Any Insomnia Only Forums as good as this one?

[Mtnviewer]

I have a female friend in her mid 50's who has insomnia. I've been looking but cannot find via searches an Insomnia forum and community that might be as fantastic as this one. I've found a few but none that are very active.

My friend is somewhat in denial and has apathy of her sleep deprivation and so I'm doing lots of searching for Insomnia (and sleep and PAP therapy) info for her and forwarding it on and being as encouraging vs. annoying as I can. She has had a PSG sleep study and O2 tests, and had low 02 and as far as I recall it was suggested that she try CPAP and she did, but only very briefly for short periods over only 2 weeks, claiming she couldn't get used to it and it didn't help. (I know .... I did the same for longer but I'm back and determined this time). Due to her asthma and respiratory problems, and from what I've read in this forum, PAP therapy might very well help her too, but for now, I'm hoping to help her to work on her insomnia first.

Thanks for any leads that you can suggest.

[sleepycarol]

I recently read a report where some insomnia is caused by sleep apnea. Your body reacts in a flight or fight syndrome and over time your body will, under certain cirumstances, be reluctant to fall asleep.

I would suggest she try cpap again and see if that helps.

[nobody]

I have a female friend in her mid 50's who has insomnia. I've been looking but cannot find via searches an Insomnia forum and community that might be as fantastic as this one. I've found a few but none that are very active.

My friend is somewhat in denial and has apathy of her sleep deprivation and so I'm doing lots of searching for Insomnia (and sleep and PAP therapy) info for her and forwarding it on and being as encouraging vs. annoying as I can. She has had a PSG sleep study and O2 tests, and had low 02 and as far as I recall it was suggested that she try CPAP and she did, but only very briefly for short periods over only 2 weeks, claiming she couldn't get used to it and it didn't help. (I know .... I did the same for longer but I'm back and determined this time). Due to her asthma and respiratory problems, and from what I've read in this forum, PAP therapy might very well help her too, but for now, I'm hoping to help her to work on her insomnia first.

Thanks for any leads that you can suggest.

How long has it been since she's had the study and visited a doctor? From what I know CPAP can sometimes aggravate nocturnal asthma so she'd want to make sure she was getting treated for that as well. Nocturnal asthma can also cause drops in oxygen just like apnea can so maybe she was prescribed the CPAP inappropriately or without a complete medical history. Maybe a second opinion would be a good idea even. Also there are other sleep disorders (besides apnea) and other health conditions that can cause insomnia so I'm just saying if she hasn't seen a doctor in a while it might be a good idea to encourage her to do that now.

[Goofproof]

I hope as a good friend you got her a innertube for XMAS, they work extra well in De-Nile, the salt water makes then float higher in the water. Jim

[jnk]

. . . community that might be as fantastic as this one. . . . being as encouraging vs. annoying as I can. . . . as I recall it was suggested that she try CPAP and she did, but only very briefly . . . help her to work on her insomnia first. . . .

1. No community is as good as this one.
2. If the body knows it is messing up its breathing during sleep, who can blame it for wanting to stay awake instead? Breathing at night can cure some insomnia.
3. If she's only a so-so friend, stick with being merely encouraging. But if she is a really good friend, you may want to become annoying to her about her getting back to cpap. I prefer live annoyed friends over the alternative. But hey, that's just me.

[john_dozer]

I recently read a report where some insomnia is caused by sleep apnea. Your body reacts in a flight or fight syndrome and over time your body will, under certain cirumstances, be reluctant to fall asleep.

I would suggest she try cpap again and see if that helps.

I use to blame my sleep debt symptoms on a lack of sleep basically taking a lot of other symptoms off the table trying to understand my poor general well-being. It was only after I read somewhere insomnia can be an apnea symptom, did I put apnea back on the table.

For me, my problem was all about falling asleep. But if I had been asleep and not disturbed in the first hour, it was difficult for me to be roused. That is actually not insomnia. From what I understand true insomnia sufferers shouldn't just have trouble falling asleep but also trouble staying asleep the entire night.

For a while I thought I had Delayed sleep-phase syndrome (DSPS) and had some positive response to melatonin. But since starting treatment with CPAP, I have very little trouble falling asleep quickly at a reasonable hour without melatonin. I could probably stand to add another hour to my weeknight sleep schedule, but the situation is much much better.

[kteague]

Your friend should be thankful for your concern for her well being.

I used to think I was an insomniac for a few years, now I'm of the vein of thought that I instinctually avoided sleep because it was a miserable and even dangerous experience. As far as your friend's insomnia, if she indeed does have OSA, I wouldn't suggest she do anything to sleep more as that would only subject her to more episodes of apnea. Re-evaluation sounds like a good idea to me. Also, if your relationship allows, some strong straight talk about OSA and her needing to go back to the drawing board with the topic of OSA. Direct her here and she'll get the support and suggestions to help her make it work - if she needs and wants to.

Until then I'd have one bit of caringly administered advice for her - Wisdom is the appropriate application of knowledge. Lack of knowledge is ignorance, but a lack of wisdom in the presence of knowledge is ... well, you can temper it for her if need be.

I'm only saying the approach that worked with me, since I am the queen of excuses. When I found my way here I was a cpap quitter, but I became convinced that I needed, wanted, and could succeed at cpap. Even then there was a struggle with my sleep, but it's much better than those years of insomnia. Good luck with your friend.

Kathy