[Butterfly_Faerie]

<font color="purple">Alot has been happening lately over the last couple weeks. We lost my boyfriends dog... she was 12 going on 13 and was a border terrier (something about mary dog) Buddy was my dog I claimed for nearly 4 yrs we put her down. Still miss her everytime I go over to his parents place on Sundays for supper.

I've been depressed quite abit lately, I wish that I wasn't but I think alot of people get down a bit over the holidays.

My GAD has been under control, the Effexor is doing wonders for my anxiety lately which is fantastic.

My sleep pattern is still messed up, still dealing with broken sleep but i'm getting used to it as bad as that sounds. Just so used to waking up certain times of the night because my boyfriend and cousin gets up at 5am for work. My bf snores.... etc... do I don't know when my sleeping pattern will go back to normal. Maybe in the new year I'll take a sleeping pill.... we'll see.

I'm also going to see a neurologist Jan 4th... should be interesting... </font>

[shakes]

Sundance,
I can understand about the messed up sleep pattern. My boyfriend gets up very early in the morning and messes with my sleep schedule. Then I cannot fall back asleep. I hope that things work out for you with the doctor and stuff.

Jessica

[Wants2Fly]

Thanks for the update. Losing your dog is very hard. My sincere sympathy. And best wishes for an effective outcome when you see the doctor.

[Butterfly_Faerie]

Thanks Shakes and Wants2fly.

The dog wasn't mine but my boyfriends family dog, but I considered her mine for nearly 4 yrs.

My sleep pattern sucks.

Last week however when I was home I woke up and thought oh man i'm going to look at the clock and it'll only read something like 2am.. but when I did I was surpised that I slept until 7am. Don't even think I woke up at all that night.

But ever since I got off the Remeron i've been a really light sleeper.
It sucks.

[Wants2Fly]

Several things help me with sleep:

1. I take a very light dose of neurontin (in higher dose, I believe it controls epileptic seizures), which has an interaction effect with noretriptiline (low dose) which controls IBD diarrhea.

2. When I'm bored with that or it's not working as well, I use half of a PM pain med, which helps with joint pain as well, or even benadryl, as that's the active ingredient. I am very sensitive to meds, so half a pill knocks me out.

3. I have a lighweight sleep mask to keep out light.

4. I have a white noise machine. The sound of surf waves sucks me down into sleep hypnotically. In fact, sometimes to wake up, I have to turn off the alarm and the white noise machine at the same time, bec. the waves suck me back down into sleep.

5. If necessary, I use those tiny foam ear plugs, that expand in the ear to keep out noise. These have been used in factories for people working in noisy environments for years, and I've recently started seeing them everywhere in drug stores, supermarkets. Which was great, bec. mine were looking very dirty, even after washing them.

Good luck finding a combo that works for you.

[Butterfly_Faerie]

Thanks honey for your suggestions.

I don't think I feel very comfortable taking an epileptic pill to help me sleep, I think it would cause me too much anxiety.

My psychiarist was thinking about putting me on a sleeping pill, and I refused it, now wishing that I did take the perscription.

I don't have trouble falling asleep, it's staying asleep.

I thought about putting ear plugs in... nut haven't done that yet.
Also thought about buying a white noise machine, something my psychiatrist said for me to get when this happened in the past. I did that with a fan and it helped, but this fan that we have in our room at my boyfriends place makes the room cold, and the way that the weather is right now it's freezing so I haven't done that.

How much do those white noice machines cost roughly?

I love the sounds of waves. It makes me think about the times I was at Daytona Beach in Florida, having the hotel right on the beach and listening to the waves at night. Same with camping in the Florida Keys having the tent right by the water, hearing the waves. It was really soothing.

Thanks hon for your suggestions.

[wisewoman]

Hey Sundance, I don't think the machines are expensive, 20 dollars? We have one and I can't sleep without it as I am listening for alarms and hyper- alert. Even with the ambien. It is nice to have a lulling back ground noise. In the summer it is the fan or A.C. It does help. So might a cd with waves etc that will play over and over. I learned to be so incredibly hypervigilent that this noise thing is like a gift from the greek gods or something. Good luck.

[Butterfly_Faerie]

<font color="blue">Thanks Wisewoman.

Where do you go to buy one of these things?

I want it mainly for my BF's house then anything.
I'd use the fan but it's too chilly out to have the fan by me. In the summer that will be a different story.

I'm always alert to every sound when it's dark and i'm alone. My mind plays tricks on me and I constantly wonder if someone is going to hurt me... it sucks. </font>

[(JD)]

I recommend purchasing a Delta wave CD, that you can have play several times while you fall asleep. These are highly scientifically researched to reduce stress and enduce sleep and dreaming. You can do a Delta Wave google search and find several types...

The white noise players are available at electronic stores, departments stores etc and you should not pay more than $20 for sure... you can pay less but be careful, they might be battery operated only. Some have buttons to select tropical sounds, ocean, etc.

[wisewoman]

Department stores.

[Wants2Fly]

I use a Marsona Sound Conditioner. I purchased it new for about $140 about 10 years ago. Apparently, there are less expensive machines, according to the info here.

I found it in a speciality catalog -- don't remember which one. I've seen similar items in the Sharper Image catalog. And of course, there's the ever popular Ebay.

The benefit of neurontin is that it is flushed out of the system without being processed by the liver, which related to another physical risk factor for me.

[dalila]

<font color="green"> [b] I have fibromalagia which often has a sleep disorder comorbid, I also have migraines. My doctor put me on a low dose of noretripline and it does make a difference for sleeping and the quality of sleep I get. I have used nature cds for surf and/or thunderstorms or a babbling brook to help me sleep. I had to stop those cos if I couldn't play my cd I couldn't sleep. I have bought both my girls sound machines from Walmart and Walgreen's. They were under $20 and worth twice the cost. </font>

[Butterfly_Faerie]

<font color="blue"> Thanks guys for responding to my post. And sharing what has helped with you.

I did not sleep well at all last night. My poor man has sinus nose problems that cause him to snore. And since i've been off of Remeron I don't sleep through it and now wake up. I'm such a light sleeper now and it sucks. I'm exhausted today. It's not his fault of course.

I'm really thinking about getting a white noise machine, either that or wait for the new year and talk to my psychiatrist and say hell with it and to give me a sleeping pill, even though I don't want too. </font>

[(JD)]

sounds like he needs a sleep study! snoring is indicative of a physical problem!

sleep pills aren't forever usually... don't put it off, you might only need a short dose to put you back on track

[Butterfly_Faerie]

Oh he doesn't need a sleep study, we already know what the cause of it is. Which can hopefully be cleared up by antibiotics and nasal spray.

Worse case scenerio for him would be to have some surgery done because there is something with his cectum? <SP> I don't know if that's correct, the part in your nose, well it's crooked or something.

As for the sleeping pills, it would only be for a short period of time, and I doubt it would be that strong.

Not even sure yet if i'm up to taking that yet.

We'll see in the new year I suppose.

Thanks (((sky)))

[(JD)]

Deviated septum? K but he really needs to "quit" snoring as it means he isn't receiving the air he needs while sleeping, and that can even lead to heart problems (not to mention divorce!)

Be safe.

[Butterfly_Faerie]

Yeah that's it or it's pollocks <sp>? which would have to be removed through surgery.

He's been talking to the doctor at the walkin clinic behind us... so we'll see if the antibiotics or the new nasal spray works, and if not then he is going to see a throat and nose specialist and get a catscan done. Also they thought he many have sinustis... so it could be a number of things.

The deviated septum can be corrected through surgery as well.

So we'll see.