Any help greatly appreciated.

[compnet]

I actually have a history of low blood pressure.  I've never tried drugs, thank God.  I don't think I'll know much after one night of therapy because I've been reading from others using the mask that it can take weeks or months of therapy before improvement is noticed, and actually they say it gets worse first as sleep debt is dealt with.

[Doodles_Mimi]

Hello again, I wasn't aware that your apnea was diagnosed as mild. If that's correct, then there is less of a chance, that the apnea is the culprit of the psychosis.Let us know about the results of your sleep test w/ air mask, I personally only know about two other things that can cause psychosis.One is having high blood pressure for awhile without you knowing it so it is left untreated.The other thing you probably know about.It is quite common for someone who has taken narcotics for an extended amt.of time, to later on in their life, have bouts of psychosis. The latter one does not show promise of undoing, as the other has if the blood pressure is lowered.

[compnet]

I just came across some articles about sleep problems causing psychosis.

http://ki.se/content/1/c6/03/07/76/2Karanti.pdf
http://why-we-dream.com/psychosis.htm

[compnet]

You are the second person on here that realized the psychosis could be from the apnea.  They found out that I have a minor varient of sleep apnea.  I'm going in Monday for a sleep study with mask therapy.  I would like to know if there is some way to tell if the psychosis was for sure caused by the apnea.  I wonder because my apnea is minor and the psychosis isn't all the time, just episodes.  I wish there was some way to determine if it is the cause, and clear up my mental medical files.  I remember a lot of stress and poor sleep when I had the episodes.  I've had a neuropsychological and it didn't find anything.  They don't know the cause.  It had been suggested to have been the poor environment growing up and poor coping skills learned.  There is a certain work field I'm passionate about entering but my chances are limited with this history of psychosis, and if I could prove it was the apnea, it sure would help my chances.

[Doodles_Mimi]

I really don't think the possibility of a brain tumor is the cause of your sleep apnea or psychosis. However I was diagnosed with Cushings disease a few years back, and one of the symptoms of Cushings is the difficulty of getting sleep (usually no more than two/three hrs. a night) Not getting sleep can very well cause psychosis! I know this for sure. I ended up in the psych ward for two weeks (not too fun). That was before my diagnosis of Cushings. They put me on some strong psych meds, and low and behold they worked in about four days. The reason though wasn't cause I was crazy and the meds were working, it was because they knocked me out half the day and I was getting sleep, go figure. So yes, sleep apnea could be your culprit! Make sure you keep up with your Dr. visits until you get an answer. Good luck

[compnet]

I don't think my pituitary was looked at recently, it was within a few years though.  My PCP is going to check-up my thyroid this August as levels were back to normal last checking.

I'm just wondering about the brain tumor thing.  I haven't had an MRI or CT SCAN in many years and the psychosis was fairly recent, within two years.  I'm not worried about it if it were, I mean when Jesus wants me is fine, though I'd have to deal with lots of emotions should I ever get such a diagnosis as they are pretty fatal.  But anyway, a connection would be interesting.  I have wanted to have a CT SCAN and MRI to rule brain issues out for the psychosis, and it seems I just may need it for finding the underlying cause of the sleep apnea so that's great.

[rumpled]

I found this:
"Causes are largely unknown.

    * Patients with personality disorder may have biological or psychological vulnerability toward the development of psychotic symptoms.
    * One or more severe stress factors, such as traumatic events, family conflict, employment problems, accidents, severe illness, death of a loved one, and uncertain immigration status, can precipitate brief reactive psychosis.
    * Some studies support a genetic vulnerability to brief psychotic disorder."

It could have been the stress. Have you had a good physical? I see you posted on the thyroid board so it seems you have at least one endocrine disorder - have they looked at pituitary? That could be an issue, but typically that is more along the lines of depression. Something like high cortisol could cause sleep apnea and psychosis though.