Insomnia? Anyone else?

lmunsie

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Anybody else suffer from insomnia? Have techniques to cope? I've kinda just learned to deal with it.

I used to be able to sleep SO well, my head hit the pillow and I was asleep, then 5 years ago I was in a kinda weird accident and ever since that night I've had terrible insomnia. I went over a year with literally not getting more then 1-2 hours of sleep a night, even when I tried sleeping pills.

For the last couple years it's been on and off, I am lucky if I get one good night a week, generally I get 3-5 hours, but in the last 6 months I'm back to the 1-2 hours a night, and sleeping pills are starting not to work again
Although I've learned to just stay in bed and 'rest' it's still very frusterating.....
 

gailc

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Do you get up and go to bed about the same time every day??
Not have a TV in your bedroom, keep bedroom cool?
I think if you aren't sleeping hardly at all you might need to check with a doc to prescribe something to help you.
 

rosiemac

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I'm quite lucky when it's getting to sleep.

Have you tried buying new pillows?. I used those memory foam ones and i slept great, but then i've just changed to thicker ones and i didn't think i would sleep well because they felt too soft, but i was wrong


I keep saying i'm going to take my own pillow up to Gils when i stay because his are horrible
 

gayef

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I suffer from frequent insomnia due to a health condition and the related medications for it ... so what do they do? Prescribe other medications to treat the insomnia. I take Lunesta when I absolutely positively have to sleep for more than a few hours. Most of the time, I try not to take it as the side effects from it are a little more than I like to deal with. So, instead, I read, I knit, I stay up way too late posting here at TCS *grin*. I try to restrict any caffiene/sugary foods or drinks (chocolate, coffee, tea, soda ect.) to before 6PM and I use a desktop fan for "white noise" so the cats don't freak out in the middle of the night as they will and wake me up. My bedroom is very, very dark and cool and I try to make sure that I have clean sheets and a fresh pillow along with comfy PJ's. On those nights when nothing I do works and before I resort to taking the Lunesta, I meditate for about 30 minutes, mentally visualizing myself sleeping comfortably and peacefully. If I go to bed and do not fall saleep within an hour, I do not continue to stay in bed. I get up and as I mentioned, read for a while, quietly knit or engage in some other queit, peaceful activity until I feel tired again.

If all else fails, I swallow the Lunesta and deal with the side effects the next day as best I can.
 

strange_wings

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What sort of accident? Is it possible that some sort of lasting damage was done that should be treated instead? If you've not had a sleep study done, maybe one would help to find the underlying cause of why you don't sleep or stay asleep?
Melatonin may help you get to sleep, but if you have any strange health issues (mostly low blood pressure and orthostatic hypotension/intolerance) you may want to look up side effects. -I couldn't take it, for example, because it would leave me on the floor the next day... It's also said to cause some issues with people who have autoimmune problems.

I usually sleep ok - aside from being woke up by DH, cats, or unable to sleep due to pain (but that's better lately). More recently I've been waking up every single night thinking I'm still at work or not knowing where I am...
 

tierre0

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Have you tried Melatonin, it's a supplement that I use when I have trouble sleeping. It regulates your sleep patterns, it occurs naturally in your body but can be depleted by poor health, stress, things like that.
You might want to look into that.
 
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lmunsie

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Originally Posted by GailC

Do you get up and go to bed about the same time every day??
Not have a TV in your bedroom, keep bedroom cool?
I think if you aren't sleeping hardly at all you might need to check with a doc to prescribe something to help you.
Yes, I practise good "sleep hygiene" I've been to doctors many time and have prescribed sleeping pills that work 'sometimes' i try not to take them too much as they are quite addicitive

Originally Posted by Rosiemac

I'm quite lucky when it's getting to sleep.

Have you tried buying new pillows?. I used those memory foam ones and i slept great, but then i've just changed to thicker ones and i didn't think i would sleep well because they felt too soft, but i was wrong


I keep saying i'm going to take my own pillow up to Gils when i stay because his are horrible
Hahaha! I have memory foam and feather pillows, I actually have a variety of 4 different pillows on my bed


Originally Posted by strange_wings

What sort of accident? Is it possible that some sort of lasting damage was done that should be treated instead? If you've not had a sleep study done, maybe one would help to find the underlying cause of why you don't sleep or stay asleep?
Melatonin may help you get to sleep, but if you have any strange health issues (mostly low blood pressure and orthostatic hypotension/intolerance) you may want to look up side effects. -I couldn't take it, for example, because it would leave me on the floor the next day... It's also said to cause some issues with people who have autoimmune problems.
Originally Posted by tierre0

Have you tried Melatonin, it's a supplement that I use when I have trouble sleeping. It regulates your sleep patterns, it occurs naturally in your body but can be depleted by poor health, stress, things like that.
You might want to look into that.
Physically and mentally I am 100% recovered from the accident, so it's weird. Haven't had a sleep study done, I feel really weird about it, but it is the only thing really left I haven't tried, I have tried the valarian and melatonin though, and they don't help! I feel like a hopeless cause.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by lmunsie

Physically and mentally I am 100% recovered from the accident, so it's weird.
Sometimes damage is hard to find or almost unmeasurable - there could be something just small enough to affect your sleep cycle but very hard for doctors to find as it may seem unrelated to them.
 
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lmunsie

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

Sometimes damage is hard to find or almost unmeasurable - there could be something just small enough to affect your sleep cycle but very hard for doctors to find as it may seem unrelated to them.
*sigh* i suppose if that is the case it would be unlikely that they would figure it out anyways.
 

zorana_dragonky

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I have a lot of very bad problems with headaches and cramps in my calves, and lately they have been keeping me from sleeping well, or from sleeping at all. I really need to see a doctor about my headaches and get some good advice, but I do not have any medical insurance.


I have been thinking about trying some herbal teas (no caffiene) before bed to help relax. If I make it a habit every night, make a cup of tea and sit on the couch and read or something for 1/2 hour before bed, it might really help me.

I hope you find something to help your insomnia!
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by lmunsie

*sigh* i suppose if that is the case it would be unlikely that they would figure it out anyways.
Unless you found the right doctor(s), but that alone is a bit challenge.
You still didn't say what sort of accident it was - someone may have an idea of where you can start.

Originally Posted by zorana_dragonky

I have a lot of very bad problems with headaches and cramps in my calves, and lately they have been keeping me from sleeping well, or from sleeping at all. I really need to see a doctor about my headaches and get some good advice, but I do not have any medical insurance.
That's too bad, a few simple blood tests may be able to find the cause of the cramping and even the headaches - such as a deficiency. Potassium is well known for causing cramps when you're too low in it, unfortunately being chronically low (or getting too low) can also cause serious problems... At the very least you could try eating more fresh veggies (spinach is very healthy and a better source for potassium then bananas), maybe take a multivitamin, and drink more water.
 

laureen227

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i have difficulty becoming drowsy - & if i DON'T take anything, i can stay awake for a VERY long time! currently, i take 2 different script meds which have the side effect of drowsiness/tiredness, plus i take 9 mg melatonin & 1000 mg tryptophan. most nights, this does the trick - i start falling asleep about an hour after i take them.
some nights - even this doesn't work.
now, once i'm asleep - i SLEEP! very little wakes me up, & if i do wake, i usually fall back to sleep almost immediately.
kava kava & valerian are also supposed to help w/sleep issues...
i've also read that a tepid bath [lukewarm, not too hot] can help relax you.
here're some links that might help:
http://www.all-natural.com/herbguid.html
http://www.naturalherbsguide.com/herbal-remedies.html
 
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lmunsie

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Originally Posted by strange_wings

Unless you found the right doctor(s), but that alone is a bit challenge.
You still didn't say what sort of accident it was - someone may have an idea of where you can start.
I've seen many doctors and all of them just prescribe stronger sleeping pills! not useful.

as for the accident.... It's difficult to explain but I was trampeled by a couple very large fast moving horses. I came out of it with a destroyed knee and a broken tibia (and a tons of bruises and scrapes, but thankfully nothing worse). The knee was so bad the doctors didn't think I would walk properly again, but alas I walk (and do everything else) perfectly fine.


Edit: i should mention that i tried hypnosis to cure the insomnia, but it was a terrible waste of money!
My mom is a massage therapist and I didn't seem to have any bad muscle problems, I also went to a chiropractor and sports therapist but have a clean bill of health from them all.
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by lmunsie

as for the accident.... It's difficult to explain but I was trampeled by a couple very large fast moving horses. I came out of it with a destroyed knee and a broken tibia (and a tons of bruises and scrapes, but thankfully nothing worse). The knee was so bad the doctors didn't think I would walk properly again, but alas I walk (and do everything else) perfectly fine.
Wow! You are lucky to have recovered so well. If your head was hit/trampled at all there could have been some very minor damage to your brain which could cause all sorts of weird results. There's special scans for traumatic brain injuries, but supposedly the machine (modified mri) isn't in most hospitals and would probably be pricey.

Have you ever had full saliva, blood, and urine tests to make sure the right amount of various hormones and chemicals are being released at the right times of day? That being out of whack could make a person unusually sleepy or have insomnia. To figure out the root cause you may have to go to somewhere like Mayo, where they could run you through several tests and specialists.
 
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lmunsie

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I don't know. I really haven't thought about revisiting it because I've just gotten so used to it, however it's getting quite bad again. I do live in Canada so if I get refered to a specialist it is generally covered
 

strange_wings

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Originally Posted by lmunsie

I don't know. I really haven't thought about revisiting it because I've just gotten so used to it, however it's getting quite bad again. I do live in Canada so if I get refered to a specialist it is generally covered
You shouldn't have to live that way.
If you can get it checked out and checked out properly, do so. You deserve an answer instead of just being given more sleeping pills because no obvious cause can be found. Do a little research and see if you can find what type of doctor, or even which specific doctor, can help you the most.
 
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