My Dr. in his infinate wisdom, has decided it is time for me, to stop taking pain pills. I see him tomorrow, and am going to try to get him to change his mind. I have enough pain at night, to where I can't sleep for more than a couple of hours at a time, it sure breaks up the night! And it makes it hard to want to do anything, the next day. I think I need something.
Melva
I can't sleep, so, here I am!
We should have a insomnia or night owl chat/forum. I'm here too. Most nites I just check things out. No ambition to bet involved either.
Yes, unfortunately the next day is like a bad hangover you never had. Well, at least for me.
No drive, no ambition.
Doctor's I personally think they are educated auto mechanics. They treat us just like a mechanic treats your car. Let's start here. If that don't work. We'll find something else to fix. Right now, I would like to turn the tables just for once, on them.
Please, this is not an attack on all auto mechanics.
Eat another piece of something and try to sleep. That's why I'm a bit sizable
Carol
Carol,
I am more than just a bit sizable. But, you are right, sometimes that helps. Educated mechanics, I like that.And people wonder why I don't get anything done...it is because I can not sleep! I tried, and I am up again, think I might try a hot bath...
Melva
melvatoo, get some herb tea from the store called sleepy time by celestrial seasonings. it will relax you right to sleep and it taste good too. i put a little sweetner and creamer just like my coffee and it really helps you to relax. try it maybe it will work.
I'm still up, too, but I am a nightowl. I still don't sleep well, waking up off and on all night and rarely feeling really rested when I get up. I need to get some valerian again...And that's the reason for my post!
Just wanted to tell you that I have had a lot of success with valerian root extract. That's the main ingredient in the herbal supplement Alluna that sells for big bucks. You can get a bottle of 50 valerian root capsules for $4 at many stores. It stinks like sour sweatsocks, but it works to help you relax and sleep. There's no sleeping pill hangover, either. You can add hops extract to this, too, which is what Alluna does. HTH! :)
Check this out while you're up: http://www.sleepfoundation.org/ I know your main problem is pain, but this is still interesting, ummm, bedtime reading. ;)
Hope you guys feel better.
This message was edited Friday, Aug 30th 3:15 AM
I have tried Sleepy Time before, and it did help, thanks for reminding me. I have been using Melatonin that a friend swears by, to help her sleep, but I can't see that it does anything. The Dr. gave me something that helps for the pain...but sleep...that is still a problem.
Melva
Have you tried Valerian, Melva?
No, I haven't does it help?
Melva
See my above post -- it worked for me. :)
LOL I tried Sleepy Time and had to wake up four times to go to the toilet. LOL Don't think it worked for me. I am also a night owl and a couple of us meet on MSN Messenger to talk at night. Valerian and I don't get along so that is out for me. I am going to a sleep clinic soon for study and see if I have obstructive sleep apnea since I have many of those symptoms. Hoping that I can get some sleep after they study me. Isn't it amazing what can be done for our ills these days. I am sure glad that I wasn't born in the last century sometimes. Lani
sleepytime will run ya.
I hate not being able to sleep! It isn't pain anymore, it is restless legs, not cramps, just restless. I got up to drink a glass of milk, and I guess I will go take a hot bath. Maybe that will relax me enough to sleep. I sure hope so! It makes the day that much harder when sleep is less than ideal....
Sleepy time doesn't help, neither does Melatonin. I haven't tried the Valerian yet. The gym sock odor has stopped me, lol! But I guess that is the next thing to try.
Melva
I know how hard it is not to be able to sleep. I don't often have a lot of trouble but do at times and it is miserable. Well as you can see I am awake now. My problem is the pain in my back and also worrying about everything else in my life and my kids life too. I get so tired of my children blaming me for everything that is wrong in their lives. Why not blame the father that was never there for emotional and finacial support? Why? One of them is really good and letting me know that I am the root of all his problems. Well, I better try to get a coupld of more hours of sleep. I won't get anything done today otherwise.
Melva - Just hold your breath when you open the bottle and take it. It's not that bad, LOL! :) And you don't taste anything bad.
I've tried most sleep things too at one time or another. At the moment I'm trying a sort of self-hypnosis - I snuggle as far under my duvet as I can and mutter firmly to myself - "Deep deep down... Deep deep down... Deep deep down... I concentrate on willing myself to go deep under. With a bit of luck I drop off. Costs nothing and no after-effects. Now, if I could only stop having to get up 4 times every night to use the loo...
Northener, let me know if you ever resolve the going to the loo in the night......have suffered from this for many many years.http://davesgarden.com/t/344886/
Marigold
Can you take asprin? You wouldn't believe how two asprin and a cup of hot herbal tea (your favorite)can put right to sleep.
I have had good relief from restless legs in the past from the now-changed OTC Legatrin. It once had quinine in it, and that was excellent. After quinine was once again taken off the market, which it has been numerous times, the manufacturers quietly began marketing a new version under the same name, and it's main ingredient is Benadryl, with acetaminophen, or Tylenol. Still works but I worry about liver damage if it's necessary to use very much.
I have learned to do an exercise which sometimes works. I first get into as much of a comfortable position as possible. I am a tummy sleeper, so I always start out on my back and end up rolling over if things go well. I lie flat on my back, point my toes so the muscles in my legs are taut, hold for a count of five, then release. I repeat this up to ten times, if I still feel like it's needed. Sometimes, it helps to give myself a foot massage with my hands, then the leg stretch.
I have an old LP by Paul Weston, "Solo Mood", which I used for years to relax me so the restless legs weren't so bad. I rarely heard past the third cut, as I would fall asleep. Now I use a Mozart CD, because my turntable needs work. If I want a little variety, I use "Tales from Vienna Woods" or something else smooth and quiet. Chamomile tea is also great.
Hello Marigold. We both have an overactive bladder, or urge incontinence. It can be treated. There are medications available - I have used one in the past. It helped during the day but not at night much.
It has got worse this year. I saw my GP a few weeks ago. But he wasn't sympathetic. He said, "You're not wetting the bed are you? Well then, hold it in!" I was seriously shocked to come across such an attitude and am still considering whether or not to change to a different practice. He is an elderly male doctor with little empathy for feminine problems.
You may be luckier than me and find a better doctor. It's certainly worth discussing with a doctor and possibly trying a medication. There are better medications available now than when I was originally prescribed. You nay find it helpful to learn some bladder control exercises as well. Some medications can cause bladder problems too, so check this with your doctor.
I have stress incontinence now too - I leak when I sneeze. Come to think about it, I am damp most of the time now.
I hope you are more successful than me. Good luck!
Boy, I'd be switching doctors in a heartbeat, Northerner. Hope you find an answer!
I, too get up at night about 4 times, but I do take Lasix (water pill) in the morning. It seems to want to work at night! Tried taking it at night, but still got up even more often! The gynecologist gave me some samples of something for overactive bladders, but did not take, (ditropan) but when I get up, I just keep my eyes closed when I go, and manage to go back to sleep after. I also need cola beside the bed! I've learned to live with it. If I'm to be out all day, good old Depends!
My sister has the same problem but she gets up 5 or 6 times! (she's diabedic)
I used to get up several times a night but now I am only getting up once for bathroom duties and going right back to sleep! Before I would toss and turn for hours and finally give up and sleep in the recliner chair! Last week I got fitted with a VPAP machine after I went to the sleep clinic and I was diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea so since the machine came into my life I am sleeping 6 to 7 hours a night after most of my life only getting 5 hours maximum with 3 to 4 hours being a good nights sleep with about 6 times waking. It is so very nice to get a good nights sleep!!!! Lani
I was making a search and came up on this thread. I don't have time to read the thread, so this may have been discussed, but I wanted to tell you that my aunt, 80, started having 'restless legs' when she was 70. Her brother in law is a physician and she called him and he told her to take Vitamin B 100. For 8 years, she took it daily and it cured her restless legs. After her hubby died, she forgot to take it until she had restless legs yet again and she started back the B 100 and it stopped. She now only takes it when she needs it. So, if anyone tries it and has good luck, please let me know. SherryLike
Thanks Sherry for the tip. I will pass it on to a couple of people I know that have that problem.
It has been almost two years now and I love my VPAP machine so much that I told the Doctor that he could take it away from me when he prys my cold dead fingers off of it. I can now sleep anywhere from 6 to almost 12 hours without even waking. I awaken rested and the fibro pain is less than two years ago. If you even think you have a sleeping problem it is well worth going and getting checked.
Lani
HI Ponditis....
Please tell me what is a VPAP machine? I too. have trouble sleeping. Have had two major back operations....whole spine fused. Also have fibromyalgia from all the pain. And I have tried all the above remedies at one time or another..except the vitamin B 100.
I wish you all a good nite's sleep!!
I have obstructive sleep apnea which is when soft tissue gets in the way of your breathing especially at night. For years I knew I was a snorer and I had morning headaches and was sleepy during the day and had a mind that was always in a fog. The morning headaches were the thing that really tipped off the nurses in the hospital when I had my double knee replacement (Jan. 2002).
I went for a sleep study after consulting with a sleep specialist MD. I got the diagnosis and was fitted with a machine. Many people can get by with a CPAP machine which means Constant Positive Airway Pressure. You wear a mask to bed that has a tube that attaches to the machine and the machine is calibrated to your individual way of breathing and the proper pressure for you to push air past the obstruction so you can breathe properly while you sleep.
Since I happen to breathe in at a different pressure than I breathe out I use a Variable Positive Airway Pressure machine which is calibrated to push in harder and then allows me to breathe out in my normal way. Since I got used to using the machine which took me a while I no longer have the morning headaches and can sleep very well for many hours without waking for bathroom duties all night long.
This good sleep has helped my fibromyalgia pain a lot and my brain is far less foggy and the pains I had are some better too because I am getting proper sleep which allows my body to recover at night. I highly recommend anyone who even thinks they are having a sleeping problem to seek help from a Sleep Specialist.
I hope this explains it for you.
Thank you Ponditis...for explaining it to me. I appreciate it.
Thanks GW for the hyperlink so.... I will read about this that I has difficult try to sleep at night never sleep good at nights don't understand why mostly sleep less about 4 to 5 hours suppose to be sleep straight 8 hours but not sometime sleep only 3 hours really my body so tired want to sleep so bad but my eyes won't close to let me sleep that really so frustrated. Now you see what time it is to posted here pass after 2 am oh boy could not sleep really I am in bad mood so I am checking emails who I recieved from and check on DG some forums. LOL
This message was edited Sep 10, 2004 2:15 AM