So I've had insomnia for the last couple of months. What a living hell. I've had short bouts here and there in the past but nothing like this. Doesn't matter what time I go to bed, I wake up at 3:40 or 4:00 every single morning. Every. Single. Morning. I could go to bed at 2:00 and I'd still wake up at 4:00. Sometimes I can doze back off, most often not. No proplems getting to sleep, I just can't stay asleep.So after bitching and moaning and walking around like a zombie and having no energy for the past two months I finally went to the doctor. I suspect I'm having some PTSS issues regarding Katrina, but I really just wanted a little help for the very short term. The doctor prescribed Ambien.
I followed all the directions and took one at bedtime on Satruday night. Woke up at 4:15 a.m. Great stuff. But wait, it gets better. Around 10:00 a.m. Sunday morning I developed extreme nausea, uncontrollable tics and some pretty severe mental disorientation and mild hallucinations. Not the fun kind either. It was like coming down off of some especially potent acid or something. I've got the nail furrows on the tops of my hands to prove it.
I felt better at about 4:00 or so and promptly flushed the rest of my $50 prescription down the toilet. I'm glad it works for some folks, but not for this one. I'd rather have insomnia then ever go through that again.
My school supplies free shrinks to teachers so I've decided to try the therapy route. According to the doc, there's no physical problems. I don't feel stressed (no money problems, things are great with Caroline, job is no more annoying than usual) but there's got to be something in there. Anyway, if you are amongst those who sleep with no problem, thank your lucky stars, cause this sucks.
Advice? Opinions? Cash money?
4 comments:
Man, that sucks. Nothing like a bad reaction to drugs.
Sleeping trouble sucks. It just adds to the stress that is causing it. I have a lot of waking up every two hours to panic about everything I have to get done or how it's just not going to work.
I've found that some meditation techniques, like focusing on my breathing help me et back to sleep. That and reminding myself that there's nothing I can do about it at 4am.
Jay once told me that his frequent masturbation really helps his sleep, but that's his rememdy for everything.
I was gonna suggest asking Joe to send you the first page of his dissertation.
Seriously, I do the breathing thing too. I've also heard that you should turn your clock away from you so you can't see what time it is. Watching the minutes tick by only makes it worse.
And I don't think therapy would hurt, either. If nothing else, it will help you rule out PTSD.
I can't see the clock unless I look for it, which I only do when I first wake up. I've done the relaxation exercises, which do relax me, but don't put me 'under'. I think its probably based in some low-level depression. Forced relocation + no local friends + no rock and roll ya yas + dull city + Jay's masturbation = saddo. Man, I wish I could just drink myself to sleep every night, but that doesn't work either!
If there's underlying depression, then I definitely recommend finding a good therapist.
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