Anhedonia & "agitated" sleep

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Mrparadise

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Dear PR

I wanted to ask you if you are also experiencing anhedonia, anxiety, nervousness, lethargy (slow processing), sob and the feeling of not being "present" in the moment?As I am only mild to moderate, I can fortunately still go out sometimes (if the activity is not physically demanding) but I am just not able to enjoy it (even if I have a good day energy wise). Is there maybe something which helps?

Second question would be, if it is normal to have a highly agitated sleep (slight PLMD) and to wake up multiple times (mostly after a 1 sleep cycle)? I am really tempted to try clonazepam or seroquel for this but I am a bit anxious about getting dependant on it...

Many thanks in advance!
 
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Rebecca under the papyrus

Rebecca under the papyrus

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Definetely! Especially the "not being present" part feels very scary to me.

I'm wondering whether, at least in my case, it is in part about sensory overload aka the brain can't process it all and shuts down: I think that, because often I can get closer to "the moment" or reality when I switch off one sense by closing my eyes.
The whole thing sounds like a shutdown to me. Body/brain/nervous system being overwhelmed, be it because of psychological or physical stress.

I had a considerable enhancement in being-present two months ago. I haven't figured out yet what exactly was the reason, but the suspects (things I changed at that time) are:
- started to eat a lot of thyme and drink a lot of lemon balm tea : both are known for enhancing brain function, reducing anxiety, ...
- stopped eating turmeric : which is a bit counterintuitive ;), but perhaps I had some kind of intolerance there
 
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lenora

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Hello @Mrparadise .....part of this illness seems to be the weird sleep patterns we have. I know I've suffered from them for over 35 years now.

After having tried everything else, I did turn to things like dalmane & co., and would find relief for possibly 2 nights at most. My neurologist has worked overtime on this problem and, as a result, I can try many drugs, but never anything lasting. I've been to sleep clinics and everyone leaves with the exact same prescription....trazodone. Useless! Most people I've dealt with agree with me on that.

If anxiety is a part of your problem (and sometimes we don't realize it until it becomes overwhelming and we can't function at all), please see a psychiatrist and get a proper evaluation. Eventually a drug that works can be found. They've literally saved my life. It's like a tape that plays over and over in your head and never ends. You can't think properly at all.

Remember that people like a good neurologist can also prescribe these drugs, but b/c of the fentanyl problem will probably want you cleared by a psychiatrist. You don't have to keep going forever, other counseling can take over (if required). If you don't have the money, there is a sliding scale fee, although you'll have to be prepared for a long wait. More and more about brain chemicals is being understood today and we aren't looked at as total "nut cases." Most people end up seeing someone at some point in their lives.

I have found that the best thing for not sleeping is to get out of bed and either work on my computer, play music....just something. Worrying about the loss of sleep is a waste of time.

I'll have two or three decent nights, and then nothing for the following few nights. Reading is calming to me, so I do plenty of it.

Yes, in some people it's been found that turmeric (curcumin) can make you sleepless, so think it over after 4:00 p.m. or so.

I now have a sample of a new drug that works on different brain chemicals to try....and I should. If it's of any use, I'll report back here. I no longer use sleeping meds per se, although mg. at night is fine. Just be careful of the type you use. You don't want to use mg. citrate for example. Epsom salts are good in a bath at night...plenty of mg. in them. Pleasant dreams....I hope. Yours, Lenora.
 
christiankatz

christiankatz

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Mrparadise said:
Dear PR

I wanted to ask you if you are also experiencing anhedonia, anxiety, nervousness, lethargy (slow processing), sob and the feeling of not being "present" in the moment?As I am only mild to moderate, I can fortunately still go out sometimes (if the activity is not physically demanding) but I am just not able to enjoy it (even if I have a good day energy wise). Is there maybe something which helps?

Second question would be, if it is normal to have a highly agitated sleep (slight PLMD) and to wake up multiple times (mostly after a 1 sleep cycle)? I am really tempted to try clonazepam or seroquel for this but I am a bit anxious about getting dependant on it...

Many thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

Hi, Mrparadise, yes to all the above. My anhedonia isn't too bad anymore, but it shows up at times if I get too emotional about something. It's the most painful thing. It takes a lot for me to get a good nights sleep or even a few hours.

I take Klonopin (clonazepam), and I strongly DON'T recommend it. There's a forum called benzo buddies, which I joined, and if you could see all the horror stories of benzos, you'd never touch them. You can access it without joining. Plus there's the YT channel called Medicating Normal, and if you do a benzo search there, you'll see more horror stories. If I could save one person from benzo hell, I'd be happy. I'm assuming you know that clonazepam is a benzo.

I'm sorry for all the symptoms you're experiencing. I can relate and empathize with you.
 
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Wishful

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Yes to anhedonia and lethargy (and brainfog). I also wake up frequently, though I can usually fall asleep again. For me, sleep duration seems to be tied to proline (non-essential amino acid, found in most foods) intake. I used to wake up every 1.5 hrs. When I figured out the proline sensitivity, I changed my diet to reduce proline content, and my sleep duration rose as high as 5 hrs between waking. If I don't avoid proline completely, my sleep duration is usually 2 to 3 hrs. A surprise discovery: something in beef and lamb (I think in the fat) seems to counteract my proline sensitivity, so if I have some fatty beef or lamb, I can manage some proline (in addition to what's in the meat) and still get 2 or more hours between waking.

Let me know whether your sleep responds to changes in proline intake or beef/lamb intake. No one else has mentioned this problem, so I'm wondering whether it does affect anyone else. The best online tools I found for amino acid content is: https://tools.myfooddata.com/protein-calculator/168893-173379-174294/100g-100g-100g/1-1-1
 
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lenora

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Of course.....presently I'm on lexapro (depression), lyrica (to help reduce pain & anxiety) and small daily doses of xanax for anxiety/panic disorder.

I'm not saying that all people should be on these drugs (I'm also on others for totally unrelated ME causes).

I've had this for a very long time, and gave vitamins, supplements and herbs years and years of my life. It finally just became too much and I've followed the proper protocol to find relief. When it comes down to having a constant mind tape urging you to commit suicide, you know that nothing else is working.

I agree that there are reams of stories out here about the dangers of benzodiapenes and, given a choice, I wouldn't be on them. I had 3 distinct anxiety attacks...the first i handled myself with the help of Recovery, Inc., and it helped for many years. The second was being put on a non-addictive drug, buspar, only as needed for probably 10 yrs. Then I had shingles....3 times, the 4th being years before I even knew I was ill. That did it big time....and my neurologist said I had to do something about my situation and do it fast. He knew me well, and was quite right.

To date I've been on xanax for probably 8 years now, low dosages (but stopping can lead to other problems). There are a lot of fears out there, but it should be remembered that not all drugs work for all of us in the same manner. I was on fentanyl, took plenty of vacations and when I quit, it was without incidence...I consider myself fortunate.

It's up to each of us to heavily weigh whether or not we want to go these drugs, if they'll help, to follow directions to the max., and hope that we'll never experience any of the side-effects.

Lyrica is a good example....I was one of the early patients on gabapentin. The doses were far too high for most of us, left us totally foggy but within 3 mos. I was without crippling pain for the first time in years. We're guinea pigs, the doctors are and even some of the drug companies. Lyrica has a different affect on me....but it may not on someone else. Each of us is an individual. Try other things first and then decide. Yours, Lenora.
 
G

geraldt52

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Mrparadise said:
What would you suggest other than that
Click to expand...
I don't have any suggestions, but you might consider that help may come in the form of a book instead of a bottle. You can get yourself into such trouble with drugs and supplements, but it's hard to get into trouble with a book.

Sorry, I don't have any suggestions for a book on the subject, but surely they exist.

I never even knew what anxiety was until Klonopin (prescribed based on Cheney's nonsense idea that it was "neuro protective") blew up in my face. I struggled with anxiety for probably a decade after stopping Klonopin, but the anxiety eventually relented and is rarely a problem for me anymore. Don't let yourself get sucked into benzo hell because it seems like an easy solution...
 
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