Sleep and Pain: Part 1
How many times have you heard someone say, "I am so tired. I could use a nap right now." Or "I feel like I haven't slept a wink." How many times have you slept all night yet felt exhausted in the morning?
People who suffer chronic pain or suffer from a chronic disease need sleep. It takes a lot of energy to cope with chronic pain and disease. When a person sleeps, their body uses their energy for rejuvenation. Rest allows the body time to refuel and prepare to meet the demands of another day.
Quite often pain and stiffness cause people to sleep poorly. They may fall asleep only to wake each time they try to change their position.
Folks who are depressed sleep poorly. Others wake frequently to use a bathroom and then find they can't get back to sleep.
Do you dream? Have you ever awakened from an eventful dream only to feel like you actually lived it? Well believe it or not, there are times when your body responds to dreams as if they were actually living them. This can lead to an exhausted feeling in the morning as well.
So what can you do to help you sleep? Here are a few suggestions. Perhaps you can add to the list!
These are just a few ideas to add to your pain management tool box.. Now let's see if you can add any more!
Related Topics: WebMD Video: Understanding Aromatherapy, Fix Your Sleep; Improve Your Health
Technorati Tags: pain, insomnia, sleep
People who suffer chronic pain or suffer from a chronic disease need sleep. It takes a lot of energy to cope with chronic pain and disease. When a person sleeps, their body uses their energy for rejuvenation. Rest allows the body time to refuel and prepare to meet the demands of another day.
Quite often pain and stiffness cause people to sleep poorly. They may fall asleep only to wake each time they try to change their position.
Folks who are depressed sleep poorly. Others wake frequently to use a bathroom and then find they can't get back to sleep.
Do you dream? Have you ever awakened from an eventful dream only to feel like you actually lived it? Well believe it or not, there are times when your body responds to dreams as if they were actually living them. This can lead to an exhausted feeling in the morning as well.
So what can you do to help you sleep? Here are a few suggestions. Perhaps you can add to the list!
- Take time to relax before going to bed. Give your body a chance to start unwinding before heading into bed for the night.
- Take a nice warm bath or shower to help you unwind.
- Burn some aromatherapy candles to promote relaxation.
- Avoid eating or drinking too late into the evening. When you eat late, your body spends all night digesting food rather than resting.
- Be careful what you do eat when you eat and/or drink in the evening. Avoid caffeine drinks and foods. Consider snacking on peanut butter toast, or drink herbal teas to help you relax.
- Play soothing music
- Read or watch a little TV if this helps you relax.
- If you have a lot of things on your mind, try writing them down rather than tossing the ideas around and around in your head.
These are just a few ideas to add to your pain management tool box.. Now let's see if you can add any more!
Related Topics: WebMD Video: Understanding Aromatherapy, Fix Your Sleep; Improve Your Health
Technorati Tags: pain, insomnia, sleep
161 Comments:
Amitriptiline...........1 pill
before bed time works very good for me.
I also take an Amitriplyine before bed but it doesn't always help due to pain during sleep. No matter what I tend to wake up at 2 am like clock-work and can't get back to sleep. I work puzzlws and read until I literally fall asleep. But this is really getting old and in the mornings I am completely exhausted.
Oh WOW!! I also keep waking up at 2-2:30 (a.m.) and yes It IS getting REAL OLD!!
I rarely sleep more than 2 or 3 hours a night inspite of being on Cymbalta for pain and depression, Neurontin for spasms, back spasm medication, restoril and time released morphine. I have CFS/FM, Chronic Back Pain, Arthritis and many other Chronic Pain problems. I usually catch up in about 5 to 7 days sleeping most of the day which my dog hates.
I find that I have a sleep rhythm. If I get to sleep when I am first sleepy or right after I have fallen asleep in hot water I usually sleep all night. After twelve or so years of waking up at night (2 am is very familiar) I was told I had restless leg and that a combo of small dose of antidepressant, antispasm, and pain pill has made it so unless I am very upset I sleep all night. What a difference!!!
I take Ambien to sleep but I've found I am forgetting thins and if I don't go right to bed I'll forget what I did that night before finally sleeping.
The most I can sleep is an hour at a time due to pain. The pain meds wear off. I cannot have anything touching my skin (linens, clothing, a breeze, etc.) so it get's cold in the winter! I've been told to read a boring book to put you to sleep. That might work for some of you. With the RSD I can no longer read a book or a long article. I've tried amitriptyline and nortriptyline, but they didn't get me groggy enough to get past the pain. RSD is the most painful chronic pain disease that exists and nothing will take the pain away even for a few minutes if you've had it a long time. I've had it over 8 years. I do meditation and deep breathing to relax my way through the daily pain. Morphine does not touch the pain. Fentanyl will being it from a daily 7 to a 6 on good days...
I don't have much to tell you for sleeping. I've not slept through a night in over 8 years. I rest every hour for an hour and then am back up again. I'm on 27 different medications (every one is sedating...lol) I'm always tired, but the pain is too severe to consider sleep. I've been told by sleep specialists to get out of bed and move around if you can't sleep...who knows?
The suggestions are good but unrealistic for so many people who have major job stress, stress of keeping medical insurance and paying bills, stress in dealing with children and grandkids, ill mothers and fathers, or spouses, too much work they have to bring home from the office, etc. In short, Americans are eaten up with stress in their lives and get in situations where they cannot do much to change it.
I worked 70-80 hours a week and raised 4 children for 16 years straight. I've been working for over 40 years and I agree the stress is often too much. Before I got sick and had to quit work (would rather work with the stress) my father in law started the signs of Alzheimer's. My husband and I are his caretakers for the past 10 years. My husband had a major stroke 2 years ago. There are ways to relax prior to bed...deep breathing, guided imagery, a notebook at your bedside so when you thnk of something you can jot it down, trusting it will not be forgotten the next day. Warm baths, tea or even a glass of wine, if that's an option.
My husband never sleeps more than maybe 3 hrs a night, sometimes takes a short nap during the day while I'm at work. He was operated on 2 or 3 yrs ago due to a work related injury & the doctors clipped some nerves in his shoulder, he does not complain that much & most pain relievers do not work with him. I feel so bad with him, he is on workers comp now but most of the dr's he goes to are not very interested in actually helping him, but mostly just doing what the insurance co. says. They try to do muscle therapy for him but what can they do about these clipped nerves. One doctor told him the nerves were just waving around in there & there was nothing they could do for him, is this true, will he always be in pain?
Well this can be a pain. I wake up a few times in the night, because of pain. This may sound gross, but it helps me sometimes. A hot bath with 2 cups of apple cider vinegar. Passion flower extract helps me sleep too. So I'll take two of those(capsules) at night. Trazadone 100mgs used to be what took. Since I've got a two year old kid...I try to avoid being knocked out that hard.
It is good to see that I am not alone with loss of sleep. I have a very hard time getting to sleep and am up and down until 4 am, and then can sleep out of exhaustion till 7 or so.
Glad to see I am not alone here with sleep. I am up and down this 4 am, and then get some sleep towards the morning because I am just dead, and I then can sleep with the pain. As of yet, I have not found anything that really works.
Just got diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, but have had chronic pain/dep./sleep disturbance for years.
The TCA's (Amitrip, Nortrip, etc.) work well, but I can't take them... they make me soo hungry!
I just started Cymbalta (pain & dep.) about a wk ago and at night, I've found that in addition to my usual stuff (Topamax & Valium)... 25-50mg of Trazodone seems to help tremendously.
I find exercise improves the quality of my sleep. Massage is effective reducing tension and relieving pain. Meditation and breathing exercises help to calm my mind. When all else fails, cannabis does the trick.
I have chronic pain with fibromyalgia. Also pain from car accident. Docs are trying everything. I'm on Cymbalta. Doc is trying small dose of Amitryptaline for sleep. Last night I was up until 3 or 4 am. Could not sleep. Have 10 mg of Ami. It took 2 Ami plus 15 mg. Temazepam to finally crash. I suffer from severe depression so docs are pulling any narcotics. Trying to use antidepressant mixtures and or NSAIDS. If something works for you let me know will ya? I also have sleep apnea but it's not due to the apnea. I use my CPAP every night.
I can't sleep either. I thought I was the only one. I've been to ever doctor and nothing helps. I had back surgury 4 years ago. The doctor said that this was the best I could get. I also have epilepsy and depression. I've tried medication but I'm afraid of getting hooked. I'm just waiting to die.
Has anyone found a mattress that helps? We are thinking about trying the Select Comfort.
I don't sleep great either and i have been diagnoised with fibromyalgia and am in the works to go to shands hospital in gainesville florida for help but first have to qualify and i got a question that i hope someone can answer here i have alredy had bllod work to rule out rhumatiod or lupus and i would like to know if this fibromyalgia is worse than these two diseases or what category does it fall under and what relief (if any) can i find until i get to a place that can help me as i have no insurance or job or cash for that matter and am lookin to see if there are studies for this here in lforida &shands hospital is one of the places but i need to know (cuz it takes awhile for them to accept you as a patient and i have had this for 3 months now and each day i wake up it is horrible the stiffness i feel and i actually use a walker to get up ouot of bed and no i am not a heavy person 123lbs. adn i get sorer everyday so can this disease (that there is no cure for )kill me so,eday cuz it actually on some days feels like im dying inside and i no longer do the things i love to do like ride my horse cuz if i do i suffer tremendously the whole next 5 or more days so if u can give some input as to how bad this fibromyalgia gets in a person and could it paralyze you or even worse kll you??? i need to know this if some can please tell me i would appreciate it!! thanx!!Denise
To anyone who has trouble getting sleeping pills from their doctor try gravol it works for me.
To Debbie- I feel for you. I have had chronic low back pain and fibromyalgia fdor 27 years. I have tried everything and nothing has solved the problem, though mostly I manage. I do have sleep disruptions despite 50 mg of trazadone (can't take more or I have fainting spells because of low blood pressure) and 500 to 1000 mg of Extra Strength Tyelnol PM, plus 900 mg of Neurontin. I may try the ambien route. We bought a Select Comfort mattress and I do think I get to sleep better on it, but still wake with pain during the night. Fibromyalgia won't kill you. It is nowhere near as dangerous as lupus. Doctors really don't know what causes it or much about how to treat it except to try to treat the sleep disruptions and the resulting depression. You have to find a doctor that treats people with fibromyalgia. I have found that if you force yourself to regularly exercise, including moderate weight training, and try to deal with the sleep problems, you can live with this.
Oops - I meant Denise. Sorry for that. Blame it on lack of sleep!
Having Diabetes 2 - with peripheral neuropathy in my feet making them feel like ice picks jabbing restless feet at night is always uncomfortable waking to the point where I have major foot/leg cramps at least once a night. I take neurontin -- not working well. When I'm tired/sleepy - that's the time to get into bed and sleep waking 2x a night, walk on the floor tiles until leg/foot cramp subsides, and back to bed - total sleep perhaps on a good night 5 hours.
Anon. says,I wake up three times a night to pee and can't go to sleep unless I take melatonin and a pain pill but after reading other peoples coments I have no complaints
I can relate, having lived with constant chronic pain for 32 years, haven't had a good nights sleep in all that time. Time in the hot spa and a good massage from my most understanding wife helps. I was in a motorcycle accident 32 years ago,I suffered a brachial plexus injury that causes me pain at a 5-6 level while on oxycodone. It sometimes goes to a 8-9 level, for any number of reasons. I've had two surgeries on my spinal cord to try and stop the pain, they didn't work. I suffered a cut in the left side of my neck that cut through many nerves also. When you add to that, a broken colar bone that wasn't set and healed off center, a smashed knee cap that weasn't replaced, and being in a coma for 8 and a half days, you may be able to understand my having pain issues to deal with. I have tried many medications over the past 32 years, and nothing gets rid of the pain, the oxycodone helps keep it at a 5-6 level most of the time. If it weren't for my understanding wife and sons, I would have elected to checvk out of this misserable life long ago, but so glad that I didn't, but they arte ther only reason for my sticking around. I keep hoping and praying that something new will come along that will allow me to enjoy the few years that I hope to have left without being in pain every second.It does seem that the medical people are doing more to find ways to help those of us in chronic pain, not a whole lot was done t try a nd find help for us for many years, that does seem to be changing now. My prayers go out for all those who live a s I do, that we will know what it is like to live without PAIN one day soon. Roy
I have severe disc degeration, arthritis, and foraminal stenosis of the thorco-lumbar spines, and sacrospinalis spasms of the left lumbar in addition to perpheral neuropathy and radiculopathy of both feet and left thigh, plus depression 2/2 the chronic pain...nothing worked until I was prescribed fentanyl 72-hour transdermal patch and a 2mg hydromorphone at bedtime...sometimes I augment with an NSAID, but only when joints are throbbing...this combo helps greatly with getting consistently refreshing sleep, which makes a world of difference for everyone near me...best of luck, this is a hard road to travel--just make sure there is a destination or goal of YOUR choosing--surgery to allow for some exercise and weight loss for example--that allows you to regain control of your sleep and by extension life.
For Denise,and anyone with sleep/pain.
PROSOM is the only pill that keeps me asleep,and in the am.there is no hangover effect like with many other sleep pills i have tried.I feel rested in the am.and the mentel is much better which inturns allow me to contiue to fight the pain.
I have had fibromyalgia diag.for 10yrs.Probably had it for at lest 20.I too am now 125.Weight helps but not that much as the world thinks.I have ben heavier before.
I used to ride horses and show about 20 yrs ago.I tried last winter,rented a horse,wanted to know if I could still ride.I lasted 1/2hr.was sore for about two week.
Riding even just a little each day is very good exercise.Swimming is the ultimate,cause gravity is taken off the body.I have found that it is a must for me to have Chiropractic care.If a good dr.can feel like you have a new body.
The causes very,the biggest thing is do what you can when you can,and adapt to your situation.Some times there are long periods that are good,then there is a flare up of symptoms.
Denise Definately apply for ss,it isn't hard to do without a lawyer.
Take care all.squirrel
Try massage therapy and/or a chiropractor. I have a friend who has chronic pain and this gives her some relief.
I can understand pain and sleeplessness. I have open stress ulcers on my leg and they are currently in the healing process. As the wound is healing I get sharp pains in that area and the area is very tender. Sometimes when I get up, I hobble around for most of the day because the leg doesn't want to support total weight. I'm a night person. I sleep during other people's day - lol. I usually go to bed about 5am and get up about 3pm. I have the problem of daylight keeping me awake, but we solved most of that by blacking out the windows of the bedroom. I used to take Melatonin, but I found something else that helps even more! Valerian Root supplements! 2 capsules about 1/2 hr before bedtime helps me make it through the night(day) until I want to get up. It sometimes gives me a slight headache in the morning, but usually only when I was exhausted before going to bed. I'm also on Paxil CR for depression and the Valerian works well with it with no side-effects. I also (when I can't get to sleep) play a hand-held video game - solitaire! My spouse gets annoyed sometimes because the light from the videogame keeps him up! lol But I usually play it until I start to fall asleep. The game shuts itself off, but the light stays on - Oh well - at least it helps. I hope this helps others out there!
I am mostly naturaly handeling Pain associated with fibromyalgia, and another auto immune Sjoren's Syndrome. I do take 60 mg of Cymbalta, 150 mgs of trazadone, and 30 of Sam-E. I see an MD who is a naturapath, and more sucess that the Botox,or migraine meds.A splint for my teeth helps, and that is where most od my pain comes from. Contact me at jledlw,at the one with the a. and I'll tell you how a gal I know cured fibo, naturaly, as I intend to do.,
Hello all and thank you for your posts. My prayers go out to everyone. I have a number of chronic pain illnesses, but the sleep studies show that I do not pass into deeper phases of sleep -- I stay only at the highest, Alpha, level, so I get no restorative sleep. I also get severe migraines, severe memory loss, CFS, and probably have MS undiagnosed. (All the symptoms but no MRI milein (sp) showing up ... there is a T1 research test that shows that some 10-20% of people don't show the usual MRIs but have a different brain pattern seen in this research. So, my "sleep" varies, mostly the pain keeps me up at night and I meditate and doze ... I've been bedridden three years most of the time. (Was a professional dancer, yoga instructor, very active with USAID in developing countries, AIDS prevention on a National level, etc.) with 5 kids, now I have a "bed yoga" thing I do, and some days I'm a bit better and while I will watch tv or something with my VERY wonderful husband, I barely remember things from day to day. Not terrible depression except to be expected with this situation. Does anyone else have sleep studies that show no deeper level sleep? I was told that it was most unusual, in fact my sleep dr, the top one supposedly in DC, had NEVER seen sleep studies series like mine EVER. No one knows what to do. Vicodin is useless, sleeping pills useless, it doesn't matter if I stay awake all day (which is what they told me to do, ha!) with provigil or something, I still don't have real sleep and am often just awake. I do suffer from PTSD from abuse in child and adulthood. Have Classical Arts PhD and was really smart when I was well, but now I am sort of dull and truly don't recognize people. Anyway, I'm rambling, another thnng I have done for the past 6 years now... Does anyone else have this strange sleep study pattern? Oh, I am using a program called Holosync from www.centerpointe.com to help with daytime pain. Very useful. Thanks for reading and prayers out to everyone.
I too Live with Constant Chronic Pain and have trouble sleeping! I am constantly waking up in the very early morning hours. I don't get much sleep on week nights ; since I have to get up at 6 a.m and see my three kids off to school.
But,I make up for sleep loss by going back to bed for a few hours after my kids are gone to school.If that fails I sleep in as much as I can on weekends. By Monday I feel a little more rested. I suffer with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis which causes my chronic pain at levels between 8 and 10 everyday of my life.(I'm only in my 30's too)and my leg reflexes are
weakening due to a fall I had last spring and I have a crushed vertabre in my low back and can't sit up for very long without a severe back spasm. Espacially during diner time!
But,if I didn't try to get even one hour more sleep it would put me in the hospital. I have been to doctors,physical Therapy,Pain clinics and they couldn't help me. All I can do is take Vicoden 750mg and get as much sleep as my body allows me to....Sleep is very Important and it helps when you have chronic pain everyday...
After reading some comments about problems with sleep, i am a member of this group. And I agree with the anonymous person who said that cannibus is the only thing that really helps me sleep. I am on an anti depressant that has a sleep agent in it, klonopine, and dalmane, I am a small woman, you'd think that I would be knocked out. Wish they would legalize medical marijuana as it is the only thing that takes away my neck pain and gives me good sleep.
I have chronic pain, Fibromyalgia and some other nerve problems causing constant pain. Pain pills will not help most of my chronic pain, but epidurals have helped a little, along with some exercise. Still, trying to sleep is a problem because I cannot get into a comfortable position. I have tried a couple prescription medications, but wake up after 4 hours. I finally tried Tylenol PM and found out that by taking 2 or 3, I can get a good nights sleep. The Tylenol seems to help just enough with my other pains and the other ingredients put me to sleep for the night. I now swear by it. Sometimes I don't even feel my dogs changing places in my bed.
I had problems sleeping due to UNREAL pain. I take morphine, demeral, vicodin, yada, yada, yada, along with ambien. One of my friends gave me an air mattress as she didn't use it anymore. It's one of those air mattresses that are made by Coleman with the electric air pump attached. I put it on top of my pillow top mattress and inflated it. I have NEVER slept as good as I did that night!!! As far as I'm concerned -- air mattresses are the bomb!!! I did find that I had to put a piece of foam over it during the cold months of the year because the air in the mattress was too cold to sleep on. I still take alot of drugs to help with my pain throughout the day, but the nights are heavenly now!!!
I've had 2 sleep studies 10 years apart. BOTH were the same! I "slept" 7 hours with only 1 (one)minute of deep rem, and 20 minutes of stage 4. SO... I'm always tired, depressed, in pain, bad mood and so on, and so on. Doctors say "never seen anything like this before". They can send man to outter space, but can't devise a proper sleeping pill??????
ive had sleeping problems for years....having Crohn's disease...diabetes...fibromyalgia..depression...has been difficult..to say the least. What i do to help me sleep is i burn a vanilla candle, it relieves stress. I also meditate.I use visualization alot., and i believe in Prayer (big time). As for the meds that im on is Neurontin 300mg...Trazodone 150mg. Lortab for the pain...if im lucky i can sleep for 4 hours without waking.If your tired during the day nap...hey its sleep.GL to ev1 Jan
Hi Denise, I want you to know that I have Fibromiligia. However did you start with weakness of the muscles? My started with the left thigh and then my skin was very senstive and burning sensation like on fire. Then extreme pain in the muscles. The last thing it goes pins and needles. Itis very pain indeed. Four things:
Muscles skin bones and nerves. My Dr at Reverside was right in Colunbus. I suggest to pray about it and it has help me. And to talk about it. It is not in your mind like some Drs. says. Okay. I will send you the old medical term for this. I hope this will help Fibrositis( Muscular Rheumatism ) This is true. I came down with it in 1987 since them its getting worse. Please beware of Oxycontin. It can cause sweating, and not getting enough sleep. It has happen to me. You can E-Mail me at Littlefawn4189@aol.com if you like. I wanted to share with somone because I know what you are going through you are not alone.
Huh after reading and learning from what other people have written I know I ain't nuts for waking up at all hours due to the pain. And that it isn't psycosymatic (I think thats the word (sp) )
I do know I am sick and VERY TIRED of it.
I have the same problem with PAIN and the same problem with ambien at night,so I just quit taking it.(Yes my Dr. knows it)
Heck basically ALL the stuff thats been written thus far I can relate too.
My prayers goes out to all.Prayer does help,or some form of ultimate power.
The AIR matress is a definate plus.
I LOVE MINE.The water bed would be simular.
I have read most post.Guess I don't need to waste money on sleep studies.
I know that I can sleep for 12hrs get up for a smoke or go tinkle,then right back to sleep.
It is the Quality of the sleep that counts.
and I just don't get that.Thank God I have a great Dr. he is in Who's Who of America.
Someone touched on the pot and that is a good thing if it helps some states have legalized for RX.
Now with the new medicare plan D
that was suppose to be wonderful.
Thankful for all they do pay.
The Government ackowledges that sleep is important to GOOD HEALTH-
Then why is it they won't pay for SLEEP MEDS.?What is up with that.
I use the lidoerm patch of 5% those work well if you put them on before the pain gets to a 10.
I have fibromyalgia, insomnia and other chronic pain problems, i am on several antidepressants, i was on trazadone, but i started to hallucinate, so i had to stop, i am also on topamax, ultram, zanaflex, valium. I've tried guided imagary, meditation, yoga, just about everything, i just can not seem to go to sleep, stay asleep or not help but waking up early, even though i feel like i am always tired, i almost always feel like i have the flu or like someone has thrown me up against a wall or in a big dryer with rocks in it, b/c of the fibromyalgia, sometimes i sit in class and i can't sit still b/c i am in so much pain. I don't know what to do. I have my whole life ahead of me and i do not know how to deal b/c i'm always exhausted and in pain.
I have fibro, just diagnosed in May. I am managing it fairly well with Nortriptyline 10mg in the morning. Taking it at night made me wake up around 2 or 3am, so I take it in the morning. I take Zanax 0.25mg at night and I sleep like a baby. I use a neck support pillow and a pillow between my knees to keep my spine straight. Proper allingment is a must to help with pain. Going to bed at the same time everyday and waking up at the same time is key. Do not nap. Relaxation techniques before bed are very helpful. Most of my constant pain disappeared after about 6weeks of taking Nortriptyline. I only have pain with activity, especially after work. I deal with it using heat and stretches twice a day.
Hi all,
Need t introduce myself. My name is LeAnn, aka, Le or DeafEskie. I suffer from a lot of components....I was born Deaf-Blind due to Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS),and dx'ed with the following late manifestations: Fibromyalgia (FMS)/Chronic Myofascial Pain (CMP), Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA), Osteoarthritis (OA), Major Depression, Schuermanns Kyphosis, Glaucoma, GERD, Endometrosis, IBS, PVC--Premature Ventricular Contractions and Narcolepsy. I am on about ten diff meds now. Used to bed 13. Can no longer take NSAIDS--caues extreme fluid retention and weight gain. I too, can't sleep. Been two years now. Had my hyterectomy in july of 2003. Ever since, off/on, been problems sleeping. Probably had Narcolepsy since I was a teen, as the sleep attacks have come and gone, depending on situations in my life--aka, if alot of stress or good/happy times, etc.... My husband lives in another state (Colorado) due to job, school and inablitlty to sell the condo (we tried--lot of legal financial crap involved)...and I can't move up there obviously due to my health--not gonna risk living in a colder environment. So I am down here, in Okie-land. M nights I can't sleep until 3, 4 or 5 am. Sleep doc does not seem to understand--keeps preaching to take the Remeron ad just go to bed at a specific time. Well hwo can I do that if I am in pain, mind is wide awake, body seems to be wide awake??? I feel that the stimulants I take for the narcolepsy is part of my problems. I just provd the other part of my problems correct this weekend--hubby is here, and I have slept like a baby. I dread his leaving and my nights awake again. I too have wondered if a better bed would help.
Now, I need to answer the lady that asked about FMS. Hon, FIBRO dies not make you that stiff. FIBRO is in the muscles, NOT the JOINTS. Sounds like you have a type of arthritis, sweetie. You MUST insist on going to a Rheumatolgist. INSIST on tests for ALL and I mean ALL autoimmune disorders. Insurance co can go to hell fo those that have insurance. Focus on YOU, what YOU feel is right. And for those on medicaid/county...this goes for you too--fight the system. I have. I am on total disability, and yet I am trying to work part time from home. It CAN be done. I have fought for ad gotten a lot of help for all my needs. For those that have not applied for disability, I strongly urge you to DO IT. We need to show those people at social security that FMS etc is a genuine disorder and CAN be somewhat disagbling if not have proper medications and medical care. And no, FMS is NOT, I repeat, NOT fatal. It is just a autoimmune disorder involving the muscles and CNS--central nervous system. PLEASE do your research. Google Fibromyalgia. Go to Fibromyalgia Network and the National Fibromyalgia Assn. GET YOURSELF EDUCATED or the doctors WILL screw you over.
Last but not least. For the one on 27 different medications. Sweetie, sounds to me like you are not on the right regimen. NO ONE should have to poison our bodies with so many medications. Sunds to me as if you have almost no life. If I was you, I would evaluate all of your meds. Wean off of them all, one by one. If one is for a heart condition, thn well gotta leave that alone, lol. Sometimes we have to step back, NOT listen to our doctors. Do research onyour meds--sounds like you have meds couteractng each other. I did not know it, but I did--until a pharmacist (sub not my usual pharm) noticed and TOLD me that Provigil and Dexedrine counteract each other. If you are taking so many7 meds and not feelig better, then something is very, very wrong. Don't let the doctors fool you into thinking it can't be better. That is a load of crap. It CAN be better. We CAN have a lot less medicated life, and get our lives back. I am choosing to wean off Dexedrine gbecause I have a heart condition and Iam concerned for my heart. To me that is a higher priority than my narcoepsy issues. I am now on 400mg Provigil a day so I think in time that should hoefully be eough. If not, I am on the lowest possible dose of dexedrine possible, so should not affect my heart too much.
Good luck to everbody. I have now joined this board and will be following up. Remember, do your homework. Get educated. Go beyond webmd. The more research you can do on your conditions the better. Doctors are so busy, see so many paitnts that they often forget very important details. AND we know our own bodies better than ANYONE. We do have a CHOICE whether to be medicated or not. If feel the meds are not helping, then for Gods sake, demand something bettr or simply just wean off of them and go for natural remedies if you can afford to. For me, I am going the combination route--for now and probagbly forever because I have to keep my arthritis in "check" etc.
Feel free to ask me anything. For I too share your pain and agony of not being able to sleep, and of well meaning family members that do not understand.
For those of you dealing with Fibromyalgia, we invite you to talk with others for support and insight on our Fibromyalgia: Support Group board.
And if CFIDS is an issue for you, try our Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Support Group board. :-)
Well, it's1:00AM--so obviously, I can't sleep. I have pain from some recent rotator cuff surgery--I take 0.50 Xanax before bed--if that does't work in an hour I take 10 mg of ambien. I told like the taking the ambien because I feel like I get forgetful and that really bothers me. Kathy: you said you're just waiting to die--don't do that--be as proactive as you can!!!
well it 4:14 am right now and again I wake up because of the back pain. I've looked and looked for a diff. mattress but WHOA! the prices would keep me up even if they did help with the pain LOL I know it aint funny but in an odd sort of way it is. I just wish there were a way I could afford a decent mattress, but at least I have one,even the floor when it gets real bad. But it is getting old REAL OLD
Oh yea, I dont do the things I used to do either,but I also have heart problems. I do some woodworking a lil at a time esp when its hot out
I got to watch how I angle myself when I sand/cut/assemble the wood also.Otherwise an hour or so later its !@#$%^& and I end up sitting for a week or so starin at the saws.
This worked great for me:
I found that I was falling asleep on my side but always waking up on my back to turn over. I have low-back soreness. So instead, I use a body pillow against my back and another one between my knees to help keep me on my side all night. Sometimes I never wake once (it used to be 4 - 5 times a night)!!
I have those pressure point pains talked about in the NASA bed commercial when I'm asleep and I wake up every time I have to pee or have to eat or have to turn over (which I'm sure most people should sleep through). I take soma but all that does is make my husband annoyed with my lack of attention span and I can't remember what I did when I took them. All I know is I wasn't sleeping!
Every time I wake up that's when my severe back and joint pain hits me and it is so damn annoying being in so much pain I have to wake someone up and have them get me a pill and drink. Almost every night I have to take another painkiller. I wake up on average about every 2 hours and have no problem staying up at all. I end up being very tired in the afternoons and get yelled at for being lazy :(
I was just put on Remeron which is a antidepressant also known as mirtazapene. It is generic which is great ,when so many of the new drugs are so expensive.I have chronic pain,epdural fibrosis(scar tissue around the spinal cord),degenerative disc disease, lumbar radiculapathy(nerve root pain],major depression, failed back surgeries,and bursitis of the left hip(greater trocanter}. I have a spinal cord stimualator which helps with all the pain on my left side.I also take wellbutrin,cymbalta and percocet for breakthrough pain.Like the lady said do your research.take from your Dr.'s what works,and leave the crap.I took me over 20 years to get this far.Peace...
I've had Fibromyalgia for a very long time so I can say I've tried many of the drugs that alot of you have tried. What is working for me now is this..and it's not drugs ...its a called ETPS accupuncture /accupressure. Every night I get my husband to give me accupuncture since I've bought this machine in March and now I am walking almost normal again and the pain is more bearable and I am sleeping way better!! All thanks to the accupuncture! Something to think about. The drugs didn't help at all and I've tried many different ones. I am now able to exercise some too. I can't over do anything yet and I still suffer greatly from migraines but I am alot better than I was in March.
I have systemic lupus, and frequently deal with chronic pain as a result. For years I have had trouble sleeping, and I just thought it was lupus related. I got diagnosed with Restless Leg Syndrome last fall and was put on Requip. Since then, I have felt like a totally different person. I sleep through the night, my pain level has decreased dramatically, and I have energy throughout the day. I would recommend that anyone who's having trouble sleeping see a sleep wellness center and get tested for sleep disorders. Especially if you also suffer from chronic pain like I do, because being able to sleep helps so much with pain level.
I just got told I have lupus, Ive been tested for 6 yr now. I also have bursitis of the right shoulder and impingment, with tears in the rotator cuff and may need surgery, I was given amitriptyline 25 to help me sleep. isnt this for depression? does anyone else take it and how is it working for you? what about withdrawls if I stop taking it?
dawn
I used to only get 2-3 hours of sleep every night due to bipolar disorder. This went on for years, starting in elementary school. Finally I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and I was put on an antipsychotic called Seroquel, because it would help me sleep. The medication often makes me very sleepy, but usually I still lay awake for hours before I can fall asleep. The problem is that about an hour after I take my medication for the night, the Seroquel kicks in. It makes me lose control of my muscles, so I can't even swallow water. It also makes my heart beat extremely fast, which is really frightening at times. If I try to get up and go to the bathroom, I pass out because of low blood pressure caused by the Seroquel. This is such a problem because all I can really do is lay in bed and stare at the ceiling. Insomnia has been a lifelong struggle for me and I'm just lucky that it isn't caused by pain.
Denise, You need to exercise a great deal - even if it hurts - cause you will hurt more if you don't exercise. And no one dies from FMS. You will just feel like dieing..but please don't worry about this FMS if you can have positive thoughts. The positive thoughts will help you tremendously.. and of course all the exercise you should be doing. I have had FMS for around 20years. I have such a positive attitude that I have had only a handful of attacks. Thanks, hope this helps you and anyone that has FMS. Good Luck, I love you and so does God.
WOW, I am so happy that there are people out there just like me. I have problems with pain in my hips and legs, especially at night. Dr's always want to put me in physical therapy. I have done so much physical therapy that I can teach it. Or they want to over medicate you. My husband and I get transfered alot and when we move I have to find a new DR. I have a hard time sleeping because of the pain too. I have tried a few different sleep aids but like most of you, I wake at 2:45 or 3:30 evey morning to toss around for a few hours and then fall asleep for another 2 or 3 then feel like crap all day. I have no energy, I am feeling very anxious and I am loosing patients with people easily. I went to a new Dr today. HE basically told me to go to a psychiatrist because of my night terrors.{JERK} Than he gave me some exercises to do for my hip and leg pain. I don't have pychological problems. I am a person who can not sleep well because of my chronic pain and night mares. Why do these DR's think we are all psycho because we have sleep problems and pain. I have a great G.P who listens to me but she is limited in her practice. SO, she has to refer me out to another specialist.I have a hard time getting other Dr's to listen to me. I have hip problems and leg pain. Physical therapy helps increase my range of motion, but it is not helping my hip pain. I have a hard time walking and I can't carry anything heavy. Why won't these Dr's do any further test to find a problem WHY? They will do a MRI and if the disc spacing looks good they send me back to physical therapy again. I am sick of physical therapy. Any advice besides physical therapy? hahahaha
HELLO, I THINK ALL OF YOU WITH FIBROMYALGIA SHOULD TRY PLACQUNIL 200 MG A DAY I TAKE IT FOR LUPUS BUT IT HAS HELP ME WITH CHRONIC PAIN AND FATIGUE, THIS HAS BEEN THE BEST THING FOR ME. I ALSO HAVE FM AND CHRONIC FATIGUE SO IT COULD HELP YOU WITH YOUR PAIN. HOPEFULLY. GOOD LUCK
Wow. I just read through everyone's posts and there are a lot of troopers out there! I too suffer from insomnia and chronic pain. I've had insomnia for as long as I can remember - even back in elementary. I have the bags to prove it! It's almost 10:30 AM and I still have not gone to sleep. I wish I had a solution, but I've tried it all. From foods to exercise to meds. I've gotten used to little or no sleep and for that reason I'm able to function during the day. However, I haven't been so lucky with my back pain. I've been in 13 car accidents (only 2 as the driver) and my bones in my back didn't grow the way they were supposed to. I have one leg that is shorter than the other which really throws me out of alignment along with my curving spine. A lot of stress is put on my left leg (the shorter one) to compensate and I have difficulty walking once my knee swells up. X-rays show that my pelvis has rotated and the vertebrae along my spine never closed as my bones were growing (the vertebrae hold your nerves in place). So along with my actual bones causing me pain, I have loose nerves that are so easily triggered that massages are too painful. Acupuncture does wonders, but only lasts a few hours and is very costly. I've seen Chiropractors and Physical Therapists for the last 5 years with no improvement. Every doctor says the same thing: "Yea we can fix you." I've spent THOUSANDS of dollars and at only 21 it hasn't been easy. Also, I've had problems with my stomach since I was 16. I was finally diagnosed last year with gastritis, but I'm not even sure if that's an accurate diagnosis. I've been prescribed over 20 medications - yes, it's ridiculous. At one point or another I have tried each one, but I refuse to be so dependent on medication. I currently take Aciphex, Zelnorm, and 25mg of Amitriptyline. They are all supposed to be for my stomach but the Amitriptyline is also supposed to work as a sleep aid. I can't seem to take it without feeling drowsy the next day so I often just skip it. I try to cope with the back/knee pain with natural remedies - swimming, stretches, ice packs, and good ol' "toughing it". Some days it works and some days I resort to Vicodin and Soma. My sister has taken both of these daily for her Fibromyalgia for the past 12 years and just recently stopped. She weened herself off them slowly and feels A LOT better now without them. She also moved to a higher elevation (8,000ft) which she feels has done wonders for her. I know everyone here suffers from their own unique combinations of pains, but my advice to you is to reach deep down inside of yourself to find your strength to stay positive. Being dependent on medications will give you a false sense of security and can make you feel even more depressed and hopeless. TRY to limit your medications as they can really alter your mental well-being. Sorry this was so long. All I really wanted to say is IF YOU HAVE CONTROL OF YOUR ATTITUDE, YOU TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR PAIN. I wish everyone a pain free tomorrow!
does anyone here get any ssi or goverment funding ? I get disablity for the lympadema I have from a level 4 melanoma but am having trouble getting any help from ssi.
is lupus and other autoimune disorders considered a disability?
Hello all, Just reading threw all the posts. I did not realize there are so many people with chronic pain and Fibromyalgia. I have had chronic pain now for 3 yrs due to an accident at work. Which i had to have a cervical fusion in the neck, and will be facing back surgery soon. I fear that as so many people that I have talked to the surgeries did not work. I take oxycodone for the pain but I have not slept threw the night now for 3 yrs. How do you cope? and how do I get over the anger of being in pain all the time? It really bums me out. I am a 47 yr old gal who enjoyed life but now I feel yucky and depressed. Thank god for a wonderful fiance who makes me laugh on a daily basis.
Hi all. Writing this note on behalf of my wife. She suffers from chronic low back pain due to a herniated L5/S1 disc that she has had for the past 7 years. In addition, suffers from fibromyalgia. She routinely cannot sleep at night. To the point that we sleep in separate rooms because of my work hours and needing to get up at 4:30 AM, which is about when she finally gets to sleep if at all. She is on a pain management regimen like most of you with everything from Oxycontin EQ, Effexor and Flexeril for the fibro (had been on Neurontin) and Ambien to help with the sleep. She recently lost her mother, and is feeling guilty about that. Slipping into depression and suffering from a constant headache for the past 5 weeks that mushrooms into a migraine more often than not. Recently though, she has been suffering from flushing and breaking out in sweats every hour. She is postmenopausal and on hormone replacement therapy. Anyone have any thoughts on this? Extremely frustrating as well as her fear factor is kicking up a notch, not knowing what is causing the flushing and routine breaking out of sweats. So much to ask and not enough time. If I could get her to have a good night sleep, I think she would get better. All sleep meds other than Ambien cause her nightmares. Has been on Ambien CR for about 6 months, but that really does not help. Reverting back to 10mg regular Ambien, which she has taken for the past four years. Problem with regular Ambien is that she only sleeps for about four hours max. Any thoughts please?
WOW! Stop the madness people. I just read almost all of these posts, has the world lost its mind? You are all killing yourselves with the chemical medication you take. Do you really think the FDA has you best interests in mind? Or that your body enjoys the countless amounts of unnatural chemicals you put in it? There are at least fifteen herbal remedies that I know of, that can help a person sleep at night. And another hundred to help with pain. And if its chronic pain you have cannabis is extremely effective and natural. Don't believe the TV lies you hear about it! It is medically legal in thirteen states. It has NEVER been proven to cause lung cancer (because it does not!) And there are multiple ways to ingest it, including foods. Get out there, get educated, fight for truth and start living a pain free healthy life.
P.S. It's 18 states and here they are
1 Alaska
2 California
3 Colorado
4 Maine
5 Massachusetts
6 Montana
7 Michigan
8 Minnesota
9 Missouri
10 Mississippi
11 Nebraska
12 Nevada
13 New York
14 North Carolina
15 Ohio
16 Oregon
17 Washington
18 Wisconsin
Not only will cannabis relieve pain, it will also (for people like me with hypertension) rapidly lower you’re blood pressure when it goes high. I’ve tested this with my BP monitor many times.
I also have fibromyalgia. For anyone suffering from this condition, I suggest that you check prohealth.com, there is a forum for fibromyalgia with lost of good info. I don't want to take pills, but found that the following helps: SAM-e (for mild depression and joint pain, it also increases glutathione levels), fish oil, Calcium/Magnesium at night (very important for FM patients), meditation/relaxation techniques (especially before falling asleep, makes a huge difference). Also look into antioxidant OPC 3, I have just started it and it seems to do wonders for FM>
I have low back injury, just had a mri with and with contrast no change since my last. I have really bad leg cramps and cant sleep it is in my butt muscles and the inside of my thighs. Know the dr wants a emg done and blood work for auto immune test not sure what is going on can any one suggest what i should look up to do my own home work
Grabo...have your wife bio identical hormones. Have her sleep in a cooler room, that helps alot. Also, have her try Zanaflex instead of ambien. I have horrific nightmares with it too. i ahve had the best nights sleep in a long time. I can get at least 5to 6 hours of good sleep then fall back to sleep again. Try it it is excellent. Tramadol is wonderful for restless leg syndrom and it helps with pain. 100mg evey 4-6 hours. It will make you sleepy at first but you will not feel druged at all. GOOD LUCK
Amitriptiline is a drug wit lingering effects.Zanaflex is excellent. Try reading a book called pain free 1-2-3. It is an excellent book. The author is a doctor who practices both western and alternative medicine. He talks alot about meds and the side effects and what is good and what it is good for.
i get about 7-9 hours of sleep every night and i don't wake up, but in the morning i feel like i didn't sleep at all. I always have calm dreams and i eat several hours before sleeping, but i can barely even get up. This morning i was having trouble focussing and the next thing i knew, i was on the floor an hour later. I just slept pretty well for 6 much needed hours, but when i got up, my legs were so sore that i had to hold onto the wall to keep from colapsing...
To Anonymous with the leg cramps at night. I too suffered with such. If your doctor has not checked your potassium level, HAVE HIM/HER DO SO!!! If your levels are low you will have excruciating leg cramps nightly. I have endured this until we got my dose where it needed to be. I hope this helps.
I also have trouble sleeping at night and can no longer sleep in a bed. I found me a comfy recliner to sleep in and because of the way my body is in the recliner my joints don't hurt when I get up and can sleep quite solidly when I knock myself out.
Good luck to others having problems.
When my husband lays down at night his blood pressure goes up. The blood pressure does not go up as much since he changed medicine but now he feels very hot flushing and a numbness and fuzzy feeling in all of his body. Especially his arms. If he get up and walks it gets better. He is trying different blood pressure medicines and that may be the problem. He has tried laying down during the day and this does not happen. He is flushing and hot today and his blood pressure is low. All the blood test are ok. He is taking a ct scan this week. Has anyone experienced any of these systoms?
For anyone who requires sleep on those cold winter nights I found Elavil to be the best. It helps you relax your mind so you can begin the process of trying to get yourself mentally ready to shut off! 1:30PM
when i read,"do your homework," or,"keep a good at- titude," or "look down inside yourself" or, any of these "just keep tryin (ie.; exercizing, thinking happy, looking 4 the right med, med combo,dr., herb, etc.), i realize you haven't been as down as you think. it"s gratifying to you to get to have that, "i've been help- ful" feeling, but imagine the compounded burden you would put on someone if they TRULY had done or couldn't do (4 whatever valid, but SOMEHOW unbeknownst-to-you reason) their homework. what if the answer wasn't found in any amn't of hmwk. what if it was 2005 & pluto WAS a planet? what if someone else's chemical. makeup, synapse connections,physical or emotional or mental constitution was different than yours, or your willingness to imagine? what if you found out you were like the wife who scolded and belittled her husband's forgetfullness. and he had alzheimer's.what if your words were the only thing left to make a suffering person hurt more? what if i've done that? and now i've had it done to me & i get it? all i'm sayin is, sometimes we want to think we can control things that we can't, & our help just hurts.(see: friends, book of JOB). and i'm not leavin this at "so, 'give up', all you suffering!". i'm just saying, after 27yrs. of multi-sufferings, i hear God's voice calling me to trust in 'The MAKER' when there is no earthly answer. it is what keeps me from going off the 24th floor with my friend. may His help come to me AND TO YOU. love, Talitha
I agree with The person who starts out with WOW. They are right. Are you people really this crazy and stupid? I find these posts hard to believe. Do you really think your body is benefitting from the absurd amount of chemicals (chemicakills) you are dousing yourselfs with night and day. I'm not a physician, but get rid of all that crap, get a job, eat right and exercise and maybe if you finally get tired enough you'll SLEEP. Jesus, Joseph and Mary people. I am not trying to be cruel and insensitive, but I have never read anything like this in my life. You are all killing yourselves slowly if you continue this. Just go ahead and blow your brains out. mm
Does anyone out there know if provigil has a period after its effects are felt, that it drops you like a rock? I'm one year post L radical mastectectomy for 3rd stage breast CA, and am taking way too many medications, but afraid to stop any of them because the MD's put me on them for high blood pressure, arrythimias, depression, ect. I go to sleep when I should stay awake, thus the provigil. It has really helped, but I notice that about noon, I feel so sleepy and tired that its hard to work. I do sleep at night, though sometimes it takes a while to get to sleep. I have chronic pain, which is not new, and have mostly learned to ignore it. Before the provigil I would fall asleep behind the wheel of my car. Just for a few seconds. Really scary and dangerous, not just to me. I'm on an estrogen blocker, arimidex, because the CA is estrogen positive. I wonder if maybe the provigil could be reacting with the effexor or the arimidex, or any of the other meds. I've researched this with no results. My prayers go with all you folks who are having such problems.
Well, I am in the eigth grade, and I am doing a science fair project with the question: What are the effects of lack of sleep on the human body. I will admit it is maybe elementary, but I am planning to skip sleep fully every couple of days to see what the side effects are. I am keeping a journal for accuracy and to list some of the things that I use to keep me awake.
I have had problems sleeping for about 2 years now, have tried many otc sleep aids and prescription sleep aids. I have recently purchased an herbal called melatonin, I really hope this will work. Have taken ambien and it works very well but my husband hates me taking it. I have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep if I don't take anything at all
i have hepatitus c and genetic hemochromotosis...i have a terrible time sleeping due to severe foot cramps, and sometimes calf and hand cramps...i have no idea what is causing this...anybody got any ideas...i am taking cymbalta, vistoril, xanax, vicodin and neurontin...u can write me at odiemarie1@aol.com