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Severe Insomnia with Fibromyalgia - How to Cope

Posted by ripley @ripley, Feb 25 10:57am

Does anyone suffer from insomnia with their fibromyalgia and, if so, what helps you? I usually fall asleep easily after taking 75-100mg Trazodone, 2.5mg Melatonin, and sometimes one hemp gummy. But I wake after about 4 hrs and can not fall back asleep. I feel like my nerves have become awakened, which wakens my mind, preventing sleep. I've tried taking another Trazodone or gummy in the middle of the night, but neither helps me fall back asleep. I have pain and all the other fibro symptoms too but feel I could better cope with those if I could get a decent night's sleep. I don't take any of the meds meant for fibro. For supplements, I take magnesium glycinate, fish oil, B1, D2 and calcium. My dr suggested CoQ10 but that seemed to make my insomnia worse. She also suggested high potency B vitamin complex, but I think that might also negatively affect my sleep. Any suggestions would be welcome.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Fibromyalgia Support Group.

hurtinforcertain | @hurtinforcertain | Dec 2 4:12pm

Have you tried a light box?
Bright Light Therapy. Bright light therapy is used to manage circadian rhythm disorders such as delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS), a condition which shifts the normal sleeping pattern outside what is considered the social norm.

I have a light box and use it especially during the winter with the short days--it really helps. I encourage you to give it a try. A light box is inexpensive and will help your body produce the melatonin that it needs. It might be a big help to you and I certainly hope it is.

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Mentor
Becky, Volunteer Mentor | @becsbuddy | Dec 2 9:43pm
In reply to @eascusa "Hi, thanks for your post. You might not believe this because you sound pretty sure, but..." + (show)
@eascusa

Hi, thanks for your post. You might not believe this because you sound pretty sure, but I drink alcohol at all. I hate it! It makes me sick. At least it did the last few times I tried it which was several years ago. I did when I was a kid. In social situations but I am 48 now. I am scared to mix it with my meds, and I am a Diabetic. Plus, from what I remember it made my body flush and hotter. That is a big no, no for me. So, no I don't drink. I drink a lot of crystal light though and have been wondering about all the dye that is in the one I drink. It has that red 40 or whatever. I read that it gives allergies to kids and hyperactivity. But I don't know about adults.
I also don't put salt on any of my food. I never have. So, that can't be a problem. And swelling and bloating is huge for me. I know I have got to be allergic to something. Although, I had a food allergy test done a long time ago and it said I wasn't. I have wondered about salt before though because of all the salt that is put in prepackaged food, t.v. dinners, etc. anyway. Everything we buy like that has a lot of salt that automatically is put in it for flavor. But as far as adding it myself. No, never. Except when I make my chicken noodle soup.
I keep it really cold in my room or else I would never fall asleep or stay asleep at all. I have comfy stuff that I went all out doing for myself. And I have it completely dark because I am weird about that too.
Oh, I do vape though. It has nicotine in it but the lowest amount. I have been told I need to stop and that it would help but right now I really don't know if I want to. I have been smoking since I was 13 years old. As it is I went from almost a pack a day to vaping the lowest. No more cigarettes though.
As far as anxiety goes. I have tachycardia and this is a problem for me because that can feel like anxiety. It is sometimes hard to tell the difference. I am on a beta blocker for it. I have been for a long time. But lately, my heart rate has increased so I will be going back to the doctor to increase my dosage. I don't have so much generalized anxiety anyway. I have social anxiety. That is one of the reasons I don't go out. But I get bad anxiety if I know I have to go somewhere, even to the doctors, or do anything. Whatever date it is I will be worked up until that day and then have a full panic attack. This has gotten worse for me as well. I have no idea what to do about that. No anti-depressant has worked. It is hard enough to have my Resoril at night. Doctors don't want to prescribe anything that is addictive. As it is my last doctor brought down the milligrams. I have no money to go see someone. Not because of insurance but because I would have to drive at least an hour to get to anyone. Same problem with regular doctors. And I would have to get someone else to do the driving because my diabetes has affected my eyesight. It is kind of funny because in order to go get help from a psychiatrist or something you have to do the very thing that gives you the panic attack in the first place and this makes me not want to try. I feel like I am always going in circles.

Jump to this post

@eascusa If having a therapist would help, than just do it! Therapists will talk on the phone, or do zoom, or may even come to your home. I finally got a therapist and she is great AND she comes to me! It’s really been helpful, especially with winter coming.
You also said that you use 2-3 Tylenol PM’s at night. A word of warning from someone who knows. They work just fine until they don’t work. At. All! No one ever tells you, but they do have this terrible side effect where they are just useless! I now only use Tylenol PM when I am totally desperate.
And I agree with @hurtinforcertain . Light therapy works beautifully! You just pretend it’s sunshine on your face! My therapist suggested Lite Box. Try it!

REPLY
loriesco | @loriesco | Dec 7 9:12am
In reply to @eascusa "Hi, thanks for your post. You might not believe this because you sound pretty sure, but..." + (show)
@eascusa

Hi, thanks for your post. You might not believe this because you sound pretty sure, but I drink alcohol at all. I hate it! It makes me sick. At least it did the last few times I tried it which was several years ago. I did when I was a kid. In social situations but I am 48 now. I am scared to mix it with my meds, and I am a Diabetic. Plus, from what I remember it made my body flush and hotter. That is a big no, no for me. So, no I don't drink. I drink a lot of crystal light though and have been wondering about all the dye that is in the one I drink. It has that red 40 or whatever. I read that it gives allergies to kids and hyperactivity. But I don't know about adults.
I also don't put salt on any of my food. I never have. So, that can't be a problem. And swelling and bloating is huge for me. I know I have got to be allergic to something. Although, I had a food allergy test done a long time ago and it said I wasn't. I have wondered about salt before though because of all the salt that is put in prepackaged food, t.v. dinners, etc. anyway. Everything we buy like that has a lot of salt that automatically is put in it for flavor. But as far as adding it myself. No, never. Except when I make my chicken noodle soup.
I keep it really cold in my room or else I would never fall asleep or stay asleep at all. I have comfy stuff that I went all out doing for myself. And I have it completely dark because I am weird about that too.
Oh, I do vape though. It has nicotine in it but the lowest amount. I have been told I need to stop and that it would help but right now I really don't know if I want to. I have been smoking since I was 13 years old. As it is I went from almost a pack a day to vaping the lowest. No more cigarettes though.
As far as anxiety goes. I have tachycardia and this is a problem for me because that can feel like anxiety. It is sometimes hard to tell the difference. I am on a beta blocker for it. I have been for a long time. But lately, my heart rate has increased so I will be going back to the doctor to increase my dosage. I don't have so much generalized anxiety anyway. I have social anxiety. That is one of the reasons I don't go out. But I get bad anxiety if I know I have to go somewhere, even to the doctors, or do anything. Whatever date it is I will be worked up until that day and then have a full panic attack. This has gotten worse for me as well. I have no idea what to do about that. No anti-depressant has worked. It is hard enough to have my Resoril at night. Doctors don't want to prescribe anything that is addictive. As it is my last doctor brought down the milligrams. I have no money to go see someone. Not because of insurance but because I would have to drive at least an hour to get to anyone. Same problem with regular doctors. And I would have to get someone else to do the driving because my diabetes has affected my eyesight. It is kind of funny because in order to go get help from a psychiatrist or something you have to do the very thing that gives you the panic attack in the first place and this makes me not want to try. I feel like I am always going in circles.

Jump to this post

Hello @eascusa, sorry it took me a bit to respond, but I’ve been dealing with neuropathy which I think is coming from a dysfunctional piriformis or my spine. Drs. aren’t much help! Back to your problem-the things that stand out to me are 1) your hormones maybe imbalanced 2) you said you don’t add salt but I gather it could come from what you purchase (I stayed away from processed food with added salt, almost entirely) 3) your anxiety-which definitely interferes with the ability to sleep 4) medicating for anxiety as in vaping or nicotine smoking or withdrawal from either 5) and lack of exercise. You haven’t said anything about your daily exercise. I am 67 years old and I can tell you from years and years of common things that goes wrong with our bodies that some amount of cardiovascular exercise is mandatory to control anxiety. It can be gentle walking for 20 minutes twice a day. That means a mile in the morning and a mile in the afternoon and when things get bad, you squeeze in a mile at lunchtime. I can tell you that every time I am really messed up the thing that brings me back to earth is the walking. problem with blood pressure? Go for a walk, problem with diabetes? Go for a walk. problem with anxiety go for a walk. A problem having stayed up all night sleepless? Go for a walk. A problem with problems? Go for a walk. in addition, it helps to coordinate deep breathing with your walk and focus on emptying your mind. If you are in a wheelchair, then I’m not sure what the cardio options would be maybe cheer yoga? The imbalance of hormones can cause the anxiety but these things are worked out pretty well with increased exercise even if it’s gentle. It really screws me up when the weather’s really bad and interferes with my daily walks or I throw my back out or I’m in so much pain, but I forced myself to get out there because it exhausts me for bedtime. That’s really the point to exhaust yourself so you burn out your mind to the point it can relax at night without the stimulation of cannabis and nicotine or caffeine.

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