I am taking Keppra, about the same as you are. One side effect is drowsiness at times. I am also on Lamictal. At times I am the same as you are on sleeping, usually I lay there and try to relax even more, most of the time it seems to work. I to sometimes sweat in the night, my husband (a nurse) says it could be my blood count.

Try drinking some hot herbal tea (caffeine Fee) it seems to relax a person with sleeping problems. We get it at the store under tea aisle, it is under Celestial Seasoning.

At my sleeping test the tech said using music doesn't help, but I too like the music. What they do say is sleep under a fan hitting you face.

The reason I had the test done is I stopped breathing as I was snoring at night, the doctor tested me at is was positive. Two years later I have been tested again and I still have it as bad.

Hopefully you can find out a solution to your situation soon. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Darlene

I'm sorry, Darlene, could you please clarify that?

Doc

Thank you for letting me know, I corrected it.

Darlene

Thanks, that's interesting. I can remember falling asleep under a tree with a light summer breeze on me in days gone by. I occasionally sleep with a fan on me now to help with night sweats, but my c-pap mask covers so much I doubt enough breeze gets to my face!

This won't help everyone, but one thing that can knock me out really fast (usually under 5 minutes now) is some kind of massage or other physical stimulation (vibration, rocking, whatever). It only needs to be a small contact point/area on a hand, arm, foot, leg... I would guess it's from some kind of release of endorphins combined with a type of self-hypnosis. It began when my wife tried to help alleviate headaches or other pain by massage, which gave me something to focus intently (and intensely) on & hence bypass the pain signal. Over time (practice) very little is required. If we're lying in bed she can just rub my forearm with her thumb for a few minutes and I'm out cold. Touching the fan with my foot or resting my hand on the c-pap (vibration) can do the same thing (but there's a lot to be said for the human contact).

HTH,

Doc

i find that apnea is nearly nonexistent when i sleep on my side. so sleeping on your side during might give a false impression to the sleep lab. i also have the drooling. i recommend washing your pillow often for that.

i can tell when i have rolled over on my back because i wake myself up with a loud snore and a headache.

That may depend on the type of apnea (central, obstructive or complex). Position does have an effect, but they want you to sleep as close to your normal pattern as possible, so if that includes sleeping on your side, so be it.

My wife & I both had two go-arounds with the sleep lab - once preliminary, and once with a trial c-pap. Each time they told both of us to sleep however we normally do, which makes sense. I couldn't the second time, but the way they conducted the whole test was so unscientific and with so many variables that it was a joke. They didn't seem to care. I was tempted to write about it, but to what end/purpose?

They still dxed us both with apneas sufficient to warrant c-paps.

Doc