:)trater, i am game for a new thread! 2am here and i had a few hours of sleep! that should get me through today ok. maybe a nap this afternoon even! sorry to hear you really aren't sleeping well. i use melatonin and magnesium every few nights and can get a few hours of sleep from them. maybe they would work a night or two till your refill gets to you. i just got done with 3 days of no sleep and i know how miserable it is to be up night after night. it has been really nice to have some sleepless spineys posting as well. ) good luck catching a few more hours tonight! Jenny

I fell asleep earlier than woke up at 330 am. Usually oxazapam works for me. I used to take benadryl or gravol for sleep before though. Hope you get some sleep. Charry

awake from 2-4 this morning. Makes for a long day...

agriman, i am still up! what are you doing with yourself? Jenny

I have this problem but F I N A LL Y it has gotten better.
not completely better but some

Few suggestions,, magnesium magnesium taken at night it really works get it any way you can in powder is my favorite (it called CALM) but pills work too. I have a very slow digestive system so powders and liquids work better for me'
Magnesium is cheap and and very good for you period!I take
615mg a night also big plus it keeps you regular only side effect is if you take to much you get diarrhea, if that happens back off a few grams till you find got amt for you.

I also have sleeping meds, lunesta, but after while they don't work to good (little secret even though lunesta doesn't put me to sleep it helps me swallow easier (i have swallow problems)and boy I can eat my dinner and enjoy it after my lunesta)

I am starting to do sum reading on this 5HTP. Has anyone heard of this its a natural thing, spose to help with Sleep, weight problems and depression sum kinda natural serotonin booster. any one know?

_____________

Cervical Stenosis with Myeolopathy.
C-3-7 Herniations Impingement on Cord several areas.
C6-7 is worse with Large Herniation with over 50% Impingement.
Possible M.S "Only Possible".

Myeolpathy symptoms seem to be getting worse. So time is important to me.keeping a positive attitude and holding head high.

Feel Free To Check Out My Websites: Patsy Now And Hunt Pix

I would love it if you left a comment ! !

Patsy Now - known as ladybug !

I stayed in bed and fell back asleep for a couple of hours. Am up now (again).

Yikes! you must be one more sleepy person this morning. i get a little drowsy about now but the pain is pushing at me today so i guess i will be up with the birds. it is so windy here today! not used to that kind of weather. this is gentle, southern California. even worse is all that is on tv are political sheeple! wake up world! Jenny

time is it out there? You haven't gotten much sleep urself.

Its horrid not sleeping. For best part of two weeks I have been awake all night and fallen asleep at 6-7am and then waking up at 1030-11am. I might have an hours doze if Im lucky at some stage during the day but this morning I'm at the point of getting the headache/not feeling with it symptoms.

Doesn't help Im having a battle getting rid of pneumonia, needed to see the doctor today but my husband didnt want us to be seen together in the village so I had to cancel my appointment, so will go tomorrow. All I need is some more antibiotics hat will help shift this, as the 1st lot hasn't worked. Sorry for the moan, I'm a little fed up with my husband. There again he is fed up of me being ill so is distancing himself from me. Happy days, keep on smiling and laughing its good for the soul!

Love Danni

PS hope you all get some proper sleep soon.

Do you guys/gals try making yourself get up at a specific time EVERY day? (regardless of how much or how little sleep you got)

One of my old PM docs had me take Benadryl to sleep. Now I am fortunate that the Zanaflex puts me to sleep. I wake about 3 times during the night and always get a drink of water and wander around for a few minutes to get the pain down so I can go back to bed. I was also told to always get up at the same time every morning regardless if it's a day off.

Danni, sorry about your hubby and the pneumonia. I hope you get things worked out for one or both situations.

"C"

i try to sleep past 6 am but it never works. I'm not gonna complain. 6 months ago I wasn't getting half the sleep I am now. 4-5 hours a nite are good.

Well folks the Zanaflex has me ready to faceplant on the keyboard. So I'll catch up with you later.

"C"

I don`t think I have posted in the sleep section before, I have no idea why since I have been an insomniac for years, and when I joined the spiney world it has just exculated.
I am waiting for a revision of my L4-S1 fusion surgery and dispite quite horrible audio effects coming from the screws and rods scraping and popping about back there, in my lumbar, I am pretty well covered painwise. It is not any bad pain which is keeping me awake, its more the fact that I am continually uncomfortable and have no way of doing anything physically strenuous to get me really tired. I have never been good at finding my bed at nights and since being off work, I have resigned myself to not going to bed until my husband has left for work which he does 4 nights a week at 1 am. He needs his sleep and I don`t want to disturb his precious sleep with my non-stop turning and twisting, and crawling in and out of bed.
I have tried "routine", getting into bed the same time every night after doing the same things to relax me and ensure I am not hungry , thirsty, too hot, too cold, over-stimulated or whatever, but really after 4½ hours of laying there in the dark listening to the even sounds of the dog sleeping,several nights in a row, I am clear that it is just because sleep isn`t coming. I achieve sleep mainly by the exhaustion method , just give in and hop over a night and then when I wake up the following night also I know that thats it for sleep. I decide not to torture myself.I just get up and start my day. I tidy the kitchen , put some washing on,get dressed and maybe take the dog for a wander round the block, I make my daily mountain of fruit salad, (I demolish 5 or so portions every 24 hours)
I pop in and say hello to any spineys in chat, there are mainly Americans on at night for me, since I am in Europe so I am eternally grateful that it is an International forum, Dannik is there occasionally too, sometimes a good conversation with friends can give me the peace I need to get into sleep mode and I can go back to my bed ready and armed to do battle with my sleep demons and win! Maybe its the reasurance from friends , that its ok to be feeling blue and fed up with the situation and also not having to explain myself or re tell my spine story since everyone knows me there.Sometimes its just good to take my mind off me.
I am pretty sure the worst of my insomnia will be over when I have had my next op , but I am on a waiting list which is 12 weeks long ,I joined the queue 4 weeks ago and time is dragging. The op will take place 4 to 6 weeks after they see me, so I am thinking around February 2009.
I am not writing here in need of answers, just to let other insomniacs out there know that they are not alone and to thank fellow spineys on here for their time and friendship.

Viking

:)haglandc, let's see, i am up at 7am whether i have slept all night or not. i TRY and get into bed, under the covers and get cozy about 11. i am not a person to just lay in bed awake. after 45 minutes or so i get up in bed on my computor or to read or watch TV. the rest of the house is asleep (dog and hubby) and i can't be up and about much. i don't use sleeping pills too often just because i take so much medicine at night. the nighttime meds are supposed to knock me out as well as take care of other problems but they don't make me sleepy much anymore. so nice to see some new people here. good health to all! sweet dreams sometime today to all of us!! Jenny

I have tried to do the 'get up at the same time' thing, but it just didn't work for me. I have tried all the tricks in the book, but they just didn't fly for me. I think (the brilliant thinker that I am) that I have some chemical imbalance in my brain that prevents me from sleeping... maybe. Many times, I don't sleep even AFTER taking sleeping meds. I take them at about 8-8:30 and might fall asleep around 12-12:30. I ALWAYS wake up in the middles of the night though. You would think that it would zonk me out.
Danni~
I hate that you're having some problems with your husband. I totally understand how you feel. My husband, daughter and I popped in to the mall yesterday (I hate to go to the mall) and he just took off walking, knowing that I can't move very fast. Although I was uncomfortable, I just kept walking behind him, WAY behind. Wishing I could be swallowed up in a hole. I think he's tired of having a sick wife and wants to have a different life. Well, WAKE UP SUNSHINE, SO DO I!

Anyway... hope you guys are having a good day and I'll catch up with you all later tonight. Sweet (day)dreams! lol

trater, my mom said even as a baby, a toddler, a young girl i did not like to sleep at night. so your idea of something in the brain could really be a good point. i have pain which i blame on keeping me awake now but i wonder if i would be awake anyway. come to think of it, after i take my meds in the night, the pain usually gets better, yet i am still awake. could be our clocks are turned around! something to consider! i hope you are not in despair over your marriage. you sound so sad about it! you know there is an ebb and flow. maybe the flow is downhill right now! it will pick up! for better or worse! Jenny

I am feeling very sad about my marriage right now. I know he's just really tired of all the sickness and pain. I asked him yesterday about going to see a counselor that specializes in pain, hoping that we might get some ideas to help, but he said he didn't have time. Makes me feel like I'm not important to him.

what about going to therapy for yourself? see what you can do on your end and what possibilities are open to you? i know that is not the same thing but you may be in the beginnings of starting a new life on your own. i guess it can happen that quick! Either way, you are very important! we are here to support you in whatever way you need us. and building you up is one of our jobs! take care! Jenny

who is rocking and rolling this morning? it is 4 here but i caught i few hours of sleep and am ready for a new day. is anyone having some coffee or like me, a glass of Pepsi to get them going this morning? Jenny

of pepsi??? lol...

Well this site is full of surprises.

Viking thank you so much for mentioning me, it was really sweet of you. I have been made feel so welcome and that people really do care. When I was offline for a few days I had some PM's waiting for me asking if I was ok. That meant the world to me.

Sleep, well I fell asleep after working on the computer for a few hours. Only slept about 20 mins or so but I ended up with a burn on my leg from the laptop. So I have a small ouchy on my knee. I finally got to sleep at 5am, woke up at 7am choking. I have an appointment with my doc at 4.40pm. Im hoping he will give me somthing stronger to get rid of the pneumonia. I hate the fact my back pain and leg sciatica is back witha vengence, its making me so run down.

Thank you for your support about my husband. I have been ill for 7yrs, been married for 8 so its been putting pressure on us for a long time, but being positive we have got to 7.5yrs:D Its hard to know that I only have my husband to rely on (as in physically here)when I have my op and thats quite daunting. However I know I have my friends here to help get me through the good and bad days after my op. What great timing that is - December 23rd approx - will get date confirmed in post nearer the time.It will have been a long 26weeks thats for sure.

Im so sorry for the long post and the moan. It might help send you to sleep lol:D

Love Danni xxxx

Yea! I actually got a little sleep! I was able to sleep from 11:30 until 3:30! As you all are aware, that's a pretty amazing accomplishment for us insomniacs. I'm going to try to catch a little nap later this morning because I'm going to be driving out of town to a volleyball game to watch my daughter play. I'm not the best driver so I want to try to be as alert as possible. It's raining like crazy here too so I have an extra obstacle to jack with me.

know what happened last nite...fell asleep watching tv, woke-up thinking it was 1-2 in the morning and it was 5:00!!

so a few of us got in some sleep last nite! HURRAY! sorry about your leg Danni! and yes it is a Pepsi in the morning! it has caffeine and isn't that the idea!! it is too warm here in the mornings many days to have coffee so i took to Pepsi!! weird, huh? lol!everyone stay out of the rain, and be careful driving today!!i don't know what to do with myself at nap time today so no napping for anyone!! lol! Jenny

trater, i get in bits and pieces. 1--3 a night at the most and then all the sudden i sleep for a long day and night. then back to no sleep or 1-3 hours. it is hectic for me. there is a pattern though and i am trying several different things to try and get back on schedule. any ideas? thanks for your asking! Jenny

oh sleepless ones! the night looms ahead and i want to catch just a few hours tonight. i had a good nap today! yes, i took a nap!! ok, i wasn't supposed to do that but it was so warm and cozy. anyway, the bed is warm tonight, i just watched some David Letterman and will wait for the sleep fairy to come by tonight! anyone else waiting for some zzzzzz'sssss? Jenny

I see that the sleep fairy is still flying out of your reach! As I suspected, I am unable to sleep tonight because I'm out of Ambien... I'm so disgusted in myself for not getting that taken care of before I ran out. I watched TV until around 2 and finally turned it off because my husband couldn't get any good sleep. Can you believe it? He needs SLEEP! haha...
Hope that sleep fairy finds you soon and conks you on the head!!

trater, i hate to say this, but do what i do and put hubby in the other bedroom. i know it sounds harsh but i have to be able to move around atleast in the bedroom. tonight Sirius went with him so i am all alone. well, i have you!! =))so sorry about your meds!! that does make for a long night! Jenny

Lucky for me the night is almost over! It's nearly 4:00 and the husband will have to get up at 6:30 so just a couple more hours or so and the snoring will end! haha I've got my dog curled up here next to me, snoring like crazy too. I bet if I went in to check on my daughter, she would be snoring too. Everyone but me. I kinda want to turn the TV back on and see if there are any new infomercials on cause you know that's about all you can find at this time of the night. I so hope that I'll be able to sleep a bit in a little while. The last time I ran myself out it was a LONG time before sleep came.
You know I could go in the livingroom and watch TV if I wanted to, but that would mean leaving my nice warm and comfy bed. It's cold here tonight... low 40's I think. brrrrrr...

trater, it sounds like your household is warm in their beds. your dog is true blue. mine is a traitor tonight!! i am propped up in bed with the TV on and my computor right here. you must be typing away in your warm bed as well. i do feel lonely in here! you are so lucky to have a beautiful daughter!! it is 2 now and i am awake as ever. i hope you can catch alittle sleep in a few hours!! Jenny

Yep, thank God for the laptop! What did we ever do before we had them?

i have had mine almost a year and cannot believe that i ever lived without one. a computor and a warm bed,oh and a doggie, what a life!! Jenny

well, i had a full nights sleep so that means i will be up tonight. too much sleep i guess! =))how is that possible? i am up roaming the halls and getting my bed comfy for the night. anyone up out there? Jenny

it has been quiet her the last few days. i hope everyone has been asleep! 1am here though! watched SNL to see the "Barracuda." anyone else up to anything out there? Jenny

one very awake spiney here, I have been getting some very loud pops in my lower back last few days and more sore than normal.The cold nights have not been kind as well.

oh yes gout sucks

Sorry to hear you have gout as well to deal with. I went to bed at 3am and woke up at 2pm. yep 11hrs solid sleep. I just cannot remember the last time I had sleep like it.

Mind you as the saying goes if you have too good a day something always happens to bring you back down to earth with a bump. Well today hasn't beena good day. Brother is an alcoholic and has been making abusive calls for 3 days to all the family. I told my mum I was havign his number barred. WHy does it hurt to make a tough decision like that?

Love and sleep thoughts to you all
Danni xxxxx

dannik, you may be doing the most loving thing possible by refusing to accept him the way he is. you have seen him at his best and until the rest of your family insists he seek help or no more support in any way, will your brother stand a chance of living again and possibly saving his life. now you have set an example for the rest of your family and friends and that could be the beginning of the end for your brother! Jenny

Thank you dannik,

I got 3 hrs after all 7am to 10 am, not I am desperately trying to knock myself out.