Insomnia

[Neco]

No it doesn't feel like coming down with something. It feels like I need sleep, or that I'm still not getting enough sleep. Then every few nights I'm still awake all night. Last night was one of those nights. Oh well.

I don't want to derail this thread further but I feel the need to address this.
I felt exactly the same way on methadone. Even when I slept decently, I would often need to takes naps during the day or fall asleep easily, and when waking from those, it would be difficult and I would feel very tired. Fatigue is not an uncommon side effect of methadone IIRC, but the question of sleep apnea also comes to mind.

I was never diagnosed, but I suspect I may have some form of apnea that was made worse when on the methadone in particular, even though most of the time I would not wake up gagging/coughing or whatever.

Do you have a CPAP and is everything going normally with that? because if you are having apnea problems that would certainly explain the constant tiredness. Other than that, it may be worth reporting the tiredness/fatigue to your doctor and seeing what they have to say about it. I know some people take other meds that perk them up sometimes, in these situations.

[debbluebird]

My husband will snore regularly and sometimes this will waken me. Again I am well awake and get up and amuse myself util I am ready for bed again. I also read myself to sleep and so will go back often to a guest bedroom and not 'our' bedroom.
Recently he has been sleeping poorly himself, waking up and unable to return to sleep. I also snore.
A couple of nights ago I wakened him with my snoring (I thought ladies didn't snore ) and he was clearly pretty frustrated as evidenced with lots of muttering of the colourful sort. Now.... if I am wakened by his snoring I just move to another room. I don't see why he couldn't just move to another room instead of being a martyr about it ... and told him so. His outburst was pretty out of character, he can be pretty impatient,
think other road drivers) but not really with me. Anyway, apology etc and back to bed.
My husband who I thought was generally getting a great night's sleep and was pretty much undisturbed by my years of nocturnal meanderings ... was anything but. He says he couldn't very well complain about his lack of sleep (actually mainly because of me snoring, plus my regular ins and outs of the bedroom), when he thought his poor sleep was nothing in comparison to my years of lack of sleep. Also, when I snored he didn't like to give me a nudge in case it woke me up. It was at this point that I reminded him that a nudge is much more gentle in nature than noisily leaping out of bed like a squalling frustrated cat !! I'm actually laughing at it now, but I wasn't at the time. He says he wanted to avoid going to another bedroom in order to sleep as he felt it was not how it should be for a married couple.
Bear in mind I've been doing this for years anyway.
I told him today that he awoke me last night with his snoring and I considered jumping loudly from the bed with gay abandon and calling out FFS, but wasn't convinced he would see the humour..

Snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea.

[Polar Bear]

Debs.... know it is, though he doesn't appear to have many of the symptoms.


Now me, on the othor hand.

[debbluebird]

Debs.... know it is, though he doesn't appear to have many of the symptoms.


Now me, on the othor hand.

For me at the time, I was not showing any symptoms of sleep apnea. My Doctor thought that the reason my RLS was getting worse was because of sleep apnea. The real reason was, that I was augmenting with mirapex. He kept increasing my dose of mirapex. When I did not respond to increases in it, he thought that I did not have RLS, that I must have something else. I agreed to the sleep study and they found the sleep apnea. Crazy

[Polar Bear]

Well, the wheels certainly fell off my Insomnia Wagon today.
I was working today at the UK General Election. Up a 4, get to the polling stations at 6, set up the hall ready and the doors open for voting at 7am.
I got 3.75 hours sleep. Just before the doors opened we had a short briefing, all standing in a huddle, during which my colleague was looking at me strangely and I realised I had no idea what had just been said. She asked was I ok. I reckon I nodded off even while standing at the briefing.

Doors opened and the voting started. I 'came to' holding a ballot in my hand towards a voter, my colleague took it from my hand and gave it to the voter.
Shortly afterwards (minutes) I was having difficulty getting my head around entering some of the date correctly - handwritten. I could't remember what I was doing. There was definitely a problem. This is a job that I've been doing 3 or 4 times each year for the past 30 years.
I was beside myself, and hardly knew what was going on around me.

Calling over the Presiding Officer ... well, it was more that she appeared beside me. I told her I felt there was something wrong with me and I needed to leave and go home. She and my close colleague agreed that something was not right. I got home, distraught, rang my Medical Practice in tears and got an emergency appointment with my GP. GP gave me an hour of her time. Asked me to walk the hallway and back again and to do the white line walk (which was awful), Doing basic neurological checks and decided no Petit Mal, no mini seizures etc. she believed it was a culminiation of exhaustion and fatigue resulting in little micro sleeps.

We have located 4 neurological surgeons in the Province who list rls as one of their interests, one of whom I saw several years ago and wasted both his time and mine plus £400 by attending privately. I have a basic private medical insurance and they also cannot locate what we agree to be a reliable 'expert'. GP was going to prepare a letter to give to my medical insurance company saying why we needed to to privately. i.e. very long waiting neurological waiting lists.

I will be speaking with my GP Friday morning and was thinking of suggesting instead that we approach my sleep problem from another angle. I have copd, I also awaken often gasping for air. Perhaps we could seek an appointment with a Respiratory Consultant with regard to my breathing and poor sleep and ask for a Sleep Study. Find out what's going on that way. Lists would still be reasonably long and therefore GP could ask my medical insurers to approve a private consultation. Any rls would also show up??
But at present would prioritise my sleep.

To be honest the events of this morning really upset me and my cofidence is shattered.

[debbluebird]

So sorry to hear what happened to you. It does sound like exhaustion, plus sleep deprivation can cause all sorts of issues.

[Polar Bear]

Thanks Deb, I truly never experienced the like before.

I spoke with my Dr today and she does not agree on the Sleep Study route, says my history does not suggest that route. Anyways, I'll go along with her in the meantime .... but I know that whoever I see..... it will be on my mind to ask their views on a Sleep Study

Today had a blissful 2 hour nap, properly in bed and under the duvet. I feel so much better for it, although still feel drained.
It would seem that over the years I have done myself no favours.

[ViewsAskew]

Betty! I didn't see this! How are you doing??? Am glad you had the nap, but, you need more than a nap.

[Polar Bear]

Ann, I am using the occasional zopiclone which gives me an extra couple of hours. Even so... this afternoon I was seated and reaching down to my purse which was on the floor. I came to hanging over the arm of the couch with my hand in my purse.

I'm waiting for approval from insurance to see if they'll cover the cost of seeing a neurologist. Even though no neurologist in the province lists RLS as an interest. But this is the route my GP wants to take. Personally I thought perhaps a sleep specialist. We will see what happens.

To be honest I feel pretty rubbish. I'm stuffed with the cold and blocked sinus which isn't helping sleep efforts. No energy, weary and COPD diagnosed. GP had decided I had so much going on that I should start an antidepressant (I said I wasn't depressed just tired) and it should kick in, in a week or so. Not happy about another med being added but fingers crossed it has a positive benefit.
It's hard work keeping a happy face.

Thank goodness my daughter in law is hosting Christmas.

Sorry, I do sound a misery.....just sounding off....I'm really not that miserable

[stjohnh]

... GP had decided I had so much going on that I should start an antidepressant (I said I wasn't depressed just tired) and it should kick in, in a week or so. Not happy about another med being added but fingers crossed it has a positive benefit.

Betty,
Which antidepressant?

[Rustsmith]

Betty, I hope that whatever anti-depressant your doctor provides, that you have better luck that the absolutely disastrous experience that I had with Wellbutrin. If you start having RLS side effects as a result, call your doctor and demand to stop immediately.

[Polar Bear]

Holland, the antidepressant is citalopram. I have taken it beforev, seemingly with ill effect.

Steve, I well remember how awful it was for you and will be on my guard.

[ViewsAskew]

I do hope it helps, Betty.

I recently stopped pramipexole, which I do less frequently since keeping my ferritin higher. I had thought maybe it was augmentation - just a slight worsening at night - so figured it was time. The two weeks off I had the same happen as to you - the doing something and waking up a short time later hunched over or fallen to the side, body cramped from the weird position. That is such a horrible place to be.

I often envy the health system that you have, but in cases such as this, it must be so maddening. That they wouldn't COVER such a thing makes me furious. That is just sheer malfeasance, it seems to me.

[Polar Bear]

Just to explain. Our NHS health service is free (we pay in our taxes).

I also have a very simple basic private medical insurance. It should cover a consultation, physio, simple treatment etc. It would not cover cancer. It's purpose is for when a NHS waiting list is longer than is acceptable. Each application is considered and I'm waiting to hear if the medical insurance will cover a private consultation with a neurologist. If they don't I will pay it myself.

Our NHS will cover it no problem but at present the waiting list is at 3 years for neurologist consultation, never mind any treatment. The cause of this long wait is twofold..... Firstly the government cutbacks over the last decade or more....hence the first ever nurses strike last week. Secondly, a couple of years ago there was an issue with the diagnosis (plural) of one of the local neurologists. He was suspended and over 2,500 patients had to be recalled. This has thrown neurology in particular into chaos. Also, so many patients are now paying privately for their initial neurologist appointment that the private waiting is now up to near 4 months.

So yes, the NHS is great in theory, and was great for many years, but at present isn't even nearly meeting its targets. A & E departments are in chaos. Waiting time target is around 4 hours max. Actual waiting time can be 12+ hours. No beds free in wards. GPs under pressure so patients going to A & E instead.

NHS was superb. Not now. Under staffed and under funded.
Elective surgery routinely cancelled. Best way for NHS treatment is as an urgent via A&E and your treatment will be excellent.

[debbluebird]

It seems like the world is getting worse.