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What Causes Extreme Fatigue When Diagnosed With Sleep Apnea?

Posted on Tue, 8 Sep 2015

Question: My 23 year old son is suffering from extreme fatigue for a year. he was recently diagnosed with mild to moderate sleep apnea a couple months ago and is using the c-pap for it. But his energy level has not improved. We have seen an endocrinologist, neurologist sleep doctor and all their test results came normal. Please help

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Get done ABG,sodium and potassium level.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your question on HCM.
I can understand your concer.
Sleep Apnea can cause electrolyte disturbances like low sodium and low potassium. Both these can cause fatigue and lethargy.
Sleep apnea also causes carbon dioxide retention. This also cause fatigue. So get done ABG (Arterial Blood Gas) analysis, Sodium and potassium level.
Please let me know if these tests are done or not.
Hope I have solve your query.
I will be happy to help you further.
Wish you good health.
Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (15 hours later)

but he is using the cpap machine for his sleep apnea for about 2 months now and is still waking up tired. The sodium and potassium levels were normal in the blood test.

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
ABG is done or not?

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern.
Morning tiredness, unrefreshing sleep, morning fatigue, lethargy etc are symptoms of uncontrolled sleep apnea. And these are mostly due to high carbon dioxide (hypercarbia).
So better to get done ABG (arterial blood gas) analysis for carbon dioxide level.
Please let me know
1. How much pressure he is using in CPAP machine?
2. Have you checked ABG?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better.
I will be happy to help you further.
Wishing good health to your son. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (2 days later)

is ABG a painful test? u know for a couple days now he's feeling less fatigued by following a strict sleep schedule. should we still do the test? or should we wait on it to c if the sleep schedule helps him out
my brother has schizophrenia and I am constantly worried that it is supposed to be a genetic disorder, is sleep apnea or hypercarbia correlated to schizophrenia?

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (18 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Have you ever consulted psychiatrist for him?

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on HCM.
I can understand your concern.
Sleep apnea and hypercarbia can cause psychiatric diseases like anxiety, depression, schizophrenia etc.
And with positive family history, risk is higher.
So please let me know
1. Have you ever consulted psychiatrist for him?
2. Does he have irritable behavior, short tempred, agitated, forgetfulness etc?
3. Which drugs he is taking?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better.
I will be happy to help you further.
Wishing good health to your son.
Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (24 hours later)

He is not taking any drugs at the moment, he does have irritable behavior, forgetfulness. we have seen a psychiatrist friend but not really with a detailed history. should we consider cbt? can schizophrenia be prevented?

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (15 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Yes,behavioral therapy and counselling sessions are important in his case.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern.
These all symptoms suggest psychiatric illness.
So better to consult psychiatrist and get done counseling sessions. Try to identify stressor in his life and start working on its solution.
He may need drugs too.
Counselling and behavioral therapy have excellent therapeutic benefits along with drugs.
So consult psychiatrist and discuss all these.
And yes schizophrenia can be prevented by all these.
Hope I have solved your query.
If you are not having further queries, then please close the conversation and rate my answer.
You can ask me directly on bit.ly/askdrkaushalbhavsar.
Wishing good health to your son. Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Drkaushal85 (1 hour later)

so should we still get abg testing done u think? I dont exactly know where they do it and I need Drs order for the test.
also he says he doesn't have any stress except this fatigue factor. however ever since childhood he has been bashed upon because he would be too lazy to do anything or listen to anything we say. maybe it was his sleep apnea that caused him to be tired and then be lazy and he then rebelled and did not listen to us. but we have also dealt with him with compassion but he continues to think he knows. he denies that he has any stress at all. can u also direct this question to a psychiatrist.

Answered by Dr. Drkaushal85 (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
No need for ABG at present.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern.
He definitely needs psychiatric counselling and behavioral therapy.
And no need for ABG at present. But if he continues to have these symptoms despite of psychiatrist counselling than get done ABG analysis.
Hope I have solved your query.
If you are not having further queries, then please close the conversation and rate my answer.
You can ask me directly on bit.ly/askdrkaushalbhavsar.
Wishing good health to your son.
Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar