Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Support Group

Mal, I take Nortryptaline, am now taking 150mg at night only. Still not sleeping but hoping.I started with 50g.

Rev.

Well......I never sleep! Same as Rev only bout 20-30 minutes at a time. I was on Amitriptilyne and it did work, can't remember why I don't take it any more! I have already taken 2 benedryl every 4 hrs during the night and never sleep, inaddtion to my Nucyenta, but even when I was on Oxycoden and oxycotin, still never slept. I'm not a big women,bout 5'5" and 123 lbs. My husband took hald a oxycoden and omg.....you thought he was in a coma.....lol he is 5'11" and 240lbs. Lyrica 50 mg 2x's used to help me sleep but too many side effects same as Gabapentin I was taking 600 mg 3x's. All these meds they say make you gain weight, not me, they surpressed my appitite. But I do eat very healthy, never was a junk eater not even as a kid. I do drink warm milk at night that used to help relax me.

Gail...too funny bout your shopping! Not in a funny ha ha way......well maybe a little

Take Care all!

Barb

Try to ask your doctor for kolonipin it is anti anxiety but it helps with sleep too

Nortptyline worked for a minute fr me not long though. Pain medicine has the adverse affect on me keeps me up all night. The only thing that will work for me is Kolonipin but I have had anxiety problems since I was a teen and still do now at 37. so this is not a new thing with a RSD it is just worse with the RSD/CRPS. I had to take one last night because my pain was overwhelming and I had not slept in several nights. I didn't get much sleep but it was good sleep. Hope I am making sense having a high pain day and trying to divert my mind. I hope I helped. I do have a question I can not gt on the forum to start a new conversation so does anyoone know or have you had calmare treatments, can you have it if you have full body literally in every spot head to toe?

BTW to insomnia my mentor is awesome she says most all of us have insomnia and there has been not much they could do for her and her groups.

I do have Klonopin and this is the one that we take brand only. I was given it for any Jaw issues and when I have dental work. I have taken 2 to induce sleep twice, but I don't want to misuse the meds or become immune to their efficacy. I take .5 mg per pill if that helps. I don't know how far dosing goes. I did wonder if anyone did use the Klonopin; I felt as though I was sneaking and misusing, but I did have 2 cavities filled on the 12th. Thank you for the info. I'm liking it as I see the neurologist this week, and would like to bounce ideas off of her. The CDP-Amitriptilyne isn't doing it after 16 years. Malissa

I can't take any meds so I resort to staying up as late as I can until I just can't stay awake anymore. I usually watch shows or movies that I find relaxing or I have seen enough that I don't have to concentrate on them. While I'm up I might work on a business plan that I'm trying to develop or do some studying or research, anything to try to distract my mind from the pain.

Mind all that rarely helps as, by the time I get to the bedroom I'm awake enough that I can't shut the pain out. I've been trying reciting the alphabet backwards. I don't know why but that seems to help a bit.

fim

I feel so fortunate that I get sleep and feel guilty saying that I do. I've been through insomnia and have it sometimes, but I do usually manage to get enough sleep. Last week I saw the sun rise several times without having had any sleep and it's awful. I truly feel so bad for those of you who are getting SO little sleep! There just has to be something that will help you would think. Although when I was withdrawing from Xanax about 6-7 years ago, I got very few hours of sleep for a long time and even was up once with NO sleep for almost three days and nights. It was awful. My heart goes out to you guys more than I can say.

I take both Ambien and Amitriptyline a little while after my evening pain medications. It takes several hours still for me to fall asleep, but then I do get 3-4 hours of sleep in the wee morning hours. Then I get up and eat, feed my dog, take my meds and lay back down. I don't turn on the computer or anything else that would get my attention and wake me up more. Usually I can fall back to sleep for a few more hours.

My pain doctor emphasizes sleep as much as pain control probably. It's because he believes that sleep is so vital to managing pain, and I agree which makes me feel SO bad for everyone here who can barely sleep! I know you are trying everything you know to do. I will pray for you guys to get more sleep- very seriously I will. It makes me so sad for the mental and physical misery that can come with insomnia.

One thing that I do wrong is being online late at night. Both the subjects that I read and the actual light from the screen of the computer are working against me being able to sleep anytime soon. And, some of you night owls are guilty along with me! The bright light of our computer disturbs our inner clocks and really works against sleep, even more so than TV. I'm pretty sure that's why I can't fall asleep more quickly than I do... because I'm online reading stuff!

My hope is for you guys to find something that will help you sleep. To think of how much it adds to the suffering and pain makes me very sad.

gail

Gail,

I think that is why I have constant pain......lack of sleep! My husband is in bed early gets up at 3am and our son goes out, so I have alot of alone time that I hate! It is pitch dark where I live as well. So whats my problem.... THE COMPUTER! I agree with you, very stimulating. I get on Face Book and play games, that by now Ihhave mastered, lol! Then I chat with the hubby for awhile, then go to sleep arounf 4-5 and up by 7.

So if you se me on here in a few hours....yell at me !!!! LOL

Barb

LOL- Barb! I don't want to yell at you! We can yell at each other, because if you are on here and I see you, that means I am on here, too- and shouldn't be! You know what, though, when the pain is severe and you know you won't be able to sleep anyway because of the pain, being here can be what we need to try to distract us from the pain!

But, I might take you up on the offer to YELL at you later!

Hope your night is better and you do get some good rest.

gail

Thank you for all of the responses thus far. Here is where I am/my background...

Three days up in a row, and then a crash day is normal 2 or 3 times a month out of four weeks for me. I've read about the "clean sleep", and have done it. I even have the music/sounds. I got such AWESOME sleep after Ketamine last Thursday that I wanted it again just for the sleep even though I don't need it for the pain right now (dormant). Now I'm back to no sleep which will lead me right back to Painsville, USA, so I want to nip it in the bud ASAP. Keep talking.

Malissa