Insomnia stinks!

[Lachesis00]

May I just say insomnia sucks. And it sucks even more when it is starting to be a real issue. I slept all of MAYBE 4-5 hours over the past 36 hours or so. Last "night" I slept all of an hour. Go me! *grrrr*

Even w/Ambien or Lunesta with a xanax (all prescribed by my doctor), I might get 6 hours of sleep if I am lucky. Normally it is closer to 4 hours of sleep. I rarely go that route. Maybe once a week if that. I worry about becoming dependent on the stuff. Even if I *need* it.

However lack of sleep is no good either. I am feeling the affects. For some reason the more tired I am, the harder it is to breath. My eyes tend to water. My temperature tends to flux (weird I know), I get cranky and short tempered and more absent minded.
REALLY weird thing is, I can sleep fine (say 6 hours easily) with no meds at all in the daytime. Don't dig doing it, feeling like even though I never have anything to do, I am wasting the day away.

As I have been saying for 3 hours (to myself) I am going to try and go rest on the couch. We're heading to the zoo today w/friends, so I have to be awake by 11am (ha! I doubt I will be asleep by then).

 

[doxdogy]

I am so sorry that you are suffering from insomnia. I can definitely feel your pain. Doctor prescribed me Lunesta and it did not help at all. The only thing that will knock me out is a muscle relaxer. Unfortunately, I can't take it during the week.

 

[Poohnatic]

I hear you. Mine is pain related, so at first my doctor gave me Neurontin. It worked like a charm-until I got the hives. I slept AND the RSD pain didn't bother me.

Now I'm on Lyrica. It works on the pain (to an extent), but not the sleep. I was up from 4 to 6:30 this morning. At least DH let me sleep until 10 our time.

Suzanne

 

[Lachesis00]

I have RLS (restless leg syndrome) pretty severe but the sleep apnea doctor (who reports everything to my GP doc whom I do not care for) won't treat it until I have been using a CPAP for a year.

I have arthrtis in my hips and knees but it doesn't seem to be affecting me right now, it will during monsoon season but the GP doc doesn't believe in pain meds of any kind.

She does give me 60 xanax a month plus the lunesta and ambien but it really doesn't do much good. 4 hours of sleep is average, 6 hours on a good night. I may take one xanax at night (once a week or less) but I am so worried of becoming addicted or dependent. My family has a high rate of addiction.
I get SO tired, but not sleepy. So I have no energy to even move, but I can't sleep to save my life. Some nights even taking the xanax with a sleep aid does nothing for me.

I am reading the peri-menopause thread and I wondering if that is tied in some how, I am almost 37. My mom, Gram and 2 aunts had historectomies (sp) in their mid-late 20's so I have no idea of the family histories.

What ever it is, I am seriously getting tired of it.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

I hear you. Mine is pain related, so at first my doctor gave me Neurontin. It worked like a charm-until I got the hives. I slept AND the RSD pain didn't bother me.

Now I'm on Lyrica. It works on the pain (to an extent), but not the sleep. I was up from 4 to 6:30 this morning. At least DH let me sleep until 10 our time.

Suzanne

My Sleep Number bed cured what Neurontin couldn't for me. I found out the nice firm mattrest we had had before was aiding in the cutting off of circulation while sleeping and cause my leg and mostly feet discomfort. (RLS)

I got to the point where I couldn't sleep at all and could barely walk when I did get out of bed.


To the OP I know this is not the fix for all but see if it's a physical problem causing your sleep problem setting my SNB on 20 is like sleeping on a bed of clouds and pure blise.

I still only sleep 4 or 5 hours a night but I have always been like that and now when I get up I so more relaxed and refreshed for the day ahead of me.

I guess what I'm trying to say is try to sleep in different places pile some towels or pillows and try that ,try sleeping on the floor maybe you need something hard,heck buy a cheap hammock and try that.

 

[powellrj]

I also suffer and have had sleep studies and used different drugs without much relief. It has gotten worse since I had my knee replaced in Dec and now that I am going to have the other one done, who knows if I will ever sleep again.

Last night when I was awake, there was a new infomercial about the life program. I looked in up on the internet and its a system for mediation. I asked this am about mediation and got some ideas on where to start without buying the infomercial package.

I figure its worth a try.

 

[DisMN]

May I just say insomnia sucks. And it sucks even more when it is starting to be a real issue. I slept all of MAYBE 4-5 hours over the past 36 hours or so. Last "night" I slept all of an hour. Go me! *grrrr*

Even w/Ambien or Lunesta with a xanax (all prescribed by my doctor), I might get 6 hours of sleep if I am lucky. Normally it is closer to 4 hours of sleep. I rarely go that route. Maybe once a week if that. I worry about becoming dependent on the stuff. Even if I *need* it.

However lack of sleep is no good either. I am feeling the affects. For some reason the more tired I am, the harder it is to breath. My eyes tend to water. My temperature tends to flux (weird I know), I get cranky and short tempered and more absent minded.REALLY weird thing is, I can sleep fine (say 6 hours easily) with no meds at all in the daytime. Don't dig doing it, feeling like even though I never have anything to do, I am wasting the day away.

As I have been saying for 3 hours (to myself) I am going to try and go rest on the couch. We're heading to the zoo today w/friends, so I have to be awake by 11am (ha! I doubt I will be asleep by then).

Wow, I could have written your post. My doctor told me lack of sleep CAN make a person physically ill so I do worry about that. I consider myself very lucky if I can get more than 4 solid hours.
I don't have apnea.
I have an Rx for Ambien, which doesn't seem to work.
I am able to sleep better during the day, for a longer length of time and even after several cups of coffee.
It's frustrating.......and while I'd usually say "it's nice to know others in the same boat" I really don't wish this frustration on anyone.
I hope you get yours figured out. Good luck!!

 

[DisMN]

I also suffer and have had sleep studies and used different drugs without much relief. It has gotten worse since I had my knee replaced in Dec and now that I am going to have the other one done, who knows if I will ever sleep again.

Last night when I was awake, there was a new infomercial about the life program. I looked in up on the internet and its a system for mediation. I asked this am about mediation and got some ideas on where to start without buying the infomercial package.

I figure its worth a try.

Mediation or meditation?

 

[Poohnatic]

My Sleep Number bed cured what Neurontin couldn't for me. I found out the nice firm mattrest we had had before was aiding in the cutting off of circulation while sleeping and cause my leg and mostly feet discomfort. (RLS)

After I helped a friend pick out a Select Comfort Bed, I have wanted one. DH says no way.

What's aiding my sleep (and has for the past 4 months) is sleeping on my extremely comfy couch. Instead of 4 hours of very fitful sleep, I get solid sleep for that 4 hours. Last night, I slept for three, was up for two and a half, then slept for another 3 and a half. I was comfortable enough that the hubby and kids were active around me and didn't wake me up.

My Unna Boot is my problem right now. It helps the ulcers on my leg, but not the RSD.

Suzanne

 

[WilmaBud]

I have terrible sleep problems. I can fall asleep, but then I wake up in the middle of the night, and I'm up for hours.

I find Xanax works best if I take it right before bed. I've tried taking it "if" I wake up in the middle of the night, but it doesn't seem to help then. If I take it before bed, it helps me stay asleep. Sometimes I don't need it for 2 weeks, but sometimes I take it every night for a week. I've been doing this for a year, and I've had no addiction problems.

Sometimes I use Flexeril to sleep. It's a muscle relaxant. That really zonks me out. I won't take one if hubby isn't home, though because I don't want to be flaky if there's an emergency and I'm the only adult home. About 10 years ago, my doctor prescribed Valium to help me sleep. I never took it, though. I hear it works well - it's also a muscle relaxant.

I don't like the way Ambien feels for me, and I have no desire to try Lunesta or any other sleeping pill.

I know I sound a bit like Elvis with all these drugs , but I don't have an addictive personality, so I don't have any problems with these medications. Usually I have to go several nights with crappy sleep before I'll take something.

One thing I'd like to point out is that I'm fairly certain a lot of my sleep problems are from my thyroid disorder ( I have Hashimoto's). Have you had your thyroid checked? It might be a good idea.

I feel your pain. Insomnia is NO fun!!

 

[Lachesis00]

I had blood tests run extensively last year... I was sleeping 20+ hours a day. I am not at the other end of the spectrum. I am actually on work disability because of the sleep issues combined with the other issues... lack of memory and weight gain being a huge one for me.
I was anemic... I had good iron levels, my body didn't know how to use it. It wasn't using it correctly. Even after the iron transfusions for 12 weeks, I would feel good for a day or so (normal) and go down hill from there.

No real extensive testing was done on the blood work. Thyroid was run because my family has thyroid problems. It came up clean.

My sleep doctor does not believe in any drugs whats so ever.... period. Not even anxiety meds which I think anxiety plays a huge part in my sleeping issues.
My family doctor doesn't believe in depression meds or something more long acting for anxiety and is happy to give me 60 Xanax a month... take as needed.

IF I take a Xanax before bed, I will get 4-6 hours of sleep vs 1-2 hours. It is a huge matter of being exausted and beyond tired but not SLEEPY. My body is so so tired, but I can not get sleepy or turn my brain off.

I have terrible sleep problems. I can fall asleep, but then I wake up in the middle of the night, and I'm up for hours.

I find Xanax works best if I take it right before bed. I've tried taking it "if" I wake up in the middle of the night, but it doesn't seem to help then. If I take it before bed, it helps me stay asleep. Sometimes I don't need it for 2 weeks, but sometimes I take it every night for a week. I've been doing this for a year, and I've had no addiction problems.

Sometimes I use Flexeril to sleep. It's a muscle relaxant. That really zonks me out. I won't take one if hubby isn't home, though because I don't want to be flaky if there's an emergency and I'm the only adult home. About 10 years ago, my doctor prescribed Valium to help me sleep. I never took it, though. I hear it works well - it's also a muscle relaxant.

I don't like the way Ambien feels for me, and I have no desire to try Lunesta or any other sleeping pill.

I know I sound a bit like Elvis with all these drugs , but I don't have an addictive personality, so I don't have any problems with these medications. Usually I have to go several nights with crappy sleep before I'll take something.

One thing I'd like to point out is that I'm fairly certain a lot of my sleep problems are from my thyroid disorder ( I have Hashimoto's). Have you had your thyroid checked? It might be a good idea.

I feel your pain. Insomnia is NO fun!!

I slept on the couch for 2.5 hours and would have slept longer had my husband not woken me. We have plans with friends or he probably would have left me there sawing logs.
Of course he has the TV so loud in the bedroom, I am sure I would have woken up in no time flat

After I helped a friend pick out a Select Comfort Bed, I have wanted one. DH says no way.

What's aiding my sleep (and has for the past 4 months) is sleeping on my extremely comfy couch. Instead of 4 hours of very fitful sleep, I get solid sleep for that 4 hours. Last night, I slept for three, was up for two and a half, then slept for another 3 and a half. I was comfortable enough that the hubby and kids were active around me and didn't wake me up.

My Unna Boot is my problem right now. It helps the ulcers on my leg, but not the RSD.

Suzanne

I think it stinks I went from one extreme to the other.... I have ambien and it works maybe 50% of the time. caffeine tends to make me tired. Or lets say it does nothing for the energy levels.
My family doctor gave me some pills to try... suppose to help reverse your clock. Suppose to be like a little energy pill.... DIDN'T WORK. It was suppose to keep you awake 12-14 hours.
The first time it lasted 2 hours *woot*. The next day one hour. The following 5 days, I felt no difference. I didn't get those refilled. I bet it was something mental making me wish they would work.

I am baffled as to why I can sleep during the day and with out the aid of sleep meds.

Wow, I could have written your post. My doctor told me lack of sleep CAN make a person physically ill so I do worry about that. I consider myself very lucky if I can get more than 4 solid hours.
I don't have apnea.
I have an Rx for Ambien, which doesn't seem to work.
I am able to sleep better during the day, for a longer length of time and even after several cups of coffee.
It's frustrating.......and while I'd usually say "it's nice to know others in the same boat" I really don't wish this frustration on anyone.
I hope you get yours figured out. Good luck!!

 

[dcentity2000]

Insomnia sucks.

The annoying thing is, the more powerful the hypnotic (sleeping drug), the shorter it works for and the greater the side effects. Methohexital, for example, will knock you out but has a half life of 5.6 minutes. Yay!



Rich::