Sleeping Trouble

nesf

I've been having sleep issues constantly for the last week and a half. I've not missed a dose of the tablets that normally help me sleep but they don't seem to have an effect anymore. It's annoying, I had gotten used to being able to fall asleep naturally (my tablets aren't sleeping tablets per se, they just make people extremely drowsy. Actually, just one of them is meant to do that, I'm on two different types and a high dose of each. I was warned about being drowsy in the following day. I should not be having sleeping problems). I'm not going to go into the ins and outs of it, but tbh, as much as I like the night, I would really like to have some kind of control over my sleeping pattern before I return to college.

It's pissing me off that I am lucky if I manage to fall asleep before 6am. I spend hours curled up in bed trying to sleep. I've tried everything from warm milk to relaxing music, a warm bath to a long walk before bed. The only thing that helps me to sleep is if I drink a large quantity of alcohol. I used to use it to help me sleep in the past. That was a bad idea then and I don't care to relieve the experience, so that's out.

I've tried sleeping tablets in the past, and they have never done much for me. I usually feel like **** after being on them for too long and my sleeping troubles just return after I stop taking them. Atm, the Zispin and the Trileptal should knock me out, but they don't. They used to. For 6 months they used to. But I was taken off Effexor last month, and I was grand upto about a week and a half ago (specifically last Wednesday week (keeping a mood journal does have it's uses)).

I'm lucky in that I'm working from home on my own time. I can do work at 4am and it's not an issue. That at least is something. But as soon as college starts, that's going to change. I'll have a timetable to work from.

I'm not scheduled to talk to my doctor until mid October, should I trouble him over this? (I'm definitely going to wait another week before doing so. I've nothing planned for next week that I can't do at night) Or do people have any ideas for how to help me sleep that I haven't tried yet?

DSMe

Just get a girlfriend you wanker

nesf

DSMe wrote:

Just get a girlfriend you wanker

Shes asleep in the bed. Thanks for the suggestion though.

DSMe

Shes not asleep in you bed tho, is she? Someone elses bed more likley.

djmarkus

Count sheep lol..


na i have problems sleeping and am easily excitble about stuff, i wudnt be up at this hour if i didnt!

i have industrial sleeping tablets for when i had 2 broken legs but if i use them theres no hope of getting asleep naturally after taking them.

nesf

DSMe is it some deep seated psychological issue that causes you to troll online or just a lack of sex?

Just curious.

nesf

djmarkus wrote:

i have industrial sleeping tablets for when i had 2 broken legs but if i use them theres no hope of getting asleep naturally after taking them.

Yeah, they **** with your sleeping pattern. You don't have natural sleep at all and after a few days of taking them you feel like you haven't slept at all.

Or so I've found.

djmarkus

have you tried using "Calms", i used them for to "calm" me during exams....just ende making me nod off!

nesf

djmarkus wrote:

have you tried using "Calms", i used them for to "calm" me during exams....just ende making me nod off!

I have, and valarian root too. Neither did anything for me. They didn't make me drowsy at all.

LegacyUser

DSMe wrote:

Just get a girlfriend you wanker

How is that sh*t allowed?

Try some of the natural herbs available. there's loads in health stores. I suffer with it myself a fair bit, I try to just wear myself out to sleep.

Gordon

DSMe wrote:

Just get a girlfriend you wanker

banned

RainyDay

Definitely worth speaking to the doctor - are the tablets that you're currently taking perscription drugs? How's your general health? How's your stress levels?

nesf

RainyDay wrote:

Definitely worth speaking to the doctor - are the tablets that you're currently taking perscription drugs? How's your general health? How's your stress levels?

Prescription drugs, both of them. They should in theory knock me out cold.

My health is good at the moment. My mood has been down lately, which I suspect could be linked to this, but I'm not going to jump to conclusions and I'm going to see if I can get my sleep pattern back on track without linking the two automatically.

My stress levels are low.

UberNewb

When ever I have trouble getting to sleep I roll a spliff. I get so relaxed that 10 mins later I'm in a deep sleep!

djmarkus

Actually i have to agree. certainly helps me to dream land

Gazza22

Gordon wrote:

banned

Another insensitive, total idiot has been driven from PI...ahhh heaven

OP: Do you feel comfortable at night when you are trying to go asleep? Maybe a new bed is in order?

You say your stress levels are low, has there been any incidents recently in your life that you may be locking inside ect, that are playing on your mind?

Are you doing enough during the day to tire you out? Maybe if you joined a local gym and did a workout just before closing times (10pm) you would find it easier to fall asleep.

Oh and yes you should trouble your doctor with this, go to your doctor sooner than October because sleep deprivation affects your health

Jim10000

Have you completely cut out coffee and do you try to keep to regular (and early) getting up and going to bed times? like someone else said, knackering yourself with loads of physical activity might be good too.

You could also try meditating when you're trying to nod off if your problem is that your mind wont shut up then; getting yourself to 'think of nothing' can help.

And finally, I don't know why it is, but for some reason lowering your temperature while your trying to sleep helps too, so you could try doing that - no bed covers or whatever.

Hope these suggestions aren't too light-weight considering the drugs involved and all. Good luck.

nesf

gazza22 wrote:

Another insensitive, total idiot has been driven from PI...ahhh heaven

OP: Do you feel comfortable at night when you are trying to go asleep? Maybe a new bed is in order?

Not really an option, but I've been having issues sleeping everywhere, so I don't think it's the bed.

gazza22 wrote:

You say your stress levels are low, has there been any incidents recently in your life that you may be locking inside ect, that are playing on your mind?

Nope, I've been good tbh. Nothing to stress over. Loose deadlines, getting work done at a good pace. I'm also not the type for locking things inside, I prefer to deal with them.

gazza22 wrote:

Are you doing enough during the day to tire you out? Maybe if you joined a local gym and did a workout just before closing times (10pm) you would find it easier to fall asleep.

I'm getting plenty exercise everyday. More than I was getting a month ago when I was sleeping well. So I don't think it's that.

gazza22 wrote:

Oh and yes you should trouble your doctor with this, go to your doctor sooner than October because sleep deprivation affects your health

Yeah, I'm thinking that too. I'll prob ring him on Monday.

Battlesnake

Completely understand what you're going through, had major sleeping probs for about 2yrs. I'm thinking that possibly your coming off Effexor could have something to do with things getting stirred up again, as you came off that recently, right? Any withdrawal symptoms? Has the Doc changed you onto something else instead? I'd say see him/her asap so you've a chance to get your routine fixed around college. What worked for me was zopiclone, maybe ask if this drug would be an option for you. Also if you haven't tried relaxation/sleep aid tapes then now would be a time to give that a go, I used to think they were a load of rubbish but at 5am some time ago I was getting desperate! The one I used was downloaded off itunes (Glenn Harrod), but I'm sure there's plenty available in the shops too. It's made a huge difference and I've been off the tabs for about 6 months. Good Luck with everything, it may seem like you're never going to see daylight again but believe me there is light at the end of the tunnel and in the end you will be able to get your life to work for you instead of it being the other way around.

nesf

Battlesnake wrote:

Completely understand what you're going through, had major sleeping probs for about 2yrs. I'm thinking that possibly your coming off Effexor could have something to do with things getting stirred up again, as you came off that recently, right? Any withdrawal symptoms? Has the Doc changed you onto something else instead? I'd say see him/her asap so you've a chance to get your routine fixed around college. What worked for me was zopiclone, maybe ask if this drug would be an option for you.

I came down off 300mg in July. I've been on 0mg a month now. Side effects, a month and a half of headaches/migraines from when I started coming down off it until recently. I got off light tbh. Some people have a much worse experience or so I've heard. Atm I'm on a fair whack of Zispin and Tripletal. Both cause severe drowsiness in patients so they should be helping me sleep. Tbh, they were doing that very well until about a forthnight ago.

Tbh, I won't suggest medication to my psychiatrist. I trust him to deal with such without my suggestions. It is after all what I pay him for


=

Battlesnake wrote:

Also if you haven't tried relaxation/sleep aid tapes then now would be a time to give that a go, I used to think they were a load of rubbish but at 5am some time ago I was getting desperate! The one I used was downloaded off itunes (Glenn Harrod), but I'm sure there's plenty available in the shops too. It's made a huge difference and I've been off the tabs for about 6 months. Good Luck with everything, it may seem like you're never going to see daylight again but believe me there is light at the end of the tunnel and in the end you will be able to get your life to work for you instead of it being the other way around.

I tried meditation tapes in the past, they didn't do much for me tbh. If I can't sleep I'm generally not able to "calm down" enough to sleep. It's not an option. If I'm like that, I will eventually collapse and manage some sleep then at some point. It's not very nice tbh. It's not regular sleep or sth. I feel as tired when I wake.

Meh, I'm getting whiney, better stop

g'em

Battlesnake made a good point- you mentioned you've just come off Effexor- well those will have a major effect on your sleeping patterns. presumably you came off them coz you're doing better, but if you still have things on your mind that'll play on your mind too.

but hey, if stress levels are low, that's a good thing.

anyway, i digress.

as funny as it sounds, bananas are said to aid with sleeping. not entirely sure why.

cut down caffeine and other stimulants. very obvious but really helps!!!

Battlesnake

Ok I had a whole load of stuff typed out, but before I go off on one. . . .
Here's the first line. . .

You came off 300mg in July?? with no gradual decrease? Is your Doc insane?

That could be the whole cause of your recent sleeping probs, one of the common withdrawal symptoms of effexor is insomnia. Might have nothing to do with previous experiences if you've been ok for 6 months prior to being taken off anti-d's.

Incidentally insomnia is also one of the common side effects of effexor. If you only started getting sleeping probs once you started on it, I would have a few serious words with your Doc. . .

See now that was meant to be one line, what can I say, I'm shocked your Doc dropped you like a stone.

nesf

Battlesnake wrote:

Ok I had a whole load of stuff typed out, but before I go off on one. . . .
Here's the first line. . .

You came off 300mg in July?? with no gradual decrease? Is your Doc insane?

I came down from 300 to 0 over the month of July. Gradual 75mg decreases.

Otherwise, I'd be complaining of more than just headaches Sorry if I was unclear.

That could be the whole cause of your recent sleeping probs, one of the common withdrawal symptoms of effexor is insomnia. Might have nothing to do with previous experiences if you've been ok for 6 months prior to being taken off anti-d's.

Incidentally insomnia is also one of the common side effects of effexor. If you only started getting sleeping probs once you started on it, I would have a few serious words with your Doc. . .

Insomnia has plagued me most of my life. That is why the last 9 months were unusual, they were the longest period of undisturbed sleep.

See now that was meant to be one line, what can I say, I'm shocked your Doc dropped you like a stone.

He didn't. But I do appreciate what you are saying. If I'd been asked to drop cold turkey to 0mg I'd have changed psychiatrist, but he didn't. He asked me to scale down at my own pace.

Apologies if I was unclear about that.

Battlesnake

THANK GOD!!!!

My brain was fried there trying to imagine what that would be like!

Insomnia's a tricky thing. I thought until recently that it was just me in the family who had the problem. Apparently my Granda had it and it certainly explains my Dad's night wanderings - which made me feel like I was under surveilance by the FBI when I was a teenager. I dunno what theory scientific research is leaning towards atm, but there's certainly the possiblity of it being genetic. Keep working at it, you're a long way down the road and you should def be proud of yourself. Think of the sleeping as one of the final hurdles.
Best of luck, BS

cuckoo

If i find myself falling into a trap of sleeping problems i muddle on for a week or so, realise that the 'day into night and vice versa thing' isn't all that practical in the long run and stay awake for a night, the next day and then fall into bed exhausted that night at about 9pm and set three alarm clocks to get me out of bed again the next morning. It's a bit of a shock to my system, but it works for me by jolting me back to a routine that's compatible with normal life.

Good luck talking to your doctor about it, and i hope between the two of you a solution can be found!

jrey1981

I have been through a period of insomnia when I couldnt get to sleep until the morning. Tried herbal sleeping tablets that had Passiflora in them...but you may become immune to them as well.

Sometimes reading before bed can help settle your mind.

I eat a banana before bed as that has something in which naturally aids sleep...honey as well can be good on toast or in a drink or something.

nesf

cuckoo wrote:

If i find myself falling into a trap of sleeping problems i muddle on for a week or so, realise that the 'day into night and vice versa thing' isn't all that practical in the long run and stay awake for a night, the next day and then fall into bed exhausted that night at about 9pm and set three alarm clocks to get me out of bed again the next morning. It's a bit of a shock to my system, but it works for me by jolting me back to a routine that's compatible with normal life.

Yeah, that's always worked for me if I need to get my sleeping pattern back in order after a few late nights or such.

It doesn't work with this unfortunately.

nesf

jrey1981 wrote:

I have been through a period of insomnia when I couldnt get to sleep until the morning. Tried herbal sleeping tablets that had Passiflora in them...but you may become immune to them as well.

Sometimes reading before bed can help settle your mind.

I eat a banana before bed as that has something in which naturally aids sleep...honey as well can be good on toast or in a drink or something.

Yeah, it's annoying isn't it when none of the methods that normally help you sleep don't work.

I've found reading helps me drift to sleep when my sleep pattern is behaving. I curl up in bed with a book and within an half hour or so I'm asleep. It doesn't help when I can't sleep though.

U$ername

Heard about lots of different things to help ppl to sleep....Most non prescribed stuff are just kinda placebos... ie eat bananas, listen to music, masturbate furiously etc

They are just so you do the same ritual every time you want to sleep, your brain soon starts associating certain activities with sleep.

As for me, it was listening to the same 5 songs everytime i went to bed -> 20 mins out like a light....

Just try and sort out some ritual before you want to sleep, btw cutting coffee, tea and high sugar foods may help depending on your metabolism...