# EXTREME insomnia (like normal insomnia, but with more emphasis on the insomnia part)



## Robert Paulson (Apr 11, 2012)

Hi. I have insomnia. I sleep once every 2-3 days and it's really getting to me. I'm constantly jumping at my own shadow. When I walk into a new room and see a coat or something on a chair, I jump because I initially think its a person or an animal. I don't normally experience this, but with this intense sleep deprivation I'm really on edge and feel terrible. 

I went to the university doctor, who seemed kind of dismissive of the whole thing. I got a short Ambien prescription which literally did nothing. I thought Ambien was the gold standard of sleep medications, but now I feel hopeless.

I think maybe I have some kind of gene mutation which renders my Gaba receptor proteins with less functionality, and that's why the Ambien doesn't work; it can't bind to my defective receptor proteins. Maybe another sleep medication will bind better, but I can't go back to my doctor because he told me to just get a sleep study done, which I never did. My problem isn't waking up, its falling asleep in the first place. What would a sleep study do to help? Anyway, thanks for reading.


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## Ventura (May 5, 2009)

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## camtrol (Sep 29, 2010)

Perhaps a sleep study would simply show that doctor that you just don't sleep. It would force him to take your complaint seriously and not dismiss you as a crank. Ventura makes a valid point as well, a hormone test might be in order for you as well. Whatever you do don't just give up. I have days on end where I don't sleep but I always have the crash at the end. You don't get that crash to reboot your mind and so you're jumping at shadows. 
Keep fighting to have this problem taken care of, you don't need the s*** at the same time as you're fighting SA.


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## Insanityonthego (Jul 5, 2010)

I kind of have it too...when i'm not too busy. Sleeping is not pleasurable anymore just a necessity.


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## JustThisGuy (Mar 24, 2012)

I have bouts of not sleeping well. Like Ventura said, sleeping every 48 or 72 hours is sometimes normal. But your insomnia does seem extreme if prescription drugs don't have any affect.

Camtrol's right, too. You may need to see another doctor, one who may take your problem more seriously and less passively.

Lighter note: watch Cashback and/or Fight Club.


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## Grapefruits (Oct 26, 2010)

I used to have really bad insomnia years ago. I forgot how I got over it. I sometimes went more than 24 hours without getting any sleep. 

I remember as I started to improve, whenever I fell asleep I would wake up shortly after. This happened usually multiple times during the night. 

Any way, now I try some little things to help myself fall asleep. I light a tea light, practice deep breathing as I am laying in bed, and I downloaded some sleep aid music and nature sounds, such as the sound of rain. This usually relaxed me after a while. It also helps to turn off the TV and get off the computer at least an hour in advance.


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## 67budp (Mar 1, 2012)

I have ambien as well and it's not much help. Sometimes it knocks me out but only for an hour or two and I end up popping another one in the middle of the night. I decided that it was doing more harm than good. Now I alternate between melatonin and tylenal pm and it's working fairly well, about six hours a night waking occasionally. Eight hours would be great but rarely happens. You need to get to the bottom of this because the kind of sleep deprivation you are experiencing can really take it's toll physically and mentally. I personally feel my lowest when I'm not getting any sleep.


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## meganmila (Jul 25, 2011)

Grapefruits said:


> I used to have really bad insomnia years ago. I forgot how I got over it. I sometimes went more than 24 hours without getting any sleep.
> 
> I remember as I started to improve, whenever I fell asleep I would wake up shortly after. This happened usually multiple times during the night.
> 
> Any way, now I try some little things to help myself fall asleep. I light a tea light, practice deep breathing as I am laying in bed, and I downloaded some sleep aid music and nature sounds, such as the sound of rain. This usually relaxed me after a while. *It also helps to turn off the TV and get off the computer at least an hour in advance.*


Maybe that is my problem. I tend to watch tv right before I go to sleep. I mean I do fall asleep sometimes with it on....


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## Johny (Dec 21, 2010)

You should do all the basic suggestions (only use bed for sleep, go to bed/get up at same times, nothing stimulating a couple hours before etc) and some other things depending on the cause. If it's anxiety you might want a benzo or sleep medication to help set a routine. You should also do activities to relieve stress (exercise, meditation etc) and have a good diet. If your mind won't stop racing or it's due to depression you might want to try melatonin, tryptophan (or htp5 (its precursor?)) or an antidepressant (don't take tryptophan with the antidepressant). I'd only suggest trying the medication if nothing else works. Then again I only pretend to be a doctor on the internet so research a treatment/ask your doctor and give it a shot (yours may seem indifferent because there often isn't a magic bullet treatment, it takes a regiment and some time to regain a healthy sleep cycle). Hope you get better.


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## Kerala (Apr 15, 2012)

I had a sleeping problem too, not staying up for days on end mind you, but not been able to fall asleep until the morning and getting a couple hours of sleep. This of course fueled my SA. I tried numerous meds and Mirtazapine is what works for me. It knocks me out. It's an antidepressent so you have to take it every day but it's what finally worked for me. It was literally a hallelujah after everything I tired. Not sure if you've tried it (haven't read all the posts here) but you never know!


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## EllieBear (Apr 21, 2012)

I usually get about 2-3 hours sleep max each night ( i get to sleep around 4 and wake up at 7).But I often go days without sleeping, then get 4 hours and after that I return to 2-3 hours. I've been perscribed zopiclone but it had no effect at all, my doc says there's nothing she can do to help 

I haven't slept properly in 3 years.


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## kesker (Mar 29, 2011)

EllieBear said:


> I usually get about 2-3 hours sleep max each night ( i get to sleep around 4 and wake up at 7).But I often go days without sleeping, then get 4 hours and after that I return to 2-3 hours. I've been perscribed zopiclone but it had no effect at all, my doc says there's nothing she can do to help
> 
> I haven't slept properly in 3 years.


I'm a carbon copy of this going on 4 years. Currently trying melatonin. I've also tried Ambien but it didn't work for me either, although it's fun to stay awake on, lol.


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## sansd (Mar 22, 2006)

At worst, I sleep 2-3 hours every 3-4 days, and that's gone on for months at a time. Even when I'm sleeping better, it's probably rarely more than 20 hours a week. Drugs haven't worked that well for me, either. Mirtazapine was useless and trazodone only sort of helps when I'm not too stressed out.

I tend to think I've seen bugs and spiders out of the corners of my eyes, and I didn't use to, but now I get intolerably irritable (with a lot of destructive urges) after a few days. I handle it worse and worse as time goes on.



Robert Paulson said:


> I went to the university doctor, who seemed kind of dismissive of the whole thing.


My behavioral neuroscience textbook basically said that people who think they can't sleep are mistaken. :bah


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## Nada (Dec 19, 2004)

Had similar problems and taken meds for it at one point which help, but I didn't want to be dependent on it. Its only when I changed my lifestyle that the problem went away for me.


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## Robert Paulson (Apr 11, 2012)

Hey if anyone is interested, I had my appointment last week. The blood tests came back normal. I was referred to the psychiatrist and awaiting my appointment.


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## sansd (Mar 22, 2006)

Robert Paulson said:


> Hey if anyone is interested, I had my appointment last week. The blood tests came back normal. I was referred to the psychiatrist and awaiting my appointment.


What tests did they do? Just curious. The last time I went to get more trazodone, the nurse ordered a TSH test, but that's it.


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## Robert Paulson (Apr 11, 2012)

They checked thyroid hormones for sure, but to be honest I don't remember what else they checked.


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## Who (Jul 29, 2010)

When you have insomia you're never really awake or asleep.
Everything's just a copy of a copy.

We need to talk. You're a tourist. You need to go. I need this.

I think we're here for the same reason, Robert Paulson


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## RenegadeReloaded (Mar 12, 2011)

I was like you years ago, to be honest I am like that now too, if I don't take my sleeping pill, Seroquel. I end up not being able to fall asleep for 2, even 3 days.

Also, sport and diet helped me with insomnia too, significantly. U may wanna try other things before moving on to Seroquel, it is a powerful sedative.


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## Trademarked (Jul 19, 2012)

I have a similar issue. - I have struggled with my sleep for as long as I've struggled with Anxiety. (16 y/o onset) I've visited several doctors and they all have different approaches to the situation. Ambien (no good for sleep but interesting thoughts while awake), Lifestyle changes. - I am active throughout the day. I wake up (when I actually do sleep) at the same time but when it comes time to go to bed...The hour or so before bed seems to be goal-oriented "Okay, you are now calming to go to sleep. You are turning off electronics, you are reading to go to sleep." From time to time I will drift off for 1-2 hours throughout the day but I try to avoid that as much as possible (even though it seems to be my only stress-free sleep) I tried Seroquel and that just frightened me. I still didn't sleep but I felt like I was paralyzed. Once I actually _do_ fall asleep, I'm out...I mean stone cold out, no bathroom breaks, no memorable changing positions. I guess my issue is with falling asleep. Addressing the anxiety has proven to yield minor results. So here I am, it's 3am and while I've been awake for just shy of 21 hours, I might as well consider this to be Part 2 of my long day. Usually it takes me around 24 hours to feel even slightly lethargic. Which would be okay if I made my own schedule but I punch a clock and....well yeah.


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## Revenwyn (Apr 11, 2011)

I have non-24 sleep wake disorder. Another thing related is Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder.


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## ourwater (Jun 2, 2012)

19 is the age I went to the ER for a seizure. In the notes it says it was caused by "Sleep deprivation".


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