sleeping remedies?
|
Can you guys recommend any good sleeping remedies? I am up till 3am lately, and I have to get up at 720am. I was on amitrptlyn, and I have tried TylenolPM, tylenol #3. any suggestions? Thanks Dave
|
|
Re: sleeping remedies?
|
Hi Dave: I had/have DM. I get lots of good night's of sleep. However, I am no longer on the prednisone, however when I was on the prednisone this is what my internist put me on: Percocet, for severe pain, Lorcet for daily pain, 2 75 mg. of Elavil (amytriptyline)(sp), 2 vitamin E. Besides using the aforementioned drugs, I use a vibrating mat with heat the length of my bed, works great, relaxes you and really helps with the insomnea. Supposedly I no longer have the DM, drs. said it burned itself out, possibly due to a stroke I had a couple of years ago. But have lots of problems left over from the DM, am pretty well handicapped and still have severe pain due to a very bad back. So at the present time I'm taking 30 mgs. of Oxycontin, 3 tabs. every 12 hours, elavil, 2 75 mg tabs at bedtime, 1 xanax & 2 vitamin E tablets for leg cramps. With this medication I usually get 8-9 hours of sleep per night and then sometimes, like today, I need an extra hour or two in the afternoon. I hope this has been of some help to you. It is not a nice disease at all, but there is always somebody somewhere else in worse shoes than I am and I guess I'm thankful for what I have. Take care and hope you get some sleep and will feel better soon. Sincerely,
Helen.
|
|
Re: Re: sleeping remedies? :-(
Helen, I went through almost the same thing.. The percoset never lasted that long. So i am on oxycontin too. I was taking 40mg twice a day.. but this visit, i asked him to break it down, as i was telling Dave, to 20mgs....That way i can take 20mg or 40mg. I prefer taking the 20mg. If i need more i take the another 20mg. I am allowed 80mg every twelve hours.. I just started this yesterday, and i find its working better. I do take a vicoprophen for breakthrough if needed, but haven't had to do that yet. Yesterday or today. I take trazadone and soma at bedtime. I rarely take any oxycontin at night.. i don't remember a night when i had to take oxy...The only time i took any pain med at night was with my dental surgery.. Narcotic pain meds interfere with my sleep if taken to soon prior to bedtime. So at night its usually a regular motrin if i wake in pain, or another soma, if needed.. I am allowed two soma at bedtime, so i break that down also... just in case i have a bad night. But last night was not due to illness it was the thunderstorms we had, right overhead.. But one must follow directions with the oxycontin... hugs karen
|
|
Re: Re: sleeping remedies?
Hi Helen,
Wow. You are right, and I see that on this board, too. Although I am just in the begining of PM, it really could be a LOT worse. I am greatful that it wasnt the Beckers MD they told me it was at first.
I take Vioxx, 25mg daily for gout, and it lets the pain bread right on through. I will mention the Oxycontin. I have heard about that, and maybe he will perscribe it. I tried the amitryptelyn and it did nothing for me really. I will let you all know what happens when I go to see the rhuemy!Dave
|
|
Re: Re: Re: sleeping remedies? :-(
Dave i did not sleep well. I think most of it was due to the several thunderstorms we had here in NJ. But i do take oxycontin. I am allowed up to 80mg a day.. I get mine in 20mg. Usually i hover around 40 to 60mg. On a real bad day i take 80mg. But be very careful how you use this medicine.. Take as directed. DO NOT crush or chew or break up... This is why i had asked my rhemy to give me the smaller pills, because sometimes i don't need all 40mg at one dose. He was prescribing 40mg twice a day. I had asked him after it ran out, to reduce them to 20mg so i don't have to take the full amount if i don't need it. Yesterday, i did not need all 80mg.. So it was comforting that i can take a 20mg...sometimes just enough to get me through the day, and then maybe another 20mg in the evening. On a real bad day, i can take the 40mg in 2 tablets... Ask your doctor... its a good medicine if you follow directions. I did not know you could cut in half until someone else who i knew said thats dangerous. Cause thats what i was doing awhile ago. So now i don't have to worry. Ask your doctor.. I find its a good pain med, and does last when used as directed.. Hope i was of help.. Karen
|
|
Re: sleeping remedies?
Hi David and All,
I have been on prednisone for 14 of my almost 17 years of PM and like all of you I have experienced it all. However, I don't want to rub this in, But I have NEVER had any sleeping problems. I go to bed and I'm out in less than 10 minutes. I get a full 8 to 9 hours sleep per night. If I have to get up during the night I'm back asleep in no time. I guess I can't give you any advice. I'm blessed and I know it. Franklin
|
|
Re: Re: sleeping remedies? :-(
Franklin, we want to know your secret. Although i do go periods of time when i sleep 10 to 12 hours.. forgetting last night, i was logging 10 hours every night since the weekend. But i do get those 3 am wake ups and can't get back to sleep, so i get up and get online..makes for an extra lousy day, when one does not get enough rest though. But good for you, rest is the best thing... thats great you can get the proper rest.... all the best Karen
|
|
Re: sleeping remedies?
Hi David,
My Dr lets me take Ambian 5mg. I now get 5-6 hours sleep, where I used to get 2-3 hours. It does not give you a drowsy feeling the next day.
See you, 8>)
Dorris
|
|
Re: sleeping remedies?
Dave, my internist put me on Ambien, a sleeping pill that does not leave yo drowsy during the day. It does work pretty darn well for me. I did try other natural remedies and stuff before trying it, as I never thought I'd want to be on a sleeping pill. But, at least, I get some sleep at night now, even thought I still find I need afternoon naps, which you don't have the luxury of taking. And, I have no idea it something like Ambien would help while taking prednisone, as Ed mentioned. I do know of other myo patients who do take it and like it, though. Julie
|
|
Re: sleeping remedies? :-(
Dave, maybe a muscle relaxant. I take soma at bedtime one or two if needed. I get mostly broken sleep too. I guess it comes from being sore and in pain.. Hope this helps.. karen
|
|
Re: sleeping remedies?
|
Thank you guys so much!! I cant believe the acceptance and knowing that comes off this board! I have a friend at church who happens to also be a Doctor. I was telling him about the sleeping problems and he recommended Trazadone. Unfortunately I have to wait to see my rhuemy till the 20th. I will check with him on all of the stuff you guys recommended too. He seems so reluctant to give me anything, and that seems to be what you guys mostly run up against as well. You are right Jim. He didnt seem to expect the results of taking me completely off of prednisone. Talk to you all later! Dave
|
|
Re: Re: sleeping remedies?
do i detect a note that your doctor did not wean you off prednisone, do you know what could have happened??? THE ER TO SAY THE LEAST. My doctor put it mildly, your bodily functions can, but not always CEASE TO FUNCTION. I would be very careful with this doctor. Thats or any medication to be Guessing at. Sorry for the harshness in my post... But it is directed at the doctor. Please be careful, and you can always ask your pharmacist too !!!!!
|
|
Re: Re: Re: sleeping remedies?
Thank You Karen! To give him SOME credit, it was only a little longer than your usual short course. He weened me off when my cpks were in the 700's too. My DR friend at church told me that was pretty high, too. Not anywhere near the 10,000's I have read about of course, but my highest so far has only been just under 4000. I am going to go sometime this week to get my blood work done so it is available to us when I go on the 20th. Anxious to see the ck levels.
By the way, you or anyone else out there never have to apologize for ANY post concerning what I say or about me. It is obvious that the poeple here really care about each other, and I feel priveledged to be a part of that. Dave
|
|
Re: Re: Re: Re: sleeping remedies?
|
David - Your last part of the message about the members making remarks about your initial posting: we are a SUPPORT GROUP not CRITICS. We have a family-type relationship among the members on this website. Do relatives feel it is their job to be critical of another family member? If anyone abuses, purposely trys to hurt another emotionally or mentally, then I have the ability to delete the message and the messenger from the website, not allowing them to register again. THIS HAS NEVER BEEN DONE YET and, hopefully, the webmaster nor I will ever have to delete a message. - Jim
|
|
Re: sleeping remedies?
|
Good Morning, David - Mary and Ed are right about the Prednisone. Your doctor hasn't a clue about the effects of stopping Prednisone cold turkey. I'm been of Diazapam, 50 mg, for my sleepless nights. It is an anti-depressant, but serves as an aid to sleep as much as an anti-depressant.
Jim
|
|
Re: Re: sleeping remedies?
|
David, Just want to double check that 50mg Diazapam you
mentioned. The reason I ask is because 5 or 10 mg have been
the max doses for me in the past. How I would love to have just one full night of a deep
childlike sleep again. Or, like the one I had in 1986
in a hut on top of Mt. Washington after climbing it at
age 52. Yup, we did the Tuckerman Ravine headwall. Best, Jack
|
|
Re: Re: Re: sleeping remedies? :-(
Jack i can not remember my last full nights sleep.. The longest i can go at any given time is six hours, then i might be up an hour, then i go back for another. I have never slept straight through except once, right before any dx of anything, i slept (hummm) 16 hours straight, but i know it was way before lupus or poly. or maybe the onset. My onset was severe neck pain followed by loss of vision in one eye, only to come back six weeks later, and was told to look into autoimmune disorders back in early as of 86. Nothing was confirmed until 1988. But i can remember all the weird inflamatory things i had. The eye had inflamation around the veins in the back. but cleared it self up... Karen --- i take soma...at night and if needed a motrin with it.. seems to help me get back to sleep to if it has been long enough apart from the bedtime dose.
|
|
Re: Re: Re: sleeping remedies?
|
Jack - I've been on Trazadone 50 mg - one pill per night for ten years. Trazadone doesn't give you that "hang over" feeling when you awake. Jim
|
|
Re: sleeping remedies?
Good Morning David,
If you are on prednisone you can kiss normal sleep patterns goodbye. I hate to put it that bluntly, but that is the reality of the situation. Maybe your doctor can prescribe something that will help, but don't count on it.
One other disrupter of sleep patterns is depression. Do not overlook the effect of having one of the myositis diseases on your psyche. It is imperative that you seek unbiased help. You are not in a position to make valid judgements about your sleeplessness whatever the reason. Until you find the cause I would also refrain from self medication.
As I stated before, I do not know what drugs you're on so the potential of drug interactions is present.
I read in your other post that you are experiencing electical shock-like symptoms in your legs. I get burning sensations in my quads, along with severe numbness. That sounds strange I know, but that is the only way I can describe it. I have been diagnosed with neuropathy after a biopsy. The doctor also told me that the muscular symptoms would likely disappear but that the neuropathy was probably permanent. In the meantime keep your chin up. You're in this battle for the long haul, rest assured that it can be won. A good attitude is as important as any drug you take, and I can tell from your posts that you are a fighter.
Kind Regards, and Be Strong, Ed.
|
|
Re: Re: sleeping remedies?
|
Good morning to you, Ed - Dr. Aziz Shaibani at the Houston medical training center and I are co-authoring "Coping with Neuropathy." It is his believe that many IBMer's and PMer's have a form of Neuropathy. Maybe other Myositis patients have a form of Neuropathy, too. If you would like to have your Myositis/Neuropathy told from your own experiences, contact me at KilpatrickPubCo.aol.com
I will send you the outline of the order of submitting your story. (Be sure to send your postal street address so I can mail you the information.) We are striving to have the book published by the end of 2001. It will be similar with "Coping with a Myositis Disease" book. - Jim
|
|
Artificial sweetners?
|
Hi Everyone- I've been hearing stories of people eliminating artifical sweetener's from their diet and finding their joint pain gone.I have a friend who swears by it.She says she couldn't shake hands without pain but after a month of no diet cokes it's painless.I'm ready to try it.Have you heard this theory? Jan/PM
|
|
Re: Artificial sweetners?
Hi all, I read somewhere, and can't remember where, that artificial sweeteners affected the body's ability to process calcium. as we need calcium if we are on prednisone I have given up artificial sweeterners..as the song says "a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down". I can drink coffee without any sweetening if I put milk in it, and I have one small teaspoon of sugar in weak milkless tea. Green tea doesn't need sweetening, so I don't really have much sugar a day.
|
|
Re: Artificial sweetners? :-(
I have elimated all diet cokes but i still use artificial sweetners, like equal and sweet and low. I am going to try it. I also have elimated all sodas too, and only one cup of coffee in the am.. i am going to try it... hugs karen
|
|
Re: Artificial sweetners?
|
Re: Re: Artificial sweetners?
|
Hi Ralph- There's probably no basis for it but I definitely have nothing to lose.I'm going to do it for a month just to prove it to myself.It's not like I'm giving up something of great nutritional value.I've heard this theory from more than one person and they swear by it. Jan
|
|
Electrical Pain
|
Hi everyone. I have PM, and was wondering If any of you other PM sufferers experience pain in your muscles that feels like you just stuck that particulalar body part into the electrical socket? Appreciate any info. thanks. Dave
|
|
Re: Electrical Pain
Sounds like peripheral neuropathy to me. I used to get a shock when lying in bed which made me feel I was going to levitate up to the ceiling. since I've been on neurontin this sensation has stopped..also the feeling that someone was hammering nails into me. Alas all the pain has not gone. Why is itin this day and age that we have to go down on our hands and knees and beg for help with pain?
|
|
Re: Re: Electrical Pain
|
Mary - If the doctors felt our pain, you bet they would think differently toward pain. Girl, tell me - how do you get up from your hands and knees after begging? I would have to creep and crawl to the lift chair before I could get up - IF I could :>) - Jim
|
|
Re: Re: Re: Electrical Pain
Hi Jim, metaphorically speaking of course!I would need a crane to hoist me up if I were to get down on hands and knees. You would hear me bellowing all the way to Texas!
|
|
Re: Electrical Pain :-(
Dave only when i touch them. Or if i stand too long. When i am sitting or laying on the couch no... i hope i was of help karen
|
|
Re: Re: Electrical Pain
Karen, that leaves out soooo many situations. Mine seems to be acting up a LOT when I think about the Moon, or try to concentrate on watching Entertainment tonight. LOL.
|
|
Re: Electrical Pain
|
Hi Dave, I haven't had anything quite like that but it sounds like a pinched nerve,siatica or the neuropathy.My Mom had pinched nerves in her back and it sent shooting pains down her legs.It literally
put her on the floor. Anything is possible with myositis.You better have it checked out by your rheumy. Take care,
Jan
|
|
Re: Re: Electrical Pain
|
Thank you Jan! I have felt the sciatica with my 2 [formerly]herniated disks in my back, and this is WAY different. It must be the neuropathy. It feels like if you accidently touched a live electrical wire and it pulses like that. Ouch. Dave
|
|
Re: Re: Re: Electrical Pain
Hi Dave: I've had too attacks within the past 5 years, one while in the hospital and one at home. It is like an electric shock and it starts in my head and runs the entire length of my body to my toes. A very odd feeling. I don't know if this is the same thing that happens to you or not, but I thought I'd let you know how mine was. Take care and if you ever find out what causes it, let us all know.
Helen.
|
|
Re: Re: Re: Re: Electrical Pain
|
Maybe its my UFO Alien implants? [lol]!! I just walked the half block to my car last night, and WHAM! it feels like that electric shock thing. It runs from my hip down to the top of my calf muscle. It happened again today when we were out shopping. Then, I decided to use the Electric Scooter at Walmart. That felt better. Im glad they have those. Take care everyone. dave
|
|
|