Mental and cognitive capabilities? Please help

[NewCpapper]

Hey guys,
Before I start this topic, I want to thank you all for being so helpful. For years, I have been struggling with lack of energy, no motivation, and depression. For the last 3 years, things really gotten worse especially with my brain capabilities. I had no motivation nor strength to tackle homework. I would go to one or two classes then all i can think of is going home for a knap. I failed engineering program even when i only have one semester left. I changed my doctor and I recently got diagnosed with sleep apnea. Now I'm waiting for my cpap. I would greatly appreciate it if you guys focus on your cognitive abilities and mental health before and after cpap. I had a miserable life because I could never think clearly without brain fogs etc.

[Chris8243]

Things will improve - I hope you're willing and able to go back to school and finish your degree. Don't give up.

Have you also addressed your depression? For me, depression was kicking my butt more than my sleep apnea.

[NewCpapper]

Thank you Chris, I'm fighting to get reinstated since I have accumulated student loans. My fear is failure again, I invested so much into my education which seems like impossible to finish now. I just want to be able to live again, think clearly and be the happy person i once was. My previous doctor gave me a horrible antidepressant but I asked my new doctor for a different medication.

[Weagle]

I'm also following this thread to see what others say. I've heard that better sleep may impact cognitive abilities over time. How much time?

I was just recently diagnosed with Complex Sleep Apnea (Central and Obstructive). Looking back, I've noticed my cognitive abilities have been limited over the last several years. Previously, I was a great student and retained knowledge easily. I dropped out of classes to one of my dreams of becoming a pilot because I just could not retain the knowledge necessary to continue. I started my ASV treatment about a month ago but have had several issues with mask seals and Aerophagia. I have a follow up with my Doc Monday to address these issues. I'm hoping the journey gets easier and my cognitive abilities also rebound.

[Pugsy]

Welcome to the forum.

Whatever medication you get or change to or take....google the side effects extensively.
Also google their effects on sleep architecture and sleep quality.
Most of the mood altering drugs actually can cause a lot of the symptoms that you are complaining of and make things worse.
Some more so than others.

It's a damned if you do and damned if you don't kind of thing.

Good luck to you.

[NewCpapper]

Welcome to the forum.

Whatever medication you get or change to or take....google the side effects extensively.
Also google their effects on sleep architecture and sleep quality.
Most of the mood altering drugs actually can cause a lot of the symptoms that you are complaining of and make things worse.
Some more so than others.

It's a damned if you do and damned if you don't kind of thing.

Good luck to you.

Weagle best of luck to you.
Pugsy my previous doctor prescribed me venlafaxine which was horrible. It scary what reviews says, so I stopped taking that. I hope the next medication will be alright.

[nicholasjh1]

It's like night and day for me. I did add a regimen to support brain regrowth, plenty of omega 3's, choline (especially since I'm allergic to eggs the main source of choline in the american diet), tumeric, noopept (a russian drug know to reverse brain damage in traumatic brain injury patients and it seemed to incredibly help me. ) I also used citrulline to increase circulation, astaxanthin etc.

[kteague]

Sleep deprivation is really detrimental to our emotional well being and cognitive function. It will be interesting to see how therapeutic treatment of your sleep apnea helps your depression. Keep in mind that the meds it might take to treat a sleep deprived brain/body could be very different from what a well rested person needs. Be prepared for signs that a dosage change might be needed. This is a good time to embark on an effort to make sure your body and brain have the nutritional building blocks necessary for restoring and maintaining health. Give yourself the tools you need to succeed. You have every reason to be optimistic about some degree of recovery. We can't predict your personal odds of full recovery, but it is encouraging that you do not have a long life of accumulative damage to recover from. I had many years of sleep trouble and multiple sleep disorders (also have PLMD) and had deteriorated to the point of hardly being able to complete a sentence, had to stop driving and cooking for safety sake, and had to go out of work on disability. My brain scans showed multiple areas of damage termed ischemic vascular lesions. (Can we say lack of oxygen?) Can't say I'm the brightest bulb in the pack (once was right up there among the quite bright), but I do function at a level I would consider an acceptable level for someone my age with my health issues. Just renewed my drivers license - did well on the test, and cook almost daily with no concerns about burning the place down. Most days I'm fairly sharp. I'm guessing before too long you will be on here encouraging newbies with your own success story.

[NewCpapper]

Thank you guys for your opinions, I can't wait to get hold of my cpap machine. I will also start taking antidepressant because I can't continue like this. I'm facing homelessness and it's winter. Bills pills up quick so I can't stay in this bubble anymore. I feel so good being able to vent off in here without people's judgments. It's good knowing that there is hope.

[Jack Burton]

Thank you guys for your opinions, I can't wait to get hold of my cpap machine. I will also start taking antidepressant because I can't continue like this. I'm facing homelessness and it's winter. Bills pills up quick so I can't stay in this bubble anymore. I feel so good being able to vent off in here without people's judgments. It's good knowing that there is hope.

Sounds like you are taking control of things.

[ChicagoGranny]

I will also start taking antidepressant

I worry about antidepressants for people who have untreated sleep apnea. ---------->

A new study shows that depressive symptoms are extremely common in people who have obstructive sleep apnea, and these symptoms improve significantly when sleep apnea is treated with continuous positive airway pressure therapy.

Results show that nearly 73 percent of sleep apnea patients (213 of 293 patients) had clinically significant depressive symptoms at baseline, with a similar symptom prevalence between men and awomen. These symptoms increased progressively and independently with sleep apnea severity.

However, clinically significant depressive symptoms remained in only 4 percent of the sleep apnea patients who adhered to CPAP therapy for 3 months (9 of 228 patients).

Full article: https://aasm.org/cpap-therapy-reduces-s ... eep-apnea/

There's great hope for you. Engineering students are smart. Just my personal advice, I would use the CPAP, get it optimized, and start feeling better before resuming studies.

Tell us some details about your diagnosis? Do you have a copy of the summary page?

Do you have a copy of your prescription? What is the exact model of machine prescribed?

[NewCpapper]

Sounds like you are taking control of things.

I hope that's the case this time, wish me goodluck finding a job.

[NewCpapper]

I will also start taking antidepressant

I worry about antidepressants for people who have untreated sleep apnea. ---------->
I have always hated meditations of that nature because I was always a happy person and depression amuned. Unfortunately I have no choice this time. I have sold everything i own and I gotta get a job.

A new study shows that depressive symptoms are extremely common in people who have obstructive sleep apnea, and these symptoms improve significantly when sleep apnea is treated with continuous positive airway pressure therapy.

Results show that nearly 73 percent of sleep apnea patients (213 of 293 patients) had clinically significant depressive symptoms at baseline, with a similar symptom prevalence between men and awomen. These symptoms increased progressively and independently with sleep apnea severity.

However, clinically significant depressive symptoms remained in only 4 percent of the sleep apnea patients who adhered to CPAP therapy for 3 months (9 of 228 patients).

Full article: https://aasm.org/cpap-therapy-reduces-s ... eep-apnea/

There's great hope for you. Engineering students are smart. Just my personal advice, I would use the CPAP, get it optimized, and start feeling better before resuming studies.
Trust me, I'm 10% as sharp as I use to be. I'm waiting for a call from a local cpap retailer.
Tell us some details about your diagnosis? Do you have a copy of the summary page?
I did the at home study because I have to wait until February to do the clinic study.
Do you have a copy of your prescription? What is the exact model of machine prescribed?

According to the doctor i had 7 episodes an hour and an oxygen level drop of 84%. As far as I know, doctor has not specified which mchine but he told me to have between 4-10 pressure.
Thank you for your insightful comments

[Okie bipap]

You will be better off if you get the ResMed AirSense 10 auto or auto for her, or Philips Responics DreamStation auto. Be wary if they offer you any ResMed machine that says AirStart on it. These are bare bones machines that do not offer full data capability and do not have the capability to use a heated hose. They may be adequate for some people, but if you have problems, they do not offer enough information to figure out what steps need to be taken in order to correct your problems.

[ChicagoGranny]

According to the doctor i had 7 episodes an hour and an oxygen level drop of 84%. As far as I know, doctor has not specified which mchine but he told me to have between 4-10 pressure.
Thank you for your insightful comments

Get copies for your records of your prescription and your study summary (probably one page). It's your legal right.

Trust me, I'm 10% as sharp as I use to be.

But, that's not permanent. Sleep and breathe 7 or 8 hours per night for a week and you will start to be sharp again.