i see we're neighbors here in Menlo Park! also, i saw your mention of Remeron on the forum. would you please give the group some more info about it ? haven't heard of it, and sure many others are in the same boat.
Remeron is a psychiatric drug FDA approved for the treatment of depression. As mentioned previously there have been a few studies showing that it reduces AHI by about 50%, presumably by increasing muscle tone in the throat (think of it as the same neurochemicals are involved in neurons in the brain or at muscle cells). There are also more recent studies saying that Remeron DOESN'T work. The truth is that it probably works for a subset of sleep apnea patients and doesn't work for another subset. Sleep apnea is probably not ONE disease. In some patients it may occur because of abnormal anatomy in the airway (inadequate clearance). In other patients it may occur because of abnormal neurotransmission to the muscles of the airway. The reason Remeron has not been promoted as a sleep apnea treatment is that it has prominent side effects of weight gain and sleepiness (both are bad news for sleep apnea patients). I have not had any weight gain from it because I am a very healthy eater. The sedation has not been a problem..in fact it helps me get back to sleep if my apnea wakes me up.
pretty radical concept that Sleep Apnea is not one disease. i know there's obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea and mixed sleep apnea, but i'm getting the feeling those aren't the lines of demarcation that you're talking about.
Mike
i see we're neighbors here in Menlo Park! also, i saw your mention of Remeron on the forum. would you please give the group some more info about it ? haven't heard of it, and sure many others are in the same boat.
warm regards,
mike
Feb 22, 2009
Cuddleydoc
Remeron is a psychiatric drug FDA approved for the treatment of depression. As mentioned previously there have been a few studies showing that it reduces AHI by about 50%, presumably by increasing muscle tone in the throat (think of it as the same neurochemicals are involved in neurons in the brain or at muscle cells). There are also more recent studies saying that Remeron DOESN'T work. The truth is that it probably works for a subset of sleep apnea patients and doesn't work for another subset. Sleep apnea is probably not ONE disease. In some patients it may occur because of abnormal anatomy in the airway (inadequate clearance). In other patients it may occur because of abnormal neurotransmission to the muscles of the airway. The reason Remeron has not been promoted as a sleep apnea treatment is that it has prominent side effects of weight gain and sleepiness (both are bad news for sleep apnea patients). I have not had any weight gain from it because I am a very healthy eater. The sedation has not been a problem..in fact it helps me get back to sleep if my apnea wakes me up.
Feb 22, 2009
Mike
Feb 23, 2009