Imsomnia .. Help!: I've always suffered... - Fibromyalgia Acti...

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Imsomnia .. Help!

charlie_red profile image
30 Replies

I've always suffered from poor sleep, but the last week I've been suffering really bad imsomnia! It's 5am and I'm still wide awake .. I have tried everything ... Moved room, herbal tea, reading, relaxation music, warm milk, hot blanket, window open!

Does anyone have any ideas? I desperately need sleep!

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charlie_red profile image
charlie_red
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30 Replies
Rozbbbbbb profile image
Rozbbbbbb

I used to have a problem until I changed to having separate rooms (my husband snores) and only going to bed at midnight. I now have 6/7 really good hours of sleep.

Hope this helps.

charlie_red profile image
charlie_red in reply toRozbbbbbb

Changing room sounds worth a try. I have two spare bedrooms so going to make my way there now and see how it goes .. Maybe a change of scenery will help!x

Lesley-chard profile image
Lesley-chard

Hi Charlie you have my sympathies I also suffer too. I have a period of being ok followed by about a week of suffering. I know how miserable it is

Love lesley

Lruk profile image
Lruk

Charlie I would suggest you go to your GP and ask for help with this. My GP told me that until they had my meds right so I could sleep he wouldn't refer me to a pain clinic because lack of sleep makes the pain so much worse.

Hi Charli

When I came out of hospital it took me ages to re-adjust to my routine. The hospital had specific times for medications that didn't coincide with mine and also the sleep times, not that I got much of that!!

I was in a bay with 5 other people and when I got home everything was just so different and quite surreal. I was in for 2 1/2 weeks.

Also, are you worrying a lot about yourself since having the haematoma as I'm sure you've been thinking about all the what if's? If your head is swirling with info and the what if's it will interrupt the ability to sleep :o Maybe talking about the what ifs and your fears/concerns may help to reduce that.

I think that something to try is to not think about sleeping and when you nod off it will happen. Home is such a different environment to hospital as there's no where near the same amount of hustle and bustle and no-one coming to check your stats, or yet another blood sample :o

Have you tried getting a bath and then using guided imagery relaxation technique?

I hope you find sleep soon Charli :) and that things also settle for you soon :) fluffie cuddles for you and wishing you well, I feel for you hunny

:) xxxsianxxx :)

lynzard profile image
lynzard

Oh you poor thing. It's such a horrible part of the whole fibro thing huh. Woke up at 3am today for one of my many visits to the loo and that was it no more sleep. I wish I could suggest something but the fibro insomnia can be so relentless. The comment made by another member about seeing the gp could be good idea although mine despite being lovely does not like to give anything to help sleep. I did get a month's supply of mild sleeping tabs and what a difference they made. Some people find honey in their hot milk helps. Good luck x

San229 profile image
San229

I tried Meditation and it works for me occasionally. Like you I have always had problems with sleep but it has been made a lot worse by FMS. Hope you find something to help....

Gentle hugs

Sandra. X

mistymeana profile image
mistymeana

It might be worth trying self-hypnosis. I've got apps on my phone for both relaxation/anxiety relief and sleep and use them from time to time when I'm having trouble sleeping. I had to listen every day when I first got them as I was like the walking dead through lack of sleep but gradually needed it less and less often. Hope it works for you and you get some shut eye soon x

Jjudith profile image
Jjudith

I think that insomnia is a funny topic because really, more depends on how you cope rather than whether you sleep or not. If you are saying 'help' and you are noting the time, then you do have a problem. I have always had funny sleeping patterns (since a child) and am used to not sleeping and I have always quite liked being awake and alone in the night as the phone doesn't ring and I can do exactly what I want - when the children were small and I had a business, I saw it as special time for me and I welcomed being awake - even to the extent that I felt annoyed when my daughter stayed up as well to study for exams! .As I am relaxed about not sleeping then if I have a night when I sleep very little then I feel ok the next day, I think it is being tense at night that makes you so tired the next day. Since I have had this horrid disease more of a problem for me is the broken nature of my sleep, I keep waking up, and when I have had a period without a good nights sleep than I do have more symptoms, especially related to my bladder as I have Interstitial Cystitis. I use talking books at night and I really enjoy listening to stories, and I also find it soporific - the problem is that I have to listen to stories about 8-9 times before I get the whole story and I have to piece it together in my mind, some stories are better than others at being read in this way. I use a iPod and I have a long cable for my earphones, I don't disturb hubby who is a light sleeper. You can also get pillow earphones from the tinnitus society. I also did a meditation course and I think that has helped me to have a healthier attitude to distressing symptoms in the daytime as well as at night, and sometimes if I listen to meditation tapes I have a very good quality sleep afterwards. In the fibromyalgia magazine a month or so back they described acupressure points that help to promote sleep, it might be worthwhile looking into it.

The other things I find useful is Melatonin that you can get off the Internet. It is a natural hormone that your body makes when you are approaching sleep time. I find if my sleep gets out of sinc then I take Melatonin a few nights in a row and it helps put me back into the right sleep pattern.

Hi Charlie, Before I started pain medication for my body aches, I had terrible insomnia. The things I was told was don't watch TV in bed because your mind can associate your bed with not sleeping. Exercise if you can. Don't eat or drink anything with caffeine. Some people say that reading helps. Also, if you can't sleep, get up for a while and then go back to bed. Again, when you are in bed but can't sleep your mind associates not sleeping with your bed. Good luck.

Ellebe profile image
Ellebe

Hello Charlie.

I think the sleep issue is the worst bit of Fibro as without good sleep everything else is so much worse. I've tried all sorts of things. The Dr has given me amatriptyline which works ok-ish most of the time. I also take a non-prescription supplement called suntheanin which helps to relax my muscles so that I can relax to get to sleep. I often use a lavender spray for my pillow which also helps. I found that my bedtime routine was taking too long and waking me up, so I try to take off makeup and wash and get ready for bed earlier (when I can) so that by the time its bedtime I can just snuggle into my bed and go off to sleep much more easily. I have also used a relaxation tape by Paul McKenna which mostly works well - occasionally I hear it all the way through and am still wide awake!!!!

I find if my feet are cold or I'm too hot it interferes with sleep - so I juggle with temperature/bedding/hot water bottle etc and it changes, so nothing works the same way everytime - sod's law!

Good luck

Linda

Matrix profile image
Matrix

I don't answer because my sleep is rubbish but try not to worry about it . I tend to get up myself and potter .

charlie_red profile image
charlie_red in reply toMatrix

I worry too, about not being able to get to sleep, not being able to function next day or I feel anxious going to bed because I know that I won't sleep well! It's one jig circle. C x

fenbadger profile image
fenbadger in reply tocharlie_red

And, of course being anxious makes sleep worse, and that makes any other problem worse. Loads of sympathy from here.

soozie profile image
soozie

Hi there,I also have times like this ,over the past 2 months ,I've been trying music relaxation on my phone apps. I'm not normally into that l nd of stuff & it took awhile to relax to..... But eventually I found a good app & now I always,always use it to relax & go to sleep... If you haven't got a smart phone then there are 100s of videos to play.... Wish I found this year's ago... Good luck & gentle hugs xx

soozie profile image
soozie in reply tosoozie

Sorry I ment to say "videos to play on YouTube "

charlie_red profile image
charlie_red in reply tosoozie

Hello! I do have a few podcasts on my phone and often use YouTube for the longer relaxation songs. I have been doing deep muscular relaxation but have listed to 5 times this evening! X

Hertsman profile image
Hertsman

Hi Charlie, try eating a slice of cheddar cheese before bedtime. It is a misconception that cheese keeps you awake and it does not cause nightmares. Quite the opposite, I have very nice dreams. Cheese contains tryptophan which helps you to sleep. Turkey is also high in tryptophan and so is cottage cheese. You have to find what works best for you. I've tried everything but for me a slice of mature cheddar cheese about 30 mins before bedtime works best. I'm talking about the cheddar cheese slices you buy for making sandwiches. If I had to cut my own slice it would be too large and I would probably pile on the pounds..lol Also make sure to eat the cheese with a slice of toast or cracker. Mixing carbohydrate with the cheese makes it more effective. Good luck and hope it helps you xx

charlie_red profile image
charlie_red in reply toHertsman

Hello! This is interesting, I usually have toast before bed so might try add some cheese

fenbadger profile image
fenbadger in reply tocharlie_red

Yeah, see also my reply below. Dairy in general does this and apparently it's why hot cocoa works. It's the milk not the cocoa.

Hertsman profile image
Hertsman in reply tocharlie_red

Another good tip is Magnesium Chloride Oil, preferably a a container with a spray. I could recommend an oil but I suspect I'm not allowed to mention it on here. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. Anyway I suffer with chronic back pain, fibromyalgia, depression, insomnia etc etc. I find that spraying the oil on painful areas of my body, especially on my lower back eases the pain and helps me to sleep. Good luck.

RIBBONPINK profile image
RIBBONPINK

I HAVE EXACTLY SAME SLEEP PROBLEM MY TIP HAVE LIGHT MEAL IN EVENING AND A LITTLE FRESH AIR IN BEDROOM THROUGH NIGHT AND WEAR MAGNET WRAP.TRY IT IT MIGHT WORK FOR YOU.

charlie_red profile image
charlie_red in reply toRIBBONPINK

Hey! Thanks for your comment. What is a magnet wrap? X

RIBBONPINK profile image
RIBBONPINK in reply tocharlie_red

Hi its a long thin fabric with magnets in it has velcro on it to fasten. you can get wrist ones as well it works by relaxing body it helps with pain relief .you need to drink lot more water as it tends to dehydrate your body.i cant take pain meds as they make me very sick so i have to rely on natural things.x

Missbb profile image
Missbb

Hi,may I suggest you see you GP as soon as you can. What medication are you on?i find that Gabapentin helps me go to sleep,I'm on 900mg a night.i also take metarzapine for depression and it also helps me me sleep better.have a chat with your dr and see what they say.good luck

charlie_red profile image
charlie_red in reply toMissbb

Hello. I'm currently taking Pregablin 600mg, duluoxtine 60mg, severdol 10mg, cocodomol 30/500mg and tramadol 50mg. I use to take Amitriptyline but it stopped working

bluebell99 profile image
bluebell99 in reply tocharlie_red

I find I might as well give in, get up, have a hot drink, go to the loo, bit of boring telly and try again half an hour later. Beats lying there stressing about not being able to sleep.

I have heard lettuce is a natural soporific and can work well in a sandwich with turkey or cheese. Unfortunately I'm not good at eating before bedtime, I always get indigestion, even with a couple of biscuits, so that's not for me.

I have given up on the Pregabelin, too much weight gain, now taking 60mg amitriptyline, 10mg oxazepam, 50 mg morphine (MST) and 2 tabs co-proxamol. Just occasionally they all work!!

fenbadger profile image
fenbadger

I hope there's something there that helps. Look at the timing of some of these replies. I'm up now. Even my whole strategy sometimes fails and I cant remember the last full night's sleep. Aside from avoiding exercise and some foods later on, I a little surprised at the cheese thing but it's a myth about the dreams it gives you. One thing that hasn't been mentioned is lavender scent. I put a drop of essential oil on my pillow or duvet and sometimes think it helps but not always. Listen to soft music or a audio book/play but not too heavy - and actually something familiar is better. I wonder if that harks back to childhood. I still know "the Very Hungry Caterpillar" by heart! Sometimes it all fails and I stop fighting it, just get up and potter until I'm shattered. Cooking tomorrow's lunch right now. There's no easy answer or someone would have come up with it by now. Again, my mantra, see what works for you. Don't give up.

Oh, and the sleep clinics say that actually we DO get some sleep, but without necessarily noticing. I think that's true. I've noticed "fast forwarding" when I listen to something in bed. Lots of hugs

Shazzzy profile image
Shazzzy

Hey Charlie, know exactly what your going through, i had 5 days of migraines followed by 3 days of pain and disorientation cannot get back inyo (sort of!) normal sleep pattern. I read, knit, listen to music and look on here all after midnight!?

whizzkid profile image
whizzkid

hi friend I am sorry you cannot sleep I have always had the same problem the latest idea was I am not fm but ME doctor now gives me sertraline 150 mg. nortriptyline 100mg. pregabilin 2oo mg 3 times. tramadol 250 mg twice. zomorph 60 mg twice. lansoprazole 30 mg

the pregabilin is for ME the tramadol & zomorph is for pain sertraline is to balance my thoughts to harm since I now take all these meds a downfall is I now suffer colds where as for 30 years I have not suffered colds when working outside all my life almost.

I do now sleep pretty fair on odd occasions if my pain is bad I take oral morphine as well as the pain causes me to sleep in the day its so hard getting the right cause of action, I really feel for you my problems are now 7 years since a motorcycle rear end crash left me in a mental mess now its all good I average 8-9 hours a day odd times a little more or less it alters slightly, going to bed early makes me sleep longer.

Please don't be worried over my meds yours may be completely different depending on your illness mine is complicated I hope you may get some help from this if not I really hope all goes well for you whizz

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