Insomnia

[galvo]

I know that this topic has been covered before, but I have now not slept (for more thsn a couple of minutes at a time) since my heart attack some 16 days ago. I got some sleeping pills from my GP and took one last night. OMG -  severe agitations and hallunications!!!!!

Please I need real help with this one.

[okarol]

Are you able to fall asleep?
What does the doctor say??
When I cannot sleep I take benadryl and a melatonine (both are over-the-counter) and it knocks me out after an hour. Sometimes I also have chamomile tea.
I found this below, will keep looking for more info.

Types of insomnia

Although there are several different degrees of insomnia, three types of insomnia have been clearly identified: transient, acute, and chronic.

   1. Transient insomnia lasts for less than a week. It can be caused by another disorder, by changes in the sleep environment, by the timing of sleep, severe depression, or by stress. Its consequences - sleepiness and impaired psychomotor performance - are similar to those of sleep deprivation.[6]
   2. Acute insomnia is the inability to consistently sleep well for a period of less than a month.[7]
   3. Chronic insomnia lasts for approximately a month. It can be caused by another disorder, or it can be a primary disorder. Its effects can vary according to its causes. They might include being unable to sleep, muscular fatigue, hallucinations, and/or mental fatigue; but people with chronic insomnia often show increased alertness. Some people that live with this disorder see things as if they are happening in slow motion, wherein moving objects seem to blend together. Can cause double vision.[6]

Patterns of insomnia

   1. Onset insomnia - difficulty falling asleep at the beginning of the night, often associated with anxiety disorders.
   2. Middle-of-the-Night Insomnia - Insomnia characterized by difficulty returning to sleep after awakening in the middle of the night or waking too early in the morning. Also referred to as nocturnal awakenings. Encompasses middle and terminal insomnia.
   3. Middle insomnia - waking during the middle of the night, difficulty maintaining sleep. Often associated with pain disorders or medical illness.
   4. Terminal (or late) insomnia - early morning waking. Often a characteristic of clinical depression.

Insomnia versus poor sleep quality

Poor sleep quality can occur as a result of sleep apnea or major depression. Poor sleep quality is caused by the individual not reaching stage 4 or delta sleep which has restorative properties. There are, however, people who are unable to achieve stage 4 sleep due to brain damage who lead perfectly normal lives.

Sleep apnea is a condition that occurs when a sleeping person's breathing is interrupted, thus interrupting the normal sleep cycle. With the obstructive form of the condition, some part of the sleeper's respiratory tract loses muscle tone and partially collapses. People with obstructive sleep apnea often do not remember awakening or having difficulty breathing, but they complain of excessive sleepiness during the day. Central sleep apnea interrupts the normal breathing stimulus of the central nervous system, and the individual must actually wake up to resume breathing. This form of apnea is often related to a cerebral vascular condition, congestive heart failure, and premature aging.

Major depression leads to alterations in the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, causing excessive release of cortisol which can lead to poor sleep quality.

Nocturnal polyuria, excessive nighttime urination, can be very disturbing to sleep.[8]

Some sleep disorders such as insomnia have been found to compromise glucose metabolism.[9]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insomnia

[natnnnat]

In another thread I find:

You can all settle down now. I have returned!

Galvo!  You're back!
Are you sleeping?  Are you improved? 

[galvo]

G'day. Subsequent to the heart attack, they removed a bucket of fluid from me and glorious sleep has returned. PTL!!

[Jean]

AHA!!!!! This is good news.

[galvo]

It sure is, Jean. It sure is.

[Quickfeet]

Sleep, glorious sleep. I am very happy for you.

[galvo]

Thanks.

[Jean]

Isnt it funny how little we think about things like sleep, breathing and oh of course P ing until they are not there? I think sometimes that is why we become so resentful of this disease. It takes so much from us, and lets not forget energy too. There are times I get so tired I would just as soon go into a coma to get some extra sleep. Just my thoughts tho, nothing important.

[murf]

Having an operation on my fistula on Friday. Looking forward to the GA so I can get some sleep.

[breezysummerday]

it'll be a piece of cake....you can do it     

[galvo]

Wise thoughts, Jean and they are important. 1:53 am as I type this. Insomnia gone and replaced by the good old cramps. Not surprising, though, as I've reduced my dry weight by 5.5 kilos over the last 10 days. Still, I'd rather be cramping than drowning.

I wish you well with the op, murf, and hope that peaceful sleep returns to you.

I really value the support you guys give,

[billybags]

Galvo just read about your heart attack, aye I hope you are ok and every thing is getting back to normal, well what is normal! it is so scary having an attack, did you have to have stents fitted. You take good care of your self you hear.Take things easy.

[galvo]

Thanks billybags. I had 3 stents inserted. I'm a bit worn out, but am keeping on.

[Ladystardust24]

I have had insomnia for years now, it was mainly triggered due to serious medical things that happened in 2006. So, I have icky PTSD.

Otherwise, I have generally been a night owl. I'm planning to get some Melatonin to help me now that I can take it.

I also blame fact, I have a awful sleep schedule. I just rely on the fact, at some point my ADD fades off a bit, Not sure what. Just I deal with it. Every few months I crash and will sleep an entire weekend. 

[Jean]

At bedtime, I take a muscle relaxer, some tonic water ( for cramps) and a Vicodin for the back. After that I could sleep thru the end of the world.

[alicatikins27]

 I've sleeping problems since my CKD was diagnosed back in '05, I tend to need the toilet more at night than in the day. I'm fed-up with being on the "night shift" but hey, my kidney is still working (Had a right nephrectomy '07)

[galvo]

I've sleeping problems since my CKD was diagnosed back in '05, I tend to need the toilet more at night than in the day. I'm fed-up with being on the "night shift" but hey, my kidney is still working (Had a right nephrectomy '07)

As long as that kidney keeps on keeping on! I can only dream about needing the toilet at night (or in the daytime, for that matter!).

[MooseMom]

Galvo, are you sleeping any better these days?

[galvo]

Hi! Mumsie! Yes, I am now sleeping the sleep of the just thanks to my developing peripheral neuropathy, which manifested itself in burning feet syndrome. Which is a fair cow! My Doc put me on a medication called LYRICA, one of the side effects of which is sleep, glorious sleep. One of the other side effects, however, is the possibility of suicide! You can't win 'em all!!

[Sugarlump]

Galvo the peripheral neuropathy problem I have in my feet makes them numb and cold!!! Do you reckon this is cause we at opposite ends of the earth???

[galvo]

Absolutely, Sugarlump!

[Grumpy-1]

Ah sleep - I surely wish I could get more than 3 hours at a time.  Will sleep for 2-3 hours and wake up.  Awake for anywhere between 1/2 hour to 2 hours and then can go back to sleep for another 3 hours.  But of course, during the week, it is 3 hours of seep, 2 hours awake and then time to get up for work.  As some point my body just says "I'm tired" and I'll end up taking a day off work just to sleep as much as I can.  Normally, I take two Aleve tablets before going to bed and that seems to help getting to sleep, but won't keep me asleep.  I also have some sleeping pills the Dr gave me but they don't work.   Grumpy

[justme15]

ive taken melatonin, benadryl, zzzquil (which I think is the same thing as benadryl), and none of them worked.  I finally broke down and asked my doc for sleeping pills and he prescribed 5 mg of Ambien.  Does not work for me.  I read the max dosage is 10 mg, so I took 10 mg last night.  my husband says I was 'acting crazy'.  I vaguely remember walking around (within the limits of my PD catheter), stumbling and being very off balance.  Needless to say, 10 mg didn't work either.  I don't know what to do about insomnia. it's very frustrating.  Kinda like Grumpy, I will fall asleep, then wake up 1/2 hr to an hour later and can't go back to sleep.

[Grumpy-1]

Yea My family Dr gave me Ambien too.  One tablet didn't work and two tablets gave me the same feeling as Justme15.  The best thing I have found for me is 2 tablet of Aleve.  Seems to calm me down enough to sleep.  But sill only 3 hours at a time.  I have had at times, sever leg pain and have taken some strong pain killers.  With those I could get 6 hours of GOOD sleep.  But don't want to depend on that as an every night thing.   Grumpy