Going on the thyroid meds could have helped shrink your thyroid gland and restore upper airway patency. I used to need a CPAP pressure of 11 but after going on Synthroid (for Hashimoto's), the pressure needed to keep my airway open has dropped. (Although I'm on ASV now for Complex Apnea, the EPAP setting is at 6 - quite the drop from 11. My weight, etc didn't change between studies either.) Also, I believe thyroid problems can affect your respiratory drive/rate, so perhaps the meds helped that as well?
Did you get a copy of your sleep report? It would (hopefully) include your RDI and number of RERAs or spontaneous arousals - maybe the doc is right and didn't see any full-blown apnea events in order to make a diagnosis, but that doesn't mean your sleep couldn't be affected by mini-events that are below the criteria for "apnea". Hang in there!
Conflicting results. Complex Apnea or not?
Re: Conflicting results. Complex Apnea or not?
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Re: Conflicting results. Complex Apnea or not?
I know more about thyroid issues than sleep apnea since I am just under 3 months into using cpap but have had hypothyroidism and hashimoto's for about 20 years and had my thyroid removed last year due to thyroid cancer.
I do think you should find a neurologist or doctor who specializes in sleep disorders to ask your questions to. Call wherever you had your study done and ask for a referral.
As for the thyroid Hashi destroys your thyroid over time causing swelling at times or all times. Because of this your hypothyroidism labs can be off and cause the extreme tired feeling, poor sleep, sluggishness etc. Make sure your endo is testing for TSH, free t3, and free t4. You should also be getting periodic ultrasounds and biopsies on that nodule to make sure it is not getting bigger or having cancer cells. If your are feeling that bad and your thyroid tests are all coming back in range there are other courses of medicating. You could add cytomel and lower the synthroid. You could use nature thyroid or natural thyroid instead of synthroid. You might need a new endo if they are not doing the proper testing or discussing your symptoms and possible changes with you.
The thyroid controls your entire body system and can speed up or slow down depending on hypo or hyper thyroidism and TSH level your entire system from heart rate, blood flow, energy levels, or just anything in your body. I have never heard of it causing central apneas. The area in the brain it is associated with is the pituitary, thalamus, and hypothalamus. Keep in mind I am not a specialist just a patient who has educated themselves on the thyroid and what it does and how it works. HTH
PS. My sleep apnea was found by the anesthesiologist during my thyroid surgery. It was written on the surgical paper work and no doctor, surgeon, endo, GP caught it and suggested I get a sleep study done. I finally brought it to my Endo's attention who then agreed to send me for a sleep study as I requested. I see a GP who specializes in sleep apnea for that now.
HTH,
Ang
I do think you should find a neurologist or doctor who specializes in sleep disorders to ask your questions to. Call wherever you had your study done and ask for a referral.
As for the thyroid Hashi destroys your thyroid over time causing swelling at times or all times. Because of this your hypothyroidism labs can be off and cause the extreme tired feeling, poor sleep, sluggishness etc. Make sure your endo is testing for TSH, free t3, and free t4. You should also be getting periodic ultrasounds and biopsies on that nodule to make sure it is not getting bigger or having cancer cells. If your are feeling that bad and your thyroid tests are all coming back in range there are other courses of medicating. You could add cytomel and lower the synthroid. You could use nature thyroid or natural thyroid instead of synthroid. You might need a new endo if they are not doing the proper testing or discussing your symptoms and possible changes with you.
The thyroid controls your entire body system and can speed up or slow down depending on hypo or hyper thyroidism and TSH level your entire system from heart rate, blood flow, energy levels, or just anything in your body. I have never heard of it causing central apneas. The area in the brain it is associated with is the pituitary, thalamus, and hypothalamus. Keep in mind I am not a specialist just a patient who has educated themselves on the thyroid and what it does and how it works. HTH
PS. My sleep apnea was found by the anesthesiologist during my thyroid surgery. It was written on the surgical paper work and no doctor, surgeon, endo, GP caught it and suggested I get a sleep study done. I finally brought it to my Endo's attention who then agreed to send me for a sleep study as I requested. I see a GP who specializes in sleep apnea for that now.
HTH,
Ang
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