Sleep apnea and menopause

I read an interesting article today from the journal of sleep medicine that studies are being done at some of the major research hospitals and giving menopausal women hormone replacement therapy is eliminating 50% of their sleep apnea. Apparently there is a direct connection between loss of estrogen and sleep apnea!

Sclark08 wrote:I read an interesting article today from the journal of sleep medicine that studies are being done at some of the major research hospitals and giving menopausal women hormone replacement therapy is eliminating 50% of their sleep apnea. Apparently there is a direct connection between loss of estrogen and sleep apnea!

But I would rather have OSA and use cpap then take oestrogen. Cpap does not give me migraines and mental fog and have me craving innumerable bags of chips. They tried me on it in May for another reason = 2 weeks of hell and 10 pounds.

Here is more about it that you can count on :

http://www.webmd.com/menopause/guide/sl ... -menopause

I always used the lowest possible dose for the shortest amount of time. I took Prempro low dose estrogen for 2 years my mammogram and Pap smear have always been normal and I felt great for those 2 years. Including no sleep apnea. Menopause does terrible things to a women's body. I quit taking Prempro last year and now the meds are out of my system I feel crappy again

Tomorrow I will begin again with Prempro

If you gained 10 lbs in 2 weeks it probably wasn't from estrogen!

Sclark08 wrote:I read an interesting article today from the journal of sleep medicine that studies are being done at some of the major research hospitals and giving menopausal women hormone replacement therapy is eliminating 50% of their sleep apnea. Apparently there is a direct connection between loss of estrogen and sleep apnea!

Whatever the relationship might be between estrogen and sleep apnea, I'm wondering if it's all primary relationship or partly secondary. Haven't read the studies because I'm far beyond it affecting to me. But if a woman felt like crap approaching menopause, already had crappy sleep that sometimes accompanies that time with night sweats and hot flashes, and taking HRT made them feel better and sleep better in general, any creeping weight gain might be turned around with increased activity once feeling better. That too could contribute to a lessening of sleep apnea if weight was a contributor.

For some, estrogen therapy may be of significant value in regards to sleep apnea. I've had OSA since a much younger woman, later took HRT for a couple years, still had it. Went off HRT due to concerns over risks involved with family medical history. My doc said once I decided to go off she would never put me back on as the risk is greater in my age range with stopping and starting than starting when a bit younger. There are so many variables with each case of OSA that one solution will never work for all. If you are lucky enough to be one whose apnea is helped by taking estrogen, you feel better when on it without side effects, and are not in a high risk group, then count your blessings. If you do choose to go back on the estrogen I'd be curious about what any follow up testing or machine data says about its effect on your OSA.

Ill give it a month and repost on this topic. Im curious myself!

Sclark08 wrote:If you gained 10 lbs in 2 weeks it probably wasn't from estrogen!

No it was from the cravings for carbs. Lots of carbs, potato chips, chocolate bars, candies, cheese. I couldn't put them down. I ate more in those 2 weeks then in the previous 2 months. And that was on the very very low dosage you stick up to improve vagina tissue.

This is my 2nd day and I feel better already. I have had a terrible time with menopause. My estrogen is extremely low. My endocrinologist is monitoring blood levels etc. never had an irregular pap and tolerate hormones very well.
I am keeping copies of all my sleepyhead data for a month and see what happens. It's worth it in my case. You have to make that call in the end

kteague wrote: Whatever the relationship might be between estrogen and sleep apnea, I'm wondering if it's all primary relationship or partly secondary.

That is a good question. I do know my primary care says sleep apnea is something he looks for when women hit menopause.

Haven't read the studies because I'm far beyond it affecting to me.

And I am even further beyond.