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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to be really fucked with inability to sleep at night

296 replies

Reallycantbefuckedtothink · 20/01/2020 05:26

Just that really, I have always suffered with insomnia but since after Christmas, it has gone up a whole new level.

I managed to fall asleep at around 11pm woke up at 11.15 wide a fucking awake and haven't been able to sleep since.

Its really fucking me up, time spent with DS and DP and to be able to do anything at all because I get so tired during the day.

OP posts:
FizzyIce · 23/01/2020 09:34

I was ill first week of jan and still have the remnants and I have not been able to have a proper nights sleep since .
I put it down to sleeping most of the day when I was ill.
It’s not as bad as you op but I always looked forward to going to bed and now I dread it as I wake up atleast 12-15 times a night .
Saying that though , in the last 5 years or so I’ve never woken up and felt ‘rested’ , I always feel like I’ve had a shitty nights sleep even when I’ve slept all night .

BiddyPop · 23/01/2020 09:46

DH grumbled last night about me turning on "a movie" in bed the previous night and waking him up - he was astounded to hear I'd been watching it for an hour over his snoring after the radio had switched off. (He was snoring within 5 minutes of getting into bed - but he then wakes early instead). We're both in bad patches at the moment, and work and home worries are definitely adding to it. DD is also grumbling about a lack of sleep.

I started us all on magnesium supplements yesterday to see if that helps.

AutumnRose1 · 23/01/2020 13:35

“ You wil survive”

I HATE it when people say shit like this.

gamerchick · 23/01/2020 13:46

I take a dose of nightnurse when I get insomnia as long as I haven't had any other paracetamol. Works quite well but you feel slightly fuzzy for a while in the morning.

Insomnia sucks. It's worse if you check the time.

AutumnRose1 · 23/01/2020 13:48

I found some old amitryptaline (prescribed). Going to try it again.hated it last time, doesn’t work and just made me feel ill for a longer period but having looked online, it will be much easier to get hold of.

Jemimapuddleduk · 23/01/2020 15:25

I slept like a trooper till my ds arrived. He did not sleep as a baby and then once he started to sleep through (briefly) I couldn’t. Mine was anxiety related and lack of sleep made me feel so anxious and suicidal at time. I got prescribed a low dose sedating antidep (dosulepin) and I’m on it 5 years later! Ha. Non addictive but a bit of a crutch for me. Only on 1 tablet (25mg/night). Since being born my ds has had cancer (long stay in hospital, not much sleep) and diagnosed with ASD so he has very disrupted sleep. These meds have stopped me losing my shit and helped me fall back to sleep in between his numerous wake ups. I still have odd nights when insomnia takes over and I go downstairs and try sleeping on couch, use this works pillow spray and try and avoid looking at the clock. Ds is on melatonin and it kind of has improved sleep for him.

AutumnRose1 · 23/01/2020 15:50

Jemima if you don’t mind me asking, did you have any issues with weight gain?

The one I’m on causes issues occasionally and I’ve had enough trouble with that so though the doctor suggested yours, she did say you’ll have a weight gain battle again probably.

Maybe we should start a campaign for more sanity about z drugs.

PatellarTendonitis · 23/01/2020 15:54

Maybe we should start a campaign for more sanity about z drugs.

I agree! And about peri/menopause and insomnia. I can score heroin more easily than zopiclone.

Bluerussian · 23/01/2020 15:59

AutumnRose1 Thu 23-Jan-20 13:48:16
I found some old amitryptaline (prescribed). Going to try it again.hated it last time, doesn’t work and just made me feel ill for a longer period but having looked online, it will be much easier to get hold of.
......
Brave woman! I was prescribed Amitriptyline some years ago and, far from sleep, I was shaky, buzzing, came out in acne and had musical ear syndrome! Never again. All got back to normal when I stopped taking.

PatellarTendonitis · 23/01/2020 16:02

I HATE it when people say shit like this.

Ditto. Totally minimises how serious insomnia can be; sleep deprivation is a form of torture. Similarly do comments about sleep hygiene and NightNurse. Obviously most of the people on this thread are way beyond measures like this and the first thing you learn about when you have insomnia is bloody sleep hygiene.

AutumnRose1 · 23/01/2020 16:06

Blue then again, maybe I won’t.....

Patellar I wouldn’t know how to do that either!

Seriously, a colleague said to me “why are we made to feel like junkies asking for this”. I don’t know. I’ve also had a doctor refuse to prescribe on the basis that “you only had ten last year so you clearly don’t need it”.

Now I know NEED is a loaded term medically. But then....what do they think people are doing a) to fall asleep and b) how many sick days happen due to “I’m crazed from lack of sleep” but no one talks about it because then your work gets all up in your face about your mental health so you claim lurgy? Or just think you’re a slacker?

All for the want for a little relaxation of z drugs guidelines.

To the poster who naps during the day, maybe that’s your sleep pattern? If you can nap, do. To quote Miranda from S&TC, “they frown on napping at work” 😂

AutumnRose1 · 23/01/2020 16:08

blue just to add, the ami is very old, is from a spinal injury I had years ago. It was hard to tell if it made me worse because I had a lot of pain and couldn’t take a lot of meds because they all hit my stomach very hard.

PatellarTendonitis · 23/01/2020 16:12

I've actually got so bad I have considered turning to street drugs to get to sleep. You don't magically cure insomnia by cutting people off from medication they've been using effectively to treat their condition.

Dinosauratemydaffodils · 23/01/2020 16:13

God yes. I swear I haven't had a proper night's sleep since dc1 was born almost 5 years ago. Things are particularly bad at the moment but have managed to get 3 weeks worth of Temazepam which is helping a bit. I seem to sleep on it but have at least one vivid nightmare per night. Didn't take one last night and got around 1 hours sleep. Dh had to take today off work because he didn't feel he could leave me with the kids when I wasn't sure which was up.

Never been a great sleeper but it got worse after something traumatic as a student and then again after having kids. Dh is one of those annoying people who can fall asleep in 3 seconds flat, anywhere. Doesn't matter the circumstances, horrendous turbulence, screaming children, what looks like a coup happening out of the window (soldiers and armed police everywhere) and he's fine. I can't sleep in complete silence in my own bed.

AutumnRose1 · 23/01/2020 16:17

“ You don't magically cure insomnia by cutting people off from medication they've been using effectively to treat their condition.”

No, but then you get everyone to freak about a mysterious opioid crisis.

Seriously, I live in London and should know how to do certain things but sadly don’t.

Berrymuch · 23/01/2020 16:19

I used to be one of those people who could fall asleep as soon as their head hit the pillow, now it's a case of sometimes falling asleep for an hour or so when I can no longer keep my eyes open and then being wide awake for the rest of the night; or lying awake until the early hours. I'm hesitant to take any medication for it as well as I have a little one and scared it will knock me out too much haha. He has slept through since 4 months, which is amazing but also seems a waste on me.

AutumnRose1 · 23/01/2020 16:20

PS I don’t go abroad but if any country does z drugs over the counter, I’ll go. It’s probably cheaper than a string of private GP appointments.i haven’t called any yet but I don’t imagine they talk on the phone for free anyway.

AutumnRose1 · 23/01/2020 16:24

PPS

I’ve got yoga at 5 and am so sleepy I don’t think I can go!!!

PatellarTendonitis · 23/01/2020 16:27

The script restrictions are now so strict I'd be surprised if even a private GP will willingly prescribe more than a few tabs of z drugs.

Not sure if they are OTC in other countries but a friend who lives part of the year in Thailand gets them quite easily.

haverhill · 23/01/2020 16:30

I suffered from acute insomnia a year ago; it came on very suddenly and after less than a week I was thinking about ending it all. You all have my utmost sympathy.
Mine was anxiety-related and I was prescribed Sertraline which helped very much.

Henryloveseatinglego · 23/01/2020 16:30

Eating and drinking late in the evening never good for your body it has to start working hard to process food and drinks usually a few hours after eating when your about just about to sleep also depending on tour job if its active or not you need to be physical tried often a 20minute brisk walk works for me . then straight to bed .your tired mentally your body needs to burn off the the fuel otherwise it waiting to go all night .

Jemimapuddleduk · 23/01/2020 16:34

Autumnrose1 no weight gain or impact on sex drive or orgasm ability with the dosulepin. They wanted to put me on the standard sertraline but it felt like I was off my head on speed and I wasn’t too happy about side effects re sex drive (although I know that doesn’t happen to everyone).

PatellarTendonitis · 23/01/2020 16:35

It's amazing how the medical establishment is totally freaking about addiction and 'crisis' but not when it comes to dishing out ADs, which can lead to serious withdrawal effects on people and/or cause major side effects. I saw a GP once after experiencing an extremely bad week of insomnia. He prescribed the AD mirtazipine. Swore it doesn't cause weight gain even though it's a well-known side effects and I'm 15kgs overweight. I didn't bother going in to pick up the script.

My neighbour uses weed for his insomnia.

Jemimapuddleduk · 23/01/2020 16:36

Meant to tag AutumnRose1 in above.
Also wasn’t clear- I tried one dose of sertraline and it was awful for me- jaw clenching and absolutely off my head.