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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Suggest Treatment For Low Energy And Excessive Sleepiness

I am asking on behalf of my mother in law. She is 96 years of age. She sleeps a lot and has little energy. She has often mentioned that the back of her head feels funny . She has suffered with chronic depression most of her life and is taking low dose of sertraline daily. She had a twin who also suffered from depression and also had narcolepsy. He died many years ago of some kind on cancer. We are at our wits end trying to come up with what might be her problem(s). Any suggestions might prove helpful. She is scheduled to see her physician within the next two weeks. It would have been nice to know up front that this service required a fee. Since it needs a payment I am NOT interested in what the doctor has to say. We will consult more thoroughly with her personal physician at her upcoming appointment. So, please disregard this question.
Tue, 28 May 2019
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Cardiologist 's  Response
Hello,

I would explain that her symptoms are suggestive of sleep apnea or narcolepsy.

Depression may mimic this situation too.

Coming to this point, I would recommend performing a polysomnogram to investigate for narcolepsy or sleep apnea.

It is also necessary for performing a cardiac ultrasound in order to examine her heart function and some blood lab tests (complete blood count, thyroid hormone levels, fasting glucose, kidney and liver function tests).

If all the above tests result normal, I would recommend consulting with a psychiatrist and starting an antidepressant.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,
Dr. Ilir Sharka, Cardiologist
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Suggest Treatment For Low Energy And Excessive Sleepiness

Hello, I would explain that her symptoms are suggestive of sleep apnea or narcolepsy. Depression may mimic this situation too. Coming to this point, I would recommend performing a polysomnogram to investigate for narcolepsy or sleep apnea. It is also necessary for performing a cardiac ultrasound in order to examine her heart function and some blood lab tests (complete blood count, thyroid hormone levels, fasting glucose, kidney and liver function tests). If all the above tests result normal, I would recommend consulting with a psychiatrist and starting an antidepressant. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Regards, Dr. Ilir Sharka, Cardiologist