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Posted 2/13/2012 10:14 AM (GMT 0)
I had a bad night last night, I couldn`t sleep for a long time as the pain got bad before bed. I`m feeling quite drained today. Last week I also had a really bad night, though that one was worse, I was really on edge. I guess that`s a good thing it wasn`t as bad. I`d already gone to bed and it got worse and worse and I knew I had to get up to fill up my hot water bottle and have coffee (a friend told me that coffee makes some medications work faster and I`ve found it to be very true for me and a lifesaver in times like this) but I didn`t have the energy to move so it got worse and worse before I could do anything. Also at the moment they have stopped making the forms of the immediate release meds I take that dissolve on your tongue and work very fast so that is a shame but I think it`s temporary. Anyway thanks for listening. I hope your pain is not so bad today. Love Di xxx
Posted 2/13/2012 11:01 AM (GMT 0)
Sorry you had a bad night..

I'm not sure who told you about coffee and medicine...but there isn't any scientific truth to this...But if you are having a bad night and trying to sleep...Coffee would be the absolute worse thing you could have...

Not sure what medication you take...but most all short acting meds kick in within 45 minutes anyway....

What meds are you on now? You say they stopped making the ones that dissolve on your tongue? Not sure of the name of that one...

If I could make a big suggestion, as sleep is one of the most crucial aspects of our pain...If we don't get good sleep, our pain will actually be and "feel" worse the next day...

So making sure that you follow some of the basic rules of going to bed and waking at the same time each day...sleeping in a cold room 64-68 degrees....turning off ALL electronics...and not using the TV or computer an hour before bed....either read or listen to soothing music...

Not eating a large meal at night or anything past 7-7:30....Avoiding spicy or acidic foods as well as cutting out all caffeinated products except upon waking in the morning...

I also spent about a hundred dollars (best investment) on a 3 inch Tempur-pedic like topper for my bed...It has made a HUGE difference...As I have to turn from lying on back, and then side to side almost every hour....but this helped my shoulder and hip pain that would get too sore on a regular mattress.

Most nights...I take my Flexeril (muscle relaxer) at about 5pm and my last meds at 7pm....

Just trying to help you get the best sleep you can...(I'm a 'fixer'...lol)

Sorry again that you didn't have a good night...Hope your day is better...
Posted 2/13/2012 11:25 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Snowbunny!

Thanks so much for your detailed reply, I really appreciate it. The tips for sleep are very helpful.

I take oxycontin 20 mg twice a day and oxynorm 5 mg between 1 and 4 per day. Oxynorm is an immediate release oxycodone. In Europe they had a form of it which dissolves on your tongue which was great so I`m hoping it is only temporarily off the market.

It`s interesting about coffee, a friend told me if you take the immediate release form with strong coffee it will work faster and since I`ve tried it I find it to be very effective for me and if I don`t take it with coffee it is a lot slower to kick in. I realise that perhaps this is some sort of placebo effect or psychological idea I have but for me it works. I know everyone reacts to things differently too. I thought perhaps it was like how they have some `strong`versions of over the counter medicines like Panadol (I think Advil in the US?) with caffeine, I assumed the caffeine was to make it work faster. However I realise I don`t know much about the science of it, this is just what I have experienced.

That`s interesting what you say about making sure that the room is cold. I also have another condition where I pull my hair out, one that is very embarrassing and I`m trying very hard to overcome, but anyway a couple of years ago I started to pull my hair in my sleep, not all the time but sometimes. And I`ve noticed that if the room is too warm I am a lot more likely to do this. I didn`t know that temperature was such an important factor for sleep. I always have a hot water bottle when I sleep, unless I`m having an exceptionally good night, and sometimes I get overheated when I sleep.

Thanks again for your helpful advice, I appreciate it.

Di :)
Posted 2/13/2012 11:33 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Di:) Are you in Europe now and this is where you live? Or are you here in the states? Sorry if I missed this as I've been away from the boards for awhile...

I think that most medicines that include the caffeine are made for headaches...as that is a known dilater of blood vessels....

There have been other studies that for inflammation type pain...that caffeine can actually make it worse!..LOL..

Anyway...I just thought that if you are having trouble getting back to bed..than coffee would be the worst thing for you for sleep...but if it works for you...

I drink it every morning...(got my cup now! LOL) and have never noticed a difference when taking with my morning meds...

I'm on MSContin (Morphine Sulfate)....and OxyIR for breakthrough...

Yep...I learned that temperature was critical to good sleep....Our bodies need to be cooled down to get to deep sleep....which then in turn helps our pain levels the next day...Both emotionally and physically...

That's awful about the hair pulling....I'm sorry to hear that....Have you gone to a Psychologist to figure out what is causing that and get techniques to help? It sounds like a "self soothing" type of thing even though on the outside it doesn't seem that way as it's painful I'm sure...

Well..it's good to "meet'' you on here and look forward to getting to know each other better...
Posted 2/13/2012 11:51 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Di,

I hope you are feeling better by now.  I had a great night's sleep (amazingly), but am suffering like crazy this AM.  Man I wish there were an immediate release (like the one you mention) here!!!  There may be, but I don't have it anyway.  My oxy usually takes only 15-20 minutes to kick in, but the other meds are considerably longer.  This morning I feel like my back is broken in half :(

But, this is not about me.  I'm very interested in the "comforts" of where you live and how you might better sleep.  I'm trying a melotonin experiment (it's over the counter here as a suplement) and it seems to be even better than my ambien alone.  I hope to discontinue my ambien by the end of this week and be taking only melotonin.  It works that well and my rest is sooooo much better.  Do you think it might be available OTC there?  Also, I see you mentioned a hot water bottle.....Do you have access to heated blankets or heated throws?  If you could use one and can't buy them in your area, you can always order online.  Sunbeam makes a pretty good product.  If you order from the US, you "might" need a power converter, but I'm not sure.  I use this type of product all of the time because my muscles and bones hurt soooooo bad!  Depending on your bed size, you can get the throw (which also works great for a recliner or just to throw over your legs or whatever in a den/family room.....we have three in ours....one for each person and they can set their own warmth).  They also make twin, full, queen, and king.  You can get one that has different settings for each side, if you sleep with someone else.

I know you mentioned you get overheated pretty easily too....and I do as well.  I like it very, very cool in my house (too cold for most people) but I like the heat on my body.  I can't use a heated blanket unless it is cold, so I don't get overheated.  I still only use it on a very low setting at night and I like to use the one with the automatic shutoff (just in case I forget it :}).

Again, I hope you are feeling better soon and that you find rest!

All my best :-)

Posted 2/13/2012 2:08 PM (GMT 0)
So very sorry you had a bad night...Hope things are better tonight
maybe give melatonin a try...start with just 1 mg of melatonin, on bad
nights I'll use that or benadryl ...Many well wishes to you...
Posted 2/13/2012 3:28 PM (GMT 0)
Di- Sorry you had such a bad night :( I didn't realize you are out of the U.S. Where do you live? I promise I will reply to your email sometime today. I hope you feel better! *hugs*
Posted 2/13/2012 5:03 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone

Thank you so much for your lovely replies, I really appreciate you all taking the time to write to me :) Although I`m tired today the pain seems to be ok today, it was just terrible in the night.

I`m living in Paris at the moment. I`m from New Zealand. This was the first forum I found and I`m so glad I found this one, everyone is so friendly.

It`s nice to meet you too Snow Bunny, I also look forward to getting to know you. Thanks for your reply on my other thread, too, which I`ll reply to soon. Yes, now I think about it those medicines are for head aches. It`s funny caffeine makes some pain worse! I`ve pulled my hair longer than I`ve had pain but I`ve seen a psychologist who was very helpful, I seem to be slowly progressing. Yes it`s a `self-soothing` thing which is very damaging and when I have bad pain it is often worse, vicious cycle. Thanks for the concern :)

Thanks Chartreux for the concern. Nice to meet you!

Retired Mom, I`m so sorry you`re having a really hard day. I hope it gets better soon, I`ll be thinking of you. Can you get percocet in your area? I think I`m thinking of the right thing, I thought that was immediate release oxy. I guess it`s not the dissolvable form though. Thanks for your suggestions about the heating throws, I`ll have to look into that, they sound good! They might be a better solution as I mentioned on another post I`ve used my hot water too much but I don`t think I`d get any scarring with blankets. I take melotonin too and it`s been wonderful apart from last night it seemed to take a bit longer, but now I`m thinking perhaps I forgot to take it until quite late as I was too concentrated on pain. I`ve read your thread and will be very interested to see how it works out compared to Ambien. Over here melotonin is only available with prescription, I don`t know why! I`ve found it better than anything for sleep, it leaves you feeling truly rested and not groggy.

Hillary, thanks, just whenever you can, I know what you`re going through and you have a lot on, that`s more important! I hope your new medication is still working. Hugs

I hope you all are doing ok. Love Di xxx
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