Is there any hope for sleeplessness post kidney transplant?

Sorry I have know suggestions for you except do all the right things and hope for the best. Have a set time to go to bed, as dark as possible , as little sound as possible unless noise works for you, no naps during the days, no big eating late, melatonin or amabien as Mayo allows ,etc. I also get about 3-5 hours a night. Have tried everything Mayo suggested to me. Am 2 years out from a liver transplant but can't blame that. I have been retired for about four years. But the last 10 years before that I was an officer at a private investment bank. I had two staffs of analysts I had to manage . One in Gurgon India (11.5 hour difference) , one here in CO and also worked on projects with our Luxembourg City office. I had to get up at 3 AM (and worked to about 5PM) local time to keep all the balls in the air. It's been four years now since I retired but still wake up around 3 AM every day and am usually unable to go back to sleep. Good luck to both of us. (----:

I found Dr. Jade Wu’s book “Hello Sleep” to be helpful and reassuring. Most libraries have print and electronic copies to borrow. Wishing you both rest and restorative sleep.

I feel for you. I, too have horrible insomnia from the meds. 3-4 hours a night then maybe a sleep catch up before repeating 🙄. I take a Xanax and a Tylenol PM but I think it is what it is, and can only be grateful that I have a new kidney. Good Luck!

@benedict66066 It's been almost 2 years since my liver transplant and I have not had any persistent problems with sleeping even when my tacrolimus and mycophenelate dosage were at their peak. I drink 120 ounces of water per day and eat a low fat diet. I do cardio and/or strength training on most days, and try to keep my brain sharp with reading and Sudoku. I try not to eat or drink 2 hours before bedtime and take 5 mg of melatonin.

Good Morning! I hope everyone is rested and ready for the day.

@benedict66066, Congratulations of your new kidney! At 6 months, your body is still in a recovery period and your body is still adjusting to your new organ and the medications. I remember my own long wait until I finally slept thru the night. I don't know when it happened, but it did. I believe that you will experience a full night sleep in the future. In the meantime, I like some of the experiences shared by members! Myself, at 17 years post liver and kidney transplant, limit myself to just one cup of coffee cup per day, in the morning. And sometimes I treat myself to a short nap, but I set an alarm so that it does not disrupt my sleep at night.

@craigcraig, Have you tried walking around the house for a short period when you wake during the night? That worked for me when I had hip replacement last year. Be sure to carry a flash light or turn on a dim light!

@sarah232, What is something that you found in the book that was helpful for you?
@maggieinfp, Congratulations on your new kidney! When did you receive your transplant? Has your transplant team approved of the Xanax and a Tylenol PM?

@jimb43581921, It sounds like you have a good sleep thing going on there! (I love Sudoku's, too)

Has anybody seen this Mayo Connect Transplant Blog article? I see some of the ideas that you have already shared, - and a few different ones!
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/transplant/newsfeed-post/improving-your-sleep-could-lead-to-improving-your-days/

@rosemarya Thanks Rosemary. I have not tried that yet but will give it a try. Thank you !

@rosemarya the thing I found most helpful was her practical approach to building (and recognizing) sleep pressure. I also liked her attitude that your body can be trusted and you can work with it rather than feeling oppositional/betrayed (which was definitely how I was feeling).

@sarah232 Thanks again Sarah. A quick question. I have not gotten the book yet but read some of her thoughts online and her sharing "trust your body". Both Mayo and someone from Harvard were not big on naps during the day. For some reason I feel exhausted and even fall asleep sometimes around 3pm before my wife makes dinner. Most days I just power through it with no nap but either way seem to wake up between midnight to 3 AM most nights. Would DR. Wu's "trust your body" encourage afternoon naps if that's what my body feels ? Thanks again.

I have the same experience of utter exhaustion around 3 pm. I sleep 3-4hours at night whether or not I have napped. Any thoughts, Sarah?

@craigcraig I think it would depend on your ability to fall asleep at bedtime. If you fall asleep easily and that doesn’t change with a nap, then the nap may be helpful. If you struggle with falling asleep, then going for a gentle walk when you feel sleepy in the afternoon may be something to try to help build up your sleep pressure for bedtime. Good luck