Trouble sleeping

[Natura]

Feel like I can't deep sleep anymore. I took Tylenol last night and dozed off finally..feel too tired to sleep...awful..one of my favorite past times.

[Hidden]

I can't help but I relate to your stress about this. Insomnia has been the bane of my life ever since I was little - two out of three of my sons are like this too sadly.

Have you tried a low dose of Amitiptyline at all? For some, including me for a while, this can really help. But now I treat myself to a Zopiclone sleeping pill once a week and tonight, methotrexate injection night, is the night yippee!

[Alan55]

Hi natura this seems to be a common problem I am so tired in the mornings wild horses couldn't drag me out of bed as twitchy toes said ask dr for zoplicone but they don't like giving out sleeping medication good luck alan

[foxglove]

I find SLEEP AID (Kirkland)- an anti histamine - works well. Reasonable prices on Amazon, hope this helps!

[MrsMouseSJ]

Hi Natura. I use Zolipiclone, at the lowest effective dose, as I need it - which can be 1.9mg i.e. a quarter of the recommended dose. I have also heard good things re Amitryptylene but haven't tried it myself. P.S. How are the gut and digestive enzymes coming along?

[Natura in reply to MrsMouseSJ]

Mrs Mouse...the enzymes are doing their job. I am adding a probiotic too, but sometimes that is too much and my gut hurts. The digestive enzymes are mild. They are gentle. I know I am doing better and no more leaky gut. I am not dizzy anymore. I am not losing my minerals like I was. The Natto K enzyme seems to be working for my possible clotting too. No more migraines. And my spider veins in my legs look better. Love it! No side effects. I don't take the digestive enzyme with breakfast because you need more food with it. For heavier meals. I am also staying off dairy, and trying to eat better. Don't always do gluten free. Hard to do. But this digestive enzyme takes care of gluten. Vitamin Shoppe said Enzymedica is the top company out there studying enzymes. I take the digest spectrum. Not Gold. That was too strong. They say those with surgical or severe organ problems can take Gold. Good luck......Why is sleeping an issue with Lupus? Anyone know?

[MrsMouseSJ in reply to Natura]

Interesting re the spider veins. I get them on my legs, and face. Perhaps digestive enzymes would help mine?....

You may well already be aware but you can 'brew' your own probiotics. I do myself and it's much, much cheaper than buying readymade. I started out using Kefir sachets (bought for £7/8 at Dr Sarah Myhill's shop - Google her name and ring her office staff if you're interested; she does over the phone orders for many things). Can be fermented using a variety of substrates; I use Asda's unsweetened soya milk (watch out for supposedly sugar free - many milks contain things which act like sugars and stop fermentation).

Method: Add 1 litre of your chosen milk to a jug, then add the Kefir sachet, sit it somewhere warm for 24 hours or so e.g. by a radiator, in the airing cupboard, then take out, and finally put in fridge for several hours to finish fermentation. Bingo! Ready to eat. Just remember to leave an inch or so in the bottom, or transfer this amount to another, clean jug, then add further soya milk, etc, and put somewhere warm. And so on.

I only buy a new sachet once a year. I have also had success with another probiotic, VSL3, or whatever it's called, using the same method. More expensive though and I found it upset my stomach, so stopped and reverted to the Kefir. Anyhow, if you'd like some free sachets of the VSL3, I have a few still in my fridge - unloved and needing a good home - to which you are very welcome.. Contact me by individual member mail if you are interested and don't mind providing me with a mailing address. I'll happily give you my contact details if you want to be sure I'm not some weirdo!

[Natura in reply to MrsMouseSJ]

Wow...didn't know...awesome as those probiotics are very expensive. They keep trying to sell me the $50 ones because they are the best. I am in the US, so it might be impractical to send sachets. I will try to find here. Thank you so much.

[Natura in reply to Natura]

Mrs Mouse...not sure which enzyme helped my spider veins....Natto K or digestive. well...I still have them on my right leg, but some days they look good. You can actually get a description sheet from website on each enzyme and talk through chat with questions if you wish before you buy. I love that. The company is Enzymedica.com. Its working for me. I like not being so dizzy. And my arthritis symptoms seem better. I have been on them for about a month now.

[MrsMouseSJ in reply to Natura]

I had wondered whether you were in the US, for some reason (I spent a year in Cambridge MA myself, and very nice it was too). Ah well, sorry about that, but at least you can now try to make your own. I should have said, as part of the 'method' - once probiotic powder and substrate are mixed, stir really well before leaving to ferment. No need to stir again, until ready to eat. It probably won't set like normal shop bought yoghurt, normally much runnier, although at times - for some odd reason - I get a set yoghurt effect.

[Natura in reply to MrsMouseSJ]

That's ok.. How much are you suppose to eat? So, its like a yogurt. I also don't drink soy or cow's milk. I drink either rice or almond. Can I still make with those?

[MrsMouseSJ in reply to Natura]

I think it'll be a case of trial and error. The important thing seems to be finding something with as little sugar in it as possible. Many products marketed as unsweetened contain ingredients (sorry, forget the name/s off the top of my head) that act like sugars. I don't know what brands you have access to? Provamel, if sold in the US, does milk that might be worth a go. I don't know if you can tolerate goat's milk; if so, that might also be worth a try. A couple of further tips: I find that if I try to ferment the yoghurt at too low a temperature it simply remains as liquid; needs a warmer enviroment. Second, the first 'unsweetened' products I tried resulted only in rather foul-smelling, frothing concoctions. Success arrived in the form of soya milk that had only water, soya beans, plus some salt. The 'right' end product has a clean, fresh smell. If it isn't like that, something is wrong; chuck it out!

How much to eat/drink? I guess it's personal preference based on its effects (and not all probiotics may suit you, if my own experience is anything to go by). I used to take 100ml 3x/day. Now I drink only 100ml a day. Gassy if I don't take it!

Hope it goes well!

[Natura in reply to MrsMouseSJ]

Cool...right now I am just trying to survive the flu and Easter. Will look into after all that...thanks.

[Natura]

Thank you everyone for the advice. I will look into...

[Whathappned]

Hi Natura

I would normally use Nytol. Not every night but if I have had a few bad nights and I have work. Could do with taking some now but I've been started on Methotrexate and I never checked if hey are ok together. I think they should be as they are an antihistamine but I will check first. So it looks like another night trying relaxation techniques etc.

It's really annoying as I couldn't stay wake this afternoon and ended up giving up and going to bed. I'm tired now but as soon as I lie down I start thinking!

[Natura in reply to Whathappned]

I am reluctant to use and sleep aid as I did when I was younger and found I woke up in the morning feeling unrested. Took Tylenol again last night for the terrible body pain I have right now because of this stupid flu. Slept ok. At least I could relax. I have to sleep in another bed because my constant tossing was waking my husband up. Awful..

[Whathappned]

Sounds awful. Lots of drinks. Keep your temp under control and rest.

I notice someone mention warm honey and lemon. I just do the lemon part as I'm not too struck on honey.

Take care xxx