Having another bad night.

[dogeyed]

VIEWS, that's funny about your plants.
ALL, here are few half-way tips that will HELP (maybe) next time you get in a jam with no meds or whatever:
1. Buy some knee-high support stockings at the grocery store. When you go to bed, put them on. They will usually allow you to at least fall asleep
2. Stretch your hamstrings, which is your calf muscles and thereabouts, by leaning against a wall with leg outstretched behind, and do a wall pushup to where it pulls tight on those hamstrings.
DEB, actually, there was a poster here years ago whose user name was "WalkingAfterMidnight" I believe. And most RLS people DO sleep better in the morning and sometimes naps.
For what it's worth, altho not EVERYONE has this good fortune, a little opiate usually will stop all RLS symptoms, you become just like a regular person, but most docs are stingy with them. I take Tylenol Codeine #3, and for almost 10 years, it's controlled it, with a couple ups in number of pills. However, I'm at the point where I need to switch to something stronger, which will be up to my neuro. But I never had any luck with any of the other categories of RLS drugs out there. GG

[debbluebird]

Thanks GG, and everyone for all of the suggestions. I already take oxycodone sometimes. It really doesn't help that much, so I don't usually take it. The methadone seems to be better. What I don't like about sleeping in the mornings, is I'm a morning person. So when finally get up it seems like the day is mostly gone. But those morning and afternoon naps sure are comfortable. I've tried the support hose and they didn't really seem to help. Thanks again to all, DEB

[debbluebird]

Been working on a quilt for one of my Grandchildren. Have two more to make.
Finally had a good night. It's been a long time coming. Last night was my second night of taking Tramadol, adding it to my methadone, gabapentin and ativan. I had worked very hard that morning, in the yard. That's about all I can do. As soon as I sat down to rest my leg started in, 1 pm. Took a methadone, (usually taken at 9). Took a hot bath. Finally made it to 3pm, for scheduled gabapentin. I was better by 4. The rest of the night is a little confusing. I think I went to sleep around 9:30. I usually sleep in 2 hours segments, with each adding a pill and waiting. I was very sleepy through the night. The best was that I slept 4 hours, from 2 to 6. Earlier it had been 2 hr segiments. Got up had breakfast (leg got me up as usual) But was so sleepy, went back to bed and got 4 more hours. The first night with adding the Tramadol, it gave me an extra 2 hours. I want to see how the next few nights go. I'm sure that I won't be so sleepy as time goes by. I want to eliminate the Ativan. It really doesn't help much. Well, maybe I will continue to get a little more sleep. My fours hours has been a little thin. I would be sleepy and could go to sleep, but legs would not allow it. Hope it continues to help me for awhiel. DEG

[rthom]

DEB

Glad you are getting a bit more sleep. I was thinking while i read your message about my own sleeplessness and was wondering if you might need to get some quality sleep no matter when you can. I need to do that if I have had a while with very little. So I sleep all hours of the day or night just to get sleeping again, I know it's "wrong" when looking at sleep health--that you are to try to keep it only at night etc. but if i try to do that and the early morning it takes me far longer to get back to sleeping normally (normally for me that is). I don't know if I'm making any sense or helping any but that's it in a nutshell.
P.s. If it's not at all making sense I'll try to word it better. Good luck!

[debbluebird]

Since my nightmare lost me my job and I'm now "retired" I sleep when I can. My husband has sleep issues and health issues, so we are in the same boat. We sleep at all sorts of hours and are up at all hours. It's only a bother when we are required to be somewhere at a certain time. Now this coming week we are going to have company for a week or so. So sleeping during the day like we do now will be difficult. Oh well, we will just have to see how it goes. Thanks, DEB

[rthom]

Just to clarify, I go back to trying to sleep at night (or early morning) as soon as I get 1 or 2 good sleeps--like over 3 hours. I do think it's best for mental health etc. But that could be just me. Must be horrible with both of you not sleeping well.

[ViewsAskew]

Since my nightmare lost me my job and I'm now "retired" I sleep when I can. My husband has sleep issues and health issues, so we are in the same boat. We sleep at all sorts of hours and are up at all hours. It's only a bother when we are required to be somewhere at a certain time. Now this coming week we are going to have company for a week or so. So sleeping during the day like we do now will be difficult. Oh well, we will just have to see how it goes. Thanks, DEB

Ouch - company would be very hard for me and I'm guessing hard for you, too. I hope you have some privacy where you can do non-sleeping things when others are sleeping.

Good luck with it.

[Polar Bear]

When we have guests staying with us I just warn them that although I will be as quiet as I can, that if they hear movement during the night it will be me. I do my best but don't put myself through any more torture than I need to, and if walkabouts are needed then so be it.

[debbluebird]

I forgot to tell everyone. I got 12 hours of sleep last night. I was only up three times and it wasn't for very long inbetween sleeping. Tonight I've had four hours straight. I'm up now but I really think that I will get in another four hours. We have a very small house 600 sq ft. So everyone will be staying in our 5th wheel trailer.
I have come to the conclusion from reading everyone's story, that when we become the most severe, that the only thing that works the best are the narcotics and gabapentin. Mirapex worked for me for years, like so many others, then that was that. Well, I'm back to bed. DEB

[dogeyed]

Deb, then I take it that it was the Tramadol that helped you? GG

[debbluebird]

Yes, I do believe it's the Tramadol. Now last night I only got about five hours. I had a lot to do today so I didn't sit in my chair getting sleepy in the morning after I got up. I do tend to take a nap in my chair after breakfast. I need to stop doing that. When I feel sleepy I need to get back into bed and put on my C Pap.
Also have had fewer leg jerks during the day and at night. When I woke up last night it wasn't because of my leg waking me up. That was a nice change. When we took our trip to town for shoping today I sometimes have trouble on the way home with leg jerks. It's an hour there and back. Today it didn't happen. That was good too. DEB

[ViewsAskew]

Hopefully it will continue!

[debbluebird]

Last night was a very bad night. All I could do was cry and walk. Drugs finally kicked in after a few hours. Ended up sleeping 7 hours but feel totally exhausted today. DEB

[debbluebird]

I have been having much better nights lately. I'm now on Methadone, Tramadol and Gabapentin. I am taking them spaced out from late afternoon through the night. What triggers me the most now, is increased activity. Sitting in the car, for long rides, working around the house, or yard, etc. I can't do much because of my hip, but when I do, watch out. I just don't want to have to sit in my chair all the time. I used to be very active, so just sitting here is not me. I always take extra medication with me when we go for rides. We live rather remote, so travel is quite often. I'm having enough better nights now, so the meds will probably stay this way until the next bad flare up. DEB

[debbluebird]

Continuing to have some good nights. It feels so good to finally get some sleep again. Also starting to loose weight. I can see the difference after stopping the Mirapex. DEB