Thanks amandalouise, for the tips and advice! I like the idea of calling someone right before I go to bed.. not sure what the life alert is though? I think only people with life threatening illnesses can use it for when they are home alone?? I'll have to look into that more, thanks for letting me know!
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Originally Posted by amandalouise
Sorry I cant tell you what you have. your doctors are the ones that can do that. it takes time to find the right medications. the restlessness, lack of concentration could be your medication reactions. keep working with your doctors and one day you will hit on the right meds. I don't know anything about epilepsy so cant help you there. But I do work with someone that has sleep apnea and insomnia.
We have a client thats a frequent "visitor"here at the hospital ER and mental ward. He that sleep apnea and insomnia but the insomnia isn't caused by the sleep apnea. he falls asleep and stops breathing then startles awake. He sits up and catches his breath. sometimes he goes right back to sleep and other times he doesnt. when he's no longer in an apnea state he sends himself into panic attacks and obsessive thoughts about dying in his sleep. the idea that he could die in his sleep is very real. this doesn't help when hes out of danger of dying and sending himself int panic attacks.
Its very hard to work with him because of the reality of his situation. we cant just say to him ok dangers over now you're ok you're awake you're not going to die tonight.
what he has found helpful to him is -
dialing a friend or one of us right before going to bed. this way if he needs to talk to someone he just needs to press redial instead of remembering the whole phone number.
he has a life alert program. they check on him periodically through the night so he knows he's not alone and help is just a step awake if needs them. They also do non emergency checks to make sure his life alert equipment is working. We have noticed a drastic cut back on his panic attack induced insomnia since connecting him with the life alert program.
he doesn't like using the CPAP machine because of the noise and claustrophobic feeling of the mask. After researching his options with his psychiatrist and physician he has undergone some extensive surgeries that has opened and unobstructed his airways. This has also helped a lot.
he has also had his medications adjusted. right now hes on a cocktail of klonopin, welbutrin and abilify which seems to be working for him. It took a long time to find this right combo but he says it was well worth it.
talk with your doctors maybe you are a candidate for surgery and life alert program. 
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