Need sleep...but can't sleep

[MightyMouse]

Just a quick vent... I frustrated with being unable to fall asleep. I've been taking Ambien every night since the middle of last week.

I'm back to work, and of course, need my rest to keep healing from this bout of pneumonia. However, for some reason, Ambien has stopped working for me, even after increasing the dose. Took it at 9pm. Got out of bed at 11 to add 2 benedryl. No dice... still wide awake at 1:40 am. Just took a xanax and am praying it will kick in--i really need to make it to work tomorrow to help cover for one of my teachers--her husband is having a major surgery tomorrow and I promised her I'd keep an eye on her staff and the kids. Here's to hoping sweet dreams are coming. In the mean-time, I was at least productive this evening and typed up a report on one of my students that I need to send to his doctor.

Vent over. Thanks to this forum being here 24/7.

Nina

[ramakentesh]

The only thing that works for me on THOSE nights is a swig of alcohol, some valarian or just staying awake so that Ill be tired enough the next night to sleep

[JaneEyre9]

I think responding at 4:30am helps support that I can understand what you're going through! It's so frustrating...especially when everything that normally works stops working. Hope you're sawing them off and stacking them in a corner by now!

Kristen

[Evie]

aaah i hate that feeling!

I use to use cough mixture to dope myself to sleep alot of the time... it was so bad for me but i was just so desperate for sleep.

I hope the meds start working for you again Nina.... i know the feeling of laying in bed wanting to scream and swear because you are so cranky you cant get some sleep.

Stillnox use to help me alot ... but i hear its dangerous to use long term

[d4g7]

I find that Xanax, Tamaze and Stilnox have no effect on me - I feel like I've a couple of drinks once I take them, but they never put me to sleep.

The only one that worked for me was Immovane (sp?). I think it's a pretty powerful one, and can you believe it has a picture on the packet of a cute little teddy bear sleeping...

I have always had problems sleeping, and have tried everything from warm milk, warm bath, no TV or reading before bed, camomile tea, Valerian etc, none of them made any significant improvement for me.

I tend not to take sleeping pills now, as I always feel hung-over the next morning, and find that I feel just as groggy if I take them as I would if I only slept for a couple of hours.

I hope you can find a solution to your sleep problems - if you do, please let me know...

All the best..

[Jacquie802]

Hi Nina, I always have a hard time falling asleep sometimes, but most of the time it's staying awake that I have a hard time with!!! Usually I just watch some TV and w/i time I dose off. The night before I had my rotational chair test I didnt go to bed until 230am (couldnt sleep) then I had to bring my sister to work at 530am so that def. wasn't a good nights sleep. Hope you got to sleep at some point.

Jacquie

[goldicedance]

Nina, I know where you are coming from. Have you tried Ambien CR? Lunestra? I sometimes find that vicks nyquil works better than prescription meds. Sleep better! Lois

[Guest Julia59]

Nina,

I hope you were able to sleep-------I hate it when that happens.

I have found that reading helps me sometimes. I haven't taken any sleep meds, so I wouldn't know how they would work for me. I took one years ago and I had a bad reaction---I was up all night.

I sometimes have opposite reactions. Although i've had my share of beers and margarita's in the past---I could never use it to aid in sleep---it would only make me sick now---tremors---tachy--ect. BUT---for some it helps to have a swig of the old JD/captain morgan--JUST a SWIG.........

Robitussin-------(Guaifenesin and dextromethorphan) is easily tolerated for me---so this helped me sleep when I had a cold. I also heard something about it being helpful with other symptoms of the ANS......?

I think the reading helps push the other worries out of my mind-----clearing it to help me sleep.

I hope you have better nights ahead..........I find it very hard to function without sleep, and all my ANS symptoms are worse.

I know this is a bad habit---but I have the TV on---it does help---something not too stimulating---re-runs of MASH---or DAVE---ect.

I'll be hoping for you Nina---to sleep---sleep---sleep...............

Julie :0)

[India]

Nina,

I notice that you list benadryl on your list of medications. My husband has fibromyalgia and problems sleeping. He takes benadryl at night and that helps him get a fairly decent nights sleep. If you haven't tried that--and I'm pretty sure you have--you might give it a whirl. He does feel rather dopey in the a.m. but it wears off and I think the benefits outweigh the negatives.

I too have problems sleeping. I took Ambien with really bad results: I'd get off to sleep o.k, but then wake up halfway through the night in an almost halluconogenic state--very scary. I take clonazepam before bed, but it usually allows me to sleep only till about 2am and then I am awake for hours or sleep fitfully till it's time to get up.

My grandmother swore by a glass of hot milk mixed with a tot of brandy as a sleep aid. She lived a long and healthy life on it as well!

India

[MightyMouse]

Oh.... long day at work... I got there on time after less than 4 hours of sleep. I just got home and want so badly to go to bed now but I know that will mess me up for the rest of the week--I'm going to try to stay awake until 8 or 9 and then crash.

I don't take Ambien often, so I'm not sure the CR would be something I need, but I'll keep it in mind if the sleeplessness persists. Other sleep meds leave me terribly hung over. I'm allergic to chamomile (it's a ragweed relative), which I learned the hard way years ago. Puked it up shortly after finishing the beverage--which I thought was pretty tasty. Melatonin gives me vivid nightmares. Valerian upsets my stomach (and smells like stinky shoes and socks). I did have a liquid doxepin, which worked great but left me like a zombie the next day. Guess you can't have it both ways, huh? No quick fixes.

I think that what happened yesterday was this: we were watching a suspense-filled tv show just before bed --I think that the tension in the show caused me to be too torqued up on epinephrine and then there was really nothing I could do until it wore off, which was after 3 am. The xanax helped a little, but I was still awake well over an hour after taking it. Here's to a good night's sleep to all!

Live and learn I guess. Nina

[Sunfish]

as you more that know you're far from alone in your sleep struggles....but i know that doesn't help AT ALL in the middle of the night when sleep is no where to be found.

and i know what it is to not have success with sleep meds....as you know i've discovered new avenues as of late that are hopefully my "answer" of sorts, but with as sensitive as i am to most meds i was fairly baffled earlier in the year to have no luck and only non-sleep related symptoms from various sleep meds.

i'm actually glad though to hear that you may have at least a partial answer to your non-sleep of last night....despite the annoyance of a tv show having that much of an effect, it's better than no explanation.

i hope you're sleeping soundly super soon (but not before 8 or 9 tonight!)

melissa

[Mrs. Glass]

I too have those nights where my ambien does not work, dont know why though. But I can not work so I can sleep the next day. Wish I could help you in some way. Heres hoping that you get a good night sleep tonight. Vanessa

Just a quick vent... I frustrated with being unable to fall asleep. I've been taking Ambien every night since the middle of last week.

I'm back to work, and of course, need my rest to keep healing from this bout of pneumonia. However, for some reason, Ambien has stopped working for me, even after increasing the dose. Took it at 9pm. Got out of bed at 11 to add 2 benedryl. No dice... still wide awake at 1:40 am. Just took a xanax and am praying it will kick in--i really need to make it to work tomorrow to help cover for one of my teachers--her husband is having a major surgery tomorrow and I promised her I'd keep an eye on her staff and the kids. Here's to hoping sweet dreams are coming. In the mean-time, I was at least productive this evening and typed up a report on one of my students that I need to send to his doctor.

Vent over. Thanks to this forum being here 24/7.

Nina

[morgan617]

Between worrying about my baby and my hubs up coughing up his lung all night (same thing you've got) I can certainly sympathize. However, no real advice to offer. I've had sleep problems my whole life and haven't found anything that works. Hope you do.....morgan

[Sophia3]

Nina

Insomnia and fatigue were my first symptom in the late 80's and continue to be my worst. I have been awake almost 48 hrs straight. Usually Klonopin helps but when PMS or on period it does not work or I sleep for a few hours and sleep fitfully. I have alpha delta sleep problems (aka alpha intrusion) and saw a sleep specialist for years witih no relief.

We DO know that folks who CAN NAP (that is fall asleep ON THEIR OWN for the most part) can feel better. I know you don't want to screw up your ability to sleep all night but a 20 minute nap in the middle of the day can help 'some folks'. Also my sleep doc said Benadryl screws up the sleep cycle and can make people feel worse. It never worked for me.

BUT if I get no restorative sleep, or very little, how do we know that meds might not help anybody to sleep better! even if the 'sleep experts say otherwise'. In other words, if some meds mess with our sleep cycles but many of us have MESSED up sleep "naturally"...who's to say 'bad meds' may help some folks sleep better? I say whatever works. I am always hung over whether I sleep on meds or occassinaly crash w/o it...it's bad of my sleep disorder.

I could never nap before the insomniathing happened but I LOVED THE NIGHT TIME ROUTINE of days gone by when I was 'more normal'...watching tv...watching Carson's monologue and either reading (used to help a lot now just winds me up, even if reading something light) and then I would get that wonderful 'warm, fuzzy sleepy feeling".

As far as your description of Valerian, good, FRESH Valerian smells like manure!! I got some about 12 years ago at a health food store. They had herbs in bulk..I remember getting spearmint, Valerian and something else. I drove 5 minutes to a friends house and my car stank. I PUT the valerian in a glass jar with a lid. I made some tea that night (NASTY but drinkable, held my nose to sip it!) Didn't help. Oh, and the whole downstairs smelled like "pig farm" for a few days, EVEN in the cabinet and in a glass jar!. My doc said THAT's when you know Valerian is fresh, when it TRULY STINKS! lol

Elavil and Klonopin helped in the early years as I read in the CFIDS chronicle in 1990 that Klonopin put you to sleep and the elavil kept you there? Or maybe it was Sinequan but I did low dose elavil. I later found out elevil could add to daytime groggienss and after ANS dx in 1998, got off of it. Tried Trazodone but didn't help.

I bet you must be in semi crash mode from recovering from your lung problem Nina. I think if the body is working on healing it's also fatiguing yet can cause insomnia...if that makes sense.

a couple weeks ago I was awake until 7:30AM. I hadn't pulled an all nighter of insomnia in years. I do know perimenopause messes with many of us.

Sorry to prattle on but hope you got some sleep.

[dizzygirl]

Oh Nina.. I can totally relate to your lack of sleep!!

I tkae Lunesta.. and that doesnt help me sleep real great... I am awake till about 5-6am.. then drift off.. and sleep afew hours.. but wake up alot during those few hours...

AHHHH.. where is that freggin' sand man when you need him????

hope that you got some much needed sleep last night..

Linda

[corina]

hi nina,

i just wanted to let you know that i hope that you will have some sleep tonight. i wasn't able to read everything, but i agree with you that there indeed are people around here 24/7. that's what i like so much about this forum, although it sometimes frustrates me to be late also.

sleep well (it's bedtime for me now so i will send the sandman your way )

corina

[MightyMouse]

Hi everyone-- all the ideas are helpful. Sophia, that's too funny about the valerian. One of my ex's used to make their own herb capsules and kept the valerian in two ziplock bags in the freezer to help keep the stink down.

I got some sleep last night, but not enough. Despite exhaustion, it took me more than 2 hours to fall asleep and then I woke up earlier than usual. All I can say right now is HALLELUJA that I now have 11 days off for holiday break. Ahhhhhhhhhh.

Nina

[Sunfish]

yipee nina! not about the not-yet-great sleep of course but about your break. congrats on the long-in-coming R & R!

melissa

[jenwic]

I have not been officially diagnosed, but everytime I start reading posts on this forum I'm amazed at all the characteristics I share with you all. There are no doctors around here that have a clue about what I'm going through. I was comforted to find out I'm not alone with my sleep problems. Whenever I watch (or read) something even mildly exciting before bed it can delay me from going to sleep for hours. I can just feel the adrenaline rushing through my system. Any physical activity close to bed time also prevents me from falling asleep easily. Also, I wake up nearly every night around 3:00 am. Sometimes I awaken with my heart pounding fast. I have been diagnosed with IST, but I am beginning to believe POTS might come closer to the right diagnosis.

[singledadof3girls]

I have not been diagnosed with anything yet either, but the sleep problems drive me absolutly nuts. There was one night last week where I knew I was not going to get to sleep, so I just went in to work (I have an understanding boss) and stayed there all night, I left at 7am. My normal hours are 8am to 5pm. I am wide awake here tonight, and if tomorrow was not a scheduled day off, I would be heading into work right now, as I feel like I am not going to sleep at all tonight.

It drives my wife nuts when I am unable to sleep at night, but then during the day when I get tired enough, I am able to sleep, sometimes she just does not understand that I cant control it. It feels like I am on a roller coaster ride, the only thing I can do is take advantage of the up time to get things done, and rest when I can.

Most of the problems I have are when I am at rest, when I am lying down, I can feel my heart pound, which causes me to get lightheaded spells, the only thing that can relax me is to take a nice hot shower or bath, which seems to be the exact opposite of most people here. When I am at work and active, I rarly have any problems.

Ugh!!!!!!!!!

[momdi]

Sophia,

For those who want to try Valerian but are put off the the awful smell (I think it's a combo of old tennis shoes and a very dirty dishrag), try the Nature's Way brand, called "Nighttime natural sleep aid". It's compressed into little tablets that resemble tiny M and M's. Because it's a small dose, you can start low and see how you respond. The package label says to take 1 to 3, I believe.

For those concerned about quality issues in supplements, this manufacturer runs an FDA approved facility. This particular product is imported from Germany - where supplements are manufactured with pharmaceutical quality.

Dianne

[pamela]

I know I am late reading this topic but I had to vent right along...

I cannot fall asleep and then stay asleep. I have restless leg/arm syndrome, along with all this other dysautomnia stuff and it really *****. After two or three days I am crying at night because I can't get to sleep. I use to snuggle up with my new hsuband but now I can't lay still long enough to get comfortable. Nothing ever helps everytime, some evenings what worked the day before does not work that time.

I don't have a sleep med YET! I had the Ambien in the hosptital and it never worked. Then they gave me Atavan and I guess that worked pretty wells since I don't remember a whole lot about theat stay...

Anyway, What can we do? The more meds we take the more there effects may interact with others and can make the sleeplessness worse. Then there is the narcalepsy during the day. What is up with that? Sometimes I get so sleepy that I can't stand. That is when I find my BP has dropped. Curious note, at that time you can't find a cartoid pulse on one side. A doppler study revealed that upon standing the arterycolapses to about 60%. My Cardiologist says that is nomal with us. So please get some sleep or try to relax. A big chunk of Dark Chocolate and a 1/2 glass of wine works just as well as some prescriptions according to an article in WEB MD. It worked last night and the nigt before. Since is Chritmas I got plenty of Chocolate. Good night

[ramakentesh]

yeah Valarian does stink - it smells like old socks and cats go nuts around it for some reason.