How can you claim to not be able to sleep at all and have a sleep cycle?
Usedtobe I wanted to call your attention to RivahChaya’s quote below. You’ll see that she takes several non-typical meds in order to fight her insomnia. She found this combination by working with a sleep center. This is why I repeat the suggestion that you should find a sleep center and work with them. This means more than just a one and done sleep study. This means a longer term relationship, while they figure out why you can’t sleep and what exactly might work for you. I know you have concerns about seeing a sleep center, but please consider this.
Again, there is nothing new in any if the suggestions.
Sleep Center/Clinic
Non-typical insomnia meds.
For the benefit of the group - I now have yet another appointment with yet another “Sleep Center”.
This one as a Medicare Patient at a Teaching Medical Center - UCD. The group which destroyed the little kidney function I had left.
Want to put a bit of money on the probable outcome?
Dude, take some responsibility, you are the one to blame for your kidney dilemma. You claim to be such a well-informed patient yet you continued taking the morphine for what, 8 years? You mean to claim that for that entire 8 years you were blissfully ignorant of what was happening?
Fine. I give up. I was misled by your fervent insistence that you would not have anything to do with sleep centers and would only take z meds. You’ve got things well in hand. I wish you well.
Between the prescribing MD and the Nephrologists, I figured that somebody had the dosage in hand.
It seems the detail I slighted was the 12-hr ER formulation of the morphine.
I’ll keep you advised as to what this Sleep Center finds.
I’m betting on “Gee - you really DO have a problem”.
As I keep pointing out - been there, done that,
Do wish I had kept a complete list of “Things tried to deal with Insomnia”.
Over the last 50 years.
If you don’t want advice, why do you post? People are just trying to help.
I have a hard time getting to sleep and am major pissed if I get woke prior to when i know I need to get up. This is one of those nights.
Why to post?
One reason is the same as people have been using “write it down” for a century or two:
Organize thoughts.
Second is “If it is shunned, perhaps it is not as big an issue as I suspect”.
Biggie is, believe it or not: I really do wish for thoughts. Original ones greatly preferred.
I have a kid sister whom I positively adore. But (yes, there IS always a “but”): she thinks and speaks in trite one-liners.
Following the Loma Prieata Quake (SF, 1989): “Look out for after-shocks”. There had been approx. 57 at the time she came up with that insightful observation.
(Just what does it mean to “Look out” for something invisible and unstoppable?)
Yes, it is unfair to the thoughtful folks here who do express good, sound advice.
But please realize I have been through this repeatedly in several time zones my entire life.
There are always going to be new wrinkles in treatments, and I do read with interest responses beyond “Go to Doctor.” “Do what Doctor says”. “You were harmed by Doctor?! - it is your own fault for not…”.
It now appears the Acute Renal Failure may kill me yet - the renal function is severely depressed, and I am not going to the top of any transplant list.
As discussed over in GQ a while back: There is no adequate replacement for kidneys except a new kidney.
Dialysis is not even close. Look up “Epogen” - a drug which replaces (crudely) a critical function of the kidneys in the production of hemoglobin (I also have chronic anemia: My ailments do dovetail nicely).
But: for those who wish me to try conventional therapies:
I saw a Physical Rehab specialist who gave me a nice rubber band and 4 or 5 exercises for my right arm and shoulder (severely atrophied after the pain meds were withdrawn).
They do help (if painfully at the present time) and offer hope. I would prefer to be painfree - I have landscaping to do, a swimming pool to repair, rooms to paint, and a bathroom to remodel.
IOW: Get me the meds, and I take care of the exercise just fine.
I also have another appt with a new! endless possibilities! Sleep Center. Which is right next door to the Sleep Clinic - get the script at one door, get the EKG next door.
I can now apply the leads for a 5-lead EKG (red over black; brown; white over green - the color codes are explained in abbr. on each).
NO MORE COLD JELLY!
I am trying different doses on the melatonin now. I think that may have an impact. I’ll have to repeat this a few more times, but I used a ridiculously small amount, instead of the dropper full recommended on the label and went right to sleep.
Here we go again. It’s not like i have any fucking work to do tomorrow, or anything. My new thing is going to bed at a reasonable (for me) hour and waking up at 5am or 6:30am or whatever and not being able to fall asleep again, until late morning, which means I’m waking up for my day around 11am.
I have considered going to a sleep specialist but I sort of know the problem already, which is that I have PTSD and other random-ass anxiety issues. Tonight is definitely a PTSD night because I’ve been addressing some rough stuff in therapy, and today was the roughest I’ve had so far. I have a shit ton to processand this weird feeling like I can’t sleep until it’s resolved. When I get this way, I usually just fuck around with it indirectly until I collapse in exhaustion (this post would count as messing with it indirectly) and will do just about anything not to feel emotional about it.
As I said to my husband, ‘‘No wonder I’m so fucked up.’’
But he says I’m not, really.
Anyway. Heavy shit. It’s always gotta be 2:30 in the fucking morning I try to figure it all out.
My therapist suggested I take Ativan tonight, which I dislike doing because I don’t want to become dependent on benzos. But I have to do some grant prospecting tomorrow at the library so I may just and hope it helps. I’m honestly thinking about just taking a vacation week. I have some vacation saved up, and things are slow at work right now.
I skipped the melatonin last night and finally nodded off for a few hours around 4 am. Boo.
Spice Weasel - I suggest you talk to your Dr or a sleep center anyway. You think you know what the issues are, but that doesn’t mean that adjustments can’t be made to help you get on a regular sleep schedule anyway. It will be easier to work through your other issues if you can turn off your brain and sleep when you need to. If you need to use a pill occasionally to do that, for now, it doesn’t mean you always will. Just a thought.
My psychiatrist did say there is a sleep medication indicated to treat PTSD-related sleep disturbance. I have an appointment with her Tuesday so I am going to throw out a request for a scrip. I’ve taken stuff for sleep before, including Trazodone, but it’s that hangover effect.
We’ve introduced a new wrinkle into the mix which is that my Trentellix makes me nauseated. I’m going to try taking it with a full glass of water before bed, but it doesn’t help when I’m trying to wind down that I feel like I’m gonna puke.
I slept… better… last night. I think I got to sleep before 2am, and I woke up at 5:30am, but I stubbornly remained in bed and managed to fall back asleep within an hour.
I think taking a week off work was one of the better choices I’ve made recently. The sudden and dramatic reduction in stress has done wonders for my anxiety.
Yay for the week off!
One of the consequences of the summer solstice and it getting light all week at 3.30 am:
Our German Shepherd, Kali, had ACL surgery (tibial plateau leveling osteotomy) ten days ago. She is on Trazadone, 300 mg at bedtime. She’s been sleeping beautifully.
In all fairness, my dogs sleep like champs almost all the time too. 
She’s used to running around like a maniac for a decent percentage of the day.
Postoperatively, she is allowed only short leashed walks to eliminate right now along with some physical therapy/light exercise. So, she’s sleeping most of the day. A sleep aid is just what the doctor ordered.
Asleep two hours, now awake, hello nausea. Ugh. The weird thing is the nausea side effect has gotten worse since I started taking Trintellix, not better, as one might expect. I ate plenty before bed, and took it with a full glass of water. Let’s throw in some back pain and hot flashes too… Why the hell not.
Not sure what you mean?