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Posted 10/31/2007 5:33 AM (GMT 0)
I have been having issues with sleep as far as I remember, probably into my childhood.  As an adult at least now I can take some meds for it.  I just thought I would bring this topic up because there are other out there that struggle to get sleep like I do.  Sometimes I am so tired, but my mind won't let me rest.  Other times, sleep won't come to me, even with meds.  I have tried over the counter remedies, biofeedback stuff, as we as prescription meds, and somedays it is not a problem and other days no matter the dose I cannot sleep at all.  My Bp sometimes plays a role, but I feel it is beyond that.  Okay I won't bore you anymore, but I do know that I am not alone.
Posted 10/31/2007 4:52 PM (GMT 0)

Olivia,

I know exactly how you feel. If I can't sleep I know I'm on a downhill slope. I slept bad three nights last week and had a huge verbal explosion. My poor husband was stuck listening to me for hours. I went totally wacko on Sunday for probably the first half of the day. It actually started Saturday night. Fortunately Sunday night I slept well and have been ok since then.

Some nights I can just lay there awake all night just praying "please just let me go to sleep". Now that I have the seroquel though when I take that, I'm out within 45 minutes. I couldn't stay awake if I tried. I didn't take any Seroquel last week and I tink that had something to do with my breakdown on Sat/Sun. I won't be making that mistake again!

I'm an extremely light sleeper too, so that doesnt help. If my husband breaths loud it wakes me up. Or even if he rolls over I'm up.

Posted 10/31/2007 8:23 PM (GMT 0)
Olivia,


I have mild insomnia; and for awhile there I was doing okay.  But it came back and boy did that ever make my bp spin out of control

Now I am taking the Trazodone, thank goodness.

But here's something:

I find my insomnia acts at all times of the day.  If I want to have a nap during the day to get some rest, no way...The insomnia won't let me sleep no matter what.  I'm at a time in my life where I have to, absolutely have to take something to sleep.

It's awful and I hate it.  My pdoc says that rest and sleep are the most important thing for bp sufferers.  So I will do whatever it takes to get it.

 

Posted 11/1/2007 1:04 AM (GMT 0)
I've never had much trouble with insomnia, but I'm really sorry you have. It must be really awful.

I have been sleeping kind of odd the past couple weeks. There's no pattern to it. It's my meds, I know it. I'm hypomanic right now and two nights ago I slept for 3 hours and was fine. Last night I went to bed at 8:30. It's never consistent. I wake up every night two or three nights. If left to my own rhythm, I go to bed very late and sleep late. As anyone with kids will concur, there's no such thing as your own rhythm any more. So now I'm an early to bed, early to rise kind of girl. But still perky as hell, and it drives everyone nuts.
Posted 11/1/2007 3:22 AM (GMT 0)

It's just the last few weeks have been weird.  I sleep when I am supposed to be awake, and I have been sometimes awake when I am supposed to be sleeping.  I feel like it is messing with my mood, mostly dragging me down.  Hopefully that will get resolved soon.

Posted 11/1/2007 3:53 PM (GMT 0)
I'm sure it is messing with your mood and vice versa. What do you do when you can't sleep? Read? Watch tv? Surf the web?
Posted 11/1/2007 5:02 PM (GMT 0)
I watch tv, sometimes read, surf the web, and sometimes eat (which is not the best thing to do at 2 or 4 am), get bored and stare at the ceiling for hours, anything to make the time fly.


Posted 11/2/2007 12:29 AM (GMT 0)

Hello Olivia,

I have been suffering with insomnia for at least 10 years and I know how you  feel.  It can really drive you batty laying in bed waiting to fall asleep.  I take 2 rohypnol and 100mg serequel(and sometimes more) just to get to sleep.  The one thing I found helps is to put a movie in that is very light or happy, but no loud crashes or booms or gunfire. I hope you understand the king I am desciribing. Anyway, if you have seen it already a few times your mind tends to wander and for me it can help me fall asleep.  I am very difficult with movies.  I have to have the right voices and no violence in order to be able to fall asleep.  Before I got my DVD player I had to watch movies on regular TV and if they didn't sound right I would have to lay there for 2 hours hoping the next movies were better.  Well, it's an idea.  You never know until you try it.  No matter what good luck and sweet dreams.

Posted 11/2/2007 1:39 AM (GMT 0)
I'm not bipolar but have trouble getting to sleep alot. I put in ear plugs and force myself to read something fairly boring.  It most always makes me sleepy.  Reading keeps my mind from wandering and makes my eyes very heavy after awhile especially if I have

taken a sleep medication.  Requip is great if your legs or other parts are ansy....crawly like.  I have also used counting backwards from 100 which helps sometimes to get control of my thinking before sleep but reading works better if I'm really having a hard time.

Using a handheld massager to relax helps too.......... yeah

 

Posted 11/2/2007 2:09 AM (GMT 0)
Insomnia sucks. Meds for insomnia like ativan and valium, suck. lol. They are good short term but I find lose there kick after a couple months of nightly use. I send them to the rescue though on a night where I might need to be fresh.

I have been reading up on neurtonin or something its called. Some people say it helps them sleep like a dream at lower doses, while other say it makes insomnia worse. I wanna try seroquel as well to see if that might help in a lower dose, but even a high dose of zyprexa doesn't prevent early wakings and often if I cant get to sleep doesn't get me to sleep, it used to knock me out hard 9 hours, it was great, gained all this weight, but got akathesia from it so had to stop, it lost its sleeping effects by that time anyway.

Anyway I feel your pain everyone and anyone who suffers insomnia. sorry for my rant.
Posted 11/2/2007 2:10 AM (GMT 0)
Im running half manic if you will, at least for getting little sleep, i have good enegry levels
Posted 11/2/2007 1:32 PM (GMT 0)
Dear Olivia, I major sleep issues and if I don't take my sleep med, I don't sleep at all and that makes everyting worse for me, including my Fibromyalgia.  No sleep makes me hurt incredibly bad, so I don't mess around with that.  I currently  Ambien CR (I can't remember the dose right now) and it works great for me. I hope you can resolve your sleep issues soon, because as you know sleep is the best thing for all us.  It gives our bodies the chance to recoup for the next day.  You have some good suggestions from the other posts - I hope something works for you soon.  Let us know how you are doing. Take Care, Wen
Posted 11/2/2007 8:50 PM (GMT 0)
I know how you feel! I am currently taking Lunesta to help with sleep. I can NOT sleep most nights unless I take something. I have only had this problem the last year though. I am 32 - not sure why???
Posted 11/2/2007 8:58 PM (GMT 0)

wtcmlife,

Maybe the stressors in your life have changed.  I know what you mean, I feel so dependent on my clonazopan most nights.  I can go a few nights without it, but with it the insomnia returns.  But I was telling someone in the chat last night, that it's mostly been bad in the last 2 weeks.  I went more than 48 hours without sleep one night.  But no I am not manic, and that it what disturbs me.

Posted 11/3/2007 1:02 AM (GMT 0)
Oh! Olivia! Did you notice Dutchie was just asking about clonazapan in their thread.
Posted 11/3/2007 3:57 AM (GMT 0)
No, I didn't I'll go check out their thread.  Thanks Serafena
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