meds for deep sleep

[Becky]

Last year I had a sleep study which ruined me for a week. I was diagnosed with alpha intrusion or alpha over delta. Alpha waves are the short bursty brainwaves of an active brain. In my case, they continued all night, so I do not ever get REM 3/4 sleep. Xyrem was great while my insurance covered it. Slept great and felt rested. Relieved the foggy, confused feeling I have most of the time.

In place of the Xyrem, my PCP prescribed up to 150 trazadone and 100 tramodol at 7:30 pm, then up to 150 trazadone, 100 tamodol and Lunesta at bedtime. I vary the doses, but that combination gives me some sleep relief and I don't need that heave sedation now. I'm back to the CFS symptoms, but I am getting some sleep which is better than no sleep.

 

[dancer]

Becky, thank you for your post.
I recently saw a neurologist (because of my cognitive challenges, the doc sent me for a brain MRI..which showed some atrophy)
She suggested a sleep study.
Since I figured my unrefreshing sleep was a normal part of CFS, I don't know what benefit their might be to the ordeal of going in for a sleep study. Plus, the last thing I want is some perky brochure about sleep hygeine. Did you find the sleep study worthwhile? Do the docs use that info in tailoring sleep meds? Right now I alternate between Ambien and Benadryl. Falling asleep is no prob. The sleep just doesn't restore me. I'm pretty sure I don't have sleep apnea (I know that if sleep studies show that, they can treat it with a c-pap machine).

so what are the benefits to doing a sleep study? THANKS for any advice or insights.

 

[onebush]

if your feeling good at night and dont sleep because of that you probably have a delayed sleep cycle. basically your body cant tell if its day or night. melatonin can help this and possibly something else for sleep, on its own melatonin hasnt done much for me but does help get out of strange sleep cycles we get in.

cheers!!!

Hi,

When do you take the melatonin? Thanks

Margaret

Margaret

 

[*GG*]

Last year I had a sleep study which ruined me for a week. I was diagnosed with alpha intrusion or alpha over delta. Alpha waves are the short bursty brainwaves of an active brain. In my case, they continued all night, so I do not ever get REM 3/4 sleep. Xyrem was great while my insurance covered it. Slept great and felt rested. Relieved the foggy, confused feeling I have most of the time.

In place of the Xyrem, my PCP prescribed up to 150 trazadone and 100 tramodol at 7:30 pm, then up to 150 trazadone, 100 tamodol and Lunesta at bedtime. I vary the doses, but that combination gives me some sleep relief and I don't need that heave sedation now. I'm back to the CFS symptoms, but I am getting some sleep which is better than no sleep.

Why did the sleep study ruin you? I have had 3 to date and did not notice anything detrimental from them.

I took Trazadone up to 150mg, it quit being effective for me. I tried Doxepin, which did nothing for me. What is most helpful now is Mitrazapine (Remeron). I just recently upped the dose. With my 2nd sleep study I was found to have obstructive sleep apnea, which was not determined when I had a sleep study 5 years before, wish I had had another sleep study done 2 years sooner, they might have found it then?!

I also take 3mg of Melatonin nightly.

 

[*GG*]

Becky, thank you for your post.

I recently saw a neurologist (because of my cognitive challenges, the doc sent me for a brain MRI..which showed some atrophy)
She suggested a sleep study.

Since I figured my unrefreshing sleep was a normal part of CFS, I don't know what benefit their might be to the ordeal of going in for a sleep study. Plus, the last thing I want is some perky brochure about sleep hygeine. Did you find the sleep study worthwhile? Do the docs use that info in tailoring sleep meds? Right now I alternate between Ambien and Benadryl. Falling asleep is no prob. The sleep just doesn't restore me. I'm pretty sure I don't have sleep apnea (I know that if sleep studies show that, they can treat it with a c-pap machine).

so what are the benefits to doing a sleep study? THANKS for any advice or insights.

My bias is that Neurologist are useless for this disease, I had a brain MRI also due to chronic headaches. Nothing found. If you don't sleep well and have never had a sleep study done, I would say get one! Just ignore the brochure and the typically useless nature of Health Care in regards to our condition(s).

 

[Otis]

Becky, thank you for your post.
I recently saw a neurologist (because of my cognitive challenges, the doc sent me for a brain MRI..which showed some atrophy)
She suggested a sleep study.
Since I figured my unrefreshing sleep was a normal part of CFS, I don't know what benefit their might be to the ordeal of going in for a sleep study. Plus, the last thing I want is some perky brochure about sleep hygeine. Did you find the sleep study worthwhile? Do the docs use that info in tailoring sleep meds? Right now I alternate between Ambien and Benadryl. Falling asleep is no prob. The sleep just doesn't restore me. I'm pretty sure I don't have sleep apnea (I know that if sleep studies show that, they can treat it with a c-pap machine).

so what are the benefits to doing a sleep study? THANKS for any advice or insights.

Dancer,

Sleep apnea is one thing a sleep study can show. Another possibility us something like PLMS which can be more subtle. I've taken klonopin for 19 years to manage a mild case of PLMS. Also alpha wave intrusion into delta sleep is possible as described above. I get no deep sleep at all. I haven't run across anyone else with that situation. That's not considered a sleep disorder, believe it it not. That means I have to get some quantity over quality which requires much more medication than most. Deep sleep is where muscle healing occurs and where growth hormone is released. I don't recommend doing without it or having it disturbed.

Like most everything size a sleep study will typically just rule things out, but sleep disorders are common enough in CFS that I'd suggest getting one unless it's prohibitivly expensive. As the years to by insurance is just going to increase the patient costs for this.

After a long search, the best doc I've found for sleep medicine is a psychiatrist who specializes in sleep issues. He'll prescribe Xyrem so I'm going to give it a go with my new insurance.

Best of luck,
Otis

 

[dancer]

Thanks for the advice, everyone!

 

[Sing]

I do pretty well on 3/4 of a 50 mg Trazodone=37 mg., plus 1/4 of a .5 mg Clonazepam (generic Klonipin)=.125 mg. A half of a Clonazepam once in a while will knock me out more, but if I take this amount every night, it overloads my brain and an addiction starts to kick in. I don't need an addiction!

Additionally, if I have pain, I can take 2 Tylenol=1,000mg, but usually I don't, only takiing it if/when I wake up after 4 hours and can tell that discomfort and a wired feeling are going to keep me awake for some hours.

It is best if I go to bed by 9:30 or 10 because the light wakes me up at dawn. And it is best if I avoid the computer and TV in the evening as much as possible--maybe just a little! And I always do some stretching and muscle massage before going to bed, because muscle aching will interfere with sleep almost always.

So it takes a fair amount of discipline, as well as the pills, for me to approach sleeping. I have to help my poor brain to do it right.