Dh has Insomnia!

[ScoutTN]

He has not slept more than1-2 hrs at a time for a total of less than 4 hrs. nightly for two weeks. This is crazy. His doc prescribed Ambien which does nothing. Benedryl does nothing. Nor sleepytime tea or any other common sense remedy. This started with a panic attack when I was out of town for a few days and has spiraled downward since. He had an acupuncture treatment today and is scheduled again for Friday. He will see his doc Thursday, but in the meantime, he is crazy stressed almost zombie-like. Fortunately, he has some time off work, but the work piling up increases his stress too. We are pursuing more alternative routes, chiro/ naturopath, but don't have an appt. yet.

 

Any suggestions from the hive?

[Arcadia]

Yoga
Tai Chi
Taking a car ride with you as the driver (somehow that works for me and for DS9)
Sleep while sitting in a rocking chair
Relax in a jacuzzi if you have one

In the meantime, no driving, no using of machinery and tell him to let you know if he is going to the toilet. Lack of sleep can cause dizziness and fainting in the toilet is scary.

I have insomnia probably since I was born. Always had issues with sleep. A panic attack cause a high stress that can be very hard to come down from.

Hope he gets a good night sleep soon.

 

ETA:

Bring a picnic mat to the park and nap.

[purplejackmama]

Lots of exercise? Maybe? Hope he gets some sleep soon.

[Tap]

Is there someplace that is calming to him? Even if it means a bit of a road trip, it may be worth it to get him over the hump.

 

Camping?

His parents house? 

Camp trailer?

Sleeping outside?

Changing the furniture a different way or changing rooms?

Sleeping on the couch?

A friends home?

A hotel?

A woodsy Cabin?

A fancy hotel?

Sleeping with a fan going?

Sleeping with the foot of the bed tipped up? (helps with gerd)

Music or a sleep sounds machine?

Room at the ocean? (moist salt air can help some peoplw with airway issues or asthma)

Room in a busy city like Las Vegas? (some people love the sound of a city)

An active night of teA?

A quicky of teA?

A carb heavy dinner?  Maybe even a full Thanksgiving dinner.

A certain heavy blanket?  (Even if you need to crank up the airconditioner to make it bearable to sleep under)

A fire in the fireplace?

 

 

 

 

Has he tried other prescription meds than Ambien? How about something for the anxiety in stead of the sleep (often are similar meds).  Diazepam, Lorazepam, Temazepam are not great long term meds, but can be wonderful for the short term.  Rozerem and Sonata are both for sleep and can help when ambien doesn't. 

 

 

Sometimes when my insomnia gets bad, it is the oddest things that can help me the most. I eat a full dinner, and I drink a specific beer before bed. I sleep with my laptop pulled up to a Stargtrek or Stargate episode on Netflix. Every time I wake up, I turn the episode back on.  It helps me to focus my mind on something other than what is stressing me out. I don't even watch it, I just listen to it.  It helps me when very little else will.   Sometimes, the sleep specialists suggest 'sleep hygiene' but for me, it is about just shutting off my mind, that allows me to sleep better than anything else. My best sleep hygiene is very messy and dirty.  LOL 

 

You may need to talk to him and find out if there is something that helps him sleep better than anything else, even if it makes no sense at all.  Even if you and the kids need to go to the park at noon and let him sleep on the couch for a few hours in the middle of the day. I wouldn't try to pressure him to find out a place to get a full nights sleep, just a few hours here and there to start is a baby step that can build into something meaningful. 

 

:grouphug:  :grouphug: insomnia sucks! :grouphug:  :grouphug:

 

 

[Vida Winter]

Get a puppy. The pup will get him up at 4 a.m. for weeks. Suddenly, 9:00 p.m.is an awfully good bedtime and insomnia will disappear. Ask me how I know. :crying:

[gardenmom5]

depending upon the cause of the insomnia - this may or may not help.

 

melatonin.

 

dudeling despised any kind of supplement until I got him to take melatonin. once.  after that, he asked for it because he recognized how much better he slept and felt the next day.  while he was prescribed about 1 1/2 mg, I gave him up to 6mg because that was how much he needed to put him to sleep. 

 

does he have sleep apnea?

[abba12]

Sleeping on the couch with TV going. Not watching it exactly, just having it to break the silence and give something to focus on. 

 

I have struggled with anxiety-related insomnia for years. For me, it builds on itself. Not sleeping makes it harder to sleep, the lack of sleep increases the stress, until I finally crash. I've never gone more than 4 or 5 days though. But, possibly, once he gets a full nights sleep again he may find his body rights itself and the issue goes away. At least, it does for me. However, if his insomnia is not anxiety related, it may not be the case for him.

 

 

Now, I'm going to say two things which help me when I get really desperate, but are NOT good solutions, DEFINITELY not reccomended by a doctor. But in my specific situation, where, once I 'crash' and sleep through my body corrects itself, they help. The first is alcohol, a few drinks to relax right down, somewhere after tipsy but before completely drunk, and a comfy couch and TV show helps me. The second is one of those energy drinks like red bull, I find when I am overtired they give me an anxiety attack, but that I will also crash completely once it wears off. These are not recommended, or things to rely on with any regularity, I know they're unhealthy. But for me, personally, when I hit 4 or 5 days without sleep, I will usually do one or both out of desperation to 'right' the cycle. However, I know the cause of my insomnia, and can do so in a controlled and supervised way, and have discussed these things with a psychologist. You and your husband know your personal situation best. 

[Snickerdoodle]

Blue blocking glasses after 6pm

Full sunlight on face first thing in am

Blackout curtains in bedroom

 

Try box breathing technique

[ScoutTN]

I have struggled with anxiety-related insomnia for years. For me, it builds on itself. Not sleeping makes it harder to sleep, the lack of sleep increases the stress, until I finally crash.

This is it. He just hasn't gotten to a crash. He starts to doze, then jerks or starts himself awake.

[Night Elf]

I had the same problem. I was getting less than 4 hours a night for over 2 weeks. Have your DH call his doctor to give him a new prescription. I went through 3 before settling on Ambien. Then eventually Ambien stopped working so my doctor put me on something else. It's not meant for insomnia but has a side effect of drowsiness. It's not working great though. But really, have him call his doctor.

[ScoutTN]

Things he has tried:

Sunshine and lots of exercise.

High Carb dinner

Sleeping on the sofa or lazy boy

Melatonin

TeA

We always keep our room very dark and cool at night.

yoga beathing

white noise/ background noise

 

I don't want him driving, so he's coming to the pool with us this morning for more sun and exercise. We may try the beer tonight or even today after lunch. Still trying to get an appt. with a naturopath and he sees his regular doc Thursday afternoon. Medication for the anxiety may be a good idea.

 

The amount of sleep he is getting is even less than what I was getting when nursing Dd, who woke every 2.25 hours like clockwork for a year. And he doesn't have the oxytocin relaxing wave or the joy of a baby to make the lack of sleep bearable.

[DawnM]

what exactly caused the panic attacks?

Honestly, until that is dealt with (maybe therapy?), it probably won't go away.

 

I had never had panic attacks or anxiety until recently.  A particular situation caused them and until I could start letting go of it, nothing helped.  I still have some issues with it, and when I do, I have insomnia.  And it stinks.

 

Dawn

[Mergath]

This is it. He just hasn't gotten to a crash. He starts to doze, then jerks or starts himself awake.

This happens to me when I go off my anxiety meds (lexapro at the moment). For me, it's a combo of anxiety and silent reflux that makes me jerk awake. I have to take the anxiety meds and a reflux med to start sleeping again.

[Mommy22alyns]

Call the doc and ask for a different sleep med.  I've had the same thing happen, and I finally asked for a different prescription.  I had to try Sonata first, which isn't much better (very short-acting and I'm a fast metabolizer), and hopefully she'll be able to call in for Lunesta today.  Your DH has my sympathies.  I struggle constantly with insomnia.

[ScoutTN]

I think y'all are right about anxiety being the root cause and Dh came to the same conclusion (despite a very foggy brain right now). He is going to ask his doc for a Rx for anxiety and see if that will help. He talked to a couple of people about it yesterday and today and that was good too. Hearing from others who have similar issues has helped him feel less alone in this struggle.

We know a good counselor and Dh is going to call him an make an appt., though that is more of a long term help and won't get Dh sleeping at night right now.

 

For today and tonight, we are just doing common sense things, exercise and sun, healthy food, turkey sandwich for dinner, etc. One of his co-workers recommended an herbal formula for stress and anxiety, Gaia brand, so he may try that tonight. He is dozing in the living room right now.

[mom2samlibby]

I'd have his doctor check his Vitamin B12 levels.  Deficient levels can cause insomnia and anxiety.  You'll also need to have folate and ferritin levels checked, as they go hand in hand.

[wapiti]

Random thought - for sudden-onset insomnia related to panic (not sure if I got that right - how's the anxiety now?), you might consider an immune-related angle, such as a recent infection, even something "simple" like strep or pneumonia, especially if he has been sick recently.  That would be an idea to take up with your alternative providers.

 

If you are looking for more suggestions on supplements, I like the combination supplement NutraSleep by Source Naturals.

[Alicia64]

This will sound nutty, but it works: lemon balm made into a tea. It works so well, in fact, that as he drinks the tea he needs to be at home -- not out and about somewhere.

 

It's strong.

 

I had a terrible time w/ insomnia about five years ago and a friend who happened to be an herbalist mentioned it. I didn't have high hopes, but at that point, I'd try anything.

 

Insomnia over.

 

Alley

[ScoutTN]

This will sound nutty, but it works: lemon balm made into a tea. It works so well, in fact, that as he drinks the tea he needs to be at home -- not out and about somewhere.

 

It's strong.

 

I had a terrible time w/ insomnia about five years ago and a friend who happened to be an herbalist mentioned it. I didn't have high hopes, but at that point, I'd try anything.

 

Insomnia over.

 

Alley

Wow. How did you make this tea? I don't have lemon balm in my garden this year, but I often do.

We have to be careful with supplements or herbals because Dh is on an anti-seizure medication and it is often difficult to find good info on what is safe for him.

[Starr]

Maybe a medication for the anxiety not the sleep.  :grouphug:

[Guest]

Do you know anyone who has a weighted blanket or know where you can buy one? I know a few people who have had success using them for insomnia.

[ScoutTN]

Hooray, he slept for 12 hours last night!!

His doc prescribed Klonopin for a short term fix to get him rested. We will pursue some counseling to help him process stress better in the future.