HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Sleep Problems for a week straight, Will this get better (or at least improve a bit?)

Support Forums
>
Fibromyalgia
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 6/27/2011 5:16 AM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone.

A few weeks ago I drove a friend to New Jersey for her wedding in the middle of the night (I'm in Baltimore). She was so late getting ready that once I got there I only got 2 hours of sleep, and then had to get up to go with her (I regret not telling her I need to get my own motel so that I could sleep considering our plans changed). I then took a smidge of an ativan pill to try and sleep the next night. Since that day my sleep has been totally messed up. I can not get into deep sleep, and wake up feeling terrible. I also have had a few horrendous nightmares. I don't know if the ativan did that or what.

I know people with fibro have issues with sleep, and that it may be something I will have to deal with constantly.

But I am just hoping that maybe my brain chemistry will go back to the way it was before last week before when I was sleeping well... I was sleeping great for months!!!! with no meds or anything!

I'm scared that I permanently messed myself up by either waking too early or taking the piece of the ativan.

I had been doing so well so I signed up to work for this theater company over the summer, but here I am feeling terrible and I have to get up in a few hours to drive to Washington D.C.

I feel discouraged.

Do your sleep problems come and go? I just really am scared it will be like this forever. :(
Posted 6/27/2011 2:13 PM (GMT 0)
No, 1 ativan and acoupla nights of non-routine sleep did not cause that. I think just about all of us have dealt with sleep disturbances at 1 time....it is a hallmark of fibro

I just had a sleep study done-I haven't slept right in 6 yrs and knew it was contributing to the fatigue, depression, pain BP etc. They found 2 severe sleep disorders and we are correcting them.

IF this continues, see yr PCP for a referral-sleep became an obsession for me and now I am getting 3hour spurts of saleep instead of 45 minutes.

Best of luck and keep us posted.

Maggie
Posted 6/27/2011 3:38 PM (GMT 0)
You also are stressed out about sleeping and that's probably what's on your mind when you go to bed.  Then the worrying sets in.  Try to relax about it. 

 

Put yourself on a sleep schedule.  Go to bed at the same time every night and get up at the same time every morning.  Your body realizes this is when you need to rest.  I do have a TV on when I go to bed but I still am asleep within 15 minutes.  I do get up frequently and also wake up frequently during the night...a fibro thing....but I'm able to fall back to sleep quickly.

 

On the occasional night I don't fall asleep, I get up and get on the computer.  Usually within an hour I can barely keep my eyes open so I head back to bed.  If I laid in bed worrying about not sleeping, I'd be there all night wide awake!

 

So, please try not to get upset about this.  It should calm down for you.  Stress can do so many crummy things to our systems!

 

Sherrine

Posted 6/27/2011 4:09 PM (GMT 0)
I don't know if going on the computer is the best thing for sleep, but if it works for you Sherrine that is great. I am on the computer and drink coffee at night and still sleep good. So that goes to show that everybody is different.

I hope that you get your sleep straightened out. I agree with Sherrine, get on a sleep schedule.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 6/27/2011 5:00 PM (GMT 0)
See?  You sleep good when you've been on the computer, too!  smilewinkgrin

 

Sherrine

Posted 6/27/2011 11:47 PM (GMT 0)
Fibromyalgia (FMS) interrupts the deep sleep cycle with short bursts of high intensity brain activity. Your muscles require deep sleep in order to repair themselves from the days activities. No deep sleep means higher levels of pain which rapidly becomes a vicious circle. Managing sleep issues associated with FMS is a crucial part of treatment. And, even if you take a sleep aid it is never a perfect science. Try Calms Forte, Melatonin or a product called Mid-Nite. These are all natural and you can find them in the Vitamin Shoppe, a health food store and sometimes the drug store. Good luck and take care.
Posted 6/28/2011 12:27 AM (GMT 0)
It comes and goes for me. There are so many factors that determine my sleep. But sticking with my bedtime routine and melatonin has been a wonderful help.  When I hit my sleep problems - I add ambium if needed, heat or cold (depending on pain) - a warm bath with lavender.  The better my sleep - the better my pain.
Posted 6/28/2011 4:13 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone.

I was so frustrated last night and am feeling better tonight.. Got a nap after work (I know.. not the best but hey... ) I love the job I have working with children in a theatre company, and I want to work as much as I can while I still can.

I will check out those supplements.

I have to start being picky about taking care of myself. My friend wanted me to drive her to New Jersey for her wedding and I'm a night person so that was fine, but I should have told her I need to have a motel so that I can sleep in instead of waking up after a few hours rest with her since she was running late. I'm a people-pleaser and like to help others but this doesn't go along with my new health issues. I need rest, and I need a quiet place to sleep. I have to start telling people, "Sorry I can't do that" which sounds probably silly that I struggle with this, but its really hard for me to remember to keep myself first.
Posted 6/29/2011 2:28 AM (GMT 0)
I need to find a sleep pattern for myself ? Need to stay away from prescriptions if possible. Pain and anxiety keeps me up.
Posted 6/29/2011 3:26 AM (GMT 0)
I understand your struggle, Lavender....I'm a people-pleaser too, a lifelong one. But we need to start caring for OURSELVES now! It's like putting the oxygen mask on yourself before you try to help someone else on the plane... :)

Debbie
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply