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Old 03-05-2012, 09:49 AM
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Default Talk to me about insomnia.....

I haven't slept well in years.. but the older I get, the worse it gets. I am trying melatonin, but it's not really working out. I am up routinely at 2 am and at 5 am and then my alarm goes off at 6:30. SOMETIMES I can go back to sleep after my 2 am wakeup but not always. Saturday morning i was up from 2 to 5:30 ish.

I am willing to go to the dr and get something prescription, but, I am already on an anxiety med and I'm trying to avoid another "lifetime" rx. kwim?

Any advice? Solutions? I'll try anything at this point... I just want to sleep.
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Old 03-05-2012, 09:51 AM
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Sara - first, do you know WHY you are waking? Are neighbor noises getting you? Have you trained yourself? Can you sleep in another room and sleep through? Is your hubby routinely restless at that time of night and waking you? Are you using anything to help soothe you back to sleep (reading, music?).

Another issue, before the meds, might be a sleep study. Does your hubby accuse you of snoring or tossing a lot?
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Old 03-05-2012, 09:53 AM
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I am a terrible sleeper, too. Conditions have to be perfect for me to fall asleep- right temperature, no light, comfortable clothes, quiet and then the tiniest little thing wakes me up. Some nights, I take hours to fall asleep and then wake up at 4 four a couple of hours.

I was just posting this in the 30 Day Shred: I find that I sleep so much better after I've exercised, even if it's 30 mins of walking and running. Looking back, high school, when I was extremely active in track and cross country, was really the only time in my entire life when I've slept good. It may not help with you, but I'd try it before sleeping pills for sure.
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Old 03-05-2012, 10:09 AM
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Originally Posted by Darcy Baldwin View Post
Sara - first, do you know WHY you are waking? Are neighbor noises getting you? Have you trained yourself? Can you sleep in another room and sleep through? Is your hubby routinely restless at that time of night and waking you? Are you using anything to help soothe you back to sleep (reading, music?).

Another issue, before the meds, might be a sleep study. Does your hubby accuse you of snoring or tossing a lot?
No.. it's not noises, and it's no matter where I sleep. I toss and turn a lot. I have tried reading, but that wakes my brain up and then I"m screwed.

It's literally like my internal clock says okay 2 am time to get up.
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Old 03-05-2012, 10:27 AM
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are you then tired the rest of the day? if it's your body naturally waking up, it might be your normal rhythm. But if you're tired all day then you really need to get something to help you sleep.

HUGS, I hope you get it worked out.
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Old 03-05-2012, 10:30 AM
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Man, that Darcy asks good questions.

I'm sitting here typing at 11:25 after tossing and turning for an hour in bed...but mine is pregnancy induced, I think. It's like Day 1 of the 3rd trimester was stepping off a beautiful, happy place and knowing I'm going to hit the bottom in, oh, you know, 3 months.

Have you tried reading the Old Testament? ; ) No, seriously, I got nuttin' for you, but I will be super grateful if the answer to my problem is in this thread, too. And empathy. I feel your pain, and I hope you figure out a good solution soon.
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Old 03-05-2012, 10:39 AM
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Originally Posted by ayaandjudah View Post
are you then tired the rest of the day? if it's your body naturally waking up, it might be your normal rhythm. But if you're tired all day then you really need to get something to help you sleep.

HUGS, I hope you get it worked out.
Yes. That's my main problem with all of this. I could deal with only sleeping a few hours here and there if I wasn't so exhausted.
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Old 03-05-2012, 10:39 AM
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I know the anxiety itself causes insomnia. You said you were on meds for that, so maybe they're not really helping everything? I'd also look at your diet and daily exercise. Cutting out refined carbs (or just decreasing them) can help a great deal. Increasing your daily exercise could also help you sleep better and it may help decrease your anxiety, too.

Whatever it is, I really hope you're able to figure it out soon. Prescriptions are no fun and I hope you can find a natural, helpful solution.
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Old 03-05-2012, 11:00 AM
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I know it's an obvious question to ask, but how much caffeine (including chocolate) are you consuming every day?

I knew I was drinking a lot of caffeine (Diet Coke) a day, but really did not think it was affecting me THAT much.... until I went off of it as part of what I'm giving up for Lent. I had some crazy headaches for abt 4 days, but the insomnia I was experiencing off and on the last 6+ months almost immediately went away. I'm getting tired earlier at night... sleeping for longer amounts of time... and while still a light sleeper, not nearly as badly as I have been since E. was born.

Ditto the anxiety/med check suggestion. DH is also on an anxiety med, and he had a lot of trouble sleeping until he got it changed a few months ago.
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Old 03-05-2012, 11:03 AM
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I have cut out caffeine almost completely. I am mostly off of it in full. Maybe 1 a week or so.

Ugh I REALLY do not want to change my meds. Really do not. Lexapro really works for me and I will be sad if I have to change it.
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Old 03-05-2012, 11:06 AM
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another biggie that people overlook with insomnia is...do you watch television every night when you are trying to wind down?

if so, that is one of the major causes of insomnia. basically what you do to your mind when you fall asleep to television is train your mind to need that. then you can't turn your mind off without the tv. then eventually it turns into a true diagnosis of insomnia because even with the television it's not enough to relax you.
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Old 03-05-2012, 11:07 AM
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Oh I feel for you! I've had horrible issues with insomnia. In fact I just could not fall asleep without Benadryl anymore and had developed such a tolerance that I could only sleep after taking 5-6 benadryl a night. I finally just had to cut that out cold turkey and deal with no sleeping for days. Things that help me now: Taking walks, going to bed *earlier*, nice comfy sheets... I've been told to get away from the computer or television at least an hour before bed but that never happens for me, my computer, my precious! Maybe taking a bath before bed would make you drowsier. I do find that I have a small window where I need to fall asleep, if not then I will toss for a while.

I was recommended Bach's Rescue Sleep remedy but it's homeopathy and I don't believe in that. But I was so desperate that I bought it, and found that when I'm tossing and turning and use it I do fall asleep. I am thinking it's a placebo effect but whatever works!

I've also heard of something called the Hibernation Diet that has you take honey before bed and might help you sleep. I tried it and didn't notice a difference but maybe you will.
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Old 03-05-2012, 11:12 AM
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Could you have sleep apnea? Before I was diagnosed, I was getting up all the time in the middle of the night. I had a sleep study and they found that I had it.

Also, my son had problems with insomnia as well. We got him on a sleeping pill, but he didn't have to be on it for a long time, just long enough to train his body to go and stay asleep.
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Old 03-05-2012, 11:16 AM
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I have pregnancy-induced insomnia. It really stinks! There's not a whole lot I can do about it either. Sorry you're having to suffer through insomnia, too.
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Old 03-05-2012, 11:25 AM
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As someone who has problems sleeping (I'm awake multiple times a night), I've been on sleeping pills for 3 years. I hate having to take them, but I need sleep and I just cannot function without it. Do you eat healthily? Get regular exercise? These things really make a difference with me, but not consistently. melatonin didn't work for me either, so I went to the dr. You could also see a chiropractor. There might be something there that they can help with. I should go back to mine...

It's a horrible thing to deal with and I hope you can figure something out soon.
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Old 03-05-2012, 11:30 AM
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I have a couple things that cause insomnia -- reflux (GERD) is one of them. If I don't watch what I eat, I am up in the middle of the night chugging down Tums. I found that going on Prilosec daily has helped.

The other is, ironically, if I go to bed too late, I then have a hard time getting to sleep and don't sleep as well. Sleep begets more sleep, as they say. On these nights, I'll take 1/2 an Ambien, which works like magic for me (although I know some people have problems with it).

Oh, and I sleep much better if I exercise and keep my weight down.
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Old 03-05-2012, 11:41 AM
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Lizzy, my husband sleeps with the tv on. However.. i do occasionally sleep on the couch if my back or hips are bugging me, and i'm still up even if the room is completely dark.

Thanks for all the advice girls, I really appreciate it!!

Paula, I don't know. My parents both are on c-pap machines b/c they have it. I might need to talk to my dr about a sleep study. I'd rather take that step before medication. Thanks!
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Old 03-05-2012, 11:41 AM
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also? getting old is hell.
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Old 03-05-2012, 11:42 AM
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Quote:
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also? getting old is hell.
amen sister!
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Old 03-05-2012, 11:47 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kscwgirl View Post
also? getting old is hell.
Yeah, this is why I have trouble sleeping. That, and my teenagers. They provide never-ending reasons to stay awake. Oh wait, all my boys are teenagers, so I should just say my kids.

I usually take a Benadryl or 1 Tylenol PM, every night, but sometimes that doesn't even work.

I hope you can find something to help without having to change your meds Sara!
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Old 03-05-2012, 12:56 PM
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I don't sleep well because I always have a lot on my mind. Must do this. Must do that. Need to do this tomorrow. Won't have time for this tomorrow. And so on. So before I go to bed, I write everything down. I feel like it's off my mind, I won't forget it, and it helps me sleep. Also, my husband was a HUGE reason why I couldn't sleep. He snored, and just generally drove me nuts LOL. So he was on a CPAP machine for a bit, but then lost 60 pounds and is breathing fine now...so I sleep better too.

I go check my kids right before I go to sleep, and I have a bed time routine. I don't know what might be causing yours, but I would think having the tv on might be one? We don't have a tv in our room, we never have.
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Old 03-05-2012, 01:09 PM
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i sleep better if i wear earpplugs and a sleep mask and it's not noises/light that typically wake me up. it's usually dh with his restless legs or snoring. i seriously want twin beds. i think sensory depravation while sleeping really helps. you might try that and see if it helps you.
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Old 03-05-2012, 03:00 PM
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I have fought insomnia since 2001. Its been rough. My problem wasn't waking up after having been asleep but just not being able to go to sleep at all. I would usually be up for 36 hours or more before I was finally able to crash for a few hours. The saving grace was that I didn't have it all the time, it went in spurts. I'd have several weeks of insomnia and then I'd have a week where I slept great. It never lasted much longer than a week but boy was I thankful for that break! I did go to the doctor about it and he told me to get a baby-sitter and sleep when I fell asleep. What? Strange reaction, right?

I tried Tylenol PM and several other OTC sleep aids. The Tylenol either made me feel high but kept me wide awake or knocked me out so hard that I couldn't hear my kids calling me. I'm home alone at night with the kids so I need to be alert enough to help them if they need me. I got to where I'd go all week with out sleep and then take a Tylenol PM on the weekend when DH was home so that I wasn't the one 'on duty' and didn't have to worry about how hard I was sleeping. Sometimes it helped, sometimes I still couldn't sleep.

Last year, I think it was, someone recommended I try melatonin. I started on it and did find that it helped a little. I was able to shut my mind off at least. It didn't help all the time though. In July I started using progesterone cream to combat my high levels of estrogen. I still took the melatonin and I found that I started sleeping better. In October I cut out all starches and sugar along with caffeine and suddenly I was sleeping like a baby. Add in a starch and I had trouble again. These days I sleep pretty well. I still take melatonin every night, not because it helps me sleep so much as it helps my brain calm down because there is always so much on my mind. I usually fall asleep within 20 minutes when it used to take me up to no less than an hour on a good night. I wake a few minutes before the alarm clock and generally feel pretty rested.

Weekends are another story though... my DH is home then and sharing a bed with him is ridiculous. It never used to bother me but he snores now (it has started in the last 10 years that he's been working midnights) and it always works out that just as I'm dozing off he starts and wakes me back up. LOL
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Old 03-05-2012, 07:20 PM
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I had insomnia for like 10 years solid. It was hell. I could not fall asleep and I could not stay asleep Finally I saw a sleep specialist a year ago and let me tell you it was a life changer. Find one, go to one. A regular doc will not do. I saw one for years and only got a variety of sleep meds out of it. The sleep doc's goal is to get you sleeping naturally.

It was not a pleasant 2 months to start. I had to give up all caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, eating after 7pm, no screen time after 9pm, a couple other things and keep a sleep chart for 8 weeks. If I couldn't fall asleep within 30 minutes of going to bed I had to get up for 30 minutes and no getting on the computer or turning on the tv. Repeat as needed. Some nights I was up 3 times in a row, until 3am.

Plus there was this billion question form to fill out. Once she had all that data she set up a sleep plan that involved me going to bed at the same time (later than I had been) but even more important and harder to do - get up at the same time. It's the getting up that sets your clock. We talked about why I really really despise getting out of bed when I can't sleep & I did an overnight sleep study to confirm a theory she had. Turns out I have restless leg syndrome, only it's more of a whole body thing for me. It was keeping me from staying asleep & lack of decent sleep was making me lay in bed later and keeping me up longer at night.

It's been 10 months since then and on average I sleep 5-6 solid hours a night, sometimes 7, whereas before I was only sleeping a highly disturbed 2-3 hours. It does suck that I have to get up by 7:15am on the weekends but I've gotten used to it, mostly. I've even reached a point where once a month I will be all wicked and sleep in until 8:30. I've gone back to eating chocolate & drinking wine on occasion but caffeine is probably gone for good. I accidentally forgot to ask for a decaf latte Saturday and was awake until 3am.

Seriously, find a sleep specialist, probably your primary care doc can recommend one. I drive 90 minutes on way to see mine & she is out of network but it really is worth it.
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Old 03-05-2012, 08:37 PM
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Thanks Stacey! I'll check on that.
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