Do you sleep?

[Diandra]

Hi,
I know we have talked about this before. I just wanted to know if you sleep well or sleep through the night.
I go through cycles where when my pain is controlled really well, I sleep through the night. Lately, I seem to have a reversed sleep schedule....I fall asleep around 2-3am and get up about 9am or earlier if the pain is bad, take a pain med and go back to sleep. Almost every day I have to take a snooze in the afternoon.

I used to take Ambien almost every night for years but my doc won't let me do that anymore. Sometimes I take Lorzepam to help me sleep.

Was wondering if you all get a good night's sleep and if you do, how do you accomplish that?.

Sweet dreams,
Diandra

[tortoisegirl]

Yeah I need meds to sleep. I've been on a muscle relaxer (Tizanadine) for the last few years as my doctors don't want me on sleep meds in combo with the narcotics. It helps me. Unfortunately the suggestions such as keeping a set schedule, sleep routine (winding down at night and reading a book is mine) avoiding caffeine in the afternoon, turning off the computer/tv the hour or two before bed, avoiding catching up on sleep on the weekends, etc, just don't help me fall asleep. I also think although my pain isn't waking me up, its disturbing my sleep. Just had a sleep study done and I'm very anxious for the results. Already figured out I have problems with my nasal airway causing me to only breathe through my mouth. Breathe Right strips help. Hubby reports I make weird breathing noises and kick a lot too. I'd definitely pursue a sleep specialist and sleep study to find a good solution. If I start to get off schedule (staying up too late), I'll make myself get up at my regular time to try and get back on schedule (wearing myself out to be able to go to sleep at the normal time). Maybe not taking a nap can help you to get back on schedule? Some people are just naturally more of a night owl, but if at one time you were able to have a more normal schedule, it should be possible again. Best wishes.

[alex44]

Diandra - Sleep is a elusive thing for me - My doc ,who is great, won't do sleep meds for whatever reason, I don't want to push her, She recently put me on clonadine for my Peripheral Neuroapathy, it has helped a mite bit with sleep and fair to good results for the neuroapathy. I hope you get positive results on the sleep study, they want me to do one but with my anxiety problems/disorder i am still deciding, so I sleep when I can, be it in the afternoon,late morning, whenever. I truely wish you the best of luck - not sleeping well is no fun.
Blessings
Alex44

[houghchrst]

I have gone through many meds trying to find something that helps me sleep. Anxiety and pain were the two culprits that kept me awake on and off through out the night. When Topamax for migraines and Pamelor for fibro symptoms were added to med regiment I slept for the first time in decades. Finally discovered that the Topamax was an unnecessary med and was anxious to get rid of it considering it's rap sheet.

Started using MMJ to help with my anxiety, pain and migraines and I sleep like a baby every night. A couple of hits off a marijuana cigarette about an hour before bed and I sleep like a baby. No nasty side effects, no waking feeling hungover, been on many of those meds, and it doesn't do to your body what many sleep meds do.

I know there are many who are against MMJ but just thought maybe some hands on info might help. Sure I will get slammed for this lol.

[alex44]

Houghchrist - IMHO - anyone who slams you is out of touch with reality - my SIL was DYING of cancer and her doc told her he would take away her pain meds if she continued to smoke - she quit - was very unhappy but passed peacefully with the help of hospice. had it been me, i would have changed doctors and told that one well, you know. More and more states are legalizing it for medical use - my state included (AZ) even though our wonerful govenor tried unsuccesfully to deny the will of the people who VOTED for it. studies have shown it helps chronic pain and anxiety - the Gov. surpress so much info, as does big Pharma. they can both go to heck.
Hope this finds you well - enoy, do NOT feel guilty about a law passed in the thirties, the harrison act - it will eventually fall - all good things to he/she who waits.
Blessings
Alex44

[jimdickie]

fI began having sleep problems around the age of 42 or so, mostly nightmare type stuff, with alot of moving around. I took my first sleep study and the results were a minor amount of hypoapneas with a diagnosis of Rem Behavior Disorder. This was strange due to my age of onset; it usually doesn't surface with people until their at least middle fifties I was told. This was the beginning of my horror story. The violent flailing around, punching, kicking, walking around, etc. kept getting worst. When the normal person dreams their muscles, etc. become paralyzed that's why it's so hard to do things in your dreams. With me, what I'm doing in my dreams I am actually doing.

Examples of what I'm done is calling 911 in my sleep without remembering it (they called back to ask me what the problem was is the only reason I knew), and one time I was saying stuff that led the 911 operator to think that I might have hurt somebody. I woke up to a call from the 911 Operator telling me to go to my door, open it, and walk out with my hands up !! The Police actually thought I may have killed someone !! I opened up my door to two cops pointing pistols at my head screaming get on my knees !!

I've also destroyed articles of furniture in my dreams (tipped over a plate glass coffee table), along with takjing a pool cue and destroying my blinds on my bedroom windows. On another occasion I have crawled out of my bedrroom on my hands and knees and awwoke beating on my refridgerator with a broom. I had a dream I was trying to cut my way out of something and I took my carpet knife and put a nice slice in my couch cushion. The list goes on and on. The strange thing is if I'm confronted in the middle of doing these things with a "Go to bed Jim" off I will go with no arguement what so ever.

I was prescribed everything under the sun except for what the gold standard drug is for treating Rem Behavior Disorder is, which is a small amount of Klonipin at night. To be exact .5 mgs. By the time I finally got away from the VA they had me on 500 mgs. of Seroquel, 300 mgs. of Trazadone, a large amount of Prazosin which I can't remember the milligram amount along with a couple other drugs I have forgotten.

I am now with a private psychiatrist who prescribes me my methadone for pain, Effexor for depression, and .5 to 1.0 mg. Klonipin at night. I haven't had any sleep episodes for quite so time. You can imagine my frustration I was feeling toward the VA.

I recommend people get sleep studies, because some times this behavior can be caused by a dip in the oxygen level in your blood (waking uo confused).

[alex44]

I tried to reply - the sytem - well I will ask the mods what is going on
Hope you are doing well.Blessings
Alex44
Skypilot

[Leeaelle]

Boy I wish I knew what sleep felt like. LOL I rarely get sleep, other than a couple of hours here and there. Meds might GET me to sleep, but they don't KEEP me asleep. I'll wake up after an hour or two, so those are out of the question. I just can't get comfortable.

I wish there was a "miracle cure" (LOL) for all of us. Then we could have a grand "sleep off." LOL Take care all. Hugs, Lee

[Burr]

I do have sleep apnea and use a c-pap machine. I love it and get a good nights sleep with it. I also take Amitriptyline at night to help sleep. Having the test for sleep apnea is very important. It showed that I actually stopped breathing 50 times in a hour. I have co pd and use oxygen, so you can see how it had an effect on my oxygen blood level (pulse ox ) There was some days my wife couldn't wake me up during the day and I'd end up in the hospital. The c-pap saved my life as far as I'm concerned. Please have the test if your having problems.

[tortoisegirl]

A sleep study can also diagnose about 70 sleep disorders (assuming they do the full one)... definitely beneficial if you have any sleep related problem.

Leealle-Have you tried some of the newer sleep meds? I don't have personal experience, but I've heard of them having two layers--one to help you fall asleep and one to help you stay asleep. Have they tried to figure out what is waking you up? A sleep study can be helpful to see if something biological is causing the awakenings, etc. I seem to think there are many options if you find a doctor willing to work with you and test different meds, treatments, and diagnoses. I recently saw a sleep specialist and got a sleep study done. Even though I'm still waiting for the results, its already been a life changing experience. Best wishes.