tired but not tired

My brain never shuts off. Same sleep problems as you. Thinking it is all part of Lyme. Never was like this before I used to sleep like a baby. I miss those days!

seems like i am always either sitting or laying down, but i cant sleep either. i am up till 5 to 9 am and i never sleep pass 12 noon, this is with waking up every few hours too. i look at the clock and go right back to sleep for lil while more. this has been going on for me for many yrs now.

not 1 Dr i have seen knows why or what to do about it. i wish you all the best. and if anyone finds some answers plz post em. as i can not take sleeping meds either.

Although Amitriptyline alone does not help me sleep well now (I also take xanax for sleep and still wake up every few hours), i believe my problem for the past couple years has been the lyme in conjunction w/ smoking.

But I want to mention this, because I have taken lower doses of Amitriptyline in the past only for sleep -- times after my depression had been relieved. My mother takes a very low dose (10mg) and sleeps very well, while sleep aids made her feel bad the next day.

Amitriptyline is an anti-depressant (btw my mother is not depressed), but does have the benefit of helping insomnia and can often help w/ chronic pain. So, not being an addictive drug like the family that includes xanax, valium, etc; as wel as being non-narcotic, I think it might be a pretty safe drug to try w/ some of the problems expressed on this post.

2 things it really does help (at least for me): Regardless of how my mind is still running, I will still fall asleep. And the blessing for me is that even after awakening, getting up, and using the bathroom, I am able to lay down and go back to sleep. Going back to sleep was always a problem for me and my mother.

My experience has been that when a major depression is triggered in me, I am not able to sleep AT ALL. Some time ago, I went thru 2 months of not being able to sleep more than 2 hrs /day TOTAL. It was HORRIBLE. If I took an anti-anxiety drug, (and that includes beer!) I might sleep for 3-4 hrs and then the drug would lose it's potency altogether.

Getting back on Amitriptyline solved this for me, as it had become clear that I was just not going to sleep without it.

It's not for everyone, but again, very low doses can be effective for some people. In the first week or so, you will feel groggy and sluggish in the morning, but that passes as soon as the drug has built up in your system. The sleep then feels very natural and you begin experiencing the proper sleep levels again.

There have been a few periods in my adult life in which I have slept well without some kind of aid: Early married life before my ex f'ed w/ my mind; when I was getting at least 45 min of very rigourous exercise, but not too close to bed time, no alcohol, AND not smoking past 6 pm.

Either the Lyme, the treatment, or both DEFINITELY screw w/ our sleep! I can take 150mg of Amil and 2 mg of xanax and I will sleep well, BUT still wake up every few hours! now THAT's gotta be the lyme, I would think!

PS:  Toolong: I can't nap either. Not that I have the time to. But that sux too, doesn't it?

this is how i was at first.. this lasted about 2 months. it was the worst ever!! i was tired all day, i had to sit or lay down every 10 minutes.. It could've been lyme, could've been mono or both. This was before i knew what was wrong with me. I had horrible anxiety and insomina.. After going to the LLMD and getting my WB tests done, i know what i have now, and i have been sleeping better.. I haven't slept like i used too, but its better.. before i would sleep on and off 2 hrs. not a good 2 hrs, but at least i could dream for 2 hrs, i would wake up at 5am every morning, with my heart racing.. then toss and turn until i had to get up for work, or when i was off work, i would just toss and turn until i got pissed off and just got out of bed. Its alot of anxiety, once the anxiety is under control, you will sleep better.