Help with sleeping and body clock

[praymore1]

Hi. Just a little post. I dont know if anyone had this..sudden rush of blood and dizzy spell. Then, I can't sleep afterwards for 12 months. I tried and sleep, but jolted awake again by the brain. Or things including loss of smell and sexual function, change in personality and moody. I had all sleeping pills, but nothing has worked. I had a mri scan and that was normal. I have tried all sleep hygiene and that. Plus, confusion has joined the long list. What can I do next? Please help.

[Activity2004 Administrator]

Hi and welcome to the group, praymore1 . Please feel comfortable to continue posting your postings and comments, asking questions, take a look at the Topics and Events sections, take the polls and of course, get to meet the rest of the members.

Have you called your doctor about your sleeping issues? Can you get an appointment set up this week?

Please click on the link for the Sleep Support group also on HU. Go to: healthunlocked.com/sleep-su... and click on the follow button for the group. You can start posting and commenting anytime. I hope this helps!

[praymore1 in reply to Activity2004]

I have been to the doctors and they referred me to sleep apnea clinic.waiting to see sleep doctor..in so much pain and eating pattern all over the place..what I would do for a goodnights sleep..

[Activity2004 Administrator in reply to praymore1]

After you get the results from the sleep apnea clinic, please let us know what you find out. We are always willing to help.

[praymore1 in reply to Activity2004]

morning I don't think its sleep apnea..its insomnia I have that's the issue here..that's what I need help with..

[TheAwfulToad]

How old are you? Do you have a stressful occupation or personal worries? What do you typically eat? Do you exercise regularly? Have you at any point used a nasal spray for cold relief or similar? Do you have hallucinations of any kind?

[praymore1 in reply to TheAwfulToad]

I'm going back to the doctors this afternoon..to see if any thing else they can..cause I cant seem to function..i have breakfast and light snack at lunch and have a meal at tea times..i cant watch tv or read a newspaper..i had thoughts of killing myself its got that bad..just feels like a brain fog as well..

[praymore1 in reply to TheAwfulToad]

I'm 47 years old and I do work but that's stressful in it self..cant believe I have so many symptoms loss of smell no sex drive loss of interest in life..just gets me down..

[TheAwfulToad in reply to praymore1]

Loss of smell always has profound repercussions (for example, you can't smell your partner anymore, and you can't taste food properly).

I'm not giving you a diagnosis here, just some ideas to ponder on: your 'brain fog' is most likely a result of depression, which in turn is brought on by the anosmia. I asked you about hallucinations because disturbances in sense of smell can be a symptom of schizophrenia, but it seems we can discount this.

Can you pinpoint any particular event that might have caused your loss of smell? Do you at least remember when it happened? Is it permanent or does it occasionally return? In the absence of schizophrenia, dementia, and similar, it's normally caused by mechanical destruction of the sensor cells (olfactory epithelium). That generally implies injury by a medication or chemical inhaled via the nose.

If that seems unlikely, 'conversion disorder' is a possibility, which is a very curious problem where psychological stresses manifest as physical symptoms. Your best bet here, I suspect, is to find a psychiatrist or psychologist.

[praymore1 in reply to TheAwfulToad]

it all started with a dizzy spell and lost my sense of smell and sleep pattern and now confusion..sometimes I'm scared to go outside..got no motivation..can only smell very slightly but not fully like I use too..its just so frustrating..dont know what to do..

[TheAwfulToad in reply to praymore1]

OK, I think we can rule out psychological issues. I'm just guessing wildly here, but I'd say it would be worth investigating for evidence of a minor stroke. You say the MRI didn't show anything, but it might be worth asking the doctor about it. Subtle neurological damage would show up better on PET.

If that turns out to be the problem, your sense of smell may return in time, depending on exactly what was damaged. Your brain is pretty good at re-wiring itself to work around broken bits, and at 47 that process will still be working reasonably well.

[praymore1 in reply to TheAwfulToad]

iv never had this in my life before.so if its a minor stroke..what do I say to doctor this afternoon..cause its causing weight loss..cause body not working right..

[TheAwfulToad in reply to praymore1]

well, just ask him if it's a possibility, and if they can find out one way or another.

If you're losing weight you might have some other problem as well. Get yourself checked for diabetes, for example.

[praymore1 in reply to TheAwfulToad]

its caused loss of appetite so that could be the reason behind it..i have withdrawn from family and friends..which is unlike me..i walk round in a daze.its like watching the world go by and I'm not in it..

[praymore1]

could you tell me about the book please Tia would appreciate any help you have..

[praymore1]

hi people iv been to the doctors said mri came back normal..but I said still getting confusion symptoms Said nothing they can do to help me have to wait for sleep results from other doctors..dont know what to do next..any answers would be appreciated.

[andyswarbs]

Very sorry to hear about your problems. There are tenets of sleeping that I guess you have heard a thousand times like go to bed early every day, don't eat after 6pm etc. In general good sleep is related to the diet you eat so reducing the load on your digestive system seems like a no brainer. Your whole goal should be to regularise your life, including bowel movements. If any of these points interest you then please ask for more information.

[praymore1 in reply to andyswarbs]

can I have more information please cause not sleeping driving me crazy..

[andyswarbs in reply to praymore1]

Hi again, before replying I just re-read your original post and picked up on the reduction of interest in sex as possibly related thread. Research shows meat based diets have these as common problems.

So my advice would be to transition away from meat, dairy & fish, skipping veganism and head towards the whole food plant based high carb lifestyle. Unless you have gut issues that hinder digestion of fibre this should result in more reliable and frequent bowel movements, ideally one before bedtime is fantastic. I know some people even take coffee enemas to help get that bowel movement in before bedtime!

As a further transition dropping oils is a longer term goal. The whole aim being to get your gut clean and stable and regular on a daily basis. Oils and fats are slow to digest, so a typical meat & dairy eater who eats in the evening is still digesting through the night. Fresh fruit on the other hand goes through the body in a matter of a couple of hours. So typically in the evening I might have a couple of apples and perhaps a banana.

If you are up for it get into smoothies. A smoothie of oats, frozen banana, berries and dark leafy greens or cruciferous veg looks and tastes amazing. A true power packed nutrition delight, because of the smoothie process it is incredibly quick to digest.

Depending on where you are coming from I could see a transition taking over a year. There is no hurry, you have the rest of your life ahead. Enjoy the changes which, unless you have some underlying health issue that puts a road block in the transition process, should be positive on all indicators. A slower transition can help smooth the process and any potential blockages.