Hi, zorro
We're about the same age-I'm 53, and I've got to tell you that I was the club treasurer. I stopped after Mel died due to lack of inventory and lack of funds, so I am very experienced.
I would only have minor relief of neuropathy pain and not enough to cut down on my meds. Was probably the relaxation that caused some relief. I am glad that it is working for you-just be careful.

I want to thank every one for their input on this subject. I have been thinking very hard thru my gabapentin fog about this and have remembered that when I first became sick with both the RA and SFN at the same time, while I was still working, I would come home and immediately go to bed for the night and sleep all the way thru the alarm clock. On the weekends, I would sleep at least 18 hours a day. After I went on disability, I would sleep 18 or more hours each day, except for doctor appointment days, to which my husband would drag me to. I now believe all this sleeping stopped after my RA went into remission. Then started the 2 hr sleeping problem. It was not due to neuropathy pain as the pain was controllable (though not gone) by the time I went to bed due to lots of meds and supplements and epsom salts soaks. Pain was never enough to keep me from falling asleep or to wake me up after I was asleep. When I had a case of viral arthritis (rheumatoid factor negative at that time) in 2002, I recall all I did was sleep for 6 weeks until it ran its course. I have not read or heard about SFN keeping you from sleeping unless it was due to high pain level. I am wondering, is there any connection between just having PN and not being able to stay asleep at night? Has anyone heard anything?

I used to take Tramadol/Elavil and it would give me sleep apnea, so I started taking it before noon... I suddenly stopped waking up in the middle of the night out of breath... A lot of these meds have stimulant ingredients in them... Read the labels. I hope this helped.

Dear Inkn,
Thank you for your response. My neuro is weaning me off Effexor. Now taking 37.5 mg twice a day. He started me on Elavil at 25 mg at night. Apparently he is now admitting that effexor too stimulating for me and may be major contributor to my sleep problems. Now I take elavil at bedtime and when I wake up in middle of night, then take restoril. Ambien has interactions with elavil as does tramadol, advil and NSAIDS, Alprozolam (for anxiety), Ambien, thyroid supplements, and of course does the effexor.
I am now taking lortab for break thru pain (as tramadol was not helping anymore anyway). I am to stay on my levoxyl 150 mcg and my weaning dose of effexor 37.5mg twice instead of 3 times per day and to watch carefully for any problems. I had added stressor of my sister dying right now from brain cancer.
I brought with me to the office visit a copy of the Psych Central article "Antidepressant Elavil Impersonates Brain's Growth Factors". When I explained to him why I wanted to change to Elavil, he said oh really? and wanted to see the article. He agreed 100% to try this angle for my neuropathy care. (I cannot believe he did not know of this).
At least he takes my research on everything sfn into consideration. Here's to hoping this change will help me sleep better.

Guess who is going to have to up my Elavil (amitriptyline) from 25 to 50 mg?
I still wake up after 2 hours or less. Taking the Restoril after I wake up is doing no good. I don't get drowsy enough to go back to sleep. But, it makes me drowsy like crazy during the day.
So, I stopped taking the restoril and still feel drowsy during the day later on.
I am soooooooo tired now. Any suggestions?
Also noticed I sent my previous post just a few hours before my sister did die.