to sleep - perchance to scream help!!!!

[Clementine orange]

OK, first off, I know I should probably see a doctor about this...and I will...eventually...when I get the courage.

 

I seem to have developed this really bad sleep disorder where...I don't sleep much. I can't seem to be able "turn off" to fall asleep. Or even worse, when I find myself starting to fall asleep, I will "freak out" and wake myself up. It's like I'm afraid to let myself go, afraid to allow myself to go into an alterted consciousness (of sleep). It feels scary, like falling or something so I wake myself up, that goes on over and over through the evening.

 

I am literally living on a couple hours a night at this point (until after some time I will collapse and sleep for 14 hours straight). This has been going on, on and off, for about a year. I am exhausted as can be expected.

I've had this so badly sometimes that I've been known to sort of spontaneously kind of collapse or do this narcoleptic zone out and also I've been having some weirdo kind of hallucinations on occasion (except I know it isn't real)

 

Along with and, because of, this sleep deprivation, almost every other aspect of my life is suffering - my memory is totally shot, I have to write everything down and really simple things I forget...like really straightforward things - like what day it is for example??? I also look like hell...like some kind of zombie. I've lost alot of weight.

 

I'm kind of losing it here. This is not good.

 

Do you think hypnosis will work?

Any suggestions or comments?

[jettison]

My longest term girlfriend was always a horrible insomniac throughout our entire relationship. We did everything. Sleep tapes, sleep books, ear plugs, ambient music, etc. She finally saw a hypnotist and it cured her for months. I would recommend it.

 

By contrast, I was always a perfect sleeper. For 20 years, I went to bed, fell asleep in 5 minutes, then the next thing I knew my alarm clock was going off. However, once we broke up, the anxiety consumed me, I became an insomniac, and I've had issues on and off ever since.

 

My doctor recommended trazadone, and I take it regularly. It works very well for me, and there seems to be no side effects. It's been about 6 months now I believe. I didn't even have to go in to see him. I just sent him an email, and he made me the prescription.

[Nixee]

I still haven't found the exact answer to this either... but... ugh... I'm sure suffering from the same affliction lately

 

 

 

Some suggestions I received and have been trying to follow... I am avoiding caffeine, and have been for some time.... trying NOT to nap.... trying to calm my mind when I lie down at night as much as possible... lull myself to dream land...

 

Some nights I arrive (for a bit), some nights, not so much.

 

I'm caving and seeing a therapist starting today, possibly a doc later... we will see.

 

I wish you luck... it is no fun.

[Maree79]

I have tried Ambien before, it worked really well for me & my ex who goes through alot of what you wrote. Unlike other sleep aids I have tried, it didn't give me nightmares & I wasn't drowsy the next day.

[metrogirl]

I have tried Ambien before, it worked really well for me & my ex who goes through alot of what you wrote. Unlike other sleep aids I have tried, it didn't give me nightmares & I wasn't drowsy the next day.

 

I take Ambien faithfully everynight because of my severe insomnia. It does help with the sleep issues but I have been experiencing more memory loss and have had a few episodes of sleep walking, having conversations that I do not recall having and other issues because of the medicine.

 

I would try alternate remedies before going the drug route.

[doyathink]

I went through this after my break up too, Clem. I take an over the counter sleep aid, and it works for me. Ppl say they're addictive, but when I cant sleep...I don't care. It puts me out cold, and without it, I cant sleep.

 

I'm sure in time I wont need them, but for now ...they're heaven.

[Clementine orange]

Thanks for your suggestions guys. Over the counter sleeps meds do absolutely nothing to knock me out. I have some kind of amazing tolerance for them or something.

I will ask my doctor about ambien however, it is likely that they will not prescribe to me due to my past history of addictive drug abuse (I've been charted by health care providers in my province) maybe they will have mercy on me though, since it's been years and years since those problems.

 

Do you know if ambien is addictive?

[metrogirl]

Thanks for your suggestions guys. Over the counter sleeps meds do absolutely nothing to knock me out. I have some kind of amazing tolerance for them or something.

I will ask my doctor about ambien however, it is likely that they will not prescribe to me due to my past history of addictive drug abuse (I've been charted by health care providers in my province) maybe they will have mercy on me though, since it's been years and years since those problems.

 

Do you know if ambien is addictive?

 

It is for me.......I literally panicked last month. I ran out of pills, the pharmacy was closed and I was near hysteria because I knew I wasn't going to sleep at all that night. I went to another drug store and bought an OTC sleep aid and it did nothing for me. I stayed awake all night.

 

Once I went to Vegas for 3 days. Forgot my Ambien. ](*,) Didn't sleep for 3 days. Horrible...........

[sarey]

I just got prescribed (yesterday) diazapham and it helped me A LOT it literally knocked me out, I recommend this, but maybe it's because I'm younger n all. Either way - it works very well. Knocks me out. Though, today I've been very sleepy and a bit TOO sedated... so... don't use it forever, the doc only put me on it for a week, and I go and see a psychiatrist to see if it could be some sort of mental health problem (insomnia or something) but yeah, short term use, I'd recommend this, or Nytol one a night - GOOD STUFF!!!!

 

Nytol is over the counter too.

But diazapham isn't...

so... go to ya doc.

[Clementine orange]

Once I went to Vegas for 3 days. Forgot my Ambien. ](*,) Didn't sleep for 3 days. Horrible...........

 

Not to make light of this but who sleeps in Vegas anyway? lol

[Blue Streak]

Do you know if ambien is addictive?

 

I think it is for some and not for others. If you have an addictive personality, I would be extremely careful. In fact, I would not touch them with a 12 foot pole!!! It is very possible to get addicted to the idea of taking a pill so just to get some sleep. If you do go on them, promise yourself from the start that you will stick to the time allotted and go from there.

 

There are many underlying issues and related medical problems that go hand-in-hand with insomnia. Make sure you are looking at all the different areas which could be contributing to this.

 

Also, how is your diet, are you getting enough exercise everyday, etc.

 

I know how insomnia is, and it sucks, so I wish you well.

[thejigsup]

I had your problem when I was younger. A doctor told me to realize that I couldn't do anything but harm myself by not allowing myself to sleep. He told me insomnia significantly shortens your life span. My problem was like yours, I hated losing control (I'm a big control freak). So, my doctor put it to me like this: "Prolonged insomia is bad for your heart, extremely taxing. If you want to be in control of your life, relax and learn to sleep. Sleep is not death, but a heart attack often is." I went home and worked on relaxing myself with pleasant thoughts, etc... For the last twenty-five years I have been a sleep-a-holic. I sleep whenever possible. I sobered up on the fear of sleep, FAST!