Hi,
I wondered if some more experienced mothers could help me with some advice? I lost years of sleep with ds1 and am wondering when I will be physically recovered?
Ds1 had obstructive apnoea as a baby and toddler. His adenoids became so large that his nose physically grew shut, and then he could only sleep if I sat up all night and held his mouth open. He was also miserable and uncomfortable all day so that I had to work constantly to avoid having him spiral into meltdowns. At one time he could only nap in the daytime if I walked constantly with the pushchair, never stopping. It was -6 degrees that winter for three months, so it was a really hard time. He was wrapped up very warmly of course.
We were both so tired that we lurched constantly from one virus to the next and became very isolated. I also developed a large number of food intolerances.
The sleep problem was solved for ds by two ENT operations, a very radical change of diet and by getting rid of our lawn.
At the age of four, he slept through and weaned from bf. For a few weeks I just sat up all night feeling astonished at the silence, and unable to sleep. I think I had been living on adrenaline and bf hormones for ages and then when the hormones withdrew I suddenly got really ill. It happened so suddenly that I was in the garden centre when it came on.
I suddenly got hit by constant anxiety that was like the panic that sets in after a car accident. It was accompanied by severe nausea, light hurting my eyes and sounds hurting my ears. My taste buds went all weird so that a piece of raw carrot would taste very strong as though it was carrot essential oil. I couldn't even eat plain boiled rice because the taste was too strong. In the end I found I could only eat six things. My head also constantly spun a bit and my heart beat went very faint. It became very very faint if I tried some mild exertion like trying to walk slowly up the stairs. If I took a vitamin supplement the anxiety and nausea got much worse. I lost two stone and was unable to put it back on.
Anyway, it is now two years later, and the symptoms have gradually reduced and are a lot better. I can get out and about often, and enjoy seeing friends at the school gate. I still have the same symptoms but just very much reduced, but they still hold me back a lot. However, I have to pace myself very carefully and rest a lot or I get viruses very easily. I can't travel to see family because my head still spins and I struggle with nausea which is very difficult for travel. My weight has gone back up by one stone.
I wondered if anyone else had experienced anything like this? Do you think it is a combination of Post-natal anxiety and carer burnout? I asked several GPs and they just call it "stress". I have also wondered if it might be CFS.
I sort of feel that having taken 4 years to get into this state, it's likely that I will take four years to recover. I just wondered if anyone might know? Also if people might know which medical specialist might be able to help me with this?
Thanks!
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General health
When will I recover from sleep deprivation?
25 replies
An0therNameToday · 27/09/2016 01:45
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