How do I get some sleep?

Posted by Suhcuddo @suhcuddo, Nov 23, 2011

For years now I've been getting real sleep every few days. Like now I've been up since two thirty this morning. I'm full of anger all the time, and for what I don't know. I have problems w/ pain,(mostly in my neck, and from severe rls), acid reflux to the point of wanting to throw up nightly and depression. It's gotta come from the lack of sleep. I've try'd all kinds of anti-depressants, talking about my problems w/ a theropist only makes things worse. I'm getting desperate. I don't want to become suicidal but I'm very close to the breaking point. Does anyone have any suggestions?

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I've taken Ambien for sleep and it really works great! As far as the pain.....I have it, too....and cannot find the perfect remedy. I'm on Ultram right now, hopeing that in a week or so, the pain will ease.

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@texasbarb

I've taken Ambien for sleep and it really works great! As far as the pain.....I have it, too....and cannot find the perfect remedy. I'm on Ultram right now, hopeing that in a week or so, the pain will ease.

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They have me on Gabapentin,Pramipexole, nightly for the rls and then Methocarbamol and trazadon as needed for pain and sleep. But I fear I've been on them so long that they just don't seem to work anymore. I know it's all tied to an underlying cause, I just wish I had a clue as to what it could be.

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Hi there, I am a therapist, with a M.A. in counseling psychology. I am concerned about you!
Please find a therapist that you feel comfortable with. I suggest you find someone who practices solution focused brief therapy, using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
This can give you a goal, and be very helpful.
I have periods of very little to no sleep about three times a month. And usually have a difficult time getting to sleep. I sympathize with you, it is difficult to function like that! I can't take sleep aids because I also have sleep apnea. If I stop breathing I might not start up again because sleep aids and narcotics decrease breathing function. Have you ever been checked for sleep apnea, or had a sleep study done? I used to wake up every 20 minutes or so. Turns out I wasn't breathing, and that contributed to heart failure.
Now it's gotten better but I can't tolerate the breathing devices.
Do you take naps? I know that if I'm up all night, I can't function past around 5pm, I have to nap.
My teen son has bouts of RLS, and I know how difficult that can be. Has you doc ever prescribed dopamine? Your sleep problems are definitely affecting your life. See a neurologist for your RLS.
If you are feeling suicidal, please call a suicide prevention hotline. I'll try to post a # here, but it might not work. 1-800-273-TALK (If this # doesn't post. please look up the # for your local or a national hotline!!!

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Hi. Iam very,very sorry to see your comment. I read it several times and I can honestly say...IT SUCKS BUT I,M RIGHT THERE WITH YOU!!!!!!! You gotta wonder what we did to deserve this crap.... Suhcuddo, all I can say at this point is hang in there and solve one problem at a time, You inspire me cause here I am with ONLY severe RLS and I have lost all hope. My nero Dr. threw his hands up since I,ve tried just about every crappy drug for this and only REQUIP. {large doses} somewhat controls the RLS. Your neck pain is maybe manageable????? , and the acid reflux 'SHOULD BE ABLE TO CONTROL", but what are you doing for your RLS?. I am not into social media and I,m a newbie at this forum,so please forgive my awkwardness.... Maybe some angel will see this and help us both with these ailments. I,ve been so healthy all my life, it,s so difficult and the Drs. that i have been to actually know less than me about RLS. You are in my thoughts and prayers and I feel that at the very least, you should know that I hear you and I LITTERALLY feel your pain...........David

REPLY
@texasbarb

I've taken Ambien for sleep and it really works great! As far as the pain.....I have it, too....and cannot find the perfect remedy. I'm on Ultram right now, hopeing that in a week or so, the pain will ease.

Jump to this post

Hi S, it,s david again. I just read the replys to your posting and they know what they are talking about. The Gabapentin,pramipexole. was a joke to my RLS and the trazadone is a heavy hitter and help only for a while. The side effects were worse than the RLS and if interested, I,ll tell you about them.. Please be careful with it. It can harm you. and maybe make you even more depressed at tjhe very least. I flushed mine with good reason. Thanks for listening and reply with update if you can. GOD BLESS U and all of us with this RLS CURSE..

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@davids1

Hi. Iam very,very sorry to see your comment. I read it several times and I can honestly say...IT SUCKS BUT I,M RIGHT THERE WITH YOU!!!!!!! You gotta wonder what we did to deserve this crap.... Suhcuddo, all I can say at this point is hang in there and solve one problem at a time, You inspire me cause here I am with ONLY severe RLS and I have lost all hope. My nero Dr. threw his hands up since I,ve tried just about every crappy drug for this and only REQUIP. {large doses} somewhat controls the RLS. Your neck pain is maybe manageable????? , and the acid reflux 'SHOULD BE ABLE TO CONTROL", but what are you doing for your RLS?. I am not into social media and I,m a newbie at this forum,so please forgive my awkwardness.... Maybe some angel will see this and help us both with these ailments. I,ve been so healthy all my life, it,s so difficult and the Drs. that i have been to actually know less than me about RLS. You are in my thoughts and prayers and I feel that at the very least, you should know that I hear you and I LITTERALLY feel your pain...........David

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I like to refer to my RLS as RBS because it effects my whole body. I was on mega doses of Requip for years and unfortunately you do become emmune to it over time. It's just that type of drug I guess. I am currantly taking a combination of Pramipexole and Gabapentin. It helps better than the Requip so you might want to ask your doc, about it. I think that the docs, don't really know what to do about RLS, I'm not even sure if they really know what it is. They come up w/ these causes that have nothing to do w/ me, like pregnency and anemia. Have they told you anything? about what might be the cause? And if they think they'll find a cure? As for my neck pain that started w/ a MVA in July turns out I have arthritis. Stress makes it worse. That's why we need sleep. Lord, what I would give to be able to sleep nightly like normal people. I really appreciate your feed back. And hope to hear from you soon.......Suhcuddo

REPLY
@bootsz

Hi there, I am a therapist, with a M.A. in counseling psychology. I am concerned about you!
Please find a therapist that you feel comfortable with. I suggest you find someone who practices solution focused brief therapy, using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
This can give you a goal, and be very helpful.
I have periods of very little to no sleep about three times a month. And usually have a difficult time getting to sleep. I sympathize with you, it is difficult to function like that! I can't take sleep aids because I also have sleep apnea. If I stop breathing I might not start up again because sleep aids and narcotics decrease breathing function. Have you ever been checked for sleep apnea, or had a sleep study done? I used to wake up every 20 minutes or so. Turns out I wasn't breathing, and that contributed to heart failure.
Now it's gotten better but I can't tolerate the breathing devices.
Do you take naps? I know that if I'm up all night, I can't function past around 5pm, I have to nap.
My teen son has bouts of RLS, and I know how difficult that can be. Has you doc ever prescribed dopamine? Your sleep problems are definitely affecting your life. See a neurologist for your RLS.
If you are feeling suicidal, please call a suicide prevention hotline. I'll try to post a # here, but it might not work. 1-800-273-TALK (If this # doesn't post. please look up the # for your local or a national hotline!!!

Jump to this post

Hi back, I actually got 4 hours sleep last night so today I'm o,k I've been in and out of therapy all my life and have try'd all the different types and drugs. I did have a sleep study done and they said I have positional apnea They also think my nose has a lot to do w/ it. I have a bent septum (forgive my spelling) and weak nostrils. They want to straighten my nose and put cartilige in to keep my nostrils from colapsing. But medicare won't pay for the second part. So I'm stuck there. In the last couple of years I've noticed a major personality shift in me. I think everything is tied together and I need to find out what it is. I've had MRIs and CTs but they come up normal,but I know in my heart that something is going on. Do you have any idea where else I can turn?

REPLY
@texasbarb

I've taken Ambien for sleep and it really works great! As far as the pain.....I have it, too....and cannot find the perfect remedy. I'm on Ultram right now, hopeing that in a week or so, the pain will ease.

Jump to this post

Do tell. I'm very interested in what you've learned. I know about the trazadone and only take it when I'm desperate for sleep. But then it dosen't work. How can they harm me? I've been on them for almost two years now and have been noticing personality changes. Could that be why? If so, what can I do? The requip don't work no more.

REPLY
@davids1

Hi. Iam very,very sorry to see your comment. I read it several times and I can honestly say...IT SUCKS BUT I,M RIGHT THERE WITH YOU!!!!!!! You gotta wonder what we did to deserve this crap.... Suhcuddo, all I can say at this point is hang in there and solve one problem at a time, You inspire me cause here I am with ONLY severe RLS and I have lost all hope. My nero Dr. threw his hands up since I,ve tried just about every crappy drug for this and only REQUIP. {large doses} somewhat controls the RLS. Your neck pain is maybe manageable????? , and the acid reflux 'SHOULD BE ABLE TO CONTROL", but what are you doing for your RLS?. I am not into social media and I,m a newbie at this forum,so please forgive my awkwardness.... Maybe some angel will see this and help us both with these ailments. I,ve been so healthy all my life, it,s so difficult and the Drs. that i have been to actually know less than me about RLS. You are in my thoughts and prayers and I feel that at the very least, you should know that I hear you and I LITTERALLY feel your pain...........David

Jump to this post

Hi S., Well it's 12:01am Sunday morning and here we go again. I went to bed at 10:00pm and now I'm wide awake and feel like I've been sleeping and dreaming forever. I came to the laptop and saw where you had responded so at least I can fill you in. I hope you are getting some "Z's" and maybe feel a little better. I certainly like and agree with your RBS analogy. It truly does effect the whole body and spirit also. May I answer your questions and concerns now.........no they have not told me anything abou causes. I'm male, so pregnency is out, anemia also . Had all tjhe standard tests years ago. Other than this ,I,m really healthy. Smoking is my only vice and thats been going on for about 58yrs, but not heavy. I feel that the "cause" is genetic. Both of my folks had RLS and POP would sleep right through it. Tough generation!!!!!!! As far as a cure, well it ain't too far up. on the ole totem pole. They claim it's "non fatal" but I suspect you & I may argue with that. After all........how many folks feel so hopeless and desperate like you and me.I won't type the rest of that statement..........As a note to u, I was driving yesterday, and it HIT like a frieght train in the right leg and my best description is it was like getting shocked by 110volts. The muscles would tense-up every 25 seconds from lower back to toes. an hold for about 3 or 4 seconds in waves of agony. Good Lord!!!!! That has been happening alot lately and I'm pretty concerned. I call it ......PARKINSONS LITE. Hope u giggled a little. That neck problem of yours makes me sad. Good Grief, S, you sure don"t need that. Any way you can maybe lower the stress in your life? Probably a dumb question, huh. Maybe the good Lord will ease your stress level or ,at least send u a great looking masage' therapist with big ole white wings and such..........Yeah I am sooooooo sure!!!!! Just kidding, S, i know it is not funny at all, but we gotta do something. Again, maybe I made u smile just a little. I appreciate tjhe scoop on REQUIP. Looks like the same thing may be happening to me. what the heck is Pramipexole????? Not familiar w/that one. I tried Gabapentin. and even the newly approved HORIZANT and as usual, no relief. Rigjht back to Requip.Well I may be boring you since I,ve gone on so long and I apologize for that. You are in my thoughts and prayers and please keep your chin up and your back to tjhe wind, I,m a stranger but through our mutual suffering, I DO care. Have a great Sunday kiddo......hope to talk again soon........PS do u know about th RLS foundation?????

REPLY
@texasbarb

I've taken Ambien for sleep and it really works great! As far as the pain.....I have it, too....and cannot find the perfect remedy. I'm on Ultram right now, hopeing that in a week or so, the pain will ease.

Jump to this post

Hi S, I scrolled down too late after my other reply to u. Man, I'm computer clunmsy so please be patient. Here goes....... That is great news about only taking tjhe Trazadone occasionally. I hate that crap. Please read about it online. Of course everyone reacts differently but that stuff even made my teeth hurt. It did work for about 2 montjhs and slept great. then nothing after taking the max {3}. My wife has said the same as you about the personality changes and the spouses really suffer also from this stuff.......My dear Suhcuddo,................lack of sleep, arthritis in the neck, and nasal issues have your plate pretty full. Sure we have personality changes and God knows what else........maybe because we don't get to be "normal" with RLS.............. NORMAL ain"t been around for AWHILE ,,,,,, BUT. we can hope, we can talk, we can cry, we can laugh, we can do so much {we just can't sleep}{just kiddin}, no really,,,,we are going to be alright. Our perspectives change alot with these ailments but it WILL NOT WIN. You, me and the rest of the 10% ers will have our say about tjhis crap and maybe someone with the resources to help us will do so. That's not a pep talk, only anger and determination built-iup overabout 38yrs of experience with this. I will share more as soon as I can. May the powers-that-be bless ya and keep you strong...later!!

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