Can't SLEEP!!

[angieskidney]

I had gotten to the point where I was waking every hour.  I wouldn't stay awake, just come awake, look at my watch, then go back to sleep again.  I didn't like it since I felt that somehow, it wasn't the best for my body.  But that seemed to have been a phase.  Since last week, I have been sleeping through until morning.  Sometimes I wake (like now), come out and read my emails, post on IHD, etc. and then return to bed and complete my night's sleep.  But I really feel better not waking every hour, as I was doing.

lol ya that is what i was doing (people noticed I was on here a lot more and posting more since I was bored yet couldn't sleep) but ever since I stopped taking my RLS pills I find I sleep more hours in a rown before I wake. Has anyone else ever had that happen?

[Ken Shelmerdine]

Four weeks ago I found out what RLS is like and boy did I find out. I've never experienced anything like this, I used to be able to sleep anywhere any time in fact if ever I was bored with nothing to do, I could sleep just to pass the time.  This has been an absolute nightmare (for reel) I hook up, get to bed, feel  real comforable for about half an hour, then, it starts and within another half an hour I'm doing an Irish Jig. This would last about four hours and then I'd eventually get to sleep. If I were to wake up I could still get back to sleep again no problem but it's just the initial getting off to sleep bit that takes forever.

After two weeks my GP prescribed Clonazapam which seemed to improve things but after about six nights I had to stop taking them because they made me feel sleepy in late afternoons and I have to drive to and from work. After another week of nocturnal dancing for Gt Britain my GP prescribed Zopiclone and ah.......Heaven. I've slept like a baby for the last two nights. I have to take them for a week and then gradually ween myself off them. Whether the problem will return once I stop taking them is anybody's guess but at the moment..mmmmmmm.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[lamillinger913]

Thank God for you guys ... I thought it was just me! 

I took Temazepam for a while, but then the doc wouldn't refill the scrip and suggested I take Benadryl an hour before bedtime. That worked OK for a while, but sometimes it would have the opposite effect and I would wake up after about an hour, feeling totally hyper! I quit that.

Most nights now I sleep pretty well. (Maybe getting a new mattress helped!) When I can't sleep, I do like you guys ... go on the computer for a while, maybe read a few of my favorite blogs. Sometimes taking a couple regular Tylenol will help me relax enough to go back to sleep.

Fortunately, my husband's a pretty sound sleeper, so it doesn't seem to keep him up. At least it seems from his snoring that he's sleeping just fine!

[thegrammalady]

After two weeks my GP prescribed Clonazapam ...............................................

 

clonazzapam is a drug used to control seizures. my son has taken it for years. and yes the major side effect is sleepiness. but i have never heard of someone taking it to make them sleep.






EDITED: Fixed quote tag error - Sluff, Moderator

[angieskidney]

my GP prescribed Zopiclone and ah.......Heaven. I've slept like a baby for the last two nights. I have to take them for a week and then gradually ween myself off them. Whether the problem will return once I stop taking them is anybody's guess but at the moment..mmmmmmm.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

I thought anything taken for RLS was to be taken all the time and not be weened off.

It seems like in Canada they only give you either Mirapex (Pramipexole) or Levocarb (Carbidop). I wish their were more options here for RLS treatment.

First time I had symptoms of RLS was when I first was on dialysis back when I was 16 and the hospital was paying for my mom and I to stay at a hotel because we were from out of town. My mom and I stayed in the same room and she was getting annoyed because she could hear me constantly moving my legs about and she yelled at me to stop it.

[thegrammalady]

Clonazepam (generic for Klonopin) is used alone or along with other medications to treat convulsive disorders such as epilepsy. It is also prescribed for panic disorder--unexpected attacks of overwhelming panic accompanied by fear of recurrence. Clonazepam anti-anxiety medication belongs to a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines.

If you stop taking drugs of this type they must be weaned off.

[angieskidney]

Clonazepam (generic for Klonopin) is used alone or along with other medications to treat convulsive disorders such as epilepsy. It is also prescribed for panic disorder--unexpected attacks of overwhelming panic accompanied by fear of recurrence. Clonazepam anti-anxiety medication belongs to a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines.

If you stop taking drugs of this type they must be weaned off.

That is not what I meant. I meant that I thought anyone would have to keep taking the RLS pills or else the effects of RLS would come back.

[Ken Shelmerdine]

 

I thought anything taken for RLS was to be taken all the time and not be weened off.

It seems like in Canada they only give you either Mirapex (Pramipexole) or Levocarb (Carbidop). I wish their were more options here for RLS treatment.

Angie I'm not absolutely sure but I think sleeping pills are thought of diifferently beacause taken over a long period I think your body gets neutralised to them and then you have to have stronger and stronger doses. The two drugs that you mentioned Pramipexole and Carbidop, did they cause any daytime drowsiness, and how well did they work, if at all?





EDITED: Fixed quote tag error and removed double post at posters request - Sluff, Moderator

[Ken Shelmerdine]

Sorry for the above balls up but I can't seem to get my post out of the quote. Epoman is there a way you can just completely delete a post you've just done and start again?

[angieskidney]

Angie I'm not absolutely sure but I think sleeping pills are thought of diifferently beacause taken over a long period I think your body gets neutralised to them and then you have to have stronger and stronger doses. The two drugs that you mentioned Pramipexole and Carbidop, did they cause any daytime drowsiness, and how well did they work, if at all.

Well the Mirapex did leave me drowsey but the other one didn't at all.








pssst... btw, to get your post out of the quote ... make sure you are typing under or above the whole quote codes .. go as far down in that edit window or as far up as possible

[billoggblog]

I am on the HOME CHOICE PRO from Baxter's, at-least with this machine I can dis-connect between sessions, (one & a half hours) get up out of bed and go onto the web, (usually IHD) this is always worth a look in the middle of the night!

I also like borrow audio books form the library, I download these onto my MP3 player and when I cant sleep I lie back and listen, you can switch off the light, close your eyes and relax, and, if you fall asleep it's a bonus!!

[angieskidney]

When I was on CCPD (Fresenius IQ) I had my computer in the bedroom so I wouldn't even have to disconnect. If I woke up I would hop onto the computer .. and guess where I used to go?? (How else did you think my post count got so high? lol .. LACK OF SLEEP  lol  )

[kitkatz]

I have been asked if I have trouble sleeping by the dialysis unit nurses.  I don't.  One of them told me it is probably because I am still working and I wear my self out pretty well, so I sleep like a rock.  Thank goodness.  On vacations I sure can tell the difference between the sleep I get then and when I am working. 

[jbeany]

kitkat, you have to see the difference between a lack of sleeping problems and collapsing in complete exhaustion. . .   

[kitkatz]

Do I know the difference?  Collapsing in complete exhaustion sound like what I do , especially three days a week after dialysis.  MWF are very long days.

[angieskidney]

I found that I slept better on nightly CCPD then I do on 3 day a week HD

[lamillinger913]

I guess I'm kind of "lucky" in that my dialysis time is 5:30 p.m. So I am usually home about 9 or 9:30 and there is very little to do then except veg in front of the tube and go to bed. And snack. I'm always STARVED when I get home from dialysis.

But sometimes I wake up after sleeping for an hour or so. Then it can be very difficult to go back to sleep. Sometimes taking a couple Tylenol helps.

[bluedove57]

Hey Rerun, sounds like you have restless body and leg syndrom. I was given .05mg of klonopin for that. Now I sleep and don't jump all over the place. Works for my. Talk to your nephrologist. They are the ones that told me most dialysis patients have this. Good luck.

[shay_pcb]

I just asked my doctor today about something to help me sleep. I sleep fine after I fall asleep, but I have a hard time going to sleep. I'm on CCPD, dry during the day. When I hook up and fill, it makes my back hurt and makes me uncomfortable, so I toss and turn all night until I'm just too tired to stay up any longer. Then I fall asleep and sleep all the next day. My sleeping habits are so screwed up...I finally fall asleep about 4 or 5 AM, then wake up at 1 or 2 pm. I hate that bc I live at the beach...it takes away from the time I could be outside.

Anyway, my dr told me to try some over-the-counter stuff, so I'll buy some tomorrow. Hopefully it'll help! BTW, what's this RLS?? Is taht why I can't get comfortable at night? Did I mention I also have a blood clot in my leg that almost completely cuts off the blood flow to my leg?? That probably has something to do with it...

[glitter]

I finally fall asleep about 4 or 5 AM, then wake up at 1 or 2 pm.

it sounds like you need to re-set your body clock...What if you set your alarm for 8am,then got up and made yourself  stay awake all day-maybe you could fall asleep earlier? I have been sleeping too late too,but I am sleeping too much-usually 10-12 hours although one day last week I did 15...and I don't have ESRD.,I am just so tired.

[shay_pcb]

Yeah, that's probably part of it too. But sometimes I am SO tired, so I try to go to bed early but all I do is toss and turn. There have been a few nights that I didn't sleep at all until 8 or 9 the next day. Last night I only got 6 hours. When I told my dietician, she said that it may be stress keeping me awake. Makes sense bc I've been stressed out about school, my website, and I cook and clean all the time and run errands all day. It does get stressful!! lol But I know that's just part of growing up!!

[Alisa]

I didn't know that there were more of me. It is like all of the posts were telling my story. I can't sleep stary asleep at night and during the day i want to nap but get flack from my parents they think if i nap during the day i won't sleep during the night, they just don't get it but it was sure nice to see that I am not alone. I am still trying all sorts of sleep medication but it really seems one day is different from the other.

[angieskidney]

I think that Shay is just having trouble sleeping from not being used to the type of dialysis she is on and it making her back hurt and her fel uncomfortable. Give it time. It gets better.

As for what RLS is, it is Restless Leg Syndrome.

I found this interesting:

In all patients, RLS symptoms disappeared within 1 to 21 days after transplantation.

Here are more good links!:

• http://www.sleepdisordersguide.com/restless-leg-syndrome-causes.html
• http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000701/108.html
• http://health.howstuffworks.com/home-remedies-for-restless-legs-syndrome.htm

[Ken Shelmerdine]

Angie I'm not absolutely sure but I think sleeping pills are thought of diifferently beacause taken over a long period I think your body gets neutralised to them and then you have to have stronger and stronger doses. The two drugs that you mentioned Pramipexole and Carbidop, did they cause any daytime drowsiness, and how well did they work, if at all.

Well the Mirapex did leave me drowsey but the other one didn't at all.








pssst... btw, to get your post out of the quote ... make sure you are typing under or above the whole quote codes .. go as far down in that edit window or as far up as possible

Thanks Angie.

[kitkatz]

Naps are good for you. Research is showing that an hour long nap can be a power up through the rest of the day.  However when I take a dialysis tired nap it can be three hous long, so that is not really a power nap, more like a really hard snooze.  The I am up later and sleep less at night.  This causes tired all of the time.    But then I AM tired all of the time.