increased sleep problems/anger - head injury 6 years ago

[Sara]

Hello there Folks,

I've noticed a sleep problem develop over the last year and a half which I'm convinced is as a result of a head injury. Initially I suffered post concussive syndrome, migraines, depression etc.

My current phase is: worsening sleep problems and difficulties controlling my anger. I wake several times a night and feel 'raw' after having yet another lucid or horrific dream. I witness not breathing, or hyper ventilating type breathing - and feel staved of oxygen.

My emotions over the last two months have now become very disruptive to my relationship. I am like a bomb waiting to go off, and feel angry at the smallest thing, and have even felt violent. Over this time it has led to my boyfriend repeatedly having to go home due to my inconsolable/unreasonable way, and myself then falling into a pit of self hatred and depression.

Historically i've never been a hot head - and sometimes I'm just wondering - is it because I don't love my boyfriend any more? He is a lovely person, and logically I would want to live with him - but is it the sleep problem or our relationship.

He says it is definiteley me, and says i'm like an "unexploded bomb", I can tell he is walking on eggshells all the time, and I feel like an awful person.

I'm due to have a sleep study very soon, and am praying to god that they diagnose me, as life is becoming unbearable.


The question I want to ask is does anyone recoggnise the above in their own experiences, and it will it improve with CPAP therapy or any other sort of therapy?


Thanks for any help

[BlackSpinner]

The sweeter disposition was one of the first things my family and co-workers noticed.
Lack of sleep will turn anyone into a grouch.

[GumbyCT]

The sweeter disposition was one of the first things my family and co-workers noticed.
Lack of sleep will turn anyone into a grouch.

AND cause mood swings.

[NateS]

Hello there Folks,

I've noticed a sleep problem develop over the last year and a half which I'm convinced is as a result of a head injury. Initially I suffered post concussive syndrome, migraines, depression etc.

My current phase is: worsening sleep problems and difficulties controlling my anger. I wake several times a night and feel 'raw' after having yet another lucid or horrific dream. I witness not breathing, or hyper ventilating type breathing - and feel staved of oxygen.

My emotions over the last two months have now become very disruptive to my relationship. I am like a bomb waiting to go off, and feel angry at the smallest thing, and have even felt violent. Over this time it has led to my boyfriend repeatedly having to go home due to my inconsolable/unreasonable way, and myself then falling into a pit of self hatred and depression.

Historically i've never been a hot head - and sometimes I'm just wondering - is it because I don't love my boyfriend any more? He is a lovely person, and logically I would want to live with him - but is it the sleep problem or our relationship.

He says it is definiteley me, and says i'm like an "unexploded bomb", I can tell he is walking on eggshells all the time, and I feel like an awful person.

I'm due to have a sleep study very soon, and am praying to god that they diagnose me, as life is becoming unbearable.


The question I want to ask is does anyone recoggnise the above in their own experiences, and it will it improve with CPAP therapy or any other sort of therapy?


Thanks for any help

You are very wise to recognize your present situation and to take responsibility for it in such an honest way. Of course, no one else can tell you whether or not you are still in love but even you are not in a position to determine that until after you recognize and tackle your physical<->emotional challenges. In the meantime, he sounds like he will be a very supportive and understanding guy, as long as you don't allow yourself to use him as a punching bag.

Good luck with your upcoming sleep study, and be sure to insist on getting a copy of the full report before deciding therapy issues.

Best wishes to you!

Nate

[MidnightOwl]

Hi Sara.

It sounds like a sleep study is definitely indicated. I don't usually hope for anyone to have apnea but in this case I'll make an exception and hope that treatment solves your problem. The treatment is usually fairly simple for most people. You'll be in a much better position then to make decisions about the relationship.

It is also possible that that anger control problem is a direct result of your head injury. If you haven't' already consulted a specialist in that you probably should.

I hope everything works out for you.

Midnightowl

[Julie]

Hi - Hopefully getting your sleep under control will help a lot, but from what I know of post-concussion, I would definitely see a neurologist if you can (or already have) because it can make a major difference to your mood, personality, etc. and why go one day without help if you have a choice? I wouldn't wait to see if the sleep problems or solutions magically cure everything before doing the other.

[DavidCarolina]

yes if you can afford/insurance consult neurologist or psychiatrist. Meds may be prescribed. There could be blood vessell issues involved.

My wife has migraines and she's completely helpless and useless for a couple days when she has that.

Dont feel silly for asking the question, every one of us has some besetting problem which is why we are here.

My problem is that while my sleep numbers are good, i still have apneas. And apneas make me very sick for 12 hours at a time.

[Gerryk]

Hi Sara,
I would talk to a specialist about this. So much is coming out now about head injuries that is being driven by professional football. A concussion can change many peoples lives. My father for one was rejected at a pilot in the Air Force because he had more than one or two concussions from football and that was back when the helmets were still leather.

It has been known for years that a concussion caused problems for a lifetime. Finally they are beginning to look at how to properly treat this.

[kteague]

Sounds like you've got quite a bit to sort through, and I'm with the others about being under a doctor's care. Whether it's the old injury or sleep apnea or something else affecting you, you are affected, so are probably not in the best state of mind to be making judgements alone. If you could include someone trusted to walk with you as you navigate through this it might be helpful.

I am a pretty even keel person, yet at times when my sleep was at its worst, I found myself being overreactive and even irrational, to the point that at times I knew I shouldn't even watch my grandchildren. It's a scary feeling to be "going off" and feel like a stranger has taken over your body. I haven't had that feeling in a very long time. I can get a bit grouchy, but who doesn't? I have read many reports on here from people saying treating their sleep issues made them easier to get along with. It's hard to feel good about a relationship when nothing about life feels good and just making it through a day takes every ounce of energy we have. It can make a relationship feel like an intrusion when it seems to require energy that we are desperately trying to hold to. Hopefully you can get your moods stabilized and then take a fresh (refreshed) look at your relationship. Please do let us know how your sleep study comes out. Hang in there.
Kathy

[chunkyfrog]

A lot can happen in the medical field in 6 years.
I would urge you to seek out specialists other than the ones who treated you 6 years ago
--even WHILE following the apnea route. If there are new solutions in addition to cpap,
you can do a lot worse than to try them all;--no reason to wait and see how it 'shakes out'.

[ozze_dollar]

Such feelings and mood swings sounds more like hormonal problems to me.

[Julie]

Really?

And you earned your degree in chauvinism at the same time as you became an endocrinologist?

[JohnBFisher]

I agree that it sounds as if a sleep study is in order. I would also recommend that you see a neurologist, since head trauma can lead to sleep disorders. Here a neurologist should be able to help you sort out the issues. And as others have noted, poor sleep often leads to an appearance of Oscar the Grouch.

Hope you are able to find a doctor who will help you through your issues.

[purple]

Head injuries can often be a precursor to Diabetes. Diabetics, some of whom are normally the most loving people, can suddenly become a grouch, or develop the disease that goes with Diabetes, Depression.

The least expensive thing to start with is to check to see if you are a diabetic. It would be an early morning, before breakfast blood sugar stick on the finger. Although, the docs office can do an A1C at any time during the day which would also be relevant.

While real depression can only be cured by a professional (none of this, just treat the diabetes and it will go away, or that attitude that you can do it on your own will NOT work.) Taking charge of the Diabetes still helps a lot.

Other signs of active Diabetes might be: Lowering of the voice. Falling asleep after a meal.

The least expensive test to see if you might have sleep apnea would be to wear a recording Pulse Oximeter overnight to see how your O2 levels are while you sleep. It is a small device that one clips over the end of one finger during the night which has a wire that goes to small box. Some of the boxes are like the size of a wrist watch. Anyway, some insurances require this test before the first appointment to a sleep doc, which is a precursor to the overnight at the sleep clinic to test to prove sleep apnea, and then a second study to do a titration (determine the settings on an xPAP machine that are exactly for you). Keep in mind that one of the most difficult aspect for the patient (besides finding a way to pay for the bills) is to find the right mask for you, and: To be determined to PERSEVERE over all the difficulties of doing the treatment.

Getting to the point where the sleep apnea is properly treated is like coming alive again. It is like one day I wake and think, "It can not be time to get up yet." To a day when I wake up, "Wow, there are so many things I want to do today."