Hi all,
After a very interesting and scary experience at hospital this week, I felt I would share the story and see if others have also had similar experiences.
Im fairly sure, although not positive, that people with fibro/CFS often experience insomnia or difficulty sleeping. So this has been an on- going battle for me for years. I often attributed my insomnia to my high stress job, and had been taking a sleeping aid (zopplicone) for at least a year or so. This past week, starting on Sunday I was unable to sleep. I might have gotten a total of 3 hours broken up into 30 or so minute spurts throughout my night of tossing and turning. Same thing monday night, and then Tuesday. As i reflect back now, At about 4 on Tuesday I started doing odd things, things I just don’t do on a daily basis. For example, I wrote my grandma a letter expressing my love for her. I had also scoured my old magazines looking for clippings to include in my letter, like a cross word puzzle. This is something I have never done… Then I decided to curl my hair, sort out my medications and sort my mail, etc etc. at about 10pm I realized I was very worked up and should take a sleeping pill to get some rest. I was very frustrated and becoming a bit upset about not being able to fall asleep, so I think I doubled my dose. An hour or so later, I have become even more worked up so now, acting almost out of my bodies basic instinct and biological need for sleep, I took another 2 pills. At this point I was irrational and thinking this would “help” me get to sleep. This had the opposite effect and I would up becoming only what I could describe as “high” off these pills. I wound up taking the entire bottle 30 pills as I was literally out of my own rational mind. As I was meandering around the apartment in this stupor I has a nasty fall, and hit my head. I called to my husband who found me and immediately called the paramedics. I was rushed to hospital and most of this is a blur. What I do remember about the hospital is that, allbeit doing their due diligence I’m sure, I was asked again and again if I attempted suicide. The hospital then had me meet with the psychiatrist, who requested to meet with me in private, without my mom present, and asked me my whole life story. My frustration about this is due to the fact that I was still intoxicated, I was impulsive and impressionable. The prodding about my “mental health” began to make me feel as though maybe I had been suicidal…had I? The next thing I know is that the psychiatrist has recommend that I go into the psych unit for 2 weeks for an “assessment”. I was taken down to the unit had one look around, not the warmest looking environment, and realized this was not where I should be. The psychiatrist then made me sign documents stating I was leaving “against doctors order”… Then he told me to pick up new medications, completely new meds.
This disturbs me that a physician would make such a dramatic change after only speaking with an inebriated patient for a short time. A change in medications for us, as I’m sure you are all aware, can be very difficult. To the point where you are sick from the side effects.
The hospital staff also consistently asking me over and over about my intentions was very frustrating and made me feel disenfranchised. I felt very alone. It was as though what I was saying was falling on deaf ears as they already had made up their mind.
Anyhow, I want to confirm to all, that I was never suicidal… Only sleep deprived. I think now that this was likely psychosis induced by lack of sleep.