Trouble sleeping again
 

I wonder if the trouble with falling asleep is somehow my body having a fear of losing consciousness again?

Since my accident back in March (where I blacked out for several seconds after being smacked in the head by my horse's passing hoof) I cannot fall asleep unless medicated or until I pass out from being exhausted.

Tonite, I finally started to fall asleep and a short few minutes later I woke up with a jolt from dreaming that I got kicked in the head. I have not had this experience before, but did not take any meds tonite. I guess I should give up the hope it can be done without meds anymore.

Could this also be a small indication of PTSD that I wasn't yet aware of?

Can anyone relate?

I can relate but I would suggest you not try to put a PTSD label on it.

I find I fall asleep best by occupying my mind with something comforting or mundane. Good music or a TV show that is not over-stimulating helps me.

I usually fall asleep watching TV then wake up shortly after and go to bed. I do not do well going to bed and then trying to fall asleep. The music I like to go to sleep to is so repetitively annoying to my wife that I can't use it in the bedroom. Besides, my body's antics as I fall asleep keep her awake.

Sleep specialists suggest not going to bed until you are ready to fall asleep within a few minutes. We can only hope to achieve this ability without taking extra measures.

My Neurontin (gabapentin) helps my mind relax. Otherwise, it can get started with racing thoughts.

I definitely know how you feel. Sleep has been a big struggle for me for a decade. Oddly, no matter what time I finally fall asleep, I usually still wake naturally between 7 and 8, sometimes just a bit later. I can be up until 3 AM and still wake at 7:45.

My best to you.

Funny you should say that last part...I finally fell asleep close to 4am and woke up close to 7:45am!

At least we can all learn from your trials and tribulations while finding your way through this.

My Dr. prescribed Clonazepam .25mg for me before bed. I haven't taken it, but am considering trying it for tonite. I've been getting sick too much from not getting proper rest, not to mention the brain stuff slows down again too. I'm only to take it as needed, not necessarily every day...in your experience, is this a bad thing for the recovering PCS brain?

I was on Klonopin (brand name for clonazepam). It left me too sleepy during the day. Clonazepam has a half life of 35 hours. That means that 35 hours after taking it, 50% of the dose will still be in your system.

I was switched to Neurontin from Klonopin. Neurontin has an 8 hour half life. Most of it has cleared the system by morning.

Even at .25 mgs, Klonopin will build up in your system over time to give you the effect of taking 3 to 4 times as much. This will become your all day blood levels.

I just found a spread sheet for extending the half-life of drugs. At .25 mgs each night, by day 7 you will have reached close to average blood levels of .67 mgs. Your peak levels will be even higher to .92 mgs right after dosing. .67 mgs will be your blood concentration for as long as you continue taking the Klonopin.

As a comparison, 600 mgs of Neurontin with an 8 hour half life will never get to a blood concentration above 600 mgs.

So, taking Klonopin as needed will be a tough regimen. You will need to count back to know how much you still have in your system.

Plus, the consequences from long term use of Klonopin are not favorable for someone with PCS.

You might ask your doctor or pharmacist if there is something with a much shorter half life. You do want to be awake for part of the day.

Now, I have probably confused you to no end. Sorry. I tend to get deep into understanding a subject.

My best to you.

I have also been prescribed Klonopin, taking 1 mg a night, to try and get some sleep, but unfortunately my body still decides when it wants to go to sleep. I have found the same problem sleeping as Mark describes...I typically don't fall asleep until around 3 or 4 and I am up by 8 am no matter what, and during that time I still sleep very lightly and wake up at least once an hour abruptly. Usually after a week or so of only sleeping a few hours a night my body finally "crashes" and I get around 6 hours of somewhat uninterrupted sleep. I also want to thank Mark for the education on the half life of this sleeping aid. I am definitely going to discuss this with my doctor.

I have a harder time sleeping too which is why I'm up right now. I also keep having reoccurring dreams of not being able to breathe and suffocating in my pillow.

I've also been prescribed Clonazepam from my doctor who thinks that I have Anxiety. My neurologist diagnosed my condition as having Anxiety so now every doctor thinks I have it too. I thought about taking it today but I felt uneasy about it.

Well, at least I'm not up alone apparently! Mark, thanks for the info on half life etc. I like the in depth information too. I was offered the choice of ambien or klonopin by my gp after that awful "sleep" study. I haven't dared take the klonopin yet, but my sleep is so bad, I might give it a shot for one night....still pondering it. The lack of sleep is making my PCS symptoms worse...I actually completely forgot an acupuncture appt today, which I have not done yet since this whole thing started. Hope I remember to go tomorrow!

I cannot sleep either...and a young girl I know (16) told her mom the same thing with her concussion ...only lasted 3 weeks though

I take benedryl every night so I can sleep. Most nights I get about 6 hours. I don't do much to exhaust myself during the day, so I'm assuming thats part of the problem.

I also think that my brain is racing ...and I notice the more I do during the day (if I wind up with the whopper headache)...the less i sleep that night even though I need MORE sleep!

Try benedryl an hr before bed.

The Benadryl sounds better than the clonazepam. Benadryl (Diphenhydramine) has a half life of about 8 hours. For some it is 10 or 11 and others it is as low at 6. So, it should be at low blood concentration by morning.

worstislucky, Have you had a sleep study? Your dreams could be your brain reacting to you stopping breathing during your sleep.

aggie teacher, Does the clonazepam leave you sleepy during the day? It made my days miserable with constant sleepiness.

My Neurontin works well for me. The other night, I forgot to take it until about 2:00 AM. I then took it and was able to go to sleep within a hour.

My best you you all.

what's neurontin for? My dr gave it to me initially..but I didn't use it long as I never saw a difference from it.

what dose...I remember the pharmasist saying it was the lowest possible dose and that's why it didn't work

I am sleep disordered and I have learned many techniques to help me get the rest I am in need of. First off many people have OSA and are not even aware of it. If you are taking any kind of medicines that have a relaxing effect on muscles it can contribute to the airway relaxing and becomming obstructed. That will give you the sensation of soffocating. A sleep study might be in order if you snore or have this sensation or if you find yourself waking up frequently during the night. Also if you seem to sleep for a good bit of time but do not wake up rrefeshed.

Aside from my Cpap I also meditate daily. I keep my room as dark as possible (you can also use a sleep mask), Keeping the room cooler at around 65-68 degrees is ideal. Try not to nap more than 20 minutes a day and not after 4pm.

There are natural sleep aids such as melatonin or tryptophan or valarian root that can be used alone or together to help promote sleep but make sure to check with your doctor and/or pharmasist before using any of them. A ritual before bed is a good idea as are set bed times and wake up times.

For anyone interested there is an online site for sleep disorders called Talkaboutsleep.com.

Klonopin
 

I am exhausted during the day. I am now up to 2mg a night to get to sleep, but then I'm completely out of it all day long. I feel like a zombie. I have tried not taking this, but it is the only thing allowing me to get some sleep. The doctors just keep telling me you are tired all day because you haven't slept in months and your body just needs to catch up on sleep...once you catch up you will be fine. I have not found this to be the case yet. I'm usually scared to drvie because my reaction time is slower and I don't feel like putting myself in more danger. Hopefully new Drs will have new advice. Thanks for the advice on the half life. I still don't like taking the Klonopin, but I DO like sleep. I also don't like that it is a Benzo which is very addicting. I just don't know what else to do.