Sleep Disorders Community

Hello doctor~ Thank YOU for being available. SHort version:
almost 4 months of insomnia~ Fall asleep okay MOST of the time~ but awaken after 2 to 4 broken hours of sleep and AM AWAKE the rest of the night except for occasional micro sleeps...I have has some ZERO hour sleeps and a few 5 or 6 hour broken sleeps. I tried 5mg of generic ambien, with the same result as NO medicine.
I Used nicotine replacement for 6 weeks in order to quit smoking. MY sleep problem started arted THE very night I gave UP nicotine.... after a LIFETIME of nicotine dependence. I was born to smokers and smoked 35 yrs by my own hand.
Can YOU tell me if my body's lack of nicotine IS the problem? ANY studiess that you know of that would prove this?
I am a stay at home wife and mom, so this sleep deprivation is do~able~ BUT I am certainly NOT "all here" anymore.

Hi Dr. Husain,

My name is Jade and I am currently a first-year graduate student studying clinical psychology (I am 23, if that is relevant). For as long as I can remember I have been unable to sleep through the night. I sleep for 2-3 hours before waking, then wake up frequently for the rest of the night. I never feel rested and it is starting to interfere with school, given the demands of the program. I practice sleep hygiene and have been able to improve how long it takes me to fall asleep, but not the waking in the middle of the night. Also, when I do wake up it is very brief and most of the time I fall back to sleep quickly.

I have asthma but it is mild and controlled, and I only take meds as necessary for that. I am overweight which may contribute to my trouble sleeping, but I exercise regularly and I don't snore. My MD has been aware of my sleep troubles but believed they were the result of MDD and GAD. I have been in therapy and take an antidepressant, but my sleep has not improved with the rest of my symptoms. My MD recently expressed that I may have sleep apnea, but I do not snore... Can that happen? I have done some research and am considering that I may be a rare case of central sleep apnea. I am wondering if given this information you have any recommendations?

My insurance does not cover sleep studies, but if that is what you recommend, do you have any suggestions for making a sleep study affordable?

I sincerely appreciate your help. I am starting to feel desperate about finding a solution to all of this... I so badly want to wake feeling refreshed!!

Thank you,
Jade

Hello Dr. Husain and Welcome,

I have been on sleep meds for the past 27 years. I am so tired of being unable to sleep. I was a good sleeper for the first 27 yrs, had two children and began with sleep problems when my 2nd child was approximately a year old. When I would put my children down for their naps, I would then take a 2 hr. nap and the trouble began. I noticed I had a harder and harder time falling asleep and then one night, no sleep. Went without sleep for 3 days, went to Dr. and began the med regimen. I was a stay-at-home mom and was very happy. No depression, just unable to fall asleep. I have been on many different meds through the years. Doxepin worked very well however, I began gaining weight and asked to be taken off the med. Lost the weight gained. I am currently taking Temazepam for about a year and never sleep more than 5 hrs. per night. I have noticed memory loss through the years which effects my job. I also had a sleep study done 4 years ago.with results of mild sleep apnea. I am a small person, current weigh about 113 lbs. I exercise, follow good sleep hygiene practices and still have sleep problems. Where can I go to find answers to this disorder?
Thank you for your help.

SleepySue

Hi Dr. Husain,

I actually just joined this exchange today. I have been very active on the Fibromyalgia board , Back pain, Ibs support boards. for awhile now.

As I am sure you know FM greatly affects your sleep.

I have been taking 5mg of ambien, 350mg of soma and 7.5mg of mobic each night in order to sleep. I get to sleep typically okay but without these meds i will wake every hour to hour and half. Roll over go back to sleep and repeat. Even with these meds I rarely sleep past four hours without waking up.
I also sometimes get Migraines and will forgo the other meds for 50mg of benadryl and a 7.5 loratab. then i sleep five hours straight.

I have a very set routine to help my body get ready for bed each night.

I also take cymbalta and tramadol daily for the FM. I have found that i can not take the tramadol past about two pm becuase then i have more trouble falling asleep.

Any suggestions on how to sleep more than four hours?

My Rheumy is satisfied with the four hours and said its really the best i am going to get. I will admit it is more restorative but i really desire to sleep through the night.

Am i grasping at straws here?

My blood work showed my vitamin D was at 18 (how ever they measure) ...and it should be between 30 and 50~

I was put on 50,000 iu Once a week . I sleep better after ONLY one dose... as it got closer to my next dose my sleeping decreased~ Today was my second pill.

Hello Dr. Husain,

I'm trying to help my son with insomnia...his is severe, he will go 3 - 4 nights with absolutely no sleep. He's 25 years old and a student in a private college and has the normal stress and pressures associated with college, working, and dealing with a few other stresses. In the last 4 -5 years the insomnia has become severe and is causing him to suffer from physical symptons.

He is on his 3rd night of no sleep - he has started to what I would term as hallucinations of sort...he describes it as he is in bed trying to sleep, it feels like his body is asleep but his brain isn't...during this time he will have vivid dreams but he is completely awake. The episodes are becoming worse with each bout of insomnia. His doctors have tried ambien, lunesta, benedryl and xanax...none of which affect him. He can take an ambien or lunesta and never fall asleep (the only other meds he takes are vitamins) likewise for the other recommended meds above...nothing knocks him out.

If he can 'break the cycle' and fall asleep one night then that bout of insomnia will end. These used to happen 2 - 3 times a year...now it's 2 - 3 times a month. The sleep he is able to get is very short...he'll fall asleep for 2 -4 hours then wake up and never go back to sleep.

He has always been a problem sleeper - as a newborn he would only nap about 1 hour (total) a day and would sleep maybe 6 - 7 hrs at night. As a young boy (from 4 - 9yrs) he would have spells of 2 - 3 months of waking up 25 (no exaggeration...I counted it since he would wake me up each time) then for 2 - 3 months he would only get up 3 -4 times a night. He was almost 10 years old before he slept all night long.

He has tried every technique published to try and combat this horrible disorder but nothing helps. He is falling apart mentally, emotionally and physically before my eyes and I don't know what to do for him. He has been to a neurologist who's answer was to medicate him with ambien or lunesta but that DOESN'T solve his problem only masks it.

PLEASE HELP ME HELP HIM....I feel so helpless...

Thank you for anything you can do to help.

I am sorry that your wife had complications friend~
Please seek counsel for your grief~


Each time that you post here, we all get notices ~

I have a question for you. It has been brought to my attention that for the last 2 months I have been active in my sleep. I am a 26 year old woman with 2 children, and I knew I talked in my sleep when dreaming, however things have taken a different turn. My fiance has told me that about an hour or 2 hours after I fall asleep I wake back up and say I can't sleep and then I start talking about things that either never happened, or talk to him like he is my ex. I have also had episodes when I do things. I have gotten up and turned off the alarm clock, go back and forth to the bathroom, thrown my ring, smacked/hit him and worst of all sexually assulted him. I have a great deal of anxiety over sleeping at night, and due my best to stay awake so as not to hurt him in any way. I never have any memory of the things I have done or said in the morning. I am also extremely exhausted all day long. I don't know if you can help me, or anything. I am located in Southern Indiana, and am without insurance. If you could help I would appreciate it.

Chante