Seems that insomnia and non-restorative sleep is a common problem for fibromyalgia sufferers. Could you please share anything that has helped you with this problem. Thanks!
Ambien
I have found that so many different things can disrupt a person's sleep. I've been getting some good sleep and I have worked hard trying different ways to get quality sleep. I had all the tests and saw a sleep specialist, and he did not help me. Things that wake me are pain, noise, bright lights, stomach distress(such as eating too close to bedtime) or just poor digestion, and not having peace of mind.
Once I managed to get my digestion working better, reduced the pain levels and used some white noise(a loud fan)in my bedroom I noticed improvement. One other important thing is that your mind has to be at peace. I use prayer and meditation and some yoga, just have a positive outlook on life. I don't dwell on negative, and try to avoid negative talk or thinking because words and thoughts have an effect on you and disturb your sleep, plus increase your pain levels. This has all helped me and now I have been sleeping solid hours without waking up. I am not on any meds, got off all of them except my thyroid med. I follow an antiinflamatory diet. The diet alone reduced my pain levels to a point of not needing pain meds at all.
One other thing I will mention is hormone imbalance. This is known to be a cause of insomnia, too. I had some issues with that when I started menopuase and bio-identical hormones helped that, but hormone imbalance can occur in women of any age. It's a good idea to have your hormone levels checked by a good doctor. I recommend holistic doctor who will test urine.
Also, not everyone is able to do this, but I have noticed also that if I go to bed when darkness comes and wake at dawn, I feel the best. This gets your body in its natural rythmm. It took me a long time to get that part right, but now it comes natural.
Last, some medications can cause insomnia. Check the side effects on your meds. Even sleep meds can have rebound effects.
Ally
I have tried Ambien in the past, and it seemed to work great but after six months it just stopped working. The weird thing about it is that I wouldn' t take it every night, so I know it wasn't because I built up a tolerance. No idea why they are ineffective now... Since then I haven't been able to find anything else. Trazadone will make me drowsy but it doesn't keep me asleep for eight hours straight. This has been a big problem of mine lately. It seems like when I take a nap during the day I sleep great, but when it comes to sleeping at night I rarely sleep for more than an hour straight. It's been really trying on my body. I never get deep sleep because I always have to change positions otherwise I get stiff and cramped. I have also noticed that I can't sleep in anymore... I start to hurt so bad if I lay down for too long. I used to be able to sleep eight to ten hours, now I am lucky if I get five hours.
Ally, your response is so right on, and I agree with everything you have said, I will get to the level you are at, if it takes me being dedicated all of 2013, the anti- inflammatory diet is my next step, I also wonder if your success has been at all related to a regular exercise program ?
I do take 1 mg of Ativan , and 1/4 tab of ambien, along with my sleepy time tea, and my ocean sound waves machine, I’m working on turning my tv off before I doze, verses 2 hr timer for it to go off.
The whole hormone issue is huge, what are bio- identical hormones ?
Thanks for your response, maybe you could MSG me about the anti-inflammatory diet
Hugs & blessings
Ambien has been the ONLY one that works for me. Although, I do feel like it effects my memory.
I take 15mg of melotonin at 730pm every night. By 11pm I'm pleasantly drowsy, unless the pain is bad. You don't need a script, it's available otc. and is non-addictive. Hope this helps, it works for me :)
I would like to know what an anti-inflametory diet is too please. Many thanks :)
Lunesta was the one drug that allowed me great sleep but my insurance did not cover it and after the samples were taken from my doctors office I was left on my own. So now I use my anti-depressants, melatonin supplements but what works the most is none medicinal at all. . . .I put on a boring movie. Nothing puts me to sleep like watching a horribly acted syfy film or a deathly boring drama or some sappy romance set in a time period I could care less about. . .that and a cup of tea will knock me out pretty soon!!
I must expand,on my previous one word answer. I do take,Ambien and have for over a year. Before that I took klonopin but was taken off it when my new doc discovered how much I was on and how long I had been on it. Ambien puts me to sleep for at least 3 or four hours but it doesn’t keep me asleep. Other things that help are meditation, no caffeine at all, eating my last meal no later than 6:00 pm, going to bed early and waking up early, exercise, letting go of worries and prayer. And a cpap machine. I still do not sleep straight thru the night but my sleep is better.i would like to be on a gluten free diet but I am not there yet. I do eat healthy, drink at least 3 quarts of water a day (but stop at about 6:30) and stick to a low fat, low carb, high protein diet (except for the occasional piece of chocolate pie- anyone notice that I haven’t talked about peanut butter chocolate shakes lately? LOL) and I quit smoking and do not drink at all these days.
Personally, the best thing one can do if they are having sleep issues and you have tried the basic rules, here is link to webmd that explains insomnia and how to deal with it. http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/insomnia-symptoms-and-causes
If you follow all the ideas on it and still have issues than doing sleep study is next best idea. They will also do test to check for any physical reason why you are having issues sleeping. Of course many of us with fibro has restless legs and that makes us wake up and have need to walk around all night long. But there are drugs that can help a bit if not fully.
As to ambien and other sleeping pills, they technically are only to be used for 2 weeks at maximum. After that the doctors are going against the legal recommendations. Plus, they should never be given if you are on any narcotic pain medication as you have good chance of not waking up. That is main reason people die on pain medication is doctors prescribing drugs such as ambien or lorazepam. The DEA has and is going after doctors who prescribe this now and sad part is now many doctors are hesitant to prescribe narcotic pain meds to people who are in severe pain because they do not want DEA investigating them for wrongful death.
I personally do have huge issues with sleeping mainly due to pain...i have to move my position. There is wool pad you can get that does really help us with fibro..it is few hundred dollars but it does help...i think it is the warmth and keeps you cool in summer plus it is soft. I also found that electric blankets are like huge heating pads and has helped. But best is to not take naps during day ....some doctors say it is okay since we have diseases but only an hour at most or half hour and at same time each day ...but best to get up same time daily and than do not go to bed till it is dark. I know in summer this can seem really late and tiring but it has helped me.
Also do not get on computer in evening before you go to bed....something about it makes your brain activity too active and really hard to sleep. More and more sleep advice places are saying this but i personally found it to be true and i like to use it to help take my mind off pain but i pay for it in not being able to fall asleep for few hours.
Bath before sleep does help a lot too as it relaxes and helps reduce pain. But mainly i just stick to trying to get up and move at same time daily....as hard as it may be and eventually, i do get to point where i sound like i am drunk from lack of sleep...even on those days i try to stay awake except for midday hour nap. I will usually fall asleep very quickly and finally get a good night's sleep and it feels wonderful.
But staying and getting up is hard part especially in pain. But i try, i do not push myself to do a lot just be awake...even if just watching morning news or reading or doing a light chore than rest and pass my day like that. I often will read chapter i book than do a chore , read a chapter than a chore, all day long i do this so somethings do get done. I also do it with commercials and tv shows that you can listen to as you do chore or do not care if you miss part of it. Except now commercials are coming sooner than every 15 minutes.so might do it every two commercials. I Have used both these techniques for years now and it is good way to not over do it but do some stuff.
Also you might have restless leg so talk to your regular doctor if you feel need to get up and move a lot during the night. There are drugs that can completely helps some and at the least make it more manageable. I am sorry , i am trying to recall all different things i have used over the years.
I can say that the none of the natural remedies helped me and even those you are not suppose to use more than few weeks, melatonin i believe was one that is suppose to help. I know Dr Oz site also has some great ideas and i believe even some foods that will help you sleep.
I am really sorry because i know how it just makes your pain and life so much harder. I personally have not done sleep study just due to some issues i have....i doubt i would be able to sleep at all with person watching me that i do not know.
But i have tried many other things and most of my friends have this problem....i never did till doctors put me on sleep drugs and mood drugs which i did not need. Before that even with strong pain, i was early to bed early rise person and would fall asleep within few minutes of laying down. I am positive the drugs really did number on my brain ...mood drugs mainly and ambien. So i personally would tell people to avoid them for number of reasons but mainly they can kill you if you like me are using a pain patch.
I sincerely hope you do find solution...if you go to sleep study and discover new ways i love to hear about them. I do hope you get some sleep soon!
Insomnia is a horrible beast. My answer probably won't be of a lot of help to you. When it is my time to experience insomnia I have found that nothing will help it. I take meds, double my trazodone(which I am allowed to do at these times) take a hot epsom salt and soB-Get up and read or watch tv. This lasts for 1-2 days and then I might not have it for a month or so. Of course mine is not related to pain so I probably wasn't helpful at all.
I would like to know about the anti inflammatory diet too.
Gentle hugs
Terri
MY RHEUMI PERSCRIBED PREDNISONE FOR THE TISSUE SWELLING AROUND TBE SHOULDERS LEFT ELBOW HIPS AND KNEES SO NOW I COULDNT SLEEP I TALKED TO MY SISTER WHO WORKS AT A DRS OFFICE AND HAS TAKEN IT BEFIRE SAYS SBE HAS TO TSKE BENADRYLL TO GET TO SLEEP I USUSALLY GO TO SLEEP AT 9PM BUT COULDNT U TIL 11-11;30PM I DIDBT LIJE THAT SO I NIW TAKE 45 MGS OF AMITRIPTYLINE AND 2 BENADRYLLS TO SLERP AT 10PM ID LIKE ITTO BE 9PM BUT IM GOING TO SEE TGE RHEUMI ON TUESDAY RHE PREDNISØNE ITSNT HELOING I HOPE HE TAKES ME IFF IT AND TRIES ANOTHER FRUG HELK KNIW THE SITUSTION AFTER I HAVE A BONESCAN IT HELPS FOR NOW ILL BE GSPPY EHEN I DONT GAVE TO TSKE IT BUT ITKK PROBABLY STAY UN MY SYSTEM FOR MAYBE A WEEK THATS FINE WITH ME HAVE A GOOD DAY E ERYOBE
I'm able to "sleep" so i'm not sure if it qualifies for insomnia.. but I struggle with feeling rested. I have had some luck using Tylenol PM but it'll either leave me feeling hung over in the morning or stop working after a while. So my doctor prescribed Trazodone.At first I got the hungover feeling from that, too. But I cut the pills in half and that seems to work to help me get to sleep. But if I'm woken up at night i'm on my own to roll around in pain for several hours. So best that I can advise is a little trazodone and don't have kids. haha.
I do a combination of prayer, walking, Relax-All and black strap molasses.
Prayer: I ask the Lord to keep our house safe. I thank Him for providing our daily bread for that day. I tell Him, "Lord the enemy is knocking at my door and telling me lies. He’s trying to make me worry about money since I am not working. And he’s telling me I am a failure. Please answer the door and shut him up, Thank You!"
Walking: When I can it helps .
Relax-All: Very new to me but very effective. I take two to four as it's all natural sleeping pills/muscle relaxers.
Black Strap: I have combined it with apple cider vinegar to get rid of the heart palpitations. The palpitations were keeping me awake. My dad had palpitations too and since he has taken Vitamin D, they have stopped. And he used to wake up every hour on the hour and the D has stopped that too.
I don't have any web sites to back this up. Just my books and friends, etc.
Hi, I take melatonin at night, and listen to an audiobook. Some evenings I will sip on an herbal relaxation tea, but I don't like that I have to visit the bathroom in the middle of the night, so I don't do that every night. If I am having a really hard time with pain, a muscle relaxer or hydrocodone helps. I hardly ever sleep all night, even with these things, but at least with them I only wake up once during the night.
Interesting info about the molasses and vinegar helping heart palpitations. My heart keeps me up along with the pain, and that is something I've not yet tried. What sort of dosage and combination of these do you use?
Smiles, I follow the instructions on the vinegar bottle:
1 to 2 teaspoons vinegar, (I prefer the organic from Braggs)
1 to 2 teaspoons molases in eight ounces in water. I do it one to two times a day. Sometimes I just forget, but I still palpitation free. I really think the vinegar is also giving me energy.
Thanks so much for sharing. I will try it out.
Hi Allie–I have had two sleep studies done–about 5 years apart. After the 1st I was put on a CPAP for sleep apnea. The 2nd only indicated that I had poor “sleep architecture” and was continuing to have arousals due to pain( duh) and that I am not getting deep restorative sleep. My sleep doc told me that all the pain killers and sleep agents interfere with normal sleep so he could not recommend any sleep agents. However, since I have been off the Oxy, my nightly routine is much more normal. But, if I wake early in the morning and cannot get back to sleep in 30 minutes, I take Valium and two plain Tylenol. However, I know I am still not getting enough deep sleep because I am still tired all the time. Since sleep apnea often occurs with Fibro I recommend everyone get a sleep study done. :-}