3am

Its that time again, the 'witching hour' when i should be asleep and cant cos my pain is NOT under control, and the fog is dominant cos it took me 6 times to type the word 'asleep' properly. every night this week at the same time i have woken to excruciating pain, and horrid sinusitis- feels like my face is going to explode, and with my TMJ it feels like my stupid jaw is locked in place. My pain management in NOT enough, but they wont prescribe anything stronger than high codeine based stuff as i am on Xanax, and that is seen as a conflict, and they flag me as an addict- which is unfair. i use my Xanax at the prescribed dose and am responsible.

sorry to vent, but its 3am and i knew i could come here- where people understand.

Maz XX

When this happens to me, I read for an hour. If I'm still not sleepy I might clean something or pick up around the house or take a walk. Maybe that would help you?

I mostly agree with WCC, except I wouldn't do something active like cleaning or taking a walk (but that's me). I take Tofranil 2 hours before bed to help me relax, so most of the time I don't have the problem. But now and then I'll have something on my mind and can't "get the hampster off the wheel" inside my head. So if I get up and watch TV or play a game on the computer for a bit--something to interrupt the cycle of spinning thoughts in my brain--then I can relax and go to sleep. If my insomnia is pain related, I might try spending some time in my massage chair or a warm bath.

Oh, sinusitis is horrible. I know all about that face exploding thing. So sorry. Moist heat applied gently on the face can help. Neo-Synephrine nasal spray is really good. It shrinks the swelling inside nasal passages caused by irritation, which contributes to congestion. YIt works fast and you're not swallowing another pill.

Sorry, hon. Hope you feel better.

My mind ususally lets me go to sleep once it figures out that if it doesn't let me sleep I'm going to do something silly like taking a walk or cleaning :D

Maz,

   I know what it is like, mine was usually between midnight and 2.  Unfortunately for me, my alarm goes off at 3:30 and I'm up and running (some days crawling) to go to work. Most of my real bad night pain started when my waterbed exploded

during the middle of the coldest snap this winter. 200 gallons or more on the floor. The drains were frozen so we drilled holes in the floor (it's a mobile home) and let it drain on the ground. I never knew how much my body had become used to having the heat at night.

     Do any of you have spasms with your fibro? Since then my body kind of curls up and hurts like hell for a minute or so then I can straighten back out. Keeps hitting like that. I do hot showers which helps. Since my herbal regeime I've been doing better and have only had 2 major attacks and a couple of small ones. I'm now on day 6 without painkillers.

                                           Nana Monster

I'm with you, catlady!

Clean in the middle of the night...are you kidding me...LOL!  What I want when I can't sleep because of the pain is for Sherrine's pool boy to give me a midnight massage....Now you're talkin!

Maze...I know what you are talking about.  I paced the floors last night because I felt like I was on fire.  I also have TMJ and can't wear the stupid $800 mouth guard because it gives me canker sores.  I have chewed holes in my cheeks while I 'so call' sleep.  I think we should have a Witching Hour Chat forum for those of us are up watching the Jewelry Channel in the middle of the night.

Huggies

Donna

Thanks for your responses guys-

I go to sleep by 10.30pm usually. I take my 4mgs of Xanax prior to bedtime. When i wake in the night from pain, i generally get online, come here or to Facebook- I also read. I am an avid reader (not just because im an english teacher- i adore reading). I put a movie on and wait for the painkillers to kick in, but today, ive taken the maximum dosage and ive had zero relief. im in the grips of a really strong flare- from head to toe i hurt, like my joints have been locked out of place. And my head is pounding- and my jaw is all tight and awful.

Ive done the wheat bags and the heat feels good. My mum is a nurse who offered me a massage as my back is really painful, but im so sore i cant bare to be touched.

Thankyou all so much for letting me vent and sook, its great to be around people who GET IT. I just want to cry, but crying hurts! Blessings,

Maz XX

P.S Ive had major sinus surgery just on 2 years ago. Every ear, nose and throat complication you can get, ive had. had a cat scan and MRI last week and basically my sinuses are rotting away and the surgery- the highly painful and costly surgery- was a dismal failure. Combine the sinus facial pain with fibro facial pain and BAM! exploding head!

Marlee2 said...
 

 

Did I read right that you take 4 mgs of xanax at a time to sleep??? I'm only allowed 3 mg a day.

 

 

Hi ((((Marlee))))

Yep, Im prescribed 4mgs a day for management of Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia. I take it at night- and it is a pretty high dose, but having been on it for so long, I dont feel its effects. I also take Zoloft for the Panic etc.

Maz XX

Hi Donnaeil,

For pain i take codeine based prescription painkillers and tramadol, paradex etc. But none of it is strong enough.

Maz XX