I cant sleep help please

Hi all,

As most of you know I have endured a lot since Feb 07 as far as my CD.  I have been on so many pain meds that the only things that worked for me were the fentanyl patch and I had dilaudid for breakthrough pain since oxycontin tablet literally went through me whole the writing was still readable ...I noticed that with my temp ostomy otherwise I wouldnt have gotten that close to my poop.

I went off the patch at the end of august and still was on the dilaudid prn and was taking 1 or 2 a day then a fistula came through on my stomach and I began taking them more frequently.  I was hospitalized and put on the patch again I weened myself off in 1 week as to return to my new job just to get a call the next day that I no longer had a job there.  I was on TPN as of 11-2 then on 11-19 I was brought back into the ER the pain had increased again to the point where I placed another patch on and I spiked a fever.  I had picc line sepsis I had been on the patch until this past Wednesday night.  Usually for some odd reason pain meds give me energy, and I am not one of those that things that typically has opposite effects with thisngs such as sudafed that doesnt make me tired or wired either.

Since stopping the patch I have been having increased diarrhea so much that I was up til 2 am 2 nights in a row running to have D every 10 minutes.  Yesterday I went 1 time in the morning and anothr after eating lunch but didnt go anymore that night.  I was unable to fall asleep until 4am.  Some of my joint pain was bothering me but I had taken 2 tylenol pm and 2 benadryl (I typically take that) and my 2 zanaflex (muscle relaxer) with my other meds 1 being elavil 25mg for migraine prevention.  I have always had troubles sleeping but recently I am exhausted I try not to take the dilaudid at night fearing it will keep me up.  When I was on 100mg of elavil I was out in a cpl hours.  I only weigh 90 pounds I am totally functional on all of these meds I tried watching TV, reading laying in the dark etc.  it was awful.  I am so drained during the day if I dont take the pain meds which I try not to take unless I must for its purpose (only 1 today after a cpl bouts of D...CD remanifested already and hoping HUmira will bring it back under control since I never did a 2nd loading dose or anything after being off of it for 2 months after my Sx and wound infections).

Can anyone help me? I see my colorectal surgeon for a follow up the 9th (this thursday) and I see my GI on the 14th.

My husband tries to lightly massage my arm, hand or some part of me each evening and that helps me to relax some. Would your guy be willing to try that a little? Another thought what about doubling the Elavil?

I have been waking up about 4 or 5 am feeling pukey so I understand a little what you are going thru.

opiates sometimes amp me up too, very strange since everyone else I know gets groggy/sleepy....

I sure hope you feel better, that is quite a lot of pain medicine to be on, although I know your symptoms have been quite challenging...i really hope you can wean off the opiates.

Hi Noticed you mentioned you have 2 Dr. appointments coming up are you stressed out over them? Sometimes worry can keep a person awake? I haven't been sleeping the greatest lately either but not taking anything for it hoping in time I'll sleep better. So what have you been doing lately hope life is getting better. lol gail

i remember my stint in the hospital for 2 weeks and i hardly slept at all during that time. it is bad for the body not to get is proper sleep, especially since that is prime healing time, but perhaps you'll sleep when your body is ready and needs it. i know, kinda odd. i know when you are in pain and just a mess, physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, it is hard to get up and do anything. but activity makes you tired and lying around all day makes it hard to go to sleep. from my experiences at least.

a warm bath always helps me. just soaking in the tub. deep meditative breathing helps too. the first two times i did acupuncture i basically came home and passed out and went to sleep for like 1o hours plus. based on how i felt after the session, i was surprised they let me drive home. i felt totally incapacitated.

worse comes to worse, vicodin and jeagermiester. it works. used it when i had surgery on my left to repair the ligaments. i was in so much pain i couldnt sleep. this did the trick. i hate to recommend it, but sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures...the problem with alcohol though is that it makes you tired at first, but then within a few hours it wakes you up, so tread with caution. chamomile tea and magnesium have natural calming effects.