Anti-depressants No Longer - An Update

[BuddyLeesWife]

My husband has NCS and used to faint. Prior to his diagnosis, he was treated for depression with an SSRI and his fainting improved. When he received his NCS diagnosis, we learned that anti-depressants are a common form of treatment so it made sense that his syncope improved. He was initially on Zoloft, then Effexor and most recently Wellbutrin BUT the Drs. think that the anti-depressant is now pushing him into periods of hypomania (a less severe form of mania) so he was directed to stop taking it about a week and a half ago. So far he is doing great - really great and says he feels better than he has in 10 years.

We have been fortunate that his symptoms have been mostly controllable with constant tweaking of medications and lifestyle. We are really hoping that this lasts and that the syncope doesn't start again but we know that it might. The changes in his response to the anti-depressants have taken place over the past several months and the only thing we can pinpoint is his improved quality of sleep because of the CPAP usage for sleep apnea that he began in the summer.

Has anyone else noticed a dramatic improvement in their symptoms with better sleep?

[Ernie]

Hi,

I haven't fainted getting out of bed since I use my CPAP. I still have fainting spells but not the ones upon awakening.

[Sunfish]

for me treating my apnea has done anything other than keep me from waking up non-stop throughout the night. i'm not the "norm" though in term of the severity of my autonomic involvement and am worse than when i started CPAP. i don't ever feel truly rested but my sleep is definitely better than before treatment so in that regard it is more "restful" sleep. and when i have a particularly bad night of sleep it never helps things for me symptom-wise. thus i haven't improved with treatment but without i don't doubt that i'd be in worse shape than i am.

but...what i really wanted to share with you is that - i believe - there have even been studies done showing improved mood after apnea treatment, showing that "depression" was in fact untreated apnea, etc. i frequented an apnea support forum when i was first diagnosed to educate myself & i recall seeing it in many discussions. so i wouldn't doubt for a minute that that could be the case for your hubby.

i hope the better days he's been having only continue,

melissa

[BuddyLeesWife]

Sunfish,

I found this article relating sleep apnea to depression. I really hope this is what is happening to my husband. This study started in 1988 with 1408 participants with 3202 sleep studies (scheduled every 4 years.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/544731

Sleep Apnea Strongly Linked to Depression

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Sept 18 - Sleep-related breathing disorder (SRBD) has a robust association with depression, according to results of a longitudinal study funded by the National Institutes of Health and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine for September 18.

Based on their findings, the investigators advise that, for patients with SRBD, "Medical treatment (eg, continuous positive airway pressure therapy) or behavioral modification of SRBD (eg, weight loss) may help mitigate or prevent depressive symptoms