Please help me sleep

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Ozboz

Ozboz

Joined
Jun 20, 2012
Messages
840
Hi guys i'm having alot of trouble sleeping I average about 3 hours a night and then when I get back to sleep it's not deep sleep its like i can feel and hear whats going on around me at night but I can't open my eyes.

I have tried sleeping pills but they just messed me up with my symptoms.

The lack of sleep is affecting my well being badly it's reaking havoc on my crohn;s symptoms and generally for the last month I feel like a zombie I can't concentrate tired and so irratble

SO PLEASE HELP ME GET SOME SLEEP

Currently on no meds but use pain killers for arthritis and gut aches. had my last remicade infusion about 8-9 weeks ago but just taking hemp seed oil, iron supplement, vitamin d and glutamine and zinc supplements
 
yeah tried that to help sleep but no relief either I might try an opiate or something as I think I might not be sleeping from arthritis pain
 
Any other ideas besides tramadol? My GI doc won't give me pain meds and my regular doc has cut mine down to 30 pills for 30 days. Some days my pain is insane and I need more than 1 pill in a 24. So I can't use them for sleep. I am down to 3 hours a night and dragging ass.
 
I have ambien from the doc and it does it's job, but I don't stay asleep. I was told not to try melatonin because it can trigger flares.
 
That's interesting. I've not had that problem. I take it often and sleep throughout the night. This shows that it can be helpful for IBD.

I'm curious about what it could do to trigger a flare. It's just an antioxidant.
 
Have you tried a sleep specialist. Anyway a friend saw one and was told low vitimin d is link to poor sleep.
 
Ctrl z - this is the link I was referred to. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/melatonin/NS_patient-melatonin/DSECTION=safety
Have you heard of vsl#3? It's the newest my gi wants me to start.

Catherine- I haven't. Didn't even know they have those. lol. I am going to ask for a vitamin level check when I go in on the 3rd. Hoping something will show. I figured out just from symptoms I was low on b12, got that up to mid-range. Crohn's is a lot to juggle.
 
I was going to recommend melatonin too but saw the previous post. I hope you find some relief and get some sleep.
 
Vsl is becoming really popular. It is a combo of three highly potent probiotics that you mix and take everyday. Only helps with normal flora n bacterial over growth. Below is some related info on it.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12190202

If not sleeping and have tried melatonin, have you tried any other otc ( over the counter) sleep aids? Unisom works the best, as tylenol pm or nighttime sleep aid is just benadryl® ( diphenhydramine) which does work for some. There is one other that works well BUT you must be careful in not taking it on a nightly basis and making sure your blood work is checked every few months- valerian root and derivatives; however, they are metabolized through the kidneys and can cause damage if overused.
Hope this helps. Muah- hugs-
 
I can't sleep, either. I also have sleep apnea and can't use a CPAP, I swallow air and wake up in tremendous pain. The air also pushes my diarrhea right through, also.

I use NyQuil, which helps a bit. There is also ZyQuil, which doesn't have the Tylenol. I just heard from a friend at work about "Be Calm," which is natural and is supposed to help with my restless leg syndrome, but I haven't tried it yet.
 
Tonight I am breaking down and taking 1/4 of one of the hubby's meds. I am healing from surgery on my **** (chronic skin ulceir removal), 4th round of thrush, withdrawl from meds because my doc hadn't sent them to me yet, and this morning....the flu! Plus a 2yo, 3yo, a 1yo st benard, 3 month kitten, and a 29 yo husband/teenager (just kidding, he's awesome with helping and understanding) I need sleep!
 
I have sleep issues as well. I have been drinking chamomile tea about 45 minutes before I go to sleep and it sort of helps. I feel more relaxed at least. I'm going to try and mix chamomile with lavender and hibiscus leaves as they all have sleep properties. I'm not sure if tea would help but it may be worth a try. I hope you get some sleep soon.
 
I can't do nyquil, it has alcohol and I'm a recovering drunk.

I was thinking about picking up some sleepy time tea earlier today. I'm not sure if celestial seasonings still makes it, but that might help after I wake up in middle of the night. Thanks for the reminder, setting it in my to-do list now!
 
Benadryl, Melatonin, Zzquil, and Xanax work great for me. Actually, seeing how closely related flares are to anxiety, my doctor now has me on small doses of Xanax throughout the day, and a larger dose at night to sleep. Have always fought with insomnia, never got a good night's rest until I was put on Xanax.

Hope you can get some shut-eye soon!

:)
 
My husband takes ENDEP for depression but it's really good for sleeping. He only takes half a tablet at night. I've also read somewhere on here that it can help with IBD.
 
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I never used to have much trouble sleeping, but now I'm on prednisone I do. I get to sleep ok, but then I wake up and can't go back to sleep.
It's weird because the insomnia didn't start immediately when I took my first dose - it sort of came on gradually, sleeping a bit less each night from when I started prednisone. Now I'm tapering, but I'm not sleeping any better yet!

Has anyone else had insomnia just from prednisone or other steroids? Did it go gradually or suddenly? What dose did you have get down to for it to improve? Did any meds help?

I tried some over-the-counter doxylamine succinate, which had worked for me on the odd occasion I had trouble sleeping previously (when it was stress that stopped me getting to sleep or just random insomnia), but it doesn't seem to stop me waking up when on prednisone.
 
upsetmom said:
My husband take ENDEP for depression but it's really good for sleeping. He only takes half a tablet at night. I've also read somewhere on here that it can help with IBD.
Click to expand...

I had to look that one up, but seems it's ingredient is amytriptyline - an antidepressant which also has many other uses. I was prescribed it years ago for stomach pains, but it didn't help. I used to take it during the day and don't remember feeling drowsy on it other than the first day, when I couldn't keep my eyes open! Has your husband not developed tolerance to it's sleep-inducing effects? Because that's what seemed to happen when I took it for pain - one day of drowsiness, then tolerance.
 
My husband has been taking it for a few years . He is on half a 25mg tablet only at night and sleeps like a baby. Apparently that is a very low dose but he has trouble waking up after 10 hrs sleep.

I just wanted to add he doesn't have IBD our daughter does.
 
Hey Ozboz. Was just checking in to see if things have improved at all. I saw that you mentioned that it might be joint pain keeping you awake. I've had that issue as well since I have osteoarthritis. If possible you may want to see a Rheumatologist (if you haven't already) to help with the joint pain. I don't have RA but he's a very good doctor and is treating my pain. We tried Humira and that got rid of the joint pain entirely but made me sick too often so I had to stop taking it. Waiting to start Remicade in Jan. Another med that helped get rid of my joint pain was Entocort. Are you still doing the Remicade or has that completely stopped?

Keep in mind that it could also be from what you're sleeping on. A bad mattress can cause a lot of pain in all sorts of places from your legs to your neck. If possible you may want to look into replacing your mattress.
 
Also make sure you are limiting caffeine intake and don't consume any in the afternoon or evening. That can keep you up. There are a lot of other stimulants out there as well. A psychiatrist told me to stop taking acai, because it is a stimulant.
 
I didnt read all the posts so I am sorry if this is a dupilcate idea.

I tried prescriptions, they were not good for me!

My Dr told me to use Benedrly. Its not habit forming. I take it between 9-10 and I
sleep through the night. Its been a life saver for me!

Hope you find something that works for you!

Lauren
 
Even my husband's knock out meds didn't keep me down! I got some much needed deep sleep but still woke twice in the night. My mother's reaction was "at least it was only twice." Yeah, I gained an hour between wake ups. I'm going to make a list of all recommendation and work down them until something sticks! (0200 and awake for the second time tonight)
 
I take the approach of trying one sleep aid after another: first over the counters, then asking my GP for prescriptions. Something must work!
I've heard that the problem is the ones which work best you end up building up a tolerance too (or that they have too many side effects).

I aleady do all the sensible stuff: keep to a regular routine, get fress air before bed, etc. I used to be able to sleep through anything. I would nap during the day no matter how noisy or light it was and then still sleep at night. The prednisone is powerful. It's turned me into an insomniac over just six weeks or so. But only in the sense of waking up too early; I can still usually get to sleep. :confused2:
 
Hi I am sorry you are having trouble sleeping. I take amitriptilyne when I can't sleep. I need to take it about 4 hours before I go to bed for it to work.
 
I have endep never got told it can take pain away its 3,30am here and I'm up with gut pains if i didn't have an appointment at 10am i would of taken some maybe half a pill will be ok last time i took some i still woke up a few times feeling really drowsy
 
Ozboz said:
I have endep never got told it can take pain away its 3,30am here and I'm up with gut pains if i didn't have an appointment at 10am i would of taken some maybe half a pill will be ok last time i took some i still woke up a few times feeling really drowsy
Click to expand...

I take my husbands endep every now and then and i also wake up with that drowsy feeling but i do sleep right through the night without waking up.

I know it gets prescribed for pain but i'm not sure if it works
 
I take 2 gravol and a melatonin tea every single night to help me sleep but it sounds like you've tried heavier stuff than that with no luck.

For me, its not crohns related but I can't physically turn my brain off at night for some reason. I have an app with a psychiatrist on Friday so I'm hoping to get some answers
 
Unfortunately, the major side effects of endep/amitriptilyene is cotton mouth ( dry mouth) and morning haze ( hangover effect.) It will subside the longer you are on it, you will tolerate out to those effects, but you will also tolerate out to the sleeping effect at that point and the dose will need to be adjusted according. It is an SSRI with many functions: pain control, sleeping problems ( insomnia) and antidepressant are its most common uses. Best of luck to ya! - hugs-
 
Thanks, me too lol. I hate the thoughts of going but if it helps that's all that matters
 
I went through a period like this where I was having serious trouble sleeping. I was taking melatonin and it did help tremendously, my doctor never mentioned anything about it causing flares. The only problem I had with it was I felt a little groggy in the morning, but that was also when I was in college and not getting anywhere near 8 hours of sleep. I also drink tea before bed every night. My psychologist recommended taking at least 15-20 minutes to do something before bed that has nothing to do with technology. So reading a book, or doing some yoga or stretching. This has also really helped me. Also music. I know it sounds cliche but classical music and ambient music (like the music you would hear in yoga) help. One of the other tricks my psych taught me was the 4-4-8 rule. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold the breath in for 4 seconds, and release the breath out for 8 seconds. Not only does it slow your heart rate down but focusing on the counting helps to distract you from other thoughts and clear your mind. I do it a few times every night before I fall asleep. It has helped! Hopefully something in this is useful to you.
 

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