Are sleeping pills the answer?

[cjt110]

I am sleeping like shit at the moment. I can't say I ever sleep 100% but I am currently experiencing pains in my hip/pelvic area which flares up from time to time after a car accident 8 or so years ago.

This results in me struggling to get comfy, slathering myself in voltarol for some reprieve and tossing and turning through the night.

I am shattered. Tired on top of my tiredness from ME/CFS.

I am considering buying something over the counter to help but would it actually keep me asleep? Or should I see a GP?

See your GP. I’m finally sleeping after years of sleepless nights and it has changed everything. I look better, I feel better, I’m calmer and I can enjoy life again. I never fully appreciated the value of a good night’s sleep

See your GP. Sounds like decent painkillers might work for your hip pain before you go to sleeping pills

It has to be pain related right, if the voltarol works? It honestly is like I put it on and it works in minutes

There was an insomnia thread very recently where someone suggested white/pink noise (free on youtube)

Apparently pink noise is better because it's cadenced

Maybe it's worth a go?

Ill try anything @FredWinnie

cjt110 (Sorry - still not sure how to tag someone)

I've got insomnia and my GP is reluctant to prescribe any sleeping pills
My insomnia isn't pain induced but it's horrible.

So far, with pink (oscillating fan) noise I've had 5 out of 5 decent nights' sleeps - as in eight hours or more each night.

Youtube: pink noise, or better still, oscillating fan noise

See if that helps

Good luck
Hope it eases soon
You have my sympathy

The pink noise... nope lol

See your doctor ASAP. I could have written your post myself a year or two ago. Ask for a low dose prescription of Amitriptyline; it's an antidepressant in high doses, but prescribed more often for back pain, nerve pain etc and does wonders for sleep. Non addictive too. Good luck, lack of sleep makes everything a million times worse!

You didn’t tell us what your GP did to help you sleep @GrannyBags

I have trouble sleeping because of hip and back pain - usually pain killers help a lot. If you get some strong ones eg with codeine they might make you drowsy too.Ccan you get comfortable at all? I can't lie on my right side at all due to hip but left is ok and sometimes I put a pillow between my knees (or under them if lying on back). If none of that works, try a sleep aid as well - I've heard U.K. doctors are not very keen to hand them out, but I take zolpidem sometimes and it's good. Failing that an otc drowsy antihistamine such as doxylamine (not sure if you can buy it in the U.K.) or nytol.

Have been to see my GP.

Explained the pain is pretty much always there. Worsens after sitting (I do a desk job) and makes sleep uncomrtable. I sleep with a pillow between my knees. Absolutely cannot sleep on my affected side and as such it bears harder on my left and is why i need the pilleow between my knees.

She examined me and prescribed Naproxen. Said it may well be arthritis - I had a car accident approx 7 years ago and have had worsening issues since then.

Will see how the naproxen go.