Do you have to sleep for a sleep study to work?

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Couldn't figure out how to edit the title to update.
Back from the dr.s Picture the worst dressed person you have ever seen out cruising around, I think I looked like that but a meth addict look. Mismatched pjs and my hair is just indescribable.

He says I don't need a sleep study I need sleep. Says it is becoming an emergency. I got told to stop everything they put me on yesterday and go on doxipine and dalmane. Max doses. Do not drive (I don't drive anyway) do not lift anything hot. My mom lives with us which is good because I will be honest I am unable to care for myself right now let alone my kids and my DH would have to have taken time off work which in this economy isn't a smart career move. I told the dr I am worried about ending up in the regular hospital for exhaustion. I am not sad, no racing thoughts, he doesn't think I am manic right now, not depressed, not worried I just can't sleep. I told the kids no friends over and no noise. We usually have a houseful so I feel bad.
TO the person who said they were on lunesta I was on that last week. It worked about 3 days then stopped working and gave me some bizarre personality changes and I was saying inappropriate out of character things and really outgoing.

I have probably shared to much info that I will regret later when someone pulls my posts up to use against me like always happens on the dis, I just thought I would update those of you that were nice enough to take the time to try and help me out.

Also I am worried if this doesn't work over the weekend what to do?? I can have my dr paged but then what happens? I responded well enough to treatment once I was diagnosed with bipolar that I was never hospitalized or anything like that so I don't know how that works on weekends.

Shame on anyone who uses your posts against you. It sounds like you have a serious medical condition. I'm glad you did the sleep study. I hope you get relief. I suffer from moderate insomnia. My dr refuses to put me on Ambien or Lunesta. I have to take 4 mgs of Klonipin and 5 Tylenol PM in order to sleep. My husband is worried that I am damaging my liver by doing this, but my dr. won't give me anything for sleep. There are valid reasons he won't, but I won't go into it. Good luck, and I'm so glad you went for it. Now they can treat you as you should be treated.

 

[Green Tea]

I am an insomniac as well. Thankfully Ambien does work. May I ask if you have ever seen a therapist in addition to the medical doctors? It seriously can help you figure out what is triggering things. A Fight or Flight response can become ingrained where you react to the thought of sleep by getting a racing heart and anxiety.

To the person who talked about Valerian being stinky. Now I know what is in the latest homeopathic thing I am trying. I am to chew 2 and just let it sit in my mouth without swallowing the stuff. I find it hideous, but actually somewhat beneficial. But now I know what makes it taste and smell so bad.

 

[Green Tea]

Shame on anyone who uses your posts against you. It sounds like you have a serious medical condition. I'm glad you did the sleep study. I hope you get relief. I suffer from moderate insomnia. My dr refuses to put me on Ambien or Lunesta. I have to take 4 mgs of Klonipin and 5 Tylenol PM in order to sleep. My husband is worried that I am damaging my liver by doing this, but my dr. won't give me anything for sleep. There are valid reasons he won't, but I won't go into it. Good luck, and I'm so glad you went for it. Now they can treat you as you should be treated.

Instead of the Tylenol PM, please just take the 5 Benadryl instead. The Tylenol component truly can kill your liver. What makes the Tylenol PM induce sleepiness is Benadryl (dipenhydrimine)

(Not that I am advocating 5 of any tablet!!)

 

[MoniqueU]

I am an insomniac as well. Thankfully Ambien does work. May I ask if you have ever seen a therapist in addition to the medical doctors? It seriously can help you figure out what is triggering things. A Fight or Flight response can become ingrained where you react to the thought of sleep by getting a racing heart and anxiety.

To the person who talked about Valerian being stinky. Now I know what is in the latest homeopathic thing I am trying. I am to chew 2 and just let it sit in my mouth without swallowing the stuff. I find it hideous, but actually somewhat beneficial. But now I know what makes it taste and smell so bad.

Yes I have had therapy many different kinds and have found it helpful to some extent. Right now I have such a good support group IRL that I am doing better minus the sleep issue that has crept to this level then I have in a long time.

Also to the tylenol user I do suggest the benadryl as well if you can tolerate it.

 

[themarquis]

Instead of the Tylenol PM, please just take the 5 Benadryl instead. The Tylenol component truly can kill your liver. What makes the Tylenol PM induce sleepiness is Benadryl (dipenhydrimine)

(Not that I am advocating 5 of any tablet!!)

ITA -- I was just going to go on and post that. Take benadryl. It is exactly the same as tylenol pm, just without the pain reliever (which is the part that damages the liver). Much safer (and cheaper )

 

[themarquis]

Couldn't figure out how to edit the title to update.
Back from the dr.s Picture the worst dressed person you have ever seen out cruising around, I think I looked like that but a meth addict look. Mismatched pjs and my hair is just indescribable.

He says I don't need a sleep study I need sleep. Says it is becoming an emergency. I got told to stop everything they put me on yesterday and go on doxipine and dalmane. Max doses. Do not drive (I don't drive anyway) do not lift anything hot. My mom lives with us which is good because I will be honest I am unable to care for myself right now let alone my kids and my DH would have to have taken time off work which in this economy isn't a smart career move. I told the dr I am worried about ending up in the regular hospital for exhaustion. I am not sad, no racing thoughts, he doesn't think I am manic right now, not depressed, not worried I just can't sleep. I told the kids no friends over and no noise. We usually have a houseful so I feel bad.
TO the person who said they were on lunesta I was on that last week. It worked about 3 days then stopped working and gave me some bizarre personality changes and I was saying inappropriate out of character things and really outgoing.

I have probably shared to much info that I will regret later when someone pulls my posts up to use against me like always happens on the dis, I just thought I would update those of you that were nice enough to take the time to try and help me out.

Also I am worried if this doesn't work over the weekend what to do?? I can have my dr paged but then what happens? I responded well enough to treatment once I was diagnosed with bipolar that I was never hospitalized or anything like that so I don't know how that works on weekends.

I don't know what your doctor will want to do, but it sounds to me like the next step would be hospitalization. You could do a short-term psychiatric stay and in a hospital setting, they would be able to straighten out all sorts of med stuff and most likely drug you up to the eyeballs for sleeping .

I was close to that situation a couple years back (anxiety, not just insomnia) and I was told something like "don't worry, if you get worse, we'll just admit you and give you the heavy-duty drugs" Not that that's something to look forward to, but it's just something to keep in mind -- might give you some comfort to know that they will *totally take care of you* if it gets worse.

And don't forget, if it does get worse, get yourself to the E.R. That's what they're there for -- they'll make sure you're taken care of and safe

 

[Green Tea]

To the poster who mentioned Doxipin: I was having a terrible allergic reaction. The allergist gave me that saying it was origionally to be an antidepressant, but wasnt a very good one, but was having success with hives. I took the doxepin and had a terrible result. Not only did it start my sleep probelms( aling with steriods because of tbe allergic reaction) but it also actually depressed me.

I know it is in tests fpr sleep use. My doctor had never had a reaction like I had. Oh. And in increased breast size tremendously. I had to buy new bras. THAT might be the one the drug company out to consider marketing!

 

[PrincessKitty1]

Monique, to you. I went for a couple of years on only about 3 hours of sleep a night and I was a complete basket case. I am OK now and just had to get out of the situation that made me so anxious (school).

Have you tried taking half a dose of your sleep medicine and then another half dose when you wake up in a few hours? I do this with Ambien. Luckily I'm very sensitive to Ambien and about a 1 mg chip will make me fall asleep for a few hours. If I wake up in the middle of the night, I can take another chip and usually go back to sleep.

I'd like to also recommend acupuncture--it has really helped me!The type of acupuncture I have is called 5 Element.

Bipolar disease, as you know, is a biochemical imbalance that has psych manifestations, nothing for anybody to harass you about, and lack of sleep will make anybody bonkers! My boyfriend and I purposely sleep-deprived ourselves (we heard about this is our Introductory Psychology class our freshman year in college), me for 24 hours and him for 48 hours, and we both hallucinated! So no surprise that you don't feel good.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Instead of the Tylenol PM, please just take the 5 Benadryl instead. The Tylenol component truly can kill your liver. What makes the Tylenol PM induce sleepiness is Benadryl (dipenhydrimine)

(Not that I am advocating 5 of any tablet!!)

Unfortunately, Benadryl lost it's effectiveness months ago. Even though it has the same ingredient that tylenol pm does that makes you sleepy. I don't understand it. I was up to 7 benedryl a night and it was doing nothing. If i don't take anything, I do not sleep. Not at all. It's horrible. Insomnia is so horrible.

 

[Green Tea]

Unfortunately, Benadryl lost it's effectiveness months ago. Even though it has the same ingredient that tylenol pm does that makes you sleepy. I don't understand it. I was up to 7 benedryl a night and it was doing nothing. If i don't take anything, I do not sleep. Not at all. It's horrible. Insomnia is so horrible.

Insomnia is horrible. Agreed!

Have you tried a different OTC antihistimine? If you traded for a bit it might cleanse from the tolerance to Benadryl. Then when it quits working, you go back to lower a lower dose? I use Chlortimeton. It does make me sleepy.

Advil PM has the same sleep ingredient as the Tylenol. That would not affect the liver like the Tylenol can.

 

[MoniqueU]

I made it through the night from about 7 til 4. A little hazy but I may throw caution to the wind and have a cup of coffee. I took the doxipine, waited over an hour and nothing. Took thr dalmane then and that seemed to work. Not sure why the dr wants me to take the doxipine rirst when I don't think that really works on me....

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Insomnia is horrible. Agreed!

Have you tried a different OTC antihistimine? If you traded for a bit it might cleanse from the tolerance to Benadryl. Then when it quits working, you go back to lower a lower dose? I use Chlortimeton. It does make me sleepy.

Advil PM has the same sleep ingredient as the Tylenol. That would not affect the liver like the Tylenol can.

Thanks! I only have 2 tylenol pm left and I was gonna get a new bottle today. I will get the Advil instead. Thanks!