[AppleTree]

This has been going on for at least 2-3 years and seems to be getting worse as time goes by. I go to bed between 9-10, read for a bit and fall asleep without any problem. Then anywhere from 2-3 hours later I am wide awake, feeling as if I have had a full nights sleep. Sometimes I'm able to go back to sleep on my own after an hour or two, sometimes I take a valium, sometimes that's it for the night. Being that I have to get up at 5:00 for work, I rarely get more than 5 hours. Even on weekends I sleep poorly and am up early.

I have always been one to need 8-9 hours so when this first started it was very hard on me when I didn't get at least 7 hours. And when it started it was just a now and then thing. Now it is happening maybe 5 nights a week and my body seems to have adjusted. I certainly don't feel super great but I manage to make it through the day without feeling like I am going to fall asleep any second. So while I don't feel that terrible I seem to have aged 10years in the last one, I look horrible, drawn, baggy eyes, my body aches and I am severely depressed.

I'm following all the "get a good night's sleep" rules - I don't drink any coffee, tea, soda, alcohol, eat very little chocolate (in fact overall I eat very healthy), no electronics in the bedroom, no heavy execise before bed, my bed is comfy, the room temperature is 62, it's quiet and dark. As I'm reading in bed I'm so tired I tell myself there is no way I won't sleep through the night, but 3 hours later I'm wide awake. I try deep, slow breathing, relaxing my body bit by bit, magnesium, counting backwards, going through the alphabet listing foods, names, etc, nothing works.

I've talked to the doctor, all he wants to do is give me a prescription for ambien. I don't want it and try so hard to stay away from the 2.5 mgs of valium I take, but when I'm heading for my 3rd night of 3 hours of sleep I have to take something (and benadryl is out as that has the opposite effect on me). And I'm really not interested in taking meds, I just want to be able to sleep like I used to without taking something.

Can anyone relate, has anyone here had it this bed and found a way to recover?

[tnthomas]

Yes, I do know what you're going through; after being treated with Interferon for Hepatitis C my whole being has changed. I feel like there is damage throughout my CNS; in fact I do have damage to my right optic nerve.

Anyway, up until recently I had been using Trazodone , which works as good as Ambien but is much easier to walk away from.

I no longer use prescription meds for sleep, but I do use melatonin(3mg) with good result.

[caroline2]

I have my sleep remedy posted here. You might want to consider part of what I use. Maybe even take a Calms Forte' before going to sleep, taking one when you wake up and can't get back to sleep. I sleep pretty good all in all but I do use my combo I've worked up.

[bluesfan]

Hi AppleTree

A few suggestions to help find the cause of the problem:

I've read many people have a drop in blood sugar during the night which can cause them to wake. Having some form of protein (eg a hard boiled egg or some yoghurt etc) just before going to bed can help sustain the blood sugar level through the night.

Another cause of waking and not being able to get back to sleep may be low cortisol levels - have you had this tested?

Also disturbed sleep is frequent among those who have Fibromyalgia (and other conditions). It is cause by Alpha Waves interrupting the deep sleep cycle.
I don't understand it fully but if you search "alpha intrusion sleep disorder" you may come across some info that helps.

All the best finding solutions.

[AppleTree]

Caroline, thanks for your response. I took a look at your sleep rememdy. I've thought of trying melatonin before and just happened to buy a bottle of it at the pharmacy this morning. I'm a little nervous about side effects though, actually a lot nervous!!

As I said before I cannot take benadryl for sleep as it has the total opposite effect one me. Usually that is, because once in a while it will make me sleepy. Once I was given a low does of nortryptilene (sp?) as an migraine preventaive. This drug is known for it's sleepy effect and for the one month I took it I experienced the worst insomnia ever. Very similar to what I am going through now - no problem falling asleep but then waking sometime between 12-2 and that was it for the night. Within 3-4 days of stopping my sleep was back to normal. I also have a past history of severe vertigo attacks and am hesitant to try any drugs for fear that will bring the condition back.

I've never heard of Inositol, I just did a quick search on it. Is this an OTC supplement?

I woke up at 2 AM this morning and that was it until I took a two hour nap at 11 AM, thank God it's a Saturday cause I sure can't do that during the week.

Are negative side effets common with melatonin?

[Lara]

Hi Appletree,

I remember your first posts on the forum with the problem with gagging... did that ever resolve or do you still have those issues?

Have you ever had a sleep study?

[AppleTree]

Originally Posted by bluesfan

Hi AppleTree

A few suggestions to help find the cause of the problem:

I've read many people have a drop in blood sugar during the night which can cause them to wake. Having some form of protein (eg a hard boiled egg or some yoghurt etc) just before going to bed can help sustain the blood sugar level through the night.

Another cause of waking and not being able to get back to sleep may be low cortisol levels - have you had this tested?

Also disturbed sleep is frequent among those who have Fibromyalgia (and other conditions). It is cause by Alpha Waves interrupting the deep sleep cycle.
I don't understand it fully but if you search "alpha intrusion sleep disorder" you may come across some info that helps.

All the best finding solutions.

Hey Bluesfan - thank you so much for the suggestions/ideas. This is what I am looking for - real causes for this problem. I have never had my cortisol level checked. However, last year I was told by a chiropractor that I have adrenal fatigue. This would cause low cortisol, wouldn't it? I'm also very aware that adrenal fatigue is one of those "diseases" that "real doctors" don't recognize, so I'm not sure how much faith I can give to that diagnose. I will say however if arenal fatigue is real I probably have it because I have had a series of very, very stressful events happen over the last 3-5 years and I have just about every symptom of it.

Alpha wave interruping the deep sleep cycle - I haven't heard of this but sounds interesting. I will do a search to learn more.

I hope my sleep is better tonight. I'm so darn tired right now I feel like I could sleep for hours. Not sure if I'll try the melatonin or not. I wish I could beat this without drugs of any kind.

[AppleTree]

Originally Posted by Lara

Hi Appletree,

I remember your first posts on the forum with the problem with gagging... did that ever resolve or do you still have those issues?

Have you ever had a sleep study?

Lara - the gagging/dysphagia/esophageal whatever it is - they are all still unresolved problems. I don't know - maybe they and my insomnia are all somehow related. I'm more or less trying to live with the dysphagia/gagging. The doctors are stumped, I saw my neurologist earlier this month for a 6 month check up and all he can say is it's very unusual. My GI doctor thinks it's MS but the MRI was clear. My PCP says give it a while and if the symptoms get worse he'll be better able to know what next step to take. Meanwhile I'm scared it's ALS because the best they can say is it probably isn't. Since it's not terribly worse than a year ago I hoping for the best.

No, I've never had a sleep study, and have just started to consider going to a sleep clinic to get some help with this. Do you think a study would be helpful? I'm not all that familiar with them and what exactly they show. I guess that's another thing I'll have to do a bit more research on.

[AppleTree]

Originally Posted by tnthomas

Yes, I do know what you're going through; after being treated with Interferon for Hepatitis C my whole being has changed. I feel like there is damage throughout my CNS; in fact I do have damage to my right optic nerve.

Anyway, up until recently I had been using Trazodone , which works as good as Ambien but is much easier to walk away from.

I no longer use prescription meds for sleep, but I do use melatonin(3mg) with good result.

Thank you ththomas. I don't think I want to try Trazodone right now, like I said in another post I seem to have a problem with things that are supposed to make me sleepy. But I am willing to give the mealatonin a try. Have you had any negative side effects with this?

[Lara]

Maybe the gagging problem is connected? It was just a thought. I'm sorry you're still getting no answers. That's hard. Maybe if you had a sleep study then they might pick up on something that's waking you up at night.
You can't go on without sleep. In the meantime try some of the remedies. I've never used Melatonin myself but some find it helpful. Inositol makes me less anxious but it doesn't help me sleep as such. I do use Tryptophan from time to time but not that often. Only when really needed. It knocks me out really well. I also get restless legs at night, and have done all my life, so extra magnesium helps with that.

Unfortunately it's all trial and error a lot of the time. Check out bluesfan's post too about the blood sugar levels and cortisol.

p.s. You don't have gastic reflux do you??