Arms Falling Asleep At Night While Sleeping

[jenniferlynne76]

Hi all,

I'm still plagued by the fact that my arm(s) fall asleep throughout the night while doing my best to sleep. And sadly, since the Klonopin doesn't seem to be working quite as well as it intially was, I am noticing this even more. Even when I'm not laying on my side, and am on my back, they will fall asleep. The best position I've found so far is on my back, with a pillow under each arm to lift them slightly, and I have to keep each arm completely straight/down. If I lift them up at all (like to heart level or above) forget it...they will fall asleep immediately.

I know there are others of you out there who experience similar issues. I'm interested to hear what you've found works the best for you/helps you get the most comfortable night's rest. I'm about at my wits end at the moment. I've tried a body wedge, I've tried stacking pillows ... is it worth trying to lift the head of the bed? I am I missing something else?

Thanks as always for your advice, everyone!

Jen

Current meds: Mestinon 60mg (3x daily); Klonopin 2mg (1x daily at bedtime)

[Guest Alex]

Hi Jen,

I'm sorry you're experiencing these problems.

I admit being biased here as I have come to hate benzodiazepines - klonopin included. I was never on such a high dose as you, the most I ever took was 1 mg a day split in 2 and while on it I was a zombie. I had the problem with my arms (and legs sometimes) falling asleep as well (never had them before klonopin) but they resolved relatively shortly after I started lowering my intake.

Insomnia is a very frequent, very typical symptom of benzo tolerance, and unfortunately I haven't yet found the magic answer for it. I guess you can ask your dr for an increased dose - if you are willing to go that way.

I am almost off klonopin right now - went from 1 mg to 0.0625 mg in 9 months (long taper but not uneventful) and my sleep started to get somewhat better. Hopefully I'll be able to 'reverse' the damage done by benzos, as sleep has never been a problem for me before. Several things that I have tried that helped me to some extent: a cup of hot chamomile or linden tea sweetened with honey (you can also try milk, I don't drink milk), an occasional benadryl (that I take for a different reason), turkey soup, or turkey in general, relaxation/meditation tracks - there is a lot of them on youtube, a hot bath/shower and a gentle massage right before bed time. I've tried to no avail a lot of over the counter sleep aids - the worst experience was melatonin. I later learned that it is not indicated for those with low BP such as myself as it tends to lower the BP even further. I had an article about it somewhere on my computer but I can't find it right now.

Hope this helps, and hope you find something that will work for you.

Best,

Alex

[imapumpkin]

Hi Jen,

I've been noticing this happening to me lately too, even if I'm flat on my back and putting no pressure on either of my arms, it's very strange. for some weird reason, i get the most relief if I curl into the fetal position and curl my arms to my chest as though i am sleeping with a stuffed animal under my arm. sometimes i clutch a small blanket or a sweatshirt under my curled arms and they won't fall asleep and it seems to be helping.

[jenniferlynne76]

Alex,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. My arms started falling asleep long before I was having sleep problems actually...though it was one of the symptoms that kicked them off, and that started happening almost two months before I started trying any benzo. It just got to the point where I couldn't sleep at all: between the arms falling asleep, the adrenaline rushes, the inability to both fall and stay asleep... I had strung so many days together of 2 to 3 hours sleep maximum a night that I could barely function. That's when we finally decided to give them a try. If I really thought weaning myself off the 2 mg would improve my sleep I'd do it in a heart beat. But long before trying the Klonopin I tried everything: tea, meditation, warm showers, relaxation, massage. Nothing would work. *sigh* Like you I tried the over the counter stuff and melatonin, too...also to no avail. Frustrating, isn't it?

Pumpkin,

I'm exactly the same way lately. I want to curl up on my side so badly and have even done the thing where I wrap my arm around a pillow, but maybe I should trying clutching it to my chest instead? Certainly worth a shot! Hope we can both find something that works soon!

-Jen

[MomtoGiuliana]

Early in my experience with POTS I would have this symptom fairly regularly. For whatever reason it went away after a year or so, even though I continued to have many other symptoms. I hope you find relief soon.

[k&ajsmom]

I have this same problem, they will go so "dead" at night I can not move or feel them at all....does not seem to matter how I lay either. I assume its due to piched nerves and muscles being inflammed for me combined with poor circulation in result. I actually do sleep with a stuffed animal( dont tell anyone lol) it just happens to be the right size to keep me from laying on my arms wrong or kinking my neck in a harmful position. My nurses laughed at me in the hospital but hey, whatever works lol I have found keeping my neck and back in proper alignment helps quite a bit, but just isn't possiable sometimes for me.

Ive also found eating before bed makes this worse, again I think that has to due to circulation. However, Alex has some good tips..maybe eating the right things would be helpful. I tend to eat heavy at night...since It takes me all day to get an appetite. Maybe making night time a relaxing routine to get blood circulating properly and some calming teas and a warm bath....sounds like a plan for me lol

Does anyone actually get a benefit from raising the head of their bed??? I dont really understand this? since my bp is so low when Im laying or standing I;m not sur eif it would be a benefit. In the hospital they always made me sleep head down, feet up sooo Im confused how the opposite helps? I have a water bed (still living the 80's dream lol) so Im not sure I could raise mine anyways

[jknh9]

I have this problem too, and sometimes it scares me because I wake up with it and it takes a while for the feeling to come back. Also, just like jenniferlynne and imapumpkin, I tend to curl up now at night. It's weird because I used to sleep on my back, straight out, with my hands above my head. But now, I'm either on my back with one leg curled up (so my legs almost make a "4" figure) and my hands under my butt (not sure why this is suddenly comfortable??) or I'm on my side with my arms all curled up and my hands under my neck or pillow. I also find that clutching a stuffed animal helps.

I toss and turn a lot though, probably due to my awful night sweats >_<

[Tuesday]

I have the same issue. I wish I could take my arms off before I go to bed

I also tend to curl up into as tight a ball as I can get.

[jenniferlynne76]

Thanks to all of you for your responses. If nothing else, somehow it helps to know I'm not alone. I may try curling up a little tighter to see if it helps.

It's so strange and so frustrating, isn't it?!

I have found I sleep better sitting up more but that doesn't seem to help my arms as much as it helps the other weird nighttime/sleep symptoms like the constant waking.

If anyone has other ideas or insights I'm all ears. And hang in there everyone. At least we're in this together.

-Jen