Difficulties in getting aa good night's sleep

[constantheart]

My husband (82) has very recently developed heart problems which are being investigated further. He's on a cocktail of medication including beta blocker, endoxaban, diuretics and dapagliflozin. Big problem is he can get to sleep quite easily but then wakes up with a start after 5 - 10 minutes. He's not had a proper sleep for about 6 days - and is worn out. He's tried different sleeping positions, cutting fluids (as been told to), not being too warm or too cold but nothing seems to help. Anyone got any advice please?

[Hidden]

Dear constantheart

Hello and a big warm welcome to you and your husband to the forum, I hope you find it as helpful as I do.

So sorry to hear of your husbands disturbed sleep pattern and all the knock on effects that it can have in our day to day life.

It certainly looks like he has been hit hard with the medication { and rightly so } you have to remember that I am not medically trained but it is important that a sleep balance is maintained especially if your husband has more investigations and procedures to be done.

I would not hesitate in contacting your GP/Heart team over this, it maybe that they would want the drugs to settle in or maybe have them tweaked a bit.

Certainly on the start of my journey I had the same problem and I was given {reluctantly} a few night worth of sleeping tablets that I have to say worked well and put me back into rhythm.

Take care

[constantheart in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for such a kind message. I think I'm beginning to understand that it's a long road and that a lot of patience will be needed - quite hard for someone who expects things sorted quickly. I'm hoping to have a word with our GP tomorrow. (I have to do the communicating as my husband has hearing problems and although he has a cochlear implant (great for face to face and one to one) that is not very good for complex discussions with long, long words on the phone.

All the best

[Griff-64]

Unfortunately I can't offer advice for your husband, but I can sympathise with the lack of sleep and exhaustion. Although my lack of sleep is because of bathroom visits in the night. Last night, bed at 12, up at 1am, 2am, 3am, 4am, 6am and 8am. I've spoken with my doctor a week ago, she suggested drinking less tea in the evening and no coffee after lunch. When I told her I'm a creature of habit and always drank the same amount at the same time, she suggested it could be my age..... I'm 67 for goodness sake.Having given it a lot of thought, I might try going without one of the meds I'm on, I've an idea it might not be helping.

I hope your husband has a good, understanding doctor, but sometimes I've found I have to try things on my own.

[constantheart in reply to Griff-64]

Thank you for the advice - he has changed his drinking habits (both alcoholic and otherwise) and it's not so much he keeps having to get up in the night , it's more that he goes to sleep and wakes with a start shortly afterwards. I am beginning to understand that he and I shall have to have to grasp hold of the problems and kick them firmly and take a pro-active way of going forward. I hope as we get the medication sorted things will be better.

It's good to know how many kind people there are around.

All the best.