another sleepless night

[fordjx4000]

i havent been able to sleep lately becouse of midnight runs to the emergency room due to a lung infection and asthma attacks how do i get sleep without waking up i dont wanna take a combo of sleep meds i sometimes use they are tramadol
benadryl and melatoin i take them together
can anyone give me advice on sleeping

[kteague]

Sorry to hear that. In view of other things you're dealing with in regards to your health, I'd want the doctor to ok anything being taken. Wish I had something more to offer. All I can say is during a time when my sleep was so disrupted by things I couldn't change, I allowed myself the luxury to doze whenever and wherever I could fall asleep. Something was better than nothing. It went against the logic of good sleep hygiene practices to catnap off and on all day, but at that point I was in survival mode and figured I'd deal with getting back on schedule when things got better. Just take care of yourself as best you can, and I hope things settle down for you and you can begin getting better sleep.

[kaiasgram]

Hi Chantilly -- I'm sorry too that your sleep has been disrupted by trips to the ER. I agree with kteague that your doctor(s) need to be the ones to advise you as far as taking something to help you sleep. Aside from that, do you have some soothing music you like to listen to? I watched the youtube video you put up earlier and it looks like you enjoy listening to your MP3 player.

Also, maybe just try not to engage in a struggle with your sleep. The frustration can add to the misery that your sleep loss is already causing. Instead, shift your goal from trying to fall asleep to just trying to relax. Then the goal becomes a little more achievable, you don't have to feel so frustrated and defeated, and maybe you can even get relaxed enough that you'll doze a little.

I hope it helps that some of us are still awake with you and sending you support and wishes for an easy night.

[49er]

Hi Chantilly -- I'm sorry too that your sleep has been disrupted by trips to the ER. I agree with kteague that your doctor(s) need to be the ones to advise you as far as taking something to help you sleep. Aside from that, do you have some soothing music you like to listen to? I watched the youtube video you put up earlier and it looks like you enjoy listening to your MP3 player.

Also, maybe just try not to engage in a struggle with your sleep. The frustration can add to the misery that your sleep loss is already causing. Instead, shift your goal from trying to fall asleep to just trying to relax. Then the goal becomes a little more achievable, you don't have to feel so frustrated and defeated, and maybe you can even get relaxed enough that you'll doze a little.

I hope it helps that some of us are still awake with you and sending you support and wishes for an easy night.

Hi Chantilly,

I greatly 2nd Kaiasgram's advice to listen your MP3 player. Many times, I have laid down to listen to it thinking I wasn't tired, only to fall asleep after the first few minutes.

Give it a shot and see what happens.

49er

[RogerSC]

TV works for me, I turn on the TV and immediately start getting sleepy. Amazing *smile*.

Hang in there...you'll get through this and be looking back on it before long. Doesn't seem that way now, but stay with it, and keep trying to get healthy.

[Foggy1]

I agree with the others who suggested relaxing music. I also use aromatherapy, but not sure that will work for you with asthma. IF you are able, it should be a scent you find pleasing, but very light rather than overpowering.

I also elevate my pillow a bit, as well as follow a bedtime routine: warm bath, TV off, quiet music, relax. I also have moved my dogs sleeping arrangements out of my bedroom. It was hard to kick them out of my room at night, but good sleep is my priority. They have adjusted to it well, though not sure I have! I've also cut out any caffeine after noon.

[Stormynights]

Audio books also work well.

[chunkyfrog]

Aromatherapy; lavender has a relaxing effect.
A drop or two of essential oil on a tissue or cotton ball by the intake vent (or move it to a comfortable distance).
Check with your doctor if this is OK for you.

[avi123]

i havent been able to sleep lately becouse of midnight runs to the emergency room due to a lung infection and asthma attacks how do i get sleep without waking up i dont wanna take a combo of sleep meds i sometimes use they are tramadol
benadryl and melatoin i take them together
can anyone give me advice on sleeping

Reply,

Please consult with your Doc about my way of taking sleep medication:

Presently, I take 0.5 mg of Xanax, once daily, for anxiety. I also take 300 mg of Gabapentin (generic Neurontin) daily before sleep for my Peripheral Neuropathy, and also for sleep. Usually, I sleep for 7 hours, with one or two wake ups to go to the BR. When I can’t fall asleep within 30 min after masking up, I take 5 mg of Zolpidem (generic Ambien, not extended release), and fall asleep within 15 min. Recently it has been happening daily. Rarely, it happens that I need to take another 5 mg which put me to sleep also within 15 min, this could happen after I go to the BR.

In 2012 Consumer Reports reported on a survey of nearly 9000 people with insomnia; the people surveyed were asked what kinds of treatment they had used and whether it had "helped a lot." I am not surprised to see that Zolpidem is Consumer Reports top sleep medication. Taking a 10 mg of Zolpidem helped me a decade before CPAPing, with my fragmented sleep for years. But long before starting CPAP I managed to withdraw from this drug by cutting the doze in half every week. So I know it that as long as I keep the daily dose to around 10 mg, if I wanted I could taper off it at any time.



There are several medical reports about Zolpidem helping those with Central Sleep Apnea.

Here is one:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2670330/

p.s. if you want to print this window, one way to do it is to copy it to a word processor and from the to send it to the printer.

[nanwilson]

i havent been able to sleep lately becouse of midnight runs to the emergency room due to a lung infection and asthma attacks how do i get sleep without waking up i dont wanna take a combo of sleep meds i sometimes use they are tramadol
benadryl and melatoin i take them together
can anyone give me advice on sleeping

Reply,

Please consult with your Doc about my way of taking sleep medication:

Presently, I take 0.5 mg of Xanax, once daily, for anxiety. I also take 300 mg of Gabapentin (generic Neurontin) daily before sleep for my Peripheral Neuropathy, and also for sleep. Usually, I sleep for 7 hours, with one or two wake ups to go to the BR. When I can’t fall asleep within 30 min after masking up, I take 5 mg of Zolpidem (generic Ambien, not extended release), and fall asleep within 15 min. Recently it has been happening daily. Rarely, it happens that I need to take another 5 mg which put me to sleep also within 15 min, this could happen after I go to the BR.

In 2012 Consumer Reports reported on a survey of nearly 9000 people with insomnia; the people surveyed were asked what kinds of treatment they had used and whether it had "helped a lot." I am not surprised to see that Zolpidem is Consumer Reports top sleep medication. Taking a 10 mg of Zolpidem helped me a decade before CPAPing, with my fragmented sleep for years. But long before starting CPAP I managed to withdraw from this drug by cutting the doze in half every week. So I know it that as long as I keep the daily dose to around 10 mg, if I wanted I could taper off it at any time.



There are several medical reports about Zolpidem helping those with Central Sleep Apnea.

Here is one:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2670330/

p.s. if you want to print this window, one way to do it is to copy it to a word processor and from the to send it to the printer.

Avi, no bloody wonder you give out crap advice, you are continually drugged.

Chantilly, don't listed to this crack pot, keep working with your doctors as I am sure you are on enough meds now you don't need to add more. Once the doctors get you stabilized, I am sure you will be able to get some restorative sleep. You have been given some good relaxing advice from members here, keep the faith we are here for you.

[Guest]

I didn't have a great deal of success with it myself, but several friends swear by the "white noise"
machines for a little soothing background noise. They are relatively inexpensive and may offer some
non drug related benefit. Hope you are able to get some quality sleep soon.

[jweeks]

Chantilly,

Avoid anything that shines light into your eyes like you iPod Touch or a computer screen. Don't do anything that makes your mind active. I had periods where I would wake up and not be able to get back to sleep. I found that music videos were great. There is one Sheryl Crow concert that I would watch over and over. I'd drift off after a few songs, and I wouldn't get too uptight if I drifted in and out and missed parts (whereas with a movie or audio book, if you miss a part, it ends up a waste of time). I was almost like a little kid who wanted to hear the same story over and over--turning on that video signaled my body to relax and go to sleep.

Are there things that keep you awake? Like noises, traffic, lights, activity? For example, when I was in college, I lived near a hospital right on the street where the ambulances would go past. That took a long time to get used to.

-john-

[DoriC]

Chantilly, are you on any meds for your lung infection and asthma? What are they? They could be interfering with your sleep. Let us know. And forget about Avi, he's totally overmedicated

[fordjx4000]

i have been taking Levofloxacin for the lung infection and i take pulmacort daily for asthma management

[DoriC]

Levofloxacin is a pretty heavy duty but effective antibiotic and can cause difficulty falling and/or staying asleep but hopefully you'll only be taking it for a short while until your infection clears up. Sometimes asthma meds can cause nervousness because of the steroid so I take my asthma med(Advair) right after dinner,not too close to bedtime. Hope you have a better night.