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Severe Insomnia with Fibromyalgia - How to Cope
Fibromyalgia | Last Active: Dec 7 9:12am | Replies (23)Comment receiving replies
Hi, you seem to have similar things as me, and I have severe sleep issues. I also take Temazepam at night plus 2 to 3 Tylenol PM's. It is the only thing that will allow me to fall asleep. I have to do this every night though. I then wake up in about 2 2 1/2 hours and then every half hour to 45 minutes after that. That is if I managed to go back to sleep at all. I get up to go pee about 3 or 4 times a night. I make myself or else I will have anxiety about going that will keep me up as well. I can kind of drift back off but constantly wake up like I said. I never do get any more sleep really than that which is the 2 to 3 hours. I think it is because of many different reasons though. After a few years of this, my pain has worsened so much, my memory is so bad, depression, and just about everything. When I was in my 20's I was put on Testosterone, Progesterone, Estrogen, and Pregnenolone. My doctor said I was like a 90-year-old with a hysterectomy. I think he was trying to be funny. I had sleep issues then too. But all the hormone creams never helped. He said it would take a very long time but after a year and a half of putting all that on every night, I gave up. I used Seroquel back then and then trazodone to sleep. It put so much weight on me and for other reasons, I can no longer remember I was taken off it. According to my doctors, my hormones look normal now, well, as of almost a year ago, yet I stopped having a period in my 30's. I am now 48. I don't know how I managed to have my youngest son at 30. Anyway, I saw that you said you were put on bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. I was wondering what that was all about. What doctor gave that to you? My Fibro doctor who had me on hormones many years ago believed that Fibro was mostly about hormones. It seems to have a lot to do with many of my problems, I think. I am glad someone posted the same thing I was wanting to ask. And am sorry to hear others have sleep problems but also relieved that I am not completely alone with insomnia and bizarre sleeping patterns. Oh, and I also suffer from edema and am on hydrochlorothiazide which probably doesn't help with me peeing all the time. But I take it in the morning and am also Diabetic so I don't think there is anything I can do about the trips to the bathroom. But it isn't what wakes me up though.
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@eascusa I am so sorry and I KNOW what you are going thru from your description! Let me ask. you if you drink ANY alcohol? (even if you aren't a big drinker). I promise you, even a little disturbs your sleep pattern and gets you up to pee at night! I really have enjoyed a little alcohol since I was 12 and at 67 I am finding that it interrupts sleep and increases PAIN! Do an experiment and stop for few nights and experience the difference. Then, I also want you to look up "Interstitial Cystitis" and even if you don't have it, I want you to adjust your eating habits as if you did (basically low acidic foods). Then drink water, and noncaffeinated beverages after 6 pm and stop by 9 pm. and do your last pee before stepping into bed with a bedtime "ritual." Computer monitor, phone, TV: DO NOT WATCH WITHIN A HOUR OF BEDTIME. This is a BIGGIE! No checking messages or social media! Stop watching TV and do your bedtime ritual.
Edema: STOP SALTING your food and use herbs and paprika/pepper (I have edema life long!) NO SALTED FOOD. Your body starts processing the water to excrete while you try to rest. ALSO the edema sits on your BRAIN when you are horizontal and that is interfering with your sleep.
Diabetes: Make sure you have had your vitamin D levels checked and if its easier -- just take a 2,000 IU vitamin D OTC every morning. (it will help with AIC too)
Drink water during the day and eat veggies in favor of fruit.
Exercise: take a 20 minute walk in the morning and another in the afternoon, if you do nothing else, do that every day.
Limit caffeine: Only 1 or 2 cups coffee in the morning, a cup of green tea in the PM, herbal the rest of the time. Even decaf will keep you awake!
No big meals after 6:30 pm. A light snack before bedtime. Popcorn or hard boiled egg or carrots and ranch dressing. NO SUGAR! No oranges, NO GRAPES! (OMG do they get me stimulated!)
Let's switch over to hormones. BIOIDENTICAL HRT! That mimics your own body. You don't gain weight, your breasts aren't tender and it HELPS EVERYTHING - especially SLEEP! You will need to research a doctor and there is a great section here in the forum where we've discussed it. (I think part of it is in the Tymlos section. It takes a while, if you get a good doctor because they test, test 6 months later and adjust, and then add the testosterone later and adjust. It should take about 9 months or so to get it right.
I cut out on hour of sleep and I don't miss it at 67!
You don't need all that crap you are on! That is making your memory bad, adding groggy and fatigued feeling. Things like the Trazalone are "hypnotics" and sounds like you are like me and hypnotics DONT WORK for sleep unless you have simple anxiety (which you don't). You need a sleep aid like the Temezapam.
I'd suggest picking a weekend or couple of days you can put these things into play all at once and RESET your body. Know that the anxiety will come up as you face your fears. Take a hot shower/batch, do exercise that day, get a good book to take to bed, have a hot cup of herbal tea, a dark room, SUPER COMFY bed - my luxury is plush pillows to sink into and warm room to fall asleep in (but drop the temperature for overnight sleeping your body needs that) and give the process two or three nights to see how you adjust. PMS was a killer for me. 10 days before menstruating I'd get edema and insomnia and walk around like a zombie. First day of menstruation I would sleep the best sleep ever! Effectively what I did was replace the anxiety and fears about insomnia with the feeling of deep relaxation and knowing what that feels like drifting off to a deep and peaceful slumber. Its impossible when you go into menopause early - no your doctor wasn't kidding! Report back if you make some of the changes and let me know if this worked for you! good luck!