Posted by LostBoyinNCBecksDark on October 19, 2007, at 13:32:36
In reply to Re: Sleep apnoea - what type of people does it aff, posted by cactus on October 16, 2007, at 1:54:34
> It is not a cure for depression but it does help take the edge off.
Eh...I would disagree with this statement. While sleep apnea does not cure all depression cases, it does fix a good percentage of them. I know it has helped my depression dramatically. And totally gotten rid of feelings of agitation and severe irritability I had.
There is A LOT of literature out there that suggests a strong association between depression and sleep apnea. I am not saying that every case of depression, sleep apnea is the cause or exacerbating factor...far from it. I am saying it is a cause or exacerbating factor in a certain percentage of depression/anxiety cases.
In cases of treatment resistance, it certainly makes sense to screen for sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnea. And to TREAT it aggressively. I just dont understand why many psychiatrists will put their patients through endless medication trials, when its obvious that something else is wrong.
Look at it this way. If you have treatment resistant depression and you are disabled from it, do you think you will ever recover as long as your sleep architecture remains severely disturbed as is the case in sleep apnea? If you never get any slow wave "deep stage sleep" do you really believe antidepressants are going to significantly help? If you are regularly getting oxygen desaturations during your sleep...straining your brain, heart and blood vessels...do you really believe medications are going to help "treatment resistant depression?"
Eric
poster:LostBoyinNCBecksDark
thread:788423
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20071019/msgs/790128.html