Help! Drugs have me sleeping all night & napping all day

[D4]

I need advice. I'm so tired I can't analyze this clearly. And the psycho thing is I am sleeping all night, my hubby has to wake me up, and I take 3-4 hour naps each day. I have very little energy during my awake hours.

I'd love a sleep study to see what's going on but I doubt that insurance would pay since I had one in April. I was diagnosed with PLMD and RLS.

I've already been on Mirapex, Requip, Neurontin, and Depakote.

I switched to Vicodin about 7 weeks ago. It helped somewhat but then I started waking up every hour. So my Dr. added Rozerem. For the first week on both drugs, I slept pretty good. The second week I had horrible insomnia and could only sleep about 3 hours each night. Without changing any drugs, the third week I started sleeping like a brick all night and napping for hours every day. I called my Dr. and he had me stop Rozerem and start Clonazapam 5 nights ago. I'm still on the Vicodin because it takes away the horrible leg feelings. I'm sleeping all night, my hubby has to make me get up, and I 'm sleeping almost all the time when I'm not working. I missed some work each day this week because I couldn't wake up and I'm just plain running on empty.

I don't understand what's going on with me. I'm sleeping about 15-16 hours a day and I'm just as tired as when I only sleep about 3 hours a night. That just doesn't seem to make sense to me.

I've studied the Mayo Clinic algorithm and I have read Dr. B's book thoroughly. Everything seems to have such crappy side effects and I'm extra sensitive to medicine anyway.

I see my neurologist in a few days. He's good about considering my input. Have any of you had experiences like this? What drugs would you want to try next if you were me?

[ViewsAskew]

I only have a minute - two things off the top of my head.

First, clonazepam made me feel that way. I was ALWAYS tired.

Second, your PLMs may not be under control. If so, you may be sleeping, but not getting any deep sleep (stages 3 and 4). Over time, that wears on the body and you start sleeping more and more to try to get rest. You think you're sleeping, but you're not getting restorative sleep.

Oh, one last thing - just read some study results - opioids interfered with getting stage 4 sleep. Could be that, too.

A sleep study would be the only way to find out if it's either of those. Per the clonazepam - stopping it would tell you a lot. But, don't do that without learning a lot more about it and talking to a doc - you can't stop it cold turkey.

[D4]

I went to my neurologist yesterday and he doesn't know why I'm not responding to anything. He ordered a MRI of my brain and brain stem and some more blood work. I had them done today. It's sort of scary wondering if they'll find something wrong with my brain or brain stem.

I really like him and appreciate that he's taking other steps than just continuing to try other medicines.

[Neco]

Have you been tested for anemia ?

[ctravel12]

Hi D4 I am so sorry that you are having a rough time. I am on clonazapem and mirapex and I do not have that problem; however I know everyone's body reacts differently to meds.

I am glad that your dr is going the extra mile for you.

As far as stopping clonazapem cold turkey do not do that I have been there and done that. I stopped cold turkey and was up for seven nights walking the floors. You may want to have your dr wean you off of it to start another med.

Without having any medical background, I cannot tell you want meds to take. I am glad that you are discussing this with your dr and am sure he will get you on another type of medication that will help you. I know what works for me, but may not work for you.

Please keep us posted on how you are doing.

[D4]

I received excellent results today on my brain MRI. Everything is normal. My neurologist orderd the MRI because he said he wondered if something in my brain was causing me to process sleep normally (or something like that.) So I was afraid I had a brain tumor! Whew!

Yes, Zach, I've been tested for anemia. They did a lot of blood work a few months ago and repeated some of it Weds to see if anything changed. Those results came back normal, too.

My doctor is referring me to a sleep disorder clinic at a very prestigious hospital. (I had a sleep study and MSLT done locally in April 2006.) They called me today and they said after all my records are faxed to them, a doctor will review them and then they'll contact me to schedule the visit. Unfortunately, it sounds like my appointment won't be for at least another two months. I'm anxious to hopefully find out what is going on and what can be done about it.

My doctor wants me to stay on the current meds for now. I was hoping for an earlier appointment because I want my life back. I'm sleeping most of it away right now. For the past couple weeks, I've been going into work late and they've been very understanding and so has my hubby, but we all wanted me to improve soon.

Thanks for all your support.

[SquirmingSusan]

D4, maybe you can take less clonazepam? That's probably what's making you so sleepy. I hope you can get into the sleep specialist soon. In the meantime, it sounds like you have a neurologist who actually listens to you. That's a good thing!

Susan

[D4]

Thanks for the idea Susan. I've been trying that. Half a pill makes me just as sleepy but my legs start moving around 3am. I've been taking 3/4 of a pill and it seems to do ok. But I'm still sleeping most of the time.

The good thing is that since Chlonazepam has a long half life, I was somewhat sedated during the MRI. In fact, I kept dosing off during it even though it was so loud and I'm claustrophobic.