Lyme Disease Support Group

It's so frustrating. I'm so tired of digressing. I wish I could seek extreme treatment but have no idea where to start.

My disgression phase usually doesn't last long, so here's to hoping...

I take a sublingual melatonin supplement now- called Midnite and it really works well. Proper sleep is so crucial to healing from this illness.

Jackie

Post edited by: shorelinelyme, at: 08/17/2011 03:58 AM

When I am having a bad herx, I can't fall asleep because the pain in my limbs is intense, then when I do fall asleep, I too wake up anxious and can't go back to sleep.

Try to take naps whenever you can, even if you just lay there for an hour- rest is so important!

Good luck!

Steelers

~~~Don't stress out about it. Until you solve this problem, perfect opportunity to meditate.

~~~from my straight jacket~~~out on a limb~~~lookin like a cocoon~~~hangin by a thread ~~~waitin for a butterfly~~~under the moon~~~Lovey-Dovey~~~Mitchell

Insomnia is a chronic symptom for me. I just don't sleep well at all. So understand your frustration. Mine gets worse with the pain, but stress will do it as well. Sometimes I have no idea why I can't sleep.

Not sleeping makes me crazy... I'm tired but can't sleep and it makes the days and nights so long.

Some ideas...

- Try a hot bath before bed. Put some lavender oil into the water. Sometimes if I can't sleep, I take a bath (even if it is 2am) and that helps.

- No TV or computer 1 hour before bed. Try to keep lights dim.

- Do some breathing exercises and mediation

- Try keeping a journal by your bed so you can write all your stresses or worries if they are keeping you up. Make a list then tell yourself you can think about them all again tomorrow, but for now they are written down for safe keeping so you can go to sleep (sounds weird but can work)

- Melatonin can help. I've tried melatonin and other herbal sleep aids and sleep medication... nothing helps my insomnia.

If all else fails and you are just stuck in this insomnia cycle and know it will be short lived - put on a movie or read a book. Rest, rest, rest. Nap during the day if you can.

Hope that helps.

-purple

Post edited by: purpleyogamat, at: 08/17/2011 07:24 PM

I do have a problem staying asleep.

I usually wake up after about 4 or 5 hours max, and I never fall back into a deep sleep after that.

I feel for you, having to go through that and have your sleep messed up. We need that rest.

I rarely ever get a decent night. I dont understand why so many feelings of dread and paranoia come up for me at night, but that has ALWAYS been my worse time with this disease.

I have mentioned this before, that at least in my case ( and I would suspect probably some others' here, ) that a seizure disorder is what is responsible for some of it.

I had this tested by EEG, and found out I have it, even though I have never actually had a seizure. The fact is though, that the test showed that my brain is firing off eradic signals and spiking abnormally when I try to sleep.

This never happened until I got Lyme. My doc explained that seizure activity will affect mood and emotions - especially at night when I am at rest and it seems to fire off more eradically at that time. It explains the strong tremors that happen at night too.

Because of this, I cannot take melatonin. It really does something weird to my brain firing.

Anyway, what does help me from being a whole lot worse, is taking CoQ10. If I stop it, I dont sleep at all. I take 200mgs. of it daily.

Calcium helps too, and Magnesium. Steelers, thanks for the info on that herb. Going to look into it.

I think I just psych myself out, which the meditation and herbs could stop. Don't know which herbs to buy first though. Aren't they expensive?

My eyelids being so heavy brings so much pressure to my head though. That makes my head and face twitch, which is another awful symptom.

I am currently keeping a journal, which is going well. Hopefully soon there will be all good posts.

Hope you all are doing well.