Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
'caz' wrote on '07:
Hi,
I was at my wits end March 2011. I had been to the doctors and was offered antidepressants. I cried all time and felt like I was drowning, and a lot of it was to do with bad sleep patterns / lack of sleep. I felt like I had reached rock bottom, physically and emotionally, then one of my customers who has since become a very good friend) suggested I go and see her acupuncturist, Brian. I was VERY sceptical, but I went along. 9 months later, hand on heart I feel like a different person. Everyones needs are different, but for me it worked. For me it was obvious that I was completely out of alignment with who I really was, but with the help of Brian I have sorted myself out. He gave me reading homework, which I did (and enjoyed) and meditation CDs to listen to. It talked a lot about The Law of Attraction – the more you pay attention to a problem the more the problem seems to get worse. At the time it was not sleep I was bothering about, it was work stresses. At first I thought it was a lot of hocus pocus but now I am convinced 100%. After I have the needle therepy I feel different, light and energised. But it's not all about needles, it's about your head as well. Talking to Brian helps me work out what I want and what I need. Its put me in a good place emotionally to help people around me better too. I have also noticed people around me changing their behaviour because I have changed. Its been quite empowering! I guess I am lucky to have found something that works for me. The last piece of the jigsaw is my sleep pattern. For example Friday night I got 4.5 hours broken but last night i got a whopping 10 hours of deep lovely slumber (right after having acupuncture – coincidence?)
I know all of my issues stem from a huge amount of external stress and medicine side effects. I can't do much about the latter but as for stress I find that acupuncture helps me enormously and there is (for me) a correlation between sleeping better and having acupuncture.
Thats my story, I hope it helps someone out there!
Caz x
Hi, Caz!
I hope I haven't stepped on toes. You are literally the first peson I've spoken to who has given a glowing account of accupuncture helping with anything. Maybe I have just never met a success story. Now I have! And, I think it's wonderful you are having success with it. I may be a bit jealous, too. I am aware that even if twenty doctors were to write twenty prior authorizations for accupuncture, my insurance (which is through the medicaid/disability program in my state)will not pay for it. And that's where I have a real problem. I don't respond well to sleep aides, yet, I can't try any alternative, with the possible exception of psychotherapy (which I will be checking on this week). Insomnia, even though we know what a serious poblem it is, and what it can lead to, isn't given the weight of physical illness, which can be caused by, or is the cause of insomnia.
I'm afraid I've come off sounding negative about many things here, which I'm really not. I've been battling insomnia for nearly 13 years, maybe even longer, if I were to sit and really think about when it began. I'm starting at the point at which it became a problem. I think before that, it was an inconvenience, but nothing I coudn't manage. Then, a short three months ago, I found out how dangerous insomnia can be. I posted my story to the Writer's Corner. Every word of that narrative is the truth as I recall it. None of it is embellished, and is, if anythin, understated.
I should also be very careful about writing when I've not had sleep. I am writing this after having a grand total of four and a half hours of sleep since Friday morning. Other than that, it's been fifteen minutes here, and maybe a half hour to forty-five minutes there. I went through the motions of getting ready to get into bed no fewer than six times last night, but never quite made it. I'd doze off in my chair and wake with a start, look up at the clock, and the big hand had only moved a few minutes. I just never made it to the bed and comfortable sleep. It's times like that that I wish I could try other things. I can't afford to pay for any treatment out of pocket, or I certainly would try accupuncture. I use forms of accupressure for pain. It was taught to me by a physical therapist, after she showed me how to use a tool they have at the wellness center, which is a modified cane. I have canes! I use them to put pressure on the knots I get in my shoulders and back. It's wonderful. Thanks to what she taught me, I haven't had a stress headache in years and no burning shoulders!
So, I'm goin to do as Martin suggests and wait for more evidence that it can work. Then I'm going to trade my husband in for actual accupuncture! Ok, I wouldn't get many sessions for him, but it would be nice to try it for myself just once.
Becky
'Martin' wrote on '07:Sometimes I wake up in a sweat after a particularly intense dream. In any case, if you're concerned, speaking to your doctor is the best advice. How did it go? Did you get any suggestions or useful feedback?
Martin,
While waking in a sweat after a vivd dream is “normal”, I still maintain that it is abnormal to wake frequently in a sweat for no apparent reason. The doctor is the best place to start. Sweating for no good reason can be an indication of underlying health problems, such as heart disease. After having recently dealt with the results of ignoring the signs of heart disease, that was the first thing that popped into my mind. Nght sweats can be indicative of other underlying issues which need to be explored via his physician, and I'm glad to see he has consulted his doctor. That's normally the best jumping off point if you can't explain symptoms such as these. And if I was wrong about the cause, I won't apologize for steering anyone to a doctor when they experience any abnormal symptoms or signs. Too often, people die from ignoring such signs. You read about what happened to me. Need I say more?
Becky
'Martin' wrote on '07:Becky
First, let me say that I am sorry to hear about what happened to you – it just goes to show just how damaging and debilitating insomnia can be. Stories like yours (whilst shocking) need to be shared if we're ever to change society's attitude towards sleep deprivation.
Please know that regardless of what happens in your personal life, you always have the support of your fellow insomniacs here at Insomnia Land. I hope you and your husband can have a constructive discussion over the events that happened and that he will realize that your hospitalization was not your fault.
Have you been given any referrals to either a sleep specialist or psychologist? Although I am no doctor, it doesn't seem wise for you not to get targeted and specific assistance for your sleep deprivation after this experience.
PS – I just noticed this was posted in the Writer's Corner… it was either a very convincing work of fiction, or a very honest and open account of your experience with insomnia. I'd love to know which it is!
Hi, Martin,
This really happened! I do write ficton, however, I don't think I could have written a ficionalized version of events without the experience having happened to me. This is written as if I'm replaying the events and seeing them unfold as only a participant in them can. It still bothers me that it happened. But writing it as honestly as only I can, seems to have allevieated some of the guilt associated with the incident.
My husband doesn't even acknowledge that there is anything wrong with me that couldn't be fixed by just going to bed.
He is still wrapped up in the events in his life over the past year, which is understandable. I experienced them right along with him. But he can't understand that nothing he says is going to fix the problem, any more than me telling him not to have a heart attack affected the fact that he “chose” to have a heart attack. He also can't see that the anxiety of him waking in the middle of the night to find me still awake, contributes to me still being awake. He also ignores how his heart attack complicated my situation. Many nights, when I know he's not feeling well, I'm afraid to go to sleep for fear of missing him calling for me. The night of his heart attack, I had just fallen asleep around 1:00 am, when within a half hour of falling asleejp, I heard him calling for me in my dream. If our dog had not woke me up (she was frantic, knowing that he needed help), he would have died. I believe, rather, I know that when I got to him, he heaved one sigh and didn't take another breath for several seconds, at which time I had dug my thumbnail into his side. That simple move kick-started his heart. There was no way for me to get him off the couch and onto the floor. And I was ultimately unable to do cpr on him, even if I could have gotten him onto the floor…All of this has fed my insomnia to the point that I am now fearing for my health. All of this prompted me to share that story.
As far as anyone referring me to anything: All of this began shortly after we moved back to New Mexico from MIssouri. I've been going to the same clinic ever since. I asked for, and was granted a one-night sleep study. which was inconclusive. I'll have to see about a psychologist. I'll be seeing the nurse practiotioner on Thursday, and will ask her what she can do to help me. With my other health probems, I don't know what's avaiable, whether I'll get quality counselling or just find one more doctor with a thick prescription pad. As I've indicated, I've taken more than five extensive psychology classes while in college…oh, I just realized that with the second degree, I probably topped about 4 psychology-based courses. I am familiar with the psychological aspects of insomnia and it's cousins. I don't have sleep apnea or narcolepsy. Those were definitively eliminated. While those are not diagnoses one wants to hear, any definite diagnosis would be preferable to not knowing what is going on with your body and mind, especially when the consequences are like the one I wrote about. THAT was beyond frightening. It was horrifying. I know what could have happened. Thankfully, it didn't.
Martin, thank you for taking the time to read my story, and understanding where I was and what was happening. It's somethin I truly hope never happens again.
Becky
Hi, again, Matt.
I'm sorry to say that my only experience with any sort of sleep aid is limited. Ambien and Lunesta are really the only ones I've tried, other than lorazepam (the only benzodiazapine drug I've ever taken that works is valium, years ago). Ambien and Lunesta fizzled out on me after about a half hour of tossing and turning. Lorazepam is another story. I no longer take it. If I'm not actively in the process of putting my feet into bed and lying down, it has dangerous consequences: If I take it and sit up for more than fifteen minutes, I can count of falling over, out of my chair! It's been more than a year since I took even .5mg, which did put me out…for 15 hours! My hsband was ready to pick up the phone and diall 911, when I finally woke up. If I am stupid enough, or desperate enough to take 1mg, I had better be already lying down. It causes the above dangerous consequences, and makes me sleep 18 to 24 hours…a deal breaker. I was once given 2mg in the hospital, in an IV, so that I didn't know what I was given until I woke up a day and a half later. Needles to say,I just don't take it any loner.
I mainly wanted to respond to let you know that I'm glad and relieved that you saw your doctor. I am also sorry to hear that you only got one good night sleep. But we take them where we find them, right? It's 4:30 am, and I'm still working on finding a few hours. I still have some work to do before I can crawl into bed. I think I'm going to give it a shot in a little while, when I get done the things I need to do before I try to crawl into bed and get a few hours. Yesterday mornng, I got into bed at about 4:30. I awoke two hours later with bad leg cramps! I was up long enough to take a dose of calcium and rub out the cramp. I went back to sleep for another two hous, before I had to get dressed to go shopping. I thught I might try again when I got home, because I had a bad headache, from lack of caffeine. A quick cup of instant coffee, which I normally despise, knocked the headache to the point that I could continue to function at an intelligent level.
Many times, maybe even more often than we think, we think ourselves out of a good night's sleep. I kow I do. Once I begin worrying about whether or not I will sleep once I lie down, I've already doomed myself to a sleepless night. I'm seeing my nurse practitioner Thursday. She is going to listen to me and I am going to insist that she help me find some sort of relief. A lot of the time, I am in a zombie-like state. I'm neiter asleep nor fully awake. If I'm spoken to in that frame of mind, I often don't remember what was said, and frequently don't remember being spoken to. I wish you luck getting a better night's sleep tonight.
Becky
'jrrocco' wrote on '04:Hi Jess,
yea.. going today and will ask about it.. but not going to panic unless it keeps happening when I start getting past the 4 hour sleep mark.
Thanks for the advice – Matt
Hi Again, Matt.
I've just re-read my first response to your “night sweat” entry, and think I may have over-reacted. Although, the night sweats still bother me, I was not coming at the exercise advice from the same place you are. I could probably use some daytime exercise, myself. However, I have limited motion, and am in a wheelchair. So, naturally, being somewhat dormant, I am not the best person to give exercise advice. I will, however stick to my guns about not exercising too close to bedtime. I've always heard that four hours is a good rule of thumb. So, dinner and a brisk walk, maybe. It would serve the purpose of evening exercise and fresh air.
Best of luck to you with your doctor's visit.
Becky
Good Morning, Matt.
It is not normal for any one, except menopausal women or someone with a fever or after one has had a bad dream, to wake up sweating. I don't mean to be an alarmist, but I'd see a doctor immediately! My husband ignored symptoms like that and shortness of breath, and it nearly killed him! After having symptoms for a couple of months, he had a massive cardiac infarction and had to have a quintuple bypass (almost unheard of). I woud waste no time getting to the doctor.
To answer your question about exercise, first ask your doctor if your are healthy enough to start an exercise program. If everything is ok, go for it. But a word of warning: Never exercise within several hours of bedtime. Once you get your blood flowing and your bones tingling, your body will not shutdown for a while. I wish you success in whatever you decide to do. But please let the first thing be to see a do be to see a doctor.
Best Wishes for good health,
Becky
'caz' wrote on '02:Hi,
I'm Caz from Scotland. I just stumbled upon this site during one of my many
night awake times and thought what an excellent way to spend some hours.
I guess you'll want to know a bit about me…i'm 38, married with 2 kids, a dog
and a guinea pig. Actually my dog is very special coz she's a guide dog. I'm not
very well sighted so need a bit of help to get about.
I don't sleep very well. I can't honestly say that I never sleep, that's not
true, but I can sometimes go to bed at 10.30pm and wake at 1.30am and that be me.
I'm always tired and wired!!!
I'm in the wide awake club today. TBH I take oral steroids to help retain some of my
eyesight and that's what I blame for my inability to zzzzz…I can get to sleep
but staying asleep is the big problem. Since my sleep pattern has got really
bad I have gained a lot of weight – about 10Kg in the past 12 months. It makes
me sad but there's a correlation between steroids / no sleep and weight gain
I believe.
So, that's a brief intro to me! I won't go on and on because then I'll have nothing
left to say in future posts!
Take care
Caz x
Hi Caz. I'm Becky. I'm 59 years old. I'm from the southwestern US. First let me say that I'm sorry about your sight. As a result of my diabetes and overexposure to the bright light of the desert southwest, I am also losing my sight. When the paramedics were here this mornng, the first responder asked if I had vision problems, when I said I do, he told me he could tell because my right eye wasn't very responsive. That convinces me that I need to see my eye guy soon. like I need one more thing to worry about all night!(read Matt's post to find out about the paramedics. Let's just say that my insomnia makes me accident prone) Actually, I think my eye was just pissed off about having light shone in it at 7:00am!
Don't worry about saving remarks for other posts. Everytime I think I have said all I need to, someone says something which requires my opinion…and boy, do I have opinions! I hope you aren't running away from your computer aready, in fear of OPINIONS! Welcome to the group. We're a fun bunch!
Becky
'jrrocco' wrote on '02:Hi Becky,
Thanks for welcoming me to the forum. My “power to the problem” comment was not intended to offend anyone. So please accept my apologies. Upon joining I simply wasn't prepared to label myself. I know what brought me here so I can't fool myself with any kind of sincerity. However, just the fact some suffer with this condition for years is quite a sobering thought that this can become my story as well.
To say my year hasn't come with quite a bit of financial turmoil is an understatement. Throughout the years I've dealt with programmers stealing code, Bigger companies reneging on signed contracts with a “so sue me” attitude in which I've lost several hundreds of thousands of dollars.. left me broke and forced to move back home while still struggling to pay programmers, limping along, trying to reinvent my business.. quite humbling.
It took 3 years to basically build myself back up with an incompetent lead programmer who was way to deeply involved in my project to start over with another. After finally getting him up to speed Microsoft stepped in, merged with Yahoo and brought the entire business to it's financial knees. Time to switch gears once more and look for a new opportunity….. again. The ups and downs, thinking you finally have something and then like Lucy pulling the football from Charlie Brown it happens again Maybe my brain snapped from all the cumlative stress in the past. It seems we don't bounce back like we used to. The consistent report checking was basically riddled with anxiety, shock and disbelief at the immediate financial impact Microsoft negatively had on my business. And the futile attempt to turn it around for the past year.
I'm sharing this not to one up you it's just to share. The Family issues you faced are much more impacting as they really highlight how powerless we are for the ones we love. I truly feel for you and hope that maybe now you can finally look after yourself. You seem like the one to always take the bullet, so I hope you don't think of that as selfish..it's actually the opposite
With all this said.. I've been lurking around some of the posts.. I'm really liking the braintraining and brain music therapy suggestions that Wonderhussy and Martin posted. Definitely something to explore.
As for now, I'm taking Jessallie advice (thanks btw) and sleep depriving myself after a rough night last night with no drugs or supps to help.. i got a whopping 2.5 hours of sleep. I went to the gym today as well and worked out for 2 hours.. so I'm hoping i can do a little better then last nights debacle.
Thanks again to everyone.. I really am grateful this forum exists.
Best,
Matt
Matt, No apology necessary. And you didn't offend me. I just don't want anyone thinking that this is the place we go to pat one another on the back for yet another sleepless night.
To address your business troubles, and they sound horrendous, I'd like to paraphrase Einstein: Insanity is repeating the same behvior and expecting a differnt outcome. When the outcome remains the same, unless you enjoy a good beating, maybe it's time to look elsewhere for employment (she says, knowing full well what the chances are of finding anything new in this economy!) Perhaps, if you can't change careers, you can change your approach to this one. First, take that sign off your back that says, loudly, “Kick Me”. If your gut is telling you not to trust someone or some deal, TRUST YOUR GUT!!! I can't say that loudly enough! Like you, I seem to wear a tee shirt with the logo: Screw Me, written in bold letters. If you ever want to sleep again while you're in your curren career, You have got to make changes in your approach to it. Sorry, I'm a mom and in the habit of giving advice! But it didn't cost you anything.
I hope you find something here that will help you to sleep. If my “sound advice” doesn't do the trick, nothing will. That is, unless you read my replies and stories and they bore you to sleep!
Again, Welcome to the madness!
Becky
'jrrocco' wrote on '02:Well Hey Guys,
It feels strange joining a group for this condition, it seems like it gives more power to the problem. The mind is a funny thing.. But I'm starting to rule out this “all in your head” thing.
I feel like I'm in perpetual cat nap mode. Started about a year ago when i literally forced myself to break my sleep pattern and wake up every few hours to check on my online marketing campaigns. I don't know why this time it broke me.. I've been online marketing since 1996 in one form or another..
I can't get back to just sleeping for 7 or 8 hours, no matter how tired I am.
I have no problem falling asleep but I cant' sleep for more then a few hours at a time.. It's destroying me
If i take enough supplements and drugs to put down a baby elephant I might squeeze 5 hours or so.
I know everybody has their own “brand” of insomnia but is my situation unique?
Thanks so much for listening and best of luck to all of us..
I hope we can help each other on this seemingly endless journey.
Matt
Hi, Matt
I don't think any of us would be here if this site only gave power to the problem. Just like you, we are here to find possible remedies FOR the problem. We've reached a point where the problem has begun to interfere in our daily lives. In my case, it's a constant bone of contention between my husband and me. He thinks I stay awake to defy him. I know I'm awake because I can't go to sleep! That's just one of the ways it affects my life. When I go for days with little to no sleep, I begin injuring myself. This morning I prevented a fall twice, but strained my bad knee doing it. The third time I began to fall, my knee wouldn't hold me, so I fell on the floor, hitting my back, just below my shoulder blades, on the metal rail of my bed. My husband called paramedics, thinking I needed to go to the hospital. Instead they ended up helping me get back into bed. I'm sore, but nothing's broken.
As you stated, you began getting up and checking on market reports. Bad idea for anyone to begin that sort of habit deliberately. I'm sure you didn't expect this outcome. But insomnia can begin from something that simple. I said when I joined this group that I could trace mine back to the summer after we moved back to New Mexico from Missouri. But after giving it some serious thought (lots of time on my hands), I now realize that it actually began the previous fall, after movin here. In the winter of that year, my mother became very ill and I went to Albuquerque to spend time with her because my brother, who was already there thought her death was imminent, and he thought I should be there. I was there for two weeks, during which time she made what doctors called a recovery. Knowing my mother, when she was released from the hospital, she was nowhere near recovered enough to go home. When I eventually went home, my neice took over her care in her own home. No sooner did I get home, than we were informed that my father-in-law had been diagnosed with incurable liver cancer. He passed away May 20. Just prior to that, on May 3, Oklahoma City was hit by that monster tornado. My brother-in-law's house was just skirted by the big one, and his roof sustained minor damage. On June 1, I got a call that my mother was in a coma and it wasn't looking good. I was called upon to make the determination. I had to tell them no heroic measures to save her. She passed away early the next morning. We borrowed my mother-in-law's van for the trip and headed out immediately. It was a tumultuous year. Can we all see why I quit sleeping. I always wondered if I did the right thing with the no heroic measures call. But my sister has backed me and said if they had gotten hold of her first, she would have done the same.
So, Matt, you see, it can be a relatively minor thing that gets us started losing sleep, or a trainwreck such as what I've related, that starts us on that slippery slope into insomnia. I think you belong here. But I hope you change your thinkig of what the group is about. We are a support group. We talk to one another and sometimes, someone comes up with a remedy that may or may not help us. It's basically trial and error and hopig for the best.
However you got here, and for whatever reason, Welcome.
Becky
I'll second that proposal! It's almost 3:30 am here, and I'm still awake. No celebration to keep me up. Just sheer determination to not sleep! NOT!! I'm so tired. But I want to make sure that when I crawl into bed, I am 100% ready to sleep. This game is getting old. And it's no way to start the New Year. So, I'll say goodnight and mean it.
Becky
Thank you for your input, Margaret. I'd like to start by saying that you are the only person I've met who can top our five-year separation! Hope you can work things out.
My insomnia is caused by both physiological and psychological problems. The physiological problems started, originally with osteoarthritis, first diagnosed in my knees and later in my back. Now it's in nearly every joint in my body. The diagnosis was followed about two years later with a fall off my front porch down 4 feet to a concrete slab below. I landed on my right hip. I didn't break my hip, but I dislocated my sacro illiac (layman speak for sacrum and illium joint). The joint never healed. It remains dislocated. The dislocation caused a malalignment of my lumbar spine (1-5) and spinal stenosis. A more recent result of that fall is that I now have severe scoliosis. As you can imagine, It's difficult to find a good sleeping position. I usually do, once I'm medicated enough, but usually the quality of sleep is not so good. Four to six hours is about all I can do. Then I wake up in pain and can't go back to sleep, unless I take more meds. I can't do that, because my meds are counted and if I take more than I'm supposed to, I have to wait several days before I can get them refiled.
The psychological part of it is that I have something against sleeping in bed! Actually, I'd rather sleep in bed, but I take my meds and convince myself that I'm going to get into bed in a few minutes. Then I do one of two things. I either doze off in my wheelchair in front of the computer, or I find myself getting interested in something or begin talking with a friend who lives in India, and I forget about bed. When I fall asleep in my chair, I only sleep two hours at a time. In between naps, I am on the computer. My husband swears it's the computer that keeps me awake. But he is forgetting that we've only had the computer for about five years. I've had insomnia a lot longer than that! I think after midnight, tonight, I'm going to attempt to get into bed immediately after I take my meds and just watch tv until I'm sleepy enough to go to sleep.
As the saying goes: Herein lies the rub. I convince myself that I'm not going to be able to sleep. Therefore, I am not able to sleep. On the other hand, I get ready for bed, expecting to sleep well, and end up wide awake in front of the computer. Sometimes, this goes on for days. Usually by the third day I'm speaking in uninteligible phrases and I start out making sense and as I drift off for a few minute, I catch myself saying something totally different from the conversatin I was just having. I call it talking goon babble. It's one thing when I do it and fall asleep. But when I do it and wake up, that's something else. I have to laugh at myself, as my caregiver is laughing at me! I've almost started taking it lightly, as I know it's going to happen. But it isn't funny in the scope of things. 😐 I just no longer know what to do about it. In keeping with the vein of this discussion, accupuncture isn't the answer. I've tried self-hypnosis. I've tried positive thinking. I've tried giving myself pep talks. I've just about tried everything. I'd have to run the melatonin/magneseum thing past my doctor, because it may not be compatible with my other meds. I take enough to kill a horse, but I need every one of them.
Hopefully, having your husband home will be the cure for your insomnia. I certainly wish you well with you reconciliation. Sometimes they last, sometimes they don't. I hope yours lasts a lifetime. 🙂
Happy New Year!
Becky
Hello, Martin. It's nice to meet you. So far, I've recieved a very warm welcome, which i truly appreciate. As i said, i found the site quite by accident, while searching for answers to my problem. I know that probably one-third or more Americans suffer insomnia, and if everyone would own it, the numbers might be much higher. Today's fast paced society is largely to blame, i believe. And there is a stigma attached to it that prevents many from admitting it. It's easier for me to use my “friends around the world” excuse for not sleeping, rather than to admit that i can't sleep, so i'm visiting with those on the other side of the globe who are awake.
Because it is two days before Christmas, i will wait until next week to really explore the site. For now, though, it seems i've found a new home in which family members are more alike than different.
As for remembering the day it began, i can point to times in life when an event made such an impression that i will always remember it, even if i can't remember the exact date. For example, when i was 18 months old, i fell on a floor furnace grate and was burned badly enough that the doctor had to come to the house to treat me, because dressing me was too painful. It was a sunny morning and my mother was getting housework done. I took advantage when she left the room for just a moment, and i finally decided it would be ok to see what was in the hole. I crawled onto the grate and immediately began screaming. My mother came running in and pulled me up to her by one arm and was screaming, herself. Another time, at about the age of two or two and a half, while visiting my grandma, my unkle's hunting dogs, a pair of black labs, pulled me, by the short puffy sleeves of my dress, underneath the house…this was about 40 miles north of Mobile,ALA, where many old wooden homes are on pylons or stilts to save them from storm surges. My dad and my unkle grabbed each dog by the tail and yanked them off of me. My unkle told my dad that if there was a scratch on me, he'd shoot those (expletives)dogs! I heard that. It wasn't told to me. When i asked my mom about these incidents, she looked as though she was having a stroke! What i'm trying to say is that i place things in order before and after major life events, and because of that, i have a very good memory.
As for any type of therapy, i am disabled, on SSi and Medicaid. I don't know what types of therapy are or are not covered. I've done a sleep study, a brain scan, an eeg, none of which show any abnormalty. That leaves emotional problems, which i can't disagree with. But i was offered no treatment.
So, that's me in a nutshell, except to say one more thing. My insomnia has a dangerous side effect, which has put me in the emergency room too many times to count. After being awake for so long, i tend to fall asleep sitting up. When that happens, i tend to fall over onto the floor, or into objects. I have given myself not just black eyes, i once blackened the entire right side of my face, i've broken my nose and fell on it the next night, i've hurt my already badly injured back severely enough to have to leave in an ambulance, on a backboard, i cut my leg so severely that it required over 25 stitches and i lost enough blood that it made me dizzy, Wednesday afternoon, while sitting in my husband's desk chair, i began to fall over, but caught myself with my neck against my desk.
Then spent the night sleeping in my chair and woke up to find i have no use of my left hand. I think i must have pinched a nerve. I still can only use my index finger. I think that's all of it…it's enough, isn't it 😉
becky
hi, Jane.
YAY! I got a good night's sleep. Got into bed at 11 and slept til 8:00am. Except for the problem with my hand and arm, I'm feeling Pretty good. Maybe talking about it is really going to help. It's wonderful to talk to people who understand the problem. I actually feel like crawling back into bed, but I know better. Napping is bad juju for insomniacs.
the hardest thing for me is that i constantly have to defend my problem to my husbsnd. if he comes in in the middle of the night and sees that i'm up and on the computer, he throws a fit and orders me to go to bed. Of course, I still go to bed when and if i'm ready. As a matter of fact, i can go several days without sleep. when i'm done, i just about collapse and sleep for hours, get up, eat, check my email, get cleaned up, and go back to bed and sleep for several more hours. after that, i get into a sleep pattern for a few days. Then, it starts all over again. it's a fun little disorder!
i appreciate your input. i'm beginning to believe that i'll find help here. i found this site purely by accident while researching sleep disorders. i'm so glad i took the time to stop by and check it out.
i receive medicaid, which means i have to lock in to a primary care physician. the one i have is a CNP, and while she is good at what she does, she can't do everything. a doctor from the main clinic in another town oversees the clinic here. he discourages prescribing too many pills of that nature. i have to struggle to keep my pain pulls. she's the one who is reluctant to issue those. but i think its becaus she knows she's going to have to increase the dosage in the not so distant future. i can, see specialists. but the neurologist in this town is more interested in everything but the issue at hand.
once again, thank you for your input. we'll talk again soon, i hope. til then, sweet dreams.
becky
'Margaret' wrote on '21:Dear Becky,
I don't think you will find a solution on our list but you will find sympathy which sometimes can feel pretty good. You definitely have a heavier load to carry than I do. I can't speak for anyone else. Ambien does work for me and I use it sparingly so as to give myself a break from sleepless nights once in awhile. My doctor is more than willing to give me all I want since I make one bottle last a long time.
If I were you, I would not talk to my husband about my lack of sleep since he just makes it an opportunity to find false solutions. That could change the dynamic between you two which could improve things. Of course it also might not. It is worth a try.
You can set aside the worry that you are losing your mind. You write like a very intelligent, logical person despite all the problems. You might be suffering, but you are not losing your mind.
Hope this helps a little,
Margaret
i am on my way to bed. wish me luck.
margaret, i really appreciate your response, and, yes. it does help to know that there is a group out there for people just like us. it's comforting. i hope you don't mind if i respond more fully later, as i feel like i can sleep, and i am going to try.
it's very nice to meet you. talk to you soon.
lcb
