So frustrated!!!!!

Okay, so I have been diagnosed with FM for about 2 months, and recently (like the past week or so) I have been feeling like I'm getting NO sleep. My doctor put me on Elavil when I was first diagnosed, and I had gotten the dosage up to about 20 mg, but had to lower it when it made me crazy! I think when they lowered my dosage it threw me into a bad sleep pattern, and ever since then I've been sleeping 7-9 hours at least, but feeling like I've barely slept 1 hour! I was looking up information about FM and sleep on the internet, and they said that the main thing for people to do is make sure that they wake up and go to sleep at the same time time every day. Well, I work retail, and right now I could work a 7AM to 3:30PM shift, or a 2PM-11PM shift, every week my schedule is different. Like on Sunday I have to close at 11PM, and on Monday I have to work at 7AM! How the heck can I go to sleep or wake up at the same time everyday!? It's basically asking too much of my managers to work the same shift everyday, and frankly, I'm lucky to even have a job right now. I just had to go home early (again) because I felt so nauseous, dizzy, tired, and in pain that I felt like I was going to fall down. I'm tired of telling people at work how I'm feeling, they either tell me to calm down, think positive, or look at me like I'm a hypochondriac. I'm going to go to the doctor on Friday; does anyone have any recommendations for medicine or anything? I'm seriously at my breaking point. I can barely function, and I can't keep on going on like this. Thanks for listening...

You should have a sleep study also. It might point to another diagnosis like sleep apnea.

Donnaeil

I don't know how people who keep changing shifts do it either. I worked in a hospital for four years and it's mandated that everyone work two weeks of days, two weeks of evenings, and two weeks of nights. Those were sheer unaldulterated h---. Some folk who'd been there longer than I had made some deals so they only worked nights. At that, at least, they had a regular schedule rather than the flipping around. As far as evenings and days went, of course the senior management staff got to pick the juicy day shifts, and for me, I didn't mind evenings at all, as I had a good sitter for my kids that actually took them places after school, fishing, swimming, tobogganing, etc. So that worked well, but then every month or six weeks those stretches of nights came around. They were awful. I became physically ill. I never could get the hang of sleeping during the day. Do you think there might be someone who would want to trade off, either way? I admire you for keeping your job. I have several other chronic health probs besides the Fibro, and eventually could not keep the happy face, make believe, everything is grade thing going any longer. I went on disability, at least for now. Good luck and take care of you. 

You may have personal concerns about this but as the amyltriptilene is so strong and definitely did not work with shiftwork, I take 5 mgs. Valium at bedtime. My sleep seems to be improving.

After having fibro for over 25 yrs, sleep is the only symptom I can not find any relief for. I'm lucky if I get 5 hrs. The Ambien worked for the 1st week then back to the same ole..Ugh!