Lost my ability to sleep and other serious issues

I'll start by saying that I'm really at a loss for words as to what my situation has developed into over the last 3 months. I'm making this post as hopefully I can find some direction from others.

I'm 31 years old, live in Canada and prior to my situation I was perfectly healthy. It all started on Nov 25 as I was stupid enough to smoke marijuana that night and 2 weeks prior I had started taking a supplement called "Lions Mane mushroom" that's marketed as improving mood and nerve health. That night I started to experience major insomnia to the point that over the last 3 months I haven't been able to sleep 1) without sleeping medication and 2) for more than 2 hours at a time. The first month in this journey I only was getting heart palpitations, loss of appetite, stool changes, losing my inability to sleep. Then the second month and onward to today I started getting internal body tremors, neck/head shaking, slight hand tremors, massive migraines, quivers in muscles, myoclonus jerking in hands and legs and feet, short term memory loss, inability to sit still, hallucinations, weak legs, loss of libido, loss of emotion, tight muscles, my balance being off, and numb/hands feet. The neck/head/internal tremors has made it very hard to even sit still, it's really chronic pain. I truly believe that the Lions Mane mushroom and marijuana had some adverse reaction to me that started all this. There's studies done on the mushroom that show it can affect the CNS in mice and as well I read some people having adverse reactions to taking it. There's no real human studies done on it and I was stupid to not really research it beforehand. I think because that day I took the mushroom in the morning and then the marijuana at night, the two seem to have caused these symptoms I'm getting because prior I didn't smoked marijuana often and I had just added the mushroom to the few health supplements I was taking in the morning. I don't know the science behind it all, but I can say for certain the inability to sleep started that night on Nov 25. It really feels like I did a science experiment on myself by accident. People can say it wasn't the mushroom or the weed, or that I'm crazy, but I know for certain that those were the only things I started taking in the two weeks prior to Nov 25. I'm certain some of my issues have to do with sleep deprivation, but it doesn't seem that I should be getting this many issues (especially the neck shaking and internal tremors).

I saw a neurologist today who looked at me and essentially I was laughed at when I told him all the issues I'm experiencing. I was told it was impossible to be experiencing all this then was told to see a psychiatrist. I have been seeing a psychiatrist after my issues started because I was referred to one when I went to the hospital about them and have been on Mirtazapine for a couple months which does put me to sleep, but yet my body wakes me up like clockwork after 2-3 hours. It's really frightening what's going on with me. I believe this issue is more physical than anything, but doctors keep saying "see a psychiatrist". I did a sleep study that proved I wasn't sleeping. I'm waiting to see a sleep neurologist on April 8, but the in the meantime it's so hard living with the constant sleep deprivation, internal/head tremors (my head feels like it's shaking), slight hand tremors, and inability to sit still. It feels like I really did some brain damage to myself from that mushroom consumption every morning and then smoking weed that night even though I wasn't taking heavy drugs or anything, it sucks feeling like I damaged myself permanently.

At the moment I'm looking for therapy to help me stay positive during this situation. I went from being healthy, working, and seeing friends to now mostly being stuck in bed due to sleep deprivation and the other issues I'm experiencing. My life has completely turned upside down. I'm losing relationships, people are thinking I'm going crazy when in fact I don’t really know what's going on with me except that I'm in physical agony every day.

Thank you for reading my post.

Does anyone have advice on what I can direction I should go? Should I look for another specific type of doctor other than a neurologist?

I'm in Canada and wish we had something like the Mayo Clinic here. The healthcare system is free, but it's incredibly slow so if anyones in need of help fast then it's too bad. Also, doctors here don't seem to care about things they can't see in my case.

Thank you for the advice. The thing is with my issue and because of internal head tremors it feels like my eyes are shaking somtimes so it's become extremely hard to stay focused on reading and staying still. I was completely ok 3 months ago. I still really don't know what happened, but believe the mushroom/marijuana did something to me. I think I'll never find out exactly what happened, but that's ok.

I do enjoy being outdoors. I'll take a walk later 🙂

Hi,
Thank you for that link it’s greatly appreciated .
Just for further insight it’s more like a full body internal vibration rather then a tremor in an isolated area , it is throughout my body , more curious to know whether anyone else has had those symptoms since taking lions mane?
The doctor I went to basically brushed it off . I do have bulging disks in multiple areas of my spine/neck and initially though maybe weekness from my spine / neck was causing what looks like very light tremors in my head area, the first area I noticed ( you can just see it because my hair shakes , only way to explain it ) but I do have the vibration throughout my body plus I often wake from sleep to complete shaking . So very concerned about the nervous system , however I did Google lions mane and internal vibrations / tremors as it seemed to have started around that time which is why I stumbled across the post .

I'm in Canada and wish we had something like the Mayo Clinic here. The healthcare system is free, but it's incredibly slow so if anyones in need of help fast then it's too bad. Also, doctors here don't seem to care about things they can't see in my case.

Thank you for the advice. The thing is with my issue and because of internal head tremors it feels like my eyes are shaking somtimes so it's become extremely hard to stay focused on reading and staying still. I was completely ok 3 months ago. I still really don't know what happened, but believe the mushroom/marijuana did something to me. I think I'll never find out exactly what happened, but that's ok.

I do enjoy being outdoors. I'll take a walk later 🙂

Hi Everyone. I've read all the posts here and my heart goes out to all who are suffering from sleep deprivation.

I have been in a state of general to, at times, severe sleep deprivation (sleeping 3 hours a night, sometimes 5 or 6 (broken up into two or three segments, etc.)) for about three years now. Doctors have done the standard tests and say, "You're fine. Here's some medication." Medication is a tricky thing, as it does not promote real deep restorative rest and most likely causes additional issues with long-term use, but, in a pinch, can be a nice lifeline for a moments where any relief is welcomed.

I believe my sleep issues / insomnia derive from deep stress and trauma (from an accumulation of "life", culminating in particularly stressful events I experienced about 3 - 4 years ago). This expresses itself as anxiety (my body / chest buzzes a bit when i lay down, my heart beats a bit harder and faster than it should, my mind ruminates, etc.) To treat just the anxiety with anything from drugs to meditation, for example, is a short term balm, but the "root of the weed", the deep stress and trauma, remain. The goal (if you suffer from something like I do), is to root out that weed and relieve the symptoms of anxiety, racing thoughts, buzzing body, sleepless nights, and so on.

There is my experience and a few thoughts, generalized, and here are a few tips and suggestions for those who relate to such a thing:

1 - Get morning sunlight in your eyes (even if it is overcast, get outside!) for 10 - 15 min after waking up (within 60 min of waking). This will get your body's circadian clock aligned over time.

2 - Do not stress yourself with unneeded events. Whether this is relationship stress (remove yourself from toxicity), or fasting / cold therapy (can be very healthy to someone who has a regulated nervous system, but not if you are deeply stressed - these will work against you. wait to resume once you are more regulated), extreme exercise (will note this later), etc.

3 - Limit caffeine intake between 90 min after waking up -to- 8 hours before bedtime (preferably 10 hours before bedtime). The 90 min after waking up is so the brain's chemicals used to signal "wakefulness" can have a chance to enact themselves before the caffeine butts in the way. The keeping caffeine intake away from bedtime is due to the half-life of caffeine's effect (about 5 hours-ish is the half life of caffeine).

4 - Get some sun exposure throughout the day, mainly (as stated) in the morning, some in the afternoon, and as it sets / dusk. This will help with re-setting your "inner clock".

5 - Get moderate exercise. Go for a walk, go some light weight training; something to put a small but good amount of stress on the body that will aid with overall mental and physical health.

6 - Become familiar and practice 20 min of breath work (4 sec IN, 6 sec OUT. I find 5 IN, 7 OUT is perfect) as well as Yoga Nidra (15 - 30 min). Both can be researched via YouTube. Do these daily and close to bedtime. They will help, over time (a couple weeks or so) to regulate and calm the nervous system.

7 - If you worry / have ruminating thoughts that revolve around worries and anxieties, try starting a worry journal. This is a journal where you jot down all that is concerning you and causing stress. It is cathartic and helps to purge some of the stressors. There is good data in clinical studies that this helps speed up the "fall-asleep" time. Do this and hour or two before bed.

8 - Avoid, if you can, using alcohol and THC for sleep. Clinical studies also show this, overall, does not help. If it does help you, use it as a tool to employ every now and then, but use caution. CBD however is still being researched and may have some benefits.

9 - In the evening, keep home lights to a minimum. No overhead lights, if you can avoid it. I have a lamp on the floor, behind a dresser, to mimic a low-angle light (i.e. sunset). You can harm your circadian rhythm with bright lights at night.

10 - Design a routine that will lead you to the bed / sleep. Mine is (basically): short warm shower, brush teeth, worry journal, breath meditation, put m'kid to bed and say goodnight (I'm a single father), stretch lightly, drink CALM magnesium drink (studies show that magnesium is not all that effective, but it is still is a part of my routine. The taste signals my brain that sleeptime is nearing), read a little bit (not in bed, but in another room with calm lighting), then go to bed and listen to Yoga Nidra for about 20 min. Sleep is like landing a plane - it is a process. You don't just go from cruising altitude to landing... it takes steps. Find the steps that work for you.

11 - Make the bed a place where you sleep, not worry / watch TV, toss and turn. If you find yourself awake in the middle of the night for extended periods of time (30 min+), get up and go read in another room with calm, low lighting. or go meditate. or fold laundry. or whatever. You want to associate your bedroom with sleep, and nothing else. This takes time to re-wire your mind, but will help in the long run.

12 - Be kind to yourself and if frustrated, learn to accept the situation. I've had my rounds with this for years and getting upset has done me no favors. Accept the situation and go to the next phase in relaxation and self-care, instead of ruminating on what you wish would happen and the associated fears.

That is my general take on it. I have more info, but gotta get back to work.

There are a few people that i find a lot of help listening to. Dr. Andrew Huberman, Dr. Matthew Walker, and Dr David Sinclair. If you do not know of these people, a quick bit of research will show you they are preeminent researchers in the field of general health and sleep. 75% of my info is derived from these sources.

Take care!

MW