What causes sleep problem/solution --From Sleep Specialists

[Simon]

Hi Folks

As sleep disorders is the second problem after pain I thought I would pass this on. This may not apply to you but just in case it does.

I have had major sleep problem since btkr on June 3rd and it is making everything harder, blood pressure, PT, knee moving and even my overnight blood sugars.

I just thought is was the surgery, the hospital stay (I went to inpatient recovery so I was not home for 2 weeks), drugs etc. When I say the OS at 4 weeks he said it is common and offered Ambien. I said I would rather stay away from the sleeping pills.

Well after trying Tylenol PM and a few other things, I went with the Ambien. 10 mg gave me 1 good night of sleep and 1 so so night.

Well my sleep deprived brain finally clicked in and I called my sleep doctor who works at the sleep center.

She said the problem is called Learned Insomnia and it can come on pretty fast after major surgery or other stressful events. What happens is that after a bit of no sleep you consciously or unconsciously become more anxious about not sleeping. Then if you try to nap you worry about not sleeping at night and end up in a hyperarousal state. You also then do things like try to go to bed earlier than normal and sleep later than normal, change your normal bed routine (read a book, watch TV etc) which makes things worse.

She said it is best if the pattern breaks itself but that is not always possible. Her are her suggestions.

1. Eliminate all caffeine drinks and food products (ie chocolate).

2. Read the book No More Sleepless Nights by Pete Hauri (hope my copy gets
here tommorrow.)

3. Don't change your sleep routine -- go to bed at the time you usually do
and wake up at the same time. Watch out about the naps (you have to
judge that one.

4. She also said a low dose (1 to 2 mg) of lorezapam (Adavani) for a short
time period can help. The drug is an anti-anxiety agent. Take it an
hour before bedtime.

5. Don't go to bed unless you feel sleepy as lying there and not sleeping only
cranks up the anxiety.

Well the 1 mg didn't help much so I will try 2 mg tonight.

I will let you know if this works. All I can say is it had better!

Simone

AGAIN THIS MIGHT NOT APPLY TO EVERYONE but it is something you can discuss with your OS or your primary care doctor.

 

[Josephine]

Sound advice there, Simon. Give us a review on the book when you've read it.

 

[Dedicated_Dad]

I'd ordinarily agree with the "stay away from the sleeping pills" -- I've never liked taking anything if I could get by without it.

I got so messed up from lack of sleep and chronic pain that I became severely depressed. By the time it finally hit me that I WAS depressed, and needed help, I'd become almost catatonic. I'd sleep when I could, usually in the day time. When I wasn't sleeping I was just sitting, staring at the wall. I did my PT but that was about it. When it got so bad that I started crying for no apparent reason I realized... I went to my PC Doc and started on an antidepressant. I also took Ambien CR for a week or two, until I started being able to sleep on my own. I'll still take a couple of benadryl to make me sleepy if I need it, but am doing much better.

The sleep meds may help -- don't write them off if you need them. I found the "CR" worked better than regular Ambien -- I'd go to sleep and wake up in a few hours. With the CR I sleep well, all night. Since then I'm sleeping well most nights without it. I know if I have trouble, the cure is in the drawer, which somehow makes it easier to sleep without it.

One more caveat: Everyone's body chemistry is different, so don't think what happened to me will happen to you. Another med might cause you different than it would me.

That said, I took "sonata" a few times. I'd wake up with MAJORLY altered sights and sounds, like I was "tripping", but be unable to move. A few times I had the "someone's in the house" feeling and wanted to get my gun and go check out my house. Thank G*d I was basically paralyzed and couldn't make myself get up - having a gun in my hands in such an altered state would NOT have been good!!!!

!!

After a time or two, I realized I was sleeping, stuck between awake and dreaming, and that I just needed to go back to sleep. When my wife woke me once I was awake instantly, with no altered vision or hearing, but those wakeing/dreams on Sonata were psychadelic, man!! Funny -- they weren't really unpleasant, but still scared me. I won't take that any more.

Ambien OTOH I sleep well, wake refreshed, feel good and rested. When I need it, I won't hesitate!

Hope this helps!!

DD

 

[AnetMarise]

Thanks for sharing the good info.

Annette

 

[Simon]

DD

Glad you found something that works, sure sounds like you had a rough time of it. A few days more without sleep i might have been joining you.

Yes, the Ambien did not work for more than 2 days. I do think Abmien CR is the better product. The Lorezepam seems to be starting to work and I hope the book gets here today.

I know what you mean how bad not sleep is.

Glad you found a solution without doing anything dangerous.

Good luck
Simon

 

[mms]

WOW I was just talking to my friend about not being able to sleep and how it is making everything else that much worse! I also have Abmiem CR here but would only use it 1 or 2 nights a week. I will try the list of 5 from Simon-Thanks Simon- and see if that works as well. As for the book I'm going out for it today!
-Michele