benzodiazapine effect on OSA? Help pls?

snamvar · Post by **snamvar** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 12:05 am

Do benzos have a negative effect on OSA? I was prescribed Klonopin for anxiety and restlessness along with Paxil for depression. The doctor at the sleep center told me that Klonopin suppresses the breathing nervous system and actually wrote to my psychiatrist stating this fact. My psychiatrist stopped Klonopin and said that Paxil (which I was already taking) should have the same relaxing affect without negative interaction with OSA and increased the dose.
Although Paxil does keep my depression in control, it does not keep me calm and relaxed.
I am wondering as if my psychiatrist is just scared of liability or what. I am losing faith in my doctor. Any help is appreciated.
BTW, I am using the Remstar auto and that by itself should take care of some of the concern with suppression of the breathing nervous system. I also do not have any central apneas and my AHI is around 3 which is good. Maybe one day, we come to order our own medication online without any prescription
Thanks for your input.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 2:18 am

My personal experience with Paxil was awful. It seemed to have an additive effect.

By that I mean that I felt great for the first 2 to 3 days, then I would get some major anxiety attacks. I found that taking it every other day or even more infrequently seemed to work better for me.

In the end I was prescribed Wellbutrin and I can't begin to tell you how well it worked for me. No anxiety at all and I actually experienced a great improvement in memory the few months I used it. Naturally the doctor has refused to prescribe it since. So when I feel depressed I just use St John's Wort which seems to work fine too and its natural.

I'm not a doctor so don't take this as advice for your condition, just my personal experience.

DCTom · Post by **DCTom** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 12:36 pm

I'm not a doctor either, but most of the things I've read about benzos say that it makes apnea worse. My doctor told me so too.

snamvar · Post by **snamvar** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 2:36 pm

I have read several posts on this forum about folks on CPAP who have been prescribed Klonopin for various reasons including RLS

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 3:27 pm

snamvar,

Here is an article listing klonopin as a drug that can be used for treating central apneas. My non-medical opinion is that if you are using a an auto-pap to take care of the OSA and are also taking a drug that will take care of any CSA (among other things) that you would be just fine on the klonopin. If it was working for you to help with the anxiety I'd do what I would to stay on it. Maybe you can suggest that you will provide data from your auto-pap to confirm the the klonopin is not resulting in more unaddressed apneas.

Good luck! I think you logic on the subjuct is correct...go for getting back to what was working.

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): CSA, auto

snamvar · Post by **snamvar** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 5:04 pm

Thanks Wading. I also think 2+2=4 until the doctor tells me otherwise. I have to convince her. Showing her the CPAP software data is a great idea.
Thanks again

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 8:54 pm

I see I neglected to post the link to the article that I referred to. Here it is:

http://sleepdisorders.about.com/od/slee ... entral.htm

Brian000 · Post by **Brian000** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 11:16 am

I was on clomazipam for RLS (1 mg/day) for several years and this was prescribed by the same sleep doc who put me on cpap. So, I would conclude that if a sleep specialist is prescribing benzo-type drugs to treat somebody who she knows has apnea that there are instances when it may be appropriate.

FYI I kicked the clomazipam about 6 months ago. Yes, I slept better with it; but, I didn't want to spend the rest of my life on it. Personal choice.