Doctor's Tough Love

[EeFall]

I don't know if the doctor meant it this way or not but probably the best thing he has done for me is to say there is nothing else he can do for me until other medications become available. I posted that somewhere on the board a couple of weeks ago. Since then it made me mad but it also made me rethink my working. Instead of missing work due to lack of sleep I have now told myself, and I am sticking to it, that no matter how bad my sleep is (even no sleep that I did a few days ago) I am not going to miss any work because of RLS/WED symptoms or the result of those symptoms (lack of sleep).

So he really ticked me off and let me off in the cold of the night on a street corner by myself (so to speak). All I could do was to assume the fetal position and do nothing or stand up like a man (or woman, equal opportunity here lol) and push on. Some probably would not like the sound of what I am doing but it is working. I might as well be at work, rather than at home doing nothing. Speaking of work I have to go get ready, I woke up an hour early so I got 4 hours sleep (I need eight), but whatever...I'm going to work and making some cash and some benifits so that I can continue on. Tough love (or maybe he was giving me the boot) but it seems to be working.

[EeFall]

When I said 4 hours sleep, that is not a normal 4 hours of sleep, probably closer to a half hour, or an hour for the real feel of it. From the Zeo (rest its electronics) and my VPAP machine it shows that I wake up so many times a night and so little deep sleep that it is practically no sleep. That was only too clear today when I had to have 2 cups of coffee to get to work, another there and then I fell asleep (of course it is only for seconds because RLS will jerk me awake), anyway I can't allow that to happen at work. I went down and bought a double shot Starbucks energy drink, then later another one, and then another one, the last one was a double shot espresso.

I had to have them or I would not have been able to continue working, also I would not have been able to drive. The surprising thing is that I did a tremendous amount of work! I keep very good notes so I know what I am doing all the time and keep crossing out things I have accomplished and adding more things to do as I go. That is a must for having very little sleep. I also usually leave myself a note that I read the next day to tell me where I had left off. All of this is because of the RLS/WED. I can't hardly believe I made it through the day! The thing is that now that it is getting later I become more awake as the RLS will become worse at night. The meds I take make it seem like it is not there, but I know that is not the case.

So anyway my experiment to work no matter what seems to be working, although it has been very difficult at times. Those coffee energy drinks (with other things in them) are so cool! Within a half hour I am not falling asleep and can continue working. Doing 3 in one day though was probably not a good thing, I guess I will find out tonight. The other thing is the 3 together add up to 540 calories, extra calories for the day, that can't be good.

[ViewsAskew]

Have you tried Provigil? I've read conflicting ting, but some people say that people become tolerant very quickly. Since I didn't need it everyday, I've been trying it only when I have to be at the client site. So far, so good.

[EeFall]

Have you tried Provigil? I've read conflicting ting, but some people say that people become tolerant very quickly. Since I didn't need it everyday, I've been trying it only when I have to be at the client site. So far, so good.

No I haven't, I don't even know what it is...I will have to go investigate, thanks.

[EeFall]

Have you tried Provigil? I've read conflicting ting, but some people say that people become tolerant very quickly. Since I didn't need it everyday, I've been trying it only when I have to be at the client site. So far, so good.

No I haven't, I don't even know what it is...I will have to go investigate, thanks.

I investigated and I think they are sending me a free sample prescription of it! Thanks.

[ViewsAskew]

Do as little reading on it. Some people say that you get tolerant to it quickly. I've taken it sporadically, so I don't know. Maybe it only does that if you're using it illicitly.

Also, I only take 1/4 of a tablet, but that's because medications tend to hit me hard. You may not be that way, so this may not apply.

[EeFall]

Good thing you mentioned the 1/4 tab, medicine usually hits me pretty strong.

[EeFall]

Do as little reading on it. Some people say that you get tolerant to it quickly. I've taken it sporadically, so I don't know. Maybe it only does that if you're using it illicitly.

Also, I only take 1/4 of a tablet, but that's because medications tend to hit me hard. You may not be that way, so this may not apply.

Hmmm. I think I might have gotten the wrong prescription! Nuvigil (armodafinil). When I went to the web page about Provigil it took me to Nuvigil page. I assumed that it was the brand name for Provigil but now I am not so sure. Is Nuvigil Provigil? Anyway it said it was for obstructive sleep apnea (among other things) and I do have that besides RLS so I wrote my doctor an email and said basicly that I could get a 30 day supply to try it out for free and it would be better for me than drinking three 200 calorie energy drinks a day. Then his office called me today and asked where to send the prescription. So it is waiting for me at the pharmacy (forgot to go get it ) but now I am wondering if I got the right medication

[debbluebird]

I found this info at http://www.ehow.com/facts_5595693_diffe ... finil.html

Provigil and Nuvigil are stimulant medications, with arousal effects similar to amphetamines. While it is known that both drugs affect several different neurotransmitters, the exact mechanism by which they induce wakefulness is not understood.
Both drugs are stimulants used to treat excessive sleepiness (ES) resulting from obstructive sleep apnea, shift work sleep disorder or narcolepsy. The manufacturer states specifically that the drugs are not approved for the treatment of the underlying issue causing ES.

Provigil is a racemic drug, meaning it contains a mixture of two different versions of the same molecule, which each have a slightly different effect. Nuvigil contains only one version of the molecule. This means that 50 percent of the contents of a Provigil pill is actually Nuvigil.

[EeFall]

Interesting, thanks for getting that information. I am a little out of it today (more than normal lol) I have had some sort of stomach bug for the last 3 days and my sleep has been even more messed up than usual. It sounds like Nuvigil will be okay then, I'm just trying to not fall asleep at work, they sort of frown on that and would most likely get rid of me if they could. I guess I will find out day after tomorrow if they work or not.

[ViewsAskew]

Hope it helps you. It definitely does me. Like I said, I take only 1/4, so it's not a big effect, but it is enough that I was able to stay alert during meetings. I wasn't that tired, though. If I were really tired, I'd definitely take 1/2 and see what happened.

[dogeyed]

EEF, on the sleeping part, for SOME people, me being one, to be able to fall asleep and stay asleep, there's a natural medicine at the Natural Food Store called Melatonin,which is made from the same thing that darkens the skin from sunlight. I went thru a period years ago, don't know why, where I absolutely could not sleep well, and went thru a couple of my natural food books and found it, and of course in the age of the internet, it's all over the place. Seems like I just took one pill with a glass of water, got in bed and read for a while and watched TV, and then I got SOOOO sleepy, knocked me clean out and I stayed that way for many hours, maybe turned once, and I do not recall being sleepy in the morning at all. But it doesn't work for everybody. GG

[rthom]

That sounds interesting--both my wife and i should try that

[Polar Bear]

Dogeyed, I'm glad it worked for you.

My doctor wanted me to try it and so not take ambien etc.
He says Melatonin should be used for a max of 13 weeks, or at least the brand I was prescribed said so.
I took it for the 13 weeks and barely shut an eye.

Again we see that what works for one doesn't always work for another.
But very happy that it is working for you, and of course it is worth anyone's while to try it.

[ViewsAskew]

I think melatonin is in the same category as vitamins and minerals. If we're deficient, it helps. If we're not, it doesn't.