Long Term damage done to the brain from Sleep Apnea

[prefer2breathe]

I just visited a new sleep doctor today and mentioned to him that I was diagnosed about three years ago with sleep apnea and that cpap had never helped me increase my activity level. I have tried everything with tweaking my pressures (through doctors orders) and my treatment is good. Anyway, he mentioned to me that even though I'm on cpap and its treating my apnea now doesn't necessarily reverse the damage that it has already done to my brain. I have really, severe apnea (97 ahi) on my original sleep study. He said that usually when people have it so severe and for a good length of time that there's receptors in our brain that actually become insensitive or dull and therefor is the reason for my constant fatigue, even with cpap. He said cpap is definately needed so it doesn't get any worse but it doesn't always necessarily reverse the damage already done. I was eventually put on Concerta for fatigue, and that works awesome. He said that that drug actually stimulates that part of the brain that was effected. Does anyone know anything about the long term damage done to the brain from sleep apnea that can't be reversed? I was just curious about this and was wondering if there was anyone else out there that kind of fits into this category as well.

[Audge]

I think I may fall into that category, also. I have yet to have a sleep doctor tell me so but I suffered from apnea for nearly 20 years before anyone would offer treatment. My sleep study showed severe Complex Sleep Apnea with my study showing for that one night 92 centrals, 244 obstructives and 6 hypopneas in less than 8 hours. I am on a bilevel vpap now and my numbers look good but I still feel like I run a marathon in my sleep and get hit by a bus at the finish line. I can barely function when I wake up and I am horribly tired all day. I have zero stamina. Yah, I think I am likely brain damaged because of it and I doubt very much that it will get any better for me. I am soon going to see a sleep doc as my GP does not know what to do for me. Let me know if you hear anything more on the subject.

[Mary Z]

prefer2breathe, I am wondering if I do fit into that category. I have not been able to get my AHI under five- probably due to the many meds I take (per the doc), but my excessive daytime sleepiness and fatigue seem out of proportion to my numbers. I have documented mental/neurological defiencies that perhaps could be due to untreated asleep apnea. I've been on treatment for 3 1/2 years, but had symptoms before then.

[LinkC]

I don't know the specifics (and I don't even play a doctor on TV) but it stands to reason that untreated OSA--with the inevitable O2 desats--will eventually cause damage to virtually ALL bodily systems, and certainly the brain. How much is "irreversible" would depend on on the damage, of course, and the length it goes untreated.

I know I have residual impaired memory (tests confirm...) and there's a number of years just prior to CPAP of which I have no recollection whatsoever. I call it my "dark period". My current memory capacity has improved dramatically since CPAP, but the dark period has not...and I anticipate it won't.

[ameriken]

Wow LinkC, that's awful.

P2B, I've wondered the same thing, I don't know if there are any studies on this or not. Even though I am on CPAP now, I'm still not 'there' yet. I sure as heck feel a lot better than I did before CPAP but I'm definitely not as good as I was before apnea.

[Starlette]

Wish it were lunch, I'd put my 2 cents in. Awesome post, I'll be watching this one.

[LinkC]

Wow LinkC, that's awful.

I dunno....comes in handy sometimes!

Fortunately, not much really significant in my life was during the dark period. That I know of... (j/k!)

[ameriken]

Wow LinkC, that's awful.

I dunno....comes in handy sometimes!

Fortunately, not much really significant in my life was during the dark period. That I know of... (j/k!)

It's great that you can laugh at it...I'm not sure how I'd react if I had that big of a hole in my memory.

[moresleep]

I've wondered the same thing. But, might as well put our trust in the growth of new neurons, and do what we can to help along the process--exercise, fish oil, even antidepressants, according to studies...

[xenablue]

I, too will be watching this thread with interest. Been wondering where my 'sharp-as-a-whip' memory disappeared to the last few years.....

xena

[LinkC]

Vitamin E, B12, fish oil and a full-size aspirin is my morning cocktail.

[rested gal]

Some links:
viewtopic.php?p=29527#p29527

[Jay Aitchsee]

Here's a link which kind of supports the long term damage theory
Jay

http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/alco ... -long-term

[jabman]

Here is an exerpt suggesting long term dammage, and the link to go with it.

Results. The evidence suggests that EH as seen during SDB causes damage to the brain with specific areas of gray- and white-matter loss, alteration in autonomic and motor regulation, and damage to higher cognitive functions. While there is evidence of spontaneous reactive mechanisms, it is not clear if they limit ongoing brain damage or contribute to additional damage. Retention of deficits in the brain even after treatment suggests long-term injury.

http://jada.ada.org/content/140/5/536.full

[archangle]

Not to make light of permanent brain damage left over from before you had CPAP, but let's not forget that a lot of us have also gotten older, fatter, less exercise, etc.

One thing I've found is that you have to get out of the bad habits you developed when untreated apnea was leaving you with no energy. I found I had to make myself get up and do things that I didn't have energy to do when I was suffering from inadequately treated apnea. When I actually get up and do it, I often find I DO have the energy to do the things I didn't enjoy doing during the bad times.