[phantasmagoric]

(I couldn't figure out where to put this...)

Okay, so I've never been a "morning person". I've always preferred sleeping in on weekends, etc. But, within the past year or so, it's been getting progressively worse.

I'm supposed to be up and out the door by 7:00 am to make the school bus, but I haven't been able to for a good long while. It used to be that I would be up early enough where we'd rush down and still see the bus in the distance, and I would still make it to school on time before 7:40. Now, as I said, it's steadily gotten worse, where I'd get there later and later, sometimes not at all.

I've made it to school once this week, and today, I wasn't really even up and about untill after noon.

And the worst part is that I don't know why this happens. My mother starts trying to get me up at about 5:30 am every morning, and I also have 2 alarm clocks plus my cell phone (with 3 alarms on it). From then until like anywhere between 8 and 10:30, I am in a weird semi-conscious zombie-like state, where I'll grumble and talk and yell at my parents that "I'm getting up" and tell them to go away, but I just lay there in bed. I get into screaming stupid arguments with my dad, and the scaryest thing about it is that I never remember any of it. It's like I can't control what I say or do when I'm like that, and it scares me. It's also hard to explain to people, because it makes no sense.

My mom has had to quit her job in order to try and make sure I can get to school. And, since I'm a junior in highschool, missing this much school is going to really hold me back, especially since I'm already a horrible procrastinator.

My psych has been trying to figure it out meds wise, lowering the dose of my nightly Seroquil (sp?) and now possibly having me take it in the morning but... idk... I wonder if its something more wrong with my sleep, because it seems like it doesn't make much of a difference if I get 5 hours or 10 hours of sleep, I have just as much trouble in the mornings....

Any advice??

(wow, that was really long....)

[madisgram]

i'm glad you have the support of a pdoc. one of my sisters has a sleep disorder and she takes a pill they use for narcoleptics. she is not narcoleptic however. it helps her be able to get up and stay awake during the day. it has improved the quality of her life.
but i'm no pdoc so what is causing your problem, idk, but thought i'd throw that in. perhpas you may want to discuss this approach with your pdoc if other meds do not help. good luck to you!

[Miss Laura]

Hey i am the exact same

If i start work at 8am i usually set my alarm for 6am or 630am. I have to get a bus too as my work is at the other end of town which depending on traffic is anything from 45mins-1 hour. I have been on the bus 6 times in a year and 2 months. I have to get a taxi thank god its not that dear.

I am a nightmare going to sleep too. I work shift work(earlies, backs and night shifts plus sleep in's at least twice a month) So my sleep patteren is all over the place. I use to be able to get to sleep no problem now i am finding it harder and harder. I am lucky if i get 3 hours sleep a night. I actually slept for 10 hours on Wednesday Night but i hadn't had a proper sleep in 4 days.

I find i am managing to function at work. But my patience is not that good at the moment. I am snapping a lot more. I did take sleeping tablets which are over the counter stuff called Nyton they didn't help at all. After that i just tried to manage on my own. But i think its getting too much.

I do not eat anything after 6pm and i only drink until 7pm. Different if i am out at a club or something then obviously i have to alter this. But this is the norm and has been for a good 8 years for me. I chill out before bed. If i am on a sleep, back shift or when i get in after a night shift i take an hour out to wind down and to relax

[ECHOES]

A regular schedule of going to bed and getting up could help. Getting regular full nights' sleep is important, so go to bed at the same time every night (you won't feel a need to make up for lost sleep on the weekend eventually), allowing for 8 hours for sleep (not just being in bed). Get up at the same time every morning. Alarms aren't working so you'll have to do something different. Probably someone will have to gently shake you awake and make sure you sit up and get out of bed; returning to bed is not an option.

You have fallen out of a routine. I would not be surprised if the meds are involved. But what's needed is a new routine and help making that happen. After a few weeks you should be back on schedule.

[hydrocare]

I totally agree with Echoes. Set a better routine. Once it turns into a habit, problem solved. No need for additional medications!