Need Advice Please

[sleepwiggler]

Ok so I seem to have my OSA events under control according to sleepy head data, and many thanks to the members on this board.

Now I am still acting out my dreams and have video proof, I go to my sleep doctor on Monday. They tried to move the appointment but I refused because of my symptoms. The acting out of dreams, the provigil is not helping any more, I am tired mentally and physically, when you couple that with my depression and diabetes, and RLS, I just don't know how much more I can take. I feel as though I am fighting a loosing battle. So I am sure I will fire up some negative with this post but I am sure that I have not already ran through it myself.

So I have mentioned some of my issues above here is a few more. I almost fall asleep several times a day even when driving, I loose my balance on solid ground and twice I have fell when my son was present because of loosing my balance (made me fell like crap). I also sit at work and home and forget what I was going to do the second I think of it. I have to think several minutes how to do things I normally do especially at work. I have no desire to handle my money/bills as I normally do or to even to do things that use to bring me joy. I talked to my EAP yesterday and they suggested talking to a counselor and psychiatrist so I am waiting on one group to call me back.They normally require a referral but that is difficult to get through my primary but they told to fill out paperwork and they would review and call me back.

So now here is where I need some advise of course feel free to comment on any of the post. Just know that not everyone is the same and things effect people differently.

I feel like I need some time off work to try to get myself back into shape. I like my job and I made a commitment to the company. I have never taken time off for any reason not medically necessary, there are times that my boss has actually had to make me go home because I was sick. So i do not take this step without great thought and disappointment. I have great Short term disability and I will receive full pay for 6 months no waiting period, so I am not worried about money,

So what would be the best way to go about this should I ask my sleep doctor to write me out for a trial period of a couple weeks to a month and then revisit the situation? I would of course explain all the above to him. I do not want to miss any more time from work than I need. I just need to get myself back or at least in a state that I can function. I honestly feel that this time is needed. I have vacation days but that is only a week and I do not want to use them because I was saving them for the week after Christmas to spend with my son while he is out of school.

Anyway: Thoughts please!!!!!!

[Julie]

I suggest that because you are seeing the doctor on Monday (not e.g. a month away), you wait to see what they think before approaching Human Resources (or equivalent) and committing to anything or disclosing info you might later not want on your record... at least wait til Monday. Possibly the doctor could give you something in writing to back up your work request - so see what he/she thinks.

[sleepwiggler]

I suggest that because you are seeing the doctor on Monday (not e.g. a month away), you wait to see what they think before approaching Human Resources (or equivalent) and committing to anything or disclosing info you might later not want on your record... at least wait til Monday. Possibly the doctor could give you something in writing to back up your work request - so see what he/she thinks.

Yep, I am not going to divulge anything to my employer until I talk to my doctor. They do know that I have sleep apnea and diabetes but that is it. I am just wondering how to approach with my doctor he is pretty reasonable and listens but I know me better than anyone and I just know that I cannot keep going this way.

[sleepwiggler]

Saw my sleep doctor explained my symptoms and showed him videos of me acting out my dreams. He step that the acting out is rem sleep behavior disorder and since I am already on 4mg of Klonopin we should try 8 MG of melatonin. As for the day to day exhaustion and sleepiness he said he would my Provigil to 600 MG a day and that was all he could do that. The 400mg worked for a while but not long so I don't expect there to be any improvement there. I told him one doctor I talked who is on cpap stated I needed an oximeter because I may suffering from oxygen desaturation in my sleep. My doctor said he did not think I needed that so I will buy my own. He did order another study the middle of next month and put me out of work until he sees me again in December. Said it was not safe for me to be driving etc... if I am having difficulty staying awake.

So right now that is where I stand.