is sleep too much to ask ?: hi guys u... - Asthma Community ...

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is sleep too much to ask ?

49 Replies

hi guys

u are probably sick of me waffling on bout recent events so i wont explain again, but am not sleeping at all. driving me crazily insane..... last proper night sleep i had was before this recent spell 6 weeks ago. yet again last night, or should i say this morning only managed 2.5 hrs between around 715 - 945 am otherwise bright as a button. couldnt even manage a nap in front of tv :( gonna try to see if i can nap now before casualty :P

not sure if it is a mix of coughing, pain or steroids keeping me awake, who knows ?

either way am exhausted, scared that eventually i will fall asleep through sheer exhaustion and not wake up from an attack... :(

any tips on helping me sleep ? tried the usual lights off, and soothing music and lavender relaxing bath and tried radox bath also :) bath was relaxing and helped with pain but not sleep.

i just want to sleep, is it too much to ask ?

x x x

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49 Replies

Hi Snowygirl,

oooh sounds nasty. I hate not being able to sleep and while I've never worked out a foolproof way round when it happens I try the following:

*clench feet for a few seconds, then relax. Move up body doing this. You're supposed to do deep breaths in between but suspect for you with all the stuff recently this may be either impossible or a bad idea.

*try not to think. Easier said than done but generally I can't sleep when I'm actively thinking too much, and if I'm worrying about things. I find it helps to let my mind go and wander where it likes, as long as it doesn't try to think logically or do 'daytime stuff'. Try doing something like making up a bizarre story (the more dreamlike the better) or do word association or something, but don't control it, just let your mind come up with anything it wants.

Hope that makes sense - no idea if it will help or not but hope you get some sleep! xx

not that i advise this but i bang my head against a wall but my brain is messed up already lol

I feel for you Snowygirl.......

I can't really offer much help but just wanted you to know we are thinking of you. I find doing wordsearches or even playing my son's nintendo helps me get sleepy. Try a hot water bottle for warmth.

Fingers x'd you can get some good sleep soon and really hope you start to feel loads better soon.

Serenity xx

thanks for your support serenity, aj and philomela as well as your ideas, although i am not sure about bashing my head against the wall :S then again the way i feel the idea is kinda tempting a-j believe me!!

had a lovely hot bath with radox stress relief in it - rosemary and eucalyptus - wow! bubbles everywhere lol

hot water bottle, lovely using that for pain - everywhere - atm.

will try tonite see how i get on and let u guys know. i dont ask for too much do i ? just one nite's sleep would give me more strength and relief and help me manage yet another chest infection that i seem to have developed today :( when will it end and i get peace, hey ?!

x x x

i really feel for you. I only do that every now and a again. But i have a good one. Go to lush.co.uk saves you from going in store as it can set me off. They have bath bombs and bubble bath bars that have lavender in them they do alsorts and they are all handmade. Or lavender oil just a couple of drops on your pillow or bedding it helps you sleep.

X

can you not get some sleeping pills from gp?

When mine flares up and on max pred she always gives me a short course which I take for 2 days, miss a day then 3 etc for 8 days, they dont totaly knock me out as not too strong but relax me enof to take away effect from pred as no sleep means slower recovery, might help as I wouldnt be without mine now.

Hope you feel better soon hun

Snowy x

On the note of sleeping pils, what about Amitriptyline (hope spelt right?), this is good for pain relief and is usually taken at night as it can cause drowsiness (I take this for all my aches and pains - old age!!), obviously not sure of how it would react with your asthma medications??

Nite nite

Serenity xx

Hi Snowygirl,Try sleeping with fleece over you or blanket it really helps.Love glynis xxx

still awake!

thanks for all your help guys! certainly wont be trying the amytriptylline serenity - anaphylactic to it :s

thanks though :)

will try everthing else though. i love lavender. its one of few aromas that i dont react too!

back in costa, so got added things to keep me awake... hoping home am...

x x x

aww no!!!captured again x Im up hubby got film on xxx

Amiltryptaline (not spelt right) is an anti depresant and also used for 0A and RA pain etc. It does help sleep and my doc told me double it up when my OA and MD are bad.

Hya Snowy,

Come on, we all know sleep is something other people do!!

Meanwhile, the rest of us wonder why nights always seem so much longer than days :)

Besides, most of us have a different way of sleeping.

I normally fall asleep half way through the soaps.

Ive just found out steve & becky arent actually in emmerdale!

No wonder i dont understand storylines :)

Howie :)

Annista profile image
Annista

Hi Snowygirl. Hope you're able to escape costa today. Reading this thread reminded me of something someone said to me around Christmas, when I was staggering around on a stupid amount of ventolin (lordy, I hate that stuff), getting about 3 hours sleep a night and then crawling into work the following day. At the time I thought it was a bit daft, but now I'm beginning to wonder. Anyway, the person I was talking to suggested that I see a hypnotherapist and learn self hypnosis, the theory being that if I could learn how to totally relax I might be able to sleep. I knew that most of the problem was the huge amount of ventolin that I was using and dismissed the idea but thinking back now, I'm wondering if there might be something in it after all. Maybe just learning to relax would help to deal with that awful feeling when you're the only person in the world who's awake so that instead of prowling around the house feeling lousy it might be possible to lie in bed feeling comfortable. Has anyone tried anything like that, and was it any help?

xx

Annista

You might have somthing there, I do a sort of hypnosis that I was taught to do to relax the muscles in my arm/shoulder, after my accident 7 years ago and then surgery I am still in constant agony and hate being doped up on tramadol all the time so she taught me to relax these parts to ease the pain which does work as long as you not intending on getting up anytime soon after doing it, as then you have to start all over again, but being in bed seems the ideal time, so yeh I think thats a good idea!

Snowy

Hi Snowygirl, I too hope you have managed to escape from hospital, and if you have I hope you are feeling somewhat better.

I think Annista's idea is a good one, could help?? I had relaxation classes on the NHS couple of years ago (mainly for osteoarthritis/bronchiectasis) and found this to be quite good (although actually doing it is a different story as I am not very good at devoting time to myself!!!)

Take care all

xx

Skee-skee profile image
Skee-skee

Maybe it is just me but bubble baths make me worse (detergent can definitely irritate lungs!).

Lack of sleep drives me mad and makes me really grumpy!

Pain that is bearable in the daytime can keep you awake at night. Have you asked your GP for painkillers or talked about when is best to take them? I often resort to taking stacked doses of paracetamol at night which works better for me, might be worth asking about.

My other tip is to do the lying on your back and relaxing exercise that you do at the end of a yoga session. I also try to limit the amount I sleep in the day to a short afternoon nap.

Hope you get some sleep soon.

Bryony

Hope you got some sleep last night if still in costa.Hope out soon. Love glynis xxx

hi guys.

thankyou alll so much for your support and advice. managed a whole SIX hours sleep last night.

YYYYYIIIPPPPEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

not sure what i did though ? i am assuming it is just through sheer exhaustion.... :(

bubblex bath i had was with radox stress relief and may have actually added to me being back in costa last night, who knows, hey ?! anyways i am back home now. relaxig in front of tv, about to watch casualty on sky+ recorded from last night, prepared to pick out all their faults lol. peak flow down still, aching all over and coughing nasties but not so often.

to answer your post bryony, i have been on regular pain relief for past 6 weeks - paracetamol, with additional stronger added on when needed when pain real bad. also i try to 'nap' in afternoon, huh! not that that works either.

as i slept that long last night, not being optimistic bout it being longterm thing, prob just a one-off cos of exhaustion....

in relation to hypnosis, i have had that before with dad - my dad is a hypnotherapist as a sideline to his main job, mum is a reflexologist and aromatherspist back home in wales. i have paul mckenna on my ipod - a few of them actually!! not that i listen to it much, but think i will give that a go tonite... i mostly listen to classical / opera music.

big hugs to u all

x x x

Annista profile image
Annista

Hi Snowygirl, how did you sleep last night?

hmmm 4 hrs last nite total inbetween waking from coughing/ wheezing....

wots the odds tonite is worse i wonder? hmmm....

Carnt sleep tonight ggrr !

What's 'sleep'? :S

exactly same question i been asking myself ratty for past 6.5 weeks!!!!

got gp AGAIN this afternoon so i mentioning it to the gp ....

x x x

slept more again last night off/on not proper if u know what i mean?? :) then took morning meds and sally inh at 845. then drifted off, must have been a deep a sleep tho as i slept thru start of an attack :(

when woke up around 11 couldnt breathe... chest really tite and wheezy in/out peak flow - hmmm...

so neb needed to avoid 999 again - i cant win!! my worst fear ....

x x x

Its nealy 2.30am and wide a wake and puffed out and cramps all over,thanks pred ggrr!

Yep, seems like sleep is too much to ask. Had twice now since end last week a couple of days feeling ok then don't sleep & next day(s) lungs complain....??? What's that all about? Me thinks back to G.P./asthma nurse soon if pred. & antibs don't show a sustained improvement

had 3 hours sleep. gotta be happy with that right . . . ? :S at least with that no chance of my fear is there.

although i am shattered :(

stuck with this annoying pain in left ribs which am assuming can only be down to the infection ? not sure ...

x x

definition of sleep while in costa: mythical beast rarely encountered but unconfirmed sitings (though very rare) of said beast, moments before lights on and the doctors and nurses do their rounds.

Anyway sleep is for wimps !

Annista profile image
Annista

Yorkieiron, I thought it might amuse you to know that many years ago after the birth of my eldest son I had just drifted off to sleep when two nurses came up to my bed, shook my shoulder and asked loudly whether I wanted something to help me sleep! I guess they don't do that any more lol.

Keep trying.

xx

Quality, sounds just about par for the course.

Quality, sounds just about par for the course.

whats the odds of any sleep tonite then ??

sleep is defo for wimps yorkeirion, on the other hand i am defo exhausted, especially after such a severe attack today :( so in need of sleep therefore i am ashamed albeit happy to admit i am a wimp :P

x x

So tierd but slept 3 hours and no cramps.

Felt sorry for hubby as kept him awake tossing ant turning and was 2 before he got off asleep.

xxxx

Annista profile image
Annista

I've had such a good day that I want to spread it around a bit so I'd like to wish everyone who is having trouble sleeping a peaceful and sleep filled night - or at least a couple more hours than usual :)

Keep well, all of you.

xx

thank you annista, glad u had such a good day

x x x

Anyone got a mallet? I just want to sleep. :'( Does your body get used to high levels of Pred, or is this it now they've decided to keep me at 40mg? I can't cope with it.

Wish the night would go quicker! 5.30am nearly and not slept a wink. Got to be the pred and increase in Slophyllin. ggrr!

you know it's been a bad night when its starting to get light out and you've still not had any sleep!

Well after over two weeks in costa I finally managed a decent nights sleep, and you guessed it, I feel worse for it !

u feel awful cos of lack of sleep, then u feel worse when get too much :S

cant win!!

x x

Is a miracle I actually slept whilst in hospital! I was given a side room due to my MRSA status. What a difference.

Might see you night owls on fb in the night if carnt sleep again. Its sods law ! Meds keeping me a wake at night and carnt stay awake in the day. Going invest in a rolling pin or mallet. Roll on Friday 2 weeks school holls and duvet days 80)

Right, I have everything lined up for tonight:

Stage 1: Warm bath, hot milky drink

Stage 2: Calming music, good book

Stage 3: Extra pillows, hot water bottle, lavender smellies

Stage 4: Rolling pin, mallet, brick wall, frying pan...

Stage 5: Forum, Facebook, Chocolate, Coffee (to get through following day)

And I thought the stages referred to asthma treatments... *whistles*

Ratty,Realy made me laugh.Thats got to be the best routine for bed ever.Defo will be doing it tonight.hahahaha xxx

Asthma-girl profile image
Asthma-girl

I liked that one Ratty

it's gone five am, and still awake. does anyone else take any meds for sleeping? although admittedly they don't always seem to work...

ratty, defo trying that.

i am BTS stage 5 (although feel like i am past that...) does that mean i have to do all of them :P hehe

hmmmmm.... its 0530. still awake... then again been in costa tonite 2230 - 0500....

in relation to meds hannahrose, careful wot meds as some can have an affect on resp. best speak to asthmna nurse/ gp on mon for advise. however you can get herbal remedies OTC

x

HI,

last night we went bed after a film at 1.15 am.

My eyes were heavy and really ready for a sleep.

went fast asleep till 9.30 this morning yey!!!!!

really done me good and ready to face the day and enjoy Mothers Day

even with my asthma .

love glynis xxx

Yeah, I'm afraid at stage 5, we do have to do them all, though it is permissible to 'tweak' the quantities of each and award yourself extra chocolate, just because.

Hannahrose, I have used sleeping tablets. Herbal stuff doesn't work on me, but my GP gives me Zopiclone when I'm getting exhausted through lack of sleep with the Pred, however (and it's an important however), I can't take it when my asthma's bad because it may make me too drowsy to help myself effectively over night (which is of course when my asthma's worst). It's really tricky, because I do wonder if I was sleeping better and hence more rested, my body would be in a better state to cope and my asthma wouldn't be so difficult, but I can't risk trying sleeping tablets as things are at the moment.

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