Inability to sleep during a bout of cold and fear of relapse

[EquineBeauty]

Hello all, just wanted to post on here more as a PSA (public service announcement.)

From reading many of your stories (thank you all for those that have so generously shared their very personal experiences) - it seems that a lot of women who did go on to have a relapse that it was connected to lack of sleep during some stressful circumstances that prevents sleep: like a death in the family or a very bad case of the flu and coughing which prevented you from sleeping. I recently caught strep throat as well as some other viral infection and my throat was on fire, I had very high fevers for 3 days and was struggling to sleep. I was basically drinking medicines every 4 hours for the fevers and managed to get some sleep in between. Then on day 3 the cough started. It seemed every 2 minutes I was coughing and that night I didn’t sleep at all. Not 1 minute. I began to worry. So I called my psychiatrist right away and she was concerned as well so she actually prescribed me Ambien (sleep medication). I then asked my doctors for a strong cough prescription. (I’m on anti depressant and a mood stabilizer still so some cough medications are incompatible with those). So last night I finally fell asleep. I still woke up because of heavy coughing bouts but gladly I went back to sleep. So I think a crisis might have been averted. My sweet husband has been taking care of our 1 year old who is also sick this whole week. But I think now we are all on the mend.

Anyway - I just wanted to say on here that for all of us who have experienced PPP - if you have an event in your life that is preventing you from sleeping don’t let it go for too long. Reach out to your doctor and seek help. May be they will prescribe a sleep aid or may be something else but it’s better to be monitored by the medical team.

Take care everyone and Happy soon to be Holidays to all!

[Jenny_at_APP Partner]

Hello EquineBeauty,

Thank you for sharing this - you're right, sleep is so important and I'm glad you reached out and got some support from your psychiatrist and doctor to help you rest.

It sounds like you've been having a horrible time of illness - I hope you and your family are feeling much better very soon and you have a healthy household in time for Christmas!

Best wishes,

Jenny x

[EquineBeauty in reply to Jenny_at_APP]

Thank you Jenny. Yea I’m having the most horrible cough I’ve ever had in my life. I have no idea where this is from. It’s on top of the strep throat I also am taking antibiotics for. (My daughter just started daycare so I think she is bringing all sorts of things into the house. She was sick last week but is now better.) So last night, (the 2nd night) even with the Ambien - the cough would not let me sleep! 😨 I believe I finally dozed off around 4:00am (as that is the last time I checked the watch) and then woke up at 8am bc my daughter woke up. I just placed another call to my psychiatrist to see if it’s a good idea if I should go back on a low dose of antipsychotic again for a short while until I’m done with this virus/infection. Waiting to hear back. This is so frustrating. I can’t believe none of the medicines are working and even the Ambien stopped working. It worked the first night. But now the cough is worse. It’s making me gag and gasp for air.

I’m also going to go back to the Urgent Care and see if they prescribe anything else for the cough. 😔 God I hope this gets better soon.

[Jenny_at_APP Partner in reply to EquineBeauty]

Oh you poor thing, that sounds awful I hope urgent care can help and that your psychiatrist gets back to you soon. It’s one thing after the other when they start nursery, I wish they wouldn’t share their germs with us so readily!

You take care and I hope your cough is under control soon and you can get some rest. Take it easy and try to rest in the day too whenever you get the opportunity.

Best wishes,

Jenny x

[EquineBeauty in reply to Jenny_at_APP]

Thank you Jenny 🙏🏻

[EquineBeauty]

So update: the cough is so bad that even the Ambien isn’t working any longer to help me sleep. Cough is keeping me up all night every night. I placed another call to my psychiatrist and she actually started me on a low dose of Olanzapine (5mg) as a preventative just for a few weeks until I get over this virus. Sigh. I don’t want to make this into a habit but I’m too nervous I’ll relapse due to cumulative lack of sleep. Hopefully in a week I can go on 2.5mg and then come off again completely.

[Maria_at_APP Moderator in reply to EquineBeauty]

Hello EquineBeauty,

I am sorry to hear that the coughing is keeping you up all night. Have the antibiotics been helping? It is good that you had a call with the psychiatrist and that she was happy to start you on a low dose of Olanzapine. Hope that tonight it gets more easy and that you are able to sleep for a few hours. I can understand your anguish, do reach out when you need help as you have been doing. Hoping your cough gets better very soon

Maria

[EquineBeauty in reply to Maria_at_APP]

Thank you Maria;

Yea they gave me a different antibiotic and a steroid. So hopefully this cough subsides soon. But I’m happy to be on Olanzapine short term as I battle this. Psychosis is one less thing I have to worry about.

I am starting to feel a tiny bit better today, so hopefully that trend continues tonight and I’ll be able to get some sleep.

Have a great weekend 🤗

[Maria_at_APP Moderator in reply to EquineBeauty]

Hi EquineBeauty,

I hope last night was better in terms of sleep and that you improve very soon. Take good care

[EquineBeauty in reply to Maria_at_APP]

Thank you! I’m on the mend finally. 🤗 hugs