alittle after 1 and i am so glad to be awake and saying good morning to all my insomniac buddies. 
my nasty old gallbladder is out and i am looking forward to a complete and full recovery!! 
but i wonder how you all are? Ming, Kelly, Jeanette, and just all of you? 
no sleepless nights? i will be popping in and out to check in and see what has been going on!! and yes! can you believe, the holidays, namely Thanksgiving, are here!! 
lots of leftovers for our four legged friends... lots of sleepless nights? LOL! i am so glad to be back and i hope you are all asleep but if not, drop by anytime!!! 
spiney hugssss, 
Jenny 
Double laminectomy L4-L5, bulging discs, DDD, Bone spurs, nerve damage in left leg and hip, DJD, and that to familiar visitor,arthritis
I'm glad to see you getting better and I hope you can get some sleep soon. I got a new kitten to keep my cat company but the girl who abandoned it came back and took my cat back. Now I just have one kitten but may be getting another one! I'm very sad now. It may be hard for sleep to come for me tonight.
Charry
Any answers I have is not medical advice only a Doctor can help you with that. Just sharing my personal experience as a fellow Spine Health member only.
Mild lumber DDD. L5-S1 herniated disc and annular tear not seen on 2nd MRI. Off work LTD x 2years. Meds-Oxycontin 40mg x 3/day new med for me Jan.20. lyrica 150/2,Cymbalta 60/day,flexeril 10x3/day,voltarin 75/2/day,serax 30mg for sleep. Infrared Platinum heating pad, ESI's, Facet joint injs, trigger point injs,PT,accupuncture,TENS
charry, you sounds so sad and for good reason...
losing a friend is very sad. i am sorry... i do hope you get another one. as it is, just hold tight to the one you have and try and get a good nights' sleep.. 
it is early tonight so i am hoping you get a good night's sleep with just the one kitty... 
good night charry!! L, Jenny 
Double laminectomy L4-L5, bulging discs, DDD, Bone spurs, nerve damage in left leg and hip, DJD, and that to familiar visitor,arthritis
Glad to hear you are doing better!!! Hope you are having (or had?) a great Thanksgiving, and didn't get too stuffed on turkey!! However, a good turkey dinner I find is a great tool in getting to sleep, lol. Well, I haven't been around for a bit, they changed my meds around, upped the neurontin, and added nortriptyline. Wow. All I can say is I think I've now caught up on all those sleepless nights!!! It really kicked the crap out of me!! But, the mixture of the 2 meds has done me wonders, cut my pain down to a liveable level again, and lets me sleep!!! I hope the effects don't wear off too quickly. I even went for a little nature walk with the hubs and pup on the weekend!! I was sore after, but it was so nice to get out for once, and not for work or groceries, lol. In January I go back to full days at work, and we'll see how it goes, if it's as well as now, I think things will be okay. Anyways, hope you're doing well, and able to sleep tonight!!!
Kelly
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anterior Foraminotomy in April 09 for:
stenosis C4/C5, protruding disc at C5/C6 with osteophyte complex, herniated disc at C6/C7
OA in neck, hip, knees
PTSD and Anxiety Disorder
**A Proud Canadian Soldier**
BUT NOT A DOCTOR!!! My thoughts are just that... my thoughts based solely on my experiences, so take them for what they're worth (and sometimes they may not be worth much)
Kelly, that is really such good news.
i am so happy for you that a change in meds has given you a new lease on life. 
being able to sleep and even to start back to work, WOW!!! 
i am really happy for you Kelly. i hate to lose you but when it works out like this i can only be pleased and thrilled for you!!! no more sleepless nights for you!! 
come by anytime and let us know how you are though... L, Jenny 
Double laminectomy L4-L5, bulging discs, DDD, Bone spurs, nerve damage in left leg and hip, DJD, and that to familiar visitor,arthritis
So, has getting the gallbladder out made a big difference yet??? Hope everyone is doing well...
How is the Christmas shopping going for everyone??? I still have alot to do!!!
Well, Jenny, let me know how you are, miss everyone!!!
Jeanette
42 year old female with c4-c7 fusion, Have had 3 surgeries in the last 15 months.Had infection at the iliac crest sight and had to have surgery 1 month after neck surgery to debred and jackson prat tubes placed. I have tried spinal shots,PT, didn't help me.Medications for chronic pain: hydromorphone, Soma, Neurotin, (next step is a pain pump)I have bone spurring,DDD,spinal stenosis, ossification,at the 4-5 fusion there is almost complete loss of CSF.At T7-8 level I have protrusion that indents the thecal sac.New disc extrusion at c3-4 and bone spur c5-c6 fusion sight that is pushing on spinal cord and nerve roots.I have had to quit work, I loved my job....
well, another night as cold as a stone here.
i am doing really well Jeanette! the gallbladder is out and i am eating once again after almost a year!! 
i was looking at life and how much it has changed for me and i am so happy now. 
I can shower on my own, eat, take walks, life is good!! i am thinking about the wedding again so i know i am almost well. 
i hope you are doing ok Jeanette!! i just got my tree up, it looks beautiful,so shopping and cards are next!! i was getting sleep every night because of the extra pain meds for the surgery. now i am on the patch and having even more trouble than ever sleeping. 
anyone here use the patch? well, lots going on this time of year. i wish you all extra energy to get those things done we want to do.. Love and hugsss, 
Jenny 
Double laminectomy L4-L5, bulging discs, DDD, Bone spurs, nerve damage in left leg and hip, DJD, and that to familiar visitor,arthritis
Is the patch allowing you to move better? I sure would love to try to use the patch to see if it helps me get around better. I'm just sending out a few Christmas cards soon. It'll be a quiet Christmas this year as Mom's away in Florida for most of the winter. We're really getting the sleet and snow up here and boy I can feel the dampness go right though me. I'll again ask my Dr. for the patch on Friday when I see her. She said no last time. I'm glad you're feeling better. Take care. Charry
Any answers I have is not medical advice only a Doctor can help you with that. Just sharing my personal experience as a fellow Spine Health member only.
Mild lumber DDD. L5-S1 herniated disc and annular tear not seen on 2nd MRI. Off work LTD x 2years. Meds-Oxycontin 40mg x 3/day new med for me Jan.20. lyrica 150/2,Cymbalta 60/day,flexeril 10x3/day,voltarin 75/2/day,serax 30mg for sleep. Infrared Platinum heating pad, ESI's, Facet joint injs, trigger point injs,PT,accupuncture,TENS
charry, there were alot of things i really liked about the patch.
i never had any trouble with it moving around on me or slipping off. it was comfortable and i never even noticed it after awhile. 
the delivery system was much easier on my stomach and the nausea eased up quite a bit. my only complaint was that it did not turn out to be strong enough for my pain. 
my doctor did not feel comfortable using bt meds so i went back to morphine. it is really cold here but we aren't getting the weather you are!! sorry it is going right through you charry!!! put on your softest pj's and get cozy into the covers!!! 
i am sorry your mother won't be there for Christmas. mine lives in Texas and i will miss her lots!! take care and keep warm!!! spiney hugssss, 
Jenny 
Double laminectomy L4-L5, bulging discs, DDD, Bone spurs, nerve damage in left leg and hip, DJD, and that to familiar visitor,arthritis
I'm a night owl anyway. The holiday stuff isn't causing me any insomnia. Recovering from surgery is though. I keep on napping after supper and can't stay awake. Then wake up around 10-11pm. Stay up until 3-4am. Was ok until this week. I'm trying to go to work for a couple of hours each day. Starting PT. So I really need to get back on a schedule.
I have Ambien but never know when I should take it. Short of just taking it every night for a while. Hoping I can jolt my system into a normal sleep cycle. Getting up at 8am when you fall asleep at 4am doesn't help much...
Graham
Microdiscectomy - L5/S1 - Dec, 07. AxiaLIF - L5/S1 - Nov, 09.
Joan of Arc heard voices too!
graham,i know what you mean about napping.
all of a sudden i nap and then i stay awake for most of the night. 
no matter how i try to rearrange the sleep schedule it does not change. i get by with naps. stop by the sleep forum anytime. i don't use sleep medication so i can't help you much there.. i think trying one thing for awhile is your best bet. sleep well when you can.. 
Jenny 
Double laminectomy L4-L5, bulging discs, DDD, Bone spurs, nerve damage in left leg and hip, DJD, and that to familiar visitor,arthritis
here it is 11:11 and i am wondering what i am going to do all night??
pound on the keys, watch some tv, read, or could it really happen, SLEEP???? 
LOL!!! i will scan the net and hope some spineys are awake tonight!! 
what is keeping you awake? 
Jenny 
Double laminectomy L4-L5, bulging discs, DDD, Bone spurs, nerve damage in left leg and hip, DJD, and that to familiar visitor,arthritis