Severe insomnia.. help!

[[Ni...]]

I’m having severe insomnia after a setback. Then had an endoscopy and the anesthesia just made the sleep even worse. I’m getting micro sleep and can’t nap. I’m desperate because it has caused a panic disorder and life is hell right now. Doctors have prescribed sleep medication and I’ve tried a few like Trazodone and Belsomra with no luck. Can one die from this because it feels fatal?  I’ve tried all the sleep hygiene recommendations. Recently saw a phychiatrist who wants me on Seroquel.

[[Ni...]]

Anyone  have suggestions???

[[al...]]

Hi Niners,

I understand what you are going through, unfortunately I never found the magic bullet that will safely help with sleep in these situations. My suggestions are deep belly breathing mediation to help with the panic and staying in bed to let the micro sleeps add up (they will sustain you). I would also suggest that you stop worrying about this bout being fatal because it is not. Countless people on this site (including myself) feared dying from their insomnia but it always turned out to be a misplaced fear. Your body and mind will fall asleep before you reach the end of the line. This is just a setback and setbacks end. BTW, I would not recommend sleep hygiene recommendations at this time. I have never heard of them working for this sort of insomnia and they could actually cost you sleep in the long run. Take what little sleep you can, when you can and how you can.

[[Ni...]]

Hi Niners,

I understand what you are going through, unfortunately I never found the magic bullet that will safely help with sleep in these situations. My suggestions are deep belly breathing mediation to help with the panic and staying in bed to let the micro sleeps add up (they will sustain you). I would also suggest that you stop worrying about this bout being fatal because it is not. Countless people on this site (including myself) feared dying from their insomnia but it always turned out to be a misplaced fear. Your body and mind will fall asleep before you reach the end of the line. This is just a setback and setbacks end. BTW, I would not recommend sleep hygiene recommendations at this time. I have never heard of them working for this sort of insomnia and they could actually cost you sleep in the long run. Take what little sleep you can, when you can and how you can.

 

 

Thank you. I wonder how much more damage was done with propofol anesthesia?? I can’t believe I did it. I had cancelled twice before but the GERD got so bad. Big mistake..!!😢

[[ke...]]

Maybe an AD with sedative qualities that you take every day, like remeron or amitryptiline. Possibly you have some depression (not diagnosing you) and getting leveled out may help.

[[Th...]]

Niners

 

I have had propofol 3 times since I've been off and it caused zero issues regarding setbacks, symptoms or affecting my sleep.  Propofol is a type IV sedative-hypnotic and technically not in the same class as a Benzo.  That's not to say you might have reacted adversely or paradoxically?  I have also had numerous insomnia "setbacks" over the past 7 years as well and they all end given enough time.  My longest was a few months and the shortest a week.  All of them produced zero nights and lots of 1-3 hour nights.  But sleep issues were why I went on Benzos in the first place.

 

I learned over the last 7 years that its basically futile to try and "connect the dots" regarding why or why not your sleep hit the fan.  I concur with Aloha that sleep hygiene will NOT help this type of insomnia and you will NOT die from lack of sleep.  If that were true, I and countless others would have died already.  You'll get past this.  Hang in there.

[[Ni...]]

Niners

 

I have had propofol 3 times since I've been off and it caused zero issues regarding setbacks, symptoms or affecting my sleep.  Propofol is a type IV sedative-hypnotic and technically not in the same class as a Benzo.  That's not to say you might have reacted adversely or paradoxically?  I have also had numerous insomnia "setbacks" over the past 7 years as well and they all end given enough time.  My longest was a few months and the shortest a week.  All of them produced zero nights and lots of 1-3 hour nights.  But sleep issues were why I went on Benzos in the first place.

 

I learned over the last 7 years that its basically futile to try and "connect the dots" regarding why or why not your sleep hit the fan.  I concur with Aloha that sleep hygiene will NOT help this type of insomnia and you will NOT die from lack of sleep.  If that were true, I and countless others would have died already.  You'll get past this.  Hang in there.

 

 

I’ve developed some sort of sleep disturbances. This happened to me in acute and when I tried cannabis for pain years ago. For the past couple weeks after anesthesia I get maybe 30 minutes of sleep then wake up in a panic barely breathing like I stop breathing. I did a sleep study recently but don’t think it will show much as I only slept less than an hour according to a sleep watch I wear. I’ve been off benzos for 8.5 years and have struggled with sleep ever since although not ever this bad. The anxiety I’m getting over this is over the top. I can’t function and unable to work.

[[Ni...]]

Maybe an AD with sedative qualities that you take every day, like remeron or amitryptiline. Possibly you have some depression (not diagnosing you) and getting leveled out may help.

 

 

I did try Remeron but it was too stimulating and kept me in a panic all night. Yes, I have developed depression because of this but anything I try has amped me up to the max so I have stopped tryiny ❤️‍🩹😢

[[Th...]]

I'm not an advocate of Rx drugs, unless they can save your life...

 

However, you might want to give Doxepin or Remelteon a try.  Doxepin is an old school AD that acts more like an antihistamine in lower doses and Remelteon is a melatonin receptor agonist and works like melatonin but has a much higher sedative effect.

 

 

[[Sh...]]

Oh niners I’m so sorry to hear of ur setback. When I was really bad a combo of cbd unisom and melatonin seemed to do the trick. I remember those nights when I would just wake up for no apparent reason after hardly any sleep. I am sure it will pass in time but I know that time isn’t helping you right now.

 

Maybe try that combo? And try to distract as much as you can, excercise keep busy if you can. Even tho I know how hard that is after so little sleep you must feel absolutely awful.

 

It will pass. Just keep repeating it because it will. Take baths, read books, watch your favorite movies. Treat yourself how u would someone u care about going thru a difficult time.

[[Ni...]]

Oh niners I’m so sorry to hear of ur setback. When I was really bad a combo of cbd unisom and melatonin seemed to do the trick. I remember those nights when I would just wake up for no apparent reason after hardly any sleep. I am sure it will pass in time but I know that time isn’t helping you right now.

 

Maybe try that combo? And try to distract as much as you can, excercise keep busy if you can. Even tho I know how hard that is after so little sleep you must feel absolutely awful.

 

It will pass. Just keep repeating it because it will. Take baths, read books, watch your favorite movies. Treat yourself how u would someone u care about going thru a difficult time.

 

Thank you Shayna…❤️‍🩹

[[Sh...]]

We’re here for u honey x is insomniacs stick together x