Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Insomnia

Insomnia. Sounds like a great title for a book. He he. But it can be a cruel taskmaster too. All my life I was a good sleeper. As a kid, I never woke up for anything. A rock band could be performing in the next room and I wouldn't know it.

As I have aged, I've become like my mother who was a very light sleeper. It used to be so frustrating as a kid, because on Saturday mornings I loved to watch cartoons, and guess where the family room with the TV was. Yep, above mom's room. She could hear a pin drop from miles away. She had radar that the Russian subs would covet.

Now, here I am, in the same boat. In the last three months it has become terrible. I can fall asleep easily, but not stay there unless I take something. I know insomnia goes hand in hand with depression, which we have already decided is a temporary resident in my head. I have started taking Wellbutrin, and am still trying to decide if I like it, but it is helping. I still have insomnia though.

I have taken Melatonin which works to a degree but leaves me feeling twitchy and groggy in the morning. Especially now that I am taking Wellbutrin. I took AdvilPM for a while and I really liked that. I tried AmbienCR but my insurance wont pay for it so once the samples were gone, too bad. The doc did prescribe regular Ambien, but it doesn't work. The doc also gave me another drug which isn't even FOR sleeping. It's some heavy duty antidepressant I've never heard of, and it made me feel terrible and I didn't sleep. Oh, and get this, Wellbutrin causes insomnia! I just can't quit laughing about that! (At least I can still have a sex life!)

I skip taking something every so often to try and clear my system, but I just can't go without sleep day after day. I have made an appointment with a hypnotherapist and am hoping that it will work since nothing else has. You start to get desperate, you know?

I'll let you know what happens, if anything does! Like sleep. The things we do to sleep. Poor Heath. I feel so sad about that. He just wanted to sleep. I SO know that feeling!

5 comments:

Amy said...

I have luckily had no problems in that area but my husband does. He goes through stretches where he just can't get enough sleep then he goes the opposite and falls asleep at 6 or 7 pm and stays asleep for 12 or more hours. I hope you can work it out. Have you tried a blessing?

the Barlows said...

You should get your doc to give you more samples until your system evens out (He should be able to get you at least a 3 week supply of sample packets--most docs know how bad insurance can get, and since this is probably a temporary thing anyway) With the Welbutrin it should take a few more weeks before you should be able to be on a better sleep schedule. I had to take a small amount of Xanax when I first started Welbutrin (the more you talk, the more identical we seem!!) but it helped me relax eoungh to fall asleep. I still think you should switch to the XL tablet, because I think the second tablet you take in the day is keeping you up at night! With the XL you don't have to worry about your second dose,and it slowly tapers off in your system... I think that would help with your insomnia quite a bit...

LOVE YA!! With all of us "depressed people" out there, we will get you feeling better!!!!

S'mee said...

Oy! Sorry to hear that you are going through this. That said, whenever I hear "insomnia" I also hear "hormones". Have you had any changes that might be related to your hormones? They can wreak havoc on your sleep! Hormone loss (read: menopause) can induce insomnia. You are way to young , but so was I, and boom! It hit. I'd go to sleep, hard for two hours then up like dawn at 2:30. Perhaps a blood work is in order just to be sure.

Also, NEVER work out in the evening. Contrary to what some may say, insomniacs should always work out first thing in the morning.

Hope those help. Keep us posted.

hi, it's me! melissa c said...

Thanks so much guys for your comments! Yolanda, guess what? I did get the XL. It should arrive any day.

I also think it could be hormones. My sisters who are older have the same problem and that schedule you wrote, is mine too. They take melatonin. I go to sleep fine and then wake up anywhere between 2am on and am up for a few hours, then exhausted and can fall back to sleep at around 5am.

No, I haven't had a blessing. Stupid that I didn't think of it myself! I guess the lack of sleep has left me with no brain! lol. I will get one though. That was a very good idea. Thank you so much guys.

Tash said...

so besides my piano and couches i left you my insomnia lol...if i told u im sleeping like a baby would u kill me? hehe jk....for me sleeping more than a few hours is like sleeping like a baby...and thats what ive been doing..so im feeling very lucky. you would be so proud of me i walked 2 miles today and did some weight training!! im going to sign up for zumba...and cardio kickboxing..im excited...lol wish u were here wed spend all day at this place...and ur hubby would still love you cause i wouldnt be taking you shopping hehe. did i tell you there is hot tubs in the womens lockerrooms? cool huh lol.. love ya