I can't believe I'm going to share this but because I've shared it with pain management and the GP and not got any help or advice I'm going to go for it.

I have chronic pain from spinal and neurological problems and CRPS which is not well managed thanks to me being stuck on medications I am tolerant to, so sleep is very hard to achieve. Even with strict sleep "hygiene" practices, I am often awake til 4am. So sleep is already restricted to about 2-3 hours a night. Sometimes I'll get really lucky and have 4 hours but that's not common. Sometimes I will get a chance to catch up a little with a nap through the day (please don't tell me this won't help as I know that and have spent years not napping, but try not sleeping properly for 5 years straight lol) but more often I can't. This means I'm pretty knackered all the time obviously.

On top of that, what started as sporadic episodes of sleep paralysis when I was about 11 have now progressed, presumably from overtiredness, to up to 10 episodes a *night*. I get it while falling asleep mostly. I know to tell myself not to be frightened and to wait for it to pass, but that's easier said than done when you're half asleep, so after they pass I tend to spend another half an hour or so attempting not to go back to sleep. On the occasions where I get it from semi-waking up, I also have very vivid dreams that seem to be real in that they are always 'set' in my bed and within seemingly seconds of 'proper' sleep, (and this is the really embarrassing) I have orgasms - painful, nasty, not pleasant ones. These are particularly 'bad' on nights where my pain levels are particularly high and my sleep quality is at its worst. I would say those episodes are less frequent than the normal sleep paralysis but are still happening two or three times a week.

I've read up online and can't find anything about this other than "it happens", and nothing about the link to pain (which I'm certain is the issue) but this is literally making me want to stay awake more. It is so tiring. The only people I have shared this with other than my husband (GP and pain clinic) seem to think it's funny and don't see why I have a problem with it. My husband assures me I'm doing nothing in my sleep to bring it on (God this is embarrassing). The only advice I get sent away with is the sleep hygiene stuff that has made no difference because my pain hasn't been addressed and likely never will be (my pain doctor says if I'm tolerant to my buprenorphine patches I will automatically already be tolerant to all other opiates and just keep sending me home with them, my GP won't change my meds without the pain clinic or another hospital clinic giving guidance).

I was wondering if anyone else had experienced so much sleep paralysis that something "had to give"? And if so what their docs tried? Thanks. God I hope noone I know ever comes here.

I've had periods of time in my life when I've had a lot of sleep paralysis. It did seem like it was when I wasn't sleeping properly. I don't get them so much now that I am older. I sympathize with you. They are frightening and you can't reason your way out of the fear.

I do think that lack of sleep messes up our brains and that leads to lack of sleep and odd sleep disturbances. It's cyclical.

If you have chronic pain problems, I recommended the Institute for Neuropathic Pain's website. They are in the Netherlands. I use a supplement called PeaPure from the Netherlands when my neuropathic pain flares up. My pain used to be constant and terrible, but now is under control and tolerable (mostly).

Have you had genetic testing to see if you are deficient in enzymes? Certain people don't get much pain relief from certain opiates because they are low on the enzymes needed to convert them to their pain-killing metabolites. I had this done recently and found I had 2 non-funcitoing alleles of a certain gene and got a list of opiates (and other meds) to avoid.

Finally, have you tried a sleep medication? Perhaps if you even took one for a week or so and got some real rest, your body would be able to begin to do some healing. Lack of sleep could be messing you up as much as any of your other problems. I've been there. I reluctantly began to take a sleep medication about a month ago. Yes, there are side effects, but I was amazed the difference the sleep made to my mental and physical wellbeing. The side effects are trivial compared to the relief of getting sleep. And you may find your paralysis improves as your body gets the rest it is crying out for.

Best Wishes