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Posted 1/27/2012 7:44 AM (GMT 0)
I know many of us deal w/ insomnia issues... I'm going nuts. I always have some nights that I don't sleep well. But this is week 2 of consistently "not" sleeping....

I thought it used to be my morphine - because it does keep me awake vs. making me tired. But I used to be on almost 600mg a day... and I'm down to 30 in the morning and 30 at night. It can't be that.

Yes, my stress is HIGH - but it's always high. I don't drink caffeine, except for rare occasions. I'm drop dead tired at night - but I just can't sleep.

I can't take sleep meds. Many reasons. All the "hypnotics" make me do crazy things and not remember. Others make me too tired in the morning. Others just don't work.

Anyway, thanks for listening to my vent.... I don't know if there are even any answers. I just know I'd feel better if I could solve these sleeping issues.

--Tina
Posted 1/27/2012 9:19 AM (GMT 0)
I've been dealing with insomnia for as long as I have been sick and have the same problem with those same meds and the same side effects. It seems that my body just won't sleep more than 2 to 3hr's because of the chronic pain. So I had to re-arrange my meds to my sleeping habits. I always wake up at 2am or 3am (always)so Instead of fighting it I take one of my doses of pain meds and watch some TV or go on the computer and pay bills or anything else I need done on the computer. then by about 6am I fall asleep for about 2hr's and start the cycle over again. I don't have my children at home anymore (1 in college and 1 moved out)so I am able to get the sleep in the am. I hope you find some type of resolution, I feel for you..Take care and feel better..Randy
Posted 1/27/2012 11:43 AM (GMT 0)
Randy....

Thanks for the kind response :) I'm sorry that you, too, deal w/ these issues... but it helps to know others completely get what I'm saying.

I "know" the main problem is my pain levels... and the fact that I can't get comfortable, my back is a mess, my carpal tunnel flares at night and I've been getting nightly headaches. Guess I forgot to put all that in my first post - lol.

I, too, get up and do those same things when I wake up or can't sleep (computer, TV, clean up the house, etc). But, come 6:30am - I've got two twin toddlers that get up and are ready to GO! And I try to greet them with a happy smile....to mask my grumpiness and exhaustion!

Hope you are sleeping, Randy... I'm going back to try! Thanks again...
--Tina
Posted 1/27/2012 12:10 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Tina
Sorry to hear your having problems sleeping..It seems the harder you try the worse it gets. I often go days with only 2 hours sleep a night and finally crash somewhere along the line. I fortunately don't work anymore. I still have to get up with my daughter 3 days a week and sometimes it's a killer finding the energy after 2 hours sleep. I wish I could tell you some magic remedy but I find just relaxing and taking it in stride helps more than anything else. If I relax and figure if I can't sleep I'm just gonna rest, sometimes that works. Don't know how many times I've woken up thinking ..oh finally I got some sleep and look at the clock and it's only been half an hour. Warm milk does help. They say something in the milk is a natural sedative when heated and found that it does work to some degree. Well if nothing else, just to let you know your not alone. I often come to the chat rooms and find others who can't sleep either. Your most welcome to join us. Good luck, hope you get some quality sleep.
Stingray
Posted 1/27/2012 12:19 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Tina, I feel for you too! 3:00 AM is usually my time to be up too. Today, however, I forced myself to go and lay in the bed and somehow fell back asleep for an hour or so!! Otherwise, it's been 3:00 AM lately.

I take two ambien every night, so it does help me go to sleep, but sometimes I do stupid things if I can't drop off to sleep (like buy something on ebay or something like that).

I can only suggest melotonin. I don't take it (obviously) since I take the ambien, but a friend's grandchild doesn't sleep at all and the dr put her on it (it's OTC). She drops right off to sleep and it works like a charm. She's about 4 (I think), but my sister takes it too and she's grown.

You'd have to check with the PM to make sure there would be no interaction. I'm tempted to do the same thing to see if I can get off of some of the ambien. It seems such a waste to take sooooo many meds every day. I get sick of it!

I wish there were some way to get off of a few of them, but sadly there is not. I've tried with the pain meds.....can't do it...way, way too much pain!! and with the others....well, my bones and teeth would dissolve eventually. Of course, I could stop the shots, but then I couldn't remember even who I talked to earlier in the day or what I said at all.

It sounds insane....but I'm sure you understand.

Have you been having nightmares too??? Perhaps you are really stressed (gee, I wonder why .lol.) and that is what is causing this. It could also be that your body is so conditioned to getting up with the babies (and I assume they are sleeping more) that you are waking up anyway. It could also be that your bloodsugars are low and you need something to drink (juice) or a small piece of cheese to stabalize you. I ususally try to take my first dose of meds (they take an hour to kick in) and eat something light and then relax with an old movie in th den. Of course, I don't often go back to sleep anymore, but sometimes.......

I wish you rest, my friend!
Posted 1/27/2012 4:12 PM (GMT 0)
 

       Good morning Tina!

                 Do I have to send the "Wicked Witch" of the North down there and plant some Poppy's!" devil  

           I sympathize with you here on this! shakehead   While I do not suffer to the extent you do, I do go through bouts of it, and it can sure wear on a person, and seems worse when you are suffering pain.

      It is no surprise to anyone that you have a lot on your plate, and I'm sure stress has a lot to do with it, and then to have severe pain,...well, I just don't see how super mom does it.

   Have you looked into a possibility of using Benadryl on occasion to see if it will help. When I had my MRI and trouble staying put in the tube, they gave me 50mg of it. Whithin 5min or so, I was sleeply, and actually think I fell asleep just long enough to give out a big ole long snoring snort! LOL

      .......a person would think that eventually sleep would kick in after a while of suffering this way...but you are right, a person may tend to do some odd things before that happens.

     It will be nice when the girls are sleeping all night long! tongue tongue ...and I know they are not quite there yet! tongue tongue

        I hope you find a solution soon, and I worry that the current adjustments on your med's may be part of the problem.

    Let us know...if you find that magic pill for sleep!

      your associate in crime, shocked   devil   tongue   smhair   rolleyes   eyes   

        SE wink

Posted 1/27/2012 6:43 PM (GMT 0)
I have to chime in on this one. I have a 4 hour limit and then I am wide awake. Four hours is really pushing it too. It does not matter what time I lay down its always the same. I have to get up and move around, I cannot just lay there thinking I will nod off, that is not going to happen. I do not nap during the day, every now & then I will nod off at the computer for a couple of minutes,lol.

I wish we could all find that magic little thing called sleep.
Posted 1/28/2012 3:41 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks all :) I'll write more later.... I've hit that "wall" of exhaustion... so we'll see what happens tonight...! If you see me posting later - that will be the answer. :) But hopefully I'll be sleeping (and you all, too).

Take good care... --Tina
Posted 1/28/2012 12:56 PM (GMT 0)
Tina......I like most of us have isomnia as well....ugh! Got home from work yesterday at 7pm and was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open...but I thought if I fall asleep now I will be up to earley so \i pushed myself to 11 and could not take it anymore. I was up and 4am feeling wide awake...grrr...! Decided maybe if I watch some tv I will doze off again....well that did not work so I guess I am up for the day. I hope by me not seeing you posting you are finally getting some much deserved rest. You will need all you can to take care of all those babies......hope you all have a great day.

Blessings, Amy
Posted 1/28/2012 6:24 PM (GMT 0)
Tina, I am so sorry that you are having trouble sleeping. I don't know how you do all that you do for your family and all without sleep!

I suffer with this too. Melatonin has worked for me, just as Retired Mom suggested. Also talk to your doctor about chamomile and valerian. Valerian tea helps me sleep on those nights that nothing works, but as many have already said, I have a window of less pain that is my limit of sleep. Nothing gets past that 4 to 5 hour limit. Sometimes I fall asleep early on my husband, while we settle down to watch a movie or play a video game as a family, and then wake up after 2 hours to stay awake for a few hours and then sleep in. With the boys home for school now, it has made a huge difference in my sleep. No more getting up at 5:45 in the morning some days.

There have been so many days that my husband noticed that I finally had some deep and restorative sleep, that he will take care of the kids and dogs before leaving for work so that I can stay asleep until the pain takes over again. I am blessed that way.

Your girls are growing so fast, and I can imagine what it takes to greet them when you are tired and in pain. My heart goes out to you Tina. You are so good to your children. Talk to your doctor and see what he allows or suggests beyond the regular medications. Valerian works wonderfully for me, as well as melatonin, and my doctor says they are safe with my medications.

Praying you get some sleep soon,
Mindy
Posted 1/28/2012 9:50 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all,

I did sleep a 3 hours stretch last night... and then another 1.5 hours at some point. Hey, I won't complain - at least it was something. Today, I'm (so far) not feeling that completely delirious, punch-drunk feeling. Literally, I was doing things over the last week... only heating 1 bottle for both girls, going to get something and forgetting what I was doing, etc etc. I mean - I'm always like that, lol - but it was 10x worse.

RM and Mindy... thanks for the suggestions. The melatonin is a good idea. You know, I do have a cyst on my pineal gland... and that's where melatonin is produced in the brain. I've read many stories about people w/ these cysts and insomnia is common to all of us. And I've never tried the valerian tea, although I've heard of it. Thank you - I'll talk to my doctor this week.

RM... you asked about nightmares... I hardly ever dream. I've had a sleep study done.. and I hardly ever reach REM sleep... so I'm sure that has a role to play.

Michael... the benadryl is a good idea. It's been a long time since I've used it orally... but when I was pregnant w/ the girls and hospitalized... I was getting IV benadryl at night to sleep... that was the only way I could get any sleep.

Thank you all for your kind words and everything. I feel blessed to have the kids... because they do keep me going, somehow. I just was more of me to give to them... but I do my best.

--Tina
Posted 1/28/2012 11:52 PM (GMT 0)
Tina...Happy to hear you got alittle sleep but, you need more than that to manage all you have. Hopefully your doc can help you out with something. Hope you and the family have a wonderful day.

Take care, Amy
Posted 1/29/2012 12:50 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Tina Bless your heart. I'm sorry that you're not getting any sleep. Jerome is having the same problem. I'm going to see if we can get some of the suggestions that you got for him. I'm glad you got those few hours that you did get. I rerally hope that your dr can help you with getting the sleep you need. Take care my sweet friend.

love and hugs
Loretta
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