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Posted 11/15/2016 9:36 AM (GMT 0)
Nothing helps me stay a sleep !!!! Any suggestions I have tried so many meds that normally would knock anyone else out for days but not me !!! I can go to sleep fine but I do not stay a sleep !!! Went to bed at 9:00 pm tonight and was wide awake at 1:30 am !!!! rolleyes
Posted 11/15/2016 11:37 AM (GMT 0)
I was having the same problem. I go to bed around 9 and I was was waking up at 2 am . For me I think it was the prednisone I take for lupus. I cut back all coffee. None allowed after 11 am and I added the gabapentin my doc had given me for the fibro back in. I stopped taking it as I didn't think it was doing anything for pain. I'm still waking up around 4 am. But that's so much better than 2 am. I asked about this in a thread on the lupus forum and was told to mention it to my rhuemy . I guess a lot of us have sleep issues. Good luck and talk to your doc if it doesn't get better because sleep is important.
Posted 11/15/2016 12:57 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with BreRosie---caffeine can be sneaky! I can sometimes feel the effect for several hours. And, of course, it's not only in coffee these days, but other drinks and foods, too; even some OTC products for pain. I'm not familiar with prednisone, but BreRosie is right---meds can sometimes interfere, too.

Maybe you could ask your doctor about taking melatonin or valerian. Check to make sure there's no interaction with other meds or other issues.

Speaking of valerian, I sometimes take a product called "Calm Tabs" by Puritan Pride that contains valerian and other herbs. It does help my sleep. Another one to run by your doctor.

And then there are the flavored chamomile teas. I like the ones put out by Celestial Seasonings. Lots of good ones there! I generally have a cup or two before bedtime.

I hope you get good sleep again soon. Yes, it sure is important, especially the next day! Take care and let us know how it's going. Best wishes. :-)

ETA: Since chamomile and valerian, etc. are herbs, this is probably obvious, but some people can be allergic. Just a heads up.
Posted 11/15/2016 1:07 PM (GMT 0)
. Hi, RRRBK. And welcome! I don't think many with fibro do get a good night's sleep. I'm up every two hours and basically I doze all night. Most of us have difficulty getting in the R.E.M. deep sleep where our bodies start to heal themselves.

BreRosie is correct in saying to avoid caffeine later in the day. That includes chocolate too...darn! I also put myself on a sleep schedule where I go to bed and get up at the same time most nights. I generally will relax before bedtime by watching a calm TV program...nothing with a lot of violence, etc. I don't exercise or do anything around the house that takes a lot of movement before bedtime either.

I go to sleep with a TV on. I know they say you shouldn't do that but it sure helps me. I generally can fall asleep within fifteen minutes this way. I turn off the set when I get up the first time to use the bathroom. If I go back to bed and can't fall asleep within a few minutes, I turn the TV back on again. I live by myself but if you have a spouse, just put the closed captioning on and the volume off and it shouldn't bother your spouse. Plus, I think reading the captions helps put me to sleep, too. I need the captions because I'm severely hearing impaired.

I hope some of this helps you. I do not take any sleeping aids by the way. I take enough medications for illnesses and don't want to add to the list.

Be sure to read Fibro 101...the first thread on the forum. There are good links to info about fibro and you will learn a lot there.

I'm looking forward to getting to know you better. Don't hesitate to ask questions because we are here to help you. Hope to hear more from you soon.

Sherrine [\blue]
Posted 11/15/2016 4:00 PM (GMT 0)
rrbk,

So sorry you're having trouble sleeping, like Sherrine said not many of us here on this forum get a good nights sleep, I know I sure don't.

I take 5mg Ambien to get to sleep along with 200mg gabapentin to stay asleep. Most of the time I can get about 6 hours of sleep, but I never wake up rested because I don't get into the deep sleep where my body can actually rest and repair itself. Still this is better than laying awake all night and being totally nonfunctioning the next day.

I also try to walk or do gentle yoga or stretching daily to tire myself out.

Hugs to all of us as we struggle to cope.

Sharon
Posted 11/15/2016 4:53 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you all for the reply's I will be going to my doc next week and will see if there is anything I have not tried yet that might help !!! Its nice to know there are people who understand what it is like to have all these issues !!! Wish my family would think before they tell me stressful stuff that I cant fix regarding other family members !!! They just don't get I don't handle stress like they do and it makes me sick !!!! Got to calls already this morning regarding stuff I have no control over and very heartbreaking stuff that I cant get out of my mind and I will worry over it even though I cant fix any of it .... sorry rant over thanks again I happy at meet you all !!!
Posted 11/15/2016 8:54 PM (GMT 0)
One thought--I take tramadol during the day. I used to take it at night as well,along with ambien. One night, I had a migraine, so took OTC pain killers and not tramadol. I slept well. I skipped the tramadol the next night, and slept.

My doctor confirmed it could be a reaction between the two. Tramadol wakes up the brain--one side effect is energy.
Posted 11/16/2016 1:51 AM (GMT 0)
I have sleep issues too. I take 5mg of ambian and 600 mg of gabapentin. I don't go to sleep until 3 or 4 am most nights, but can sleep until 12 p the next day (sometime later). 😉

I can even take 2 benadryl and be wide awake.

Definitely talk with your doctor.

Ps. my sister takes trazadom? to sleep.
Posted 11/18/2016 4:23 PM (GMT 0)
You may be looking for a medication answer. I took ambien for years. But have you ever tried melatonin? It works well for some people.

I myself, do meditation. It is something you can do with your own body and it is basically free. It gets me to sleep at night within 15 minutes. If I wake up, I just do it again. You may want to give it a try.

Sleepy time tea is another good one.

I wish you good luck with sleep. It has everything to do with how we feel the next day.

Hugs, Karen...
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