Menopause and SA

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
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postitnote
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Menopause and SA

Post by postitnote » Thu Mar 26, 2015 1:25 pm

So I have been up on peri and post menopause and read that SA can get more screwed up before, during, and after. Really? Has anyone experienced this first hand? What do I have to look forward to?
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Julie
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Re: Menopause and SA

Post by Julie » Thu Mar 26, 2015 2:17 pm

You're already using Cpap, so it's unlikely to affect your menopause except to improve symptoms if anything... You may have read that women gain weight following meno, and may develop other problems such as OSA, but if you're already doing well on Cpap, there's no reason to think you'll do worse, though not knowing you, it's impossible to say how meno will otherwise affect you... not everyone gets hot flashes, or large mood swings, etc... But if you do find you have trouble with Cpap, masks, etc. at those times, I'm sure people here can help.

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ChicagoGranny
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Re: Menopause and SA

Post by ChicagoGranny » Thu Mar 26, 2015 2:20 pm

Progesterone is an upper airway stimulant, tightening your throat muscles, helping to protect the upper airway from collapsing. Progesterone goes up significantly during pregnancy, which partially helps to protect the airway despite significant weight gain. It also drops just before a women’s monthly periods, and gradually drops slowly throughout menopause.

Having more relaxed muscles in the throat can definitely lead to more frequent obstructions and arousals.
More good reading in Dr. Park's blog - http://doctorstevenpark.com/index.php?s=menopause

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postitnote
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Re: Menopause and SA

Post by postitnote » Thu Mar 26, 2015 2:35 pm

Julie wrote:You're already using Cpap, so it's unlikely to affect your menopause except to improve symptoms if anything... You may have read that women gain weight following meno, and may develop other problems such as OSA, but if you're already doing well on Cpap, there's no reason to think you'll do worse, though not knowing you, it's impossible to say how meno will otherwise affect you... not everyone gets hot flashes, or large mood swings, etc... But if you do find you have trouble with Cpap, masks, etc. at those times, I'm sure people here can help.
I haven't has any symptoms yet so maybe I'll get lucky. I'm finally going to start using the smart card tonight since the reader is now working and my cough is about gone. I can't say for sure because I have never used software for a cpap before but I assume I am doing pretty good. I sleep well and have lots of energy.
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postitnote
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Re: Menopause and SA

Post by postitnote » Thu Mar 26, 2015 2:36 pm

ChicagoGranny wrote:
Progesterone is an upper airway stimulant, tightening your throat muscles, helping to protect the upper airway from collapsing. Progesterone goes up significantly during pregnancy, which partially helps to protect the airway despite significant weight gain. It also drops just before a women’s monthly periods, and gradually drops slowly throughout menopause.

Having more relaxed muscles in the throat can definitely lead to more frequent obstructions and arousals.
More good reading in Dr. Park's blog - http://doctorstevenpark.com/index.php?s=menopause
Thanks!
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JV1967
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Re: Menopause and SA

Post by JV1967 » Thu Mar 26, 2015 2:39 pm

I'm in the beginning stages of menopause; FSH 43.6, and my apnea started to really show up during perimenopause. I have sleep-onset centrals, and some OSA. I now have a prescription for an ASV machine. I have lost a lot of weight during the change. I do not have the appetite I once had, and I suspect that it is from the stress of going through all of this medical drama, hormonal changes, etc...

My gyno wants to try out some low dose HRT on me, but I'm making sure to get thoroughly checked out first, before I make the decision. I went for a stress test today, and I want to go for an MRI. I have also recently had a D-Dimer test.
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postitnote
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Re: Menopause and SA

Post by postitnote » Thu Mar 26, 2015 3:13 pm

JV1967 wrote:I'm in the beginning stages of menopause; FSH 43.6, and my apnea started to really show up during perimenopause. I have sleep-onset centrals, and some OSA. I now have a prescription for an ASV machine. I have lost a lot of weight during the change. I do not have the appetite I once had, and I suspect that it is from the stress of going through all of this medical drama, hormonal changes, etc...

My gyno wants to try out some low dose HRT on me, but I'm making sure to get thoroughly checked out first, before I make the decision. I went for a stress test today, and I want to go for an MRI. I have also recently had a D-Dimer test.
I haven't had any tests run. I had a discussion with my PCP last May and he was shocked that I still had periods. I'm not going to go into detail about the fact that I question what bubblegum machine was handing out medical degrees when he opened his practice! I see him at least 3 times a year and yeah, if he ever read his nurses notes he would have known! I started seeing a new gyney since mine left the state under suspicious circumstances (the best and brightest tend to avoid small towns). He did the yearly stuff but as to when or why I would ever go into menopause he said something about 10% of women my age still get periods and when I go a year without assume I'm in menopause! Are these tests something rural doctors should know about? At what age should they be run?
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Janknitz
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Re: Menopause and SA

Post by Janknitz » Thu Mar 26, 2015 3:26 pm

Be careful in assuming menopause is always the culprit. After getting used to CPAP my "peri-menopause" 4 am wake ups with hot flashes disappeared. When they returned several months later, I was told "it's 'just' menopause". But I insisted they look at my data which clearly showed I needed more pressure. With pressure increased, my "menopause" symptoms were gone. Had I been male, they would have checked that first. Don't let your doctor tell you anything is menopause related without checking first.

I'm tired of hearing "it's menopause". I've had two serious issues that I had to insist on further testing, and NEITHER was menopause related.
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JV1967
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Re: Menopause and SA

Post by JV1967 » Thu Mar 26, 2015 4:27 pm

Janknitz wrote:Be careful in assuming menopause is always the culprit. After getting used to CPAP my "peri-menopause" 4 am wake ups with hot flashes disappeared. When they returned several months later, I was told "it's 'just' menopause". But I insisted they look at my data which clearly showed I needed more pressure. With pressure increased, my "menopause" symptoms were gone. Had I been male, they would have checked that first. Don't let your doctor tell you anything is menopause related without checking first.

I'm tired of hearing "it's menopause". I've had two serious issues that I had to insist on further testing, and NEITHER was menopause related.
I hear you. That's why I'm getting tested for other things, too. It's part of it. I want to make sure.
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princessbelle
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Re: Menopause and SA

Post by princessbelle » Thu Mar 26, 2015 6:28 pm

I had a complete hysterectomy in my 30's. Nights sweats and hot flashes were almost a nightly occurrence. Since using my machine nightly they have become very rare. I agree too much gets blamed on menopause. I used HRT for years after surgery and when the news broke about how bad they are for women, the husband and I did research and we decided as a couple the risk were not worth it. If my hot flashes and night sweats got really bad I would use HRT for a few months to get it under control then go off HRT. Like I said since actually using my machine they are rare. I do not see HRT in my future. Good Luck.

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Darth Lady
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Re: Menopause and SA

Post by Darth Lady » Thu Mar 26, 2015 6:39 pm

I got diagnosed because after having pulmonary embolism last summer, I ended up in the care of a pulmonologist who was a sleep specialist, who looked at my obese body, the fact that I had had pulmonary embolism, and the fact that I reported not sleeping well at night (and my husband reported that I snored), and said, "You should get a sleep study!" A few months later I stopped menstruating, after winding down for a year or so. Lots of hot flashes, waking up from them, sheer misery . A combination of getting used to xPAP therapy and Neurontin I'm taking for something else have really put the kibosh on them.

I think perimenopause/menopause made my condition worse. It was like the straw that broke the camel's back.

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postitnote
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Re: Menopause and SA

Post by postitnote » Thu Mar 26, 2015 7:36 pm

So like with everything else it's a crap shoot if things will get worse at some point. Of course, I suppose I have to start going through the process first. I've never had a menstrual cramp or a heavy period in my life. No hot flashes, or sleep issues either. The last 4 years I've just had 1 period about every 8 or 10 months. I'll be 57 very soon.
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princessbelle
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Re: Menopause and SA

Post by princessbelle » Thu Mar 26, 2015 8:19 pm

A crap shoot it is! Just remember when the blame is put on menopause first to explore other causes for the same symptoms. Last time I went to the doc for short term HRT we explored other options which were 2 medications the anti depressant Zoloft and a seizure medication. I told the doc lets try the one that would be better so Zoloft it was. Turns out my body doesn't like it and I didn't want to try an seizure medications just because how they work in the brain. Doc said both medications tend to help with the menopause problems. My Aunt who also had a hysterectomy does have some hot flashes and night sweats but she is able to tolerate them as they are not as frequent as what I was dealing with and she does not of OSA. She will never use HRT and is now a huge reason I will never again use it, she has one more year to go to be declared cancer free after her battle with Breast cancer

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postitnote
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Re: Menopause and SA

Post by postitnote » Thu Mar 26, 2015 10:06 pm

princessbelle wrote:A crap shoot it is! Just remember when the blame is put on menopause first to explore other causes for the same symptoms. Last time I went to the doc for short term HRT we explored other options which were 2 medications the anti depressant Zoloft and a seizure medication. I told the doc lets try the one that would be better so Zoloft it was. Turns out my body doesn't like it and I didn't want to try an seizure medications just because how they work in the brain. Doc said both medications tend to help with the menopause problems. My Aunt who also had a hysterectomy does have some hot flashes and night sweats but she is able to tolerate them as they are not as frequent as what I was dealing with and she does not of OSA. She will never use HRT and is now a huge reason I will never again use it, she has one more year to go to be declared cancer free after her battle with Breast cancer
Scary stuff! I should clarify that I have had SA for years. What I meant about sleep issues is that I go to bed and sleep through the night unless a grandchild or cat wakes me up. I don't think I'd ever accept someone telling me "it's menopause" about anything. I just want to know what to expect. I hear it will dry me out, lol and make me hot in the bad way. I think of all the women I have been close to only one presented with obvious symptoms. She was in her early 40's too but also had so many health problems as well. It could be 60 degrees in her house but she kept fans on all winter long. The sweat would just drip down her face. She wound up cutting her waist length hair in a short pixie haircut.
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princessbelle
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Re: Menopause and SA

Post by princessbelle » Thu Mar 26, 2015 11:36 pm

The only dry problem I encounter is with my mouth breathing in FFM. We are are different, so don't think because one, two or 10 people had this or that symptom doesn't mean every one of us will. The best advice I would give is just go with the flow, if you develop symptoms that are bothersome ask around and discuss it with your doc. I forgot to mention my Momma had good luck using that black cohosh to help her hot flashes. She had a bad stroke at age 52 so no HRT for at all. I tried it and didn't do a thing for me. I was actually thinking about looking at the Estroven to see what is it that and if any women have had expected relief. I have been at this game now about 20 years and I still figuring it out.