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Can Antidepressants Cause Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Dr. Park asks whether antidepressants cause obstructive sleep apnea on his blog (http://doctorstevenpark.com/can-antidepressants-cause-obstructive-s...) -- very interesting that he notes antidepressants bring on weight gain. i didn't know that.
I do believe that untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a major cause, if not the most common cause of depression. We know from numerous studies that OSA, via massive hypoxia and inflammation, causes brain biochemical and structural changes that can alter almost every aspect of your physiology and psychology.
Almost weekly, I see patients that suddenly gained significant weight after starting an antidepressant medication. We know that certain antidepressants are more likely to cause weight gain. Weight gain can aggravate obstructive sleep apnea, and obstructive sleep apnea can worsen depression. We also know that depression is linked with a higher incidence of insomnia, cardiovascular disease, and even death.
Did you gain weight after starting an antidepressant medication? If so, which one did you take?
Views: 167
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mary Z on
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I did gain weight after starting on cymbalta. My eating habits were also horrible, so I cannot blame the antidepressants or mood stabilizers, though they may have had a negative effect (and many are know to, as Dr. Parks said). I have had mental illness since childhood and though I may have had untreated sleep apnea at that time I had none of the symptoms. There is also a familial component to my mood disorder, but not my sleep apnea. I have looked at all my medications as has my doctor who specializes in psychiatric meds ( and so will my sleep doc, again, this month), but can find no smoking gun, any relationship to sleep apnea with my meds. I take clonopin, but in such a low dose it should not effect my sleep. Some antidepressants, prozac and welbutrin to name two actually have weight loss as a possible side effect.
I do not believe my OSA is caused by antidepressents, though I am in a very slow process of cutting some doses down one by one. I also don't believe my OSA caused my depression as the depression has been so long lived and because of the genetic component. I am still in the process of getting my AI down consistently to normal numbers and it would be great to see an improvement in my mood (it would be obvious. LOL) and weight (I am losing- 15 lbs in two months, 153# at 5'4"now, about 20 lbs to go). It's funny, my best AI numbers are when I take Ambien to sleep, but this is tightly controlled by my doctor and is a one time prescription.
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Permalink Reply by Linda Weigel on
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I am taking Citalopram hbr 20mb. I have been gaining weight like crazy and I do not know why. I joined a gym and work out 3x per week and watch my calories, I gained 40 lbs so far this year and still gaining, I really need help and my doc does not seem to know what to do. I am about 60 lbs overweight.
Linda
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