To ask what you’re doing awake post-midnight? Part 2: Insomnia Strikes Back

[5YearsLeft]

Bit awkward to start this in the middle of the day, but I wanted to be able to link it on the old thread before it completely fills. Meanwhile, even though right now it’s not post-midnight, if you’re having a day-after hangover from insomnia, feel free to post. Whether it’s from poorly children or babies or pets or OHs, whether it’s grief or fear or anxiety or other losses, whether it’s work stress or home stress or just LIFE stress, we get it. You’re not yelling into the void; you’re sharing with people who have been stuck wide awake, too.

@ImNotDancing Ah, glad to see you and sorry to see you back; always a mllol. I’m glad that you’ve been able to get rest, but of course they kind of kind of cycle, not knowing if it will be a good night or a bad night is even more exhausting.

@Coroico97 I hate say it but glad to see you, and also, of course, I’m sorry to see you back! I’m glad your surgery is getting closer and they’ve given you better medication to try to help with the pain in the meantime. And obviously all my fingers crossed that no illness or COVID in your house before the surgery!

@LemonSwan I do hope you get some rest tonight! Also can’t believe I missed mention of leeches somehow, ha.

@Tallisimo Oh no! While I’m glad you had visitors, I’m sorry you’re paying for it. I do so hope that you eventually find sleep and then, as you’ve said, you can enjoy it as late as you want to tomorrow.

@Chichimcgee Just wanted to say, don’t ever feel stupid for not “seeing” abuse faster. Yes, sometimes it’s loud and shocking and obvious. But a lot of times it’s “boiling the frog” - the water temperature is raised slowly, bit by bit, so the frog doesn’t realize it’s getting hotter until he’s cooked alive. And honestly, this can make it so much harder to leave, for so many women. Just try to focus, if possible, on the fact you made it out before the water temperature got to that point. So you’re a survivor!

[quote 5YearsLeft]@Chichimcgee Just wanted to say, don’t ever feel stupid for not “seeing” abuse faster. Yes, sometimes it’s loud and shocking and obvious. But a lot of times it’s “boiling the frog” - the water temperature is raised slowly, bit by bit, so the frog doesn’t realize it’s getting hotter until he’s cooked alive. And honestly, this can make it so much harder to leave, for so many women. Just try to focus, if possible, on the fact you made it out before the water temperature got to that point. So you’re a survivor![/quote]
Absolutely this!

@Coroico97 I’m glad the latest unspellable drug is helping you sleep even if it’s not dealing with the pain. You must be counting the days until your op!

Had a few drinks this evening, husband snoring and a bit restless so earplugs not helpful (they make the slightest movement from DH feel like he's trampolining in the bed!) - went to spare room but then, agh! The dreaded minge itch - I think it's a perimenopausal thing but [tmi warning] every week or two I get such an itchy undercarriage at night I've found the only solution is to get up and distract myself until it goes away. Grrr.

@Tallisimo The pain right now is absolutely horrific. Weirdly the thing that causes almost unbearable pain is shuffling in bed. Something about being horizontal and putting weight on my leg to shift a bit and the stabs of pain behind my knee that don’t lessen for an hour or so. Grrr
@Chichimcgee you are so strong to have had the strength and bravery to get away. The boiling frog analogy is a good one. You are free now. And each day you will feel stronger I am sure.

Thank you all

DS just settled, baby seems to be sat firmly on my bladder. Hope it’s quiet because you’re all sleeping and having lovely dreams!

Joining in, 3 month old is refusing to sleep these days. Husband is snoring away and I have M.E pain so now I'm awake I won't get back to sleep. Yay.

I woke up about 1.45 with a pounding heart. I assumed I must have been having a bad dream but it’s still jumping about all over the shop.I put my AppleWatch on which showed my heartbeat was very fast and now I’m sitting up using the ECG function which has told me I have Atrial Fibrillation. So that’s nice.
I know it’s not A&E territory just now but I really hope it settles down soon. I’m knackered and unsettled. It runs in my family but has never happened to me before.

Hey everyone. It's that time again. Like bloody clockwork. Picture a sleazy 1970s game show host or sensational journalist type TV presenter:

" helllloooooo and welcome to another episode of @5YearsLeft can't sleeeeeeeep"

Mother Nature has decreed that she's going to carry on testing their coping mechanisms by inflicting the torture of sleep deprivation and tonight. Here exclusively on MN thread 'to ask what you are doing etc' we share the experiences of those poor sleepless souls as they grapple with everyday life in the wake of no zeds and the phenomenon we snappily call 'sleep deprived nutter zombie desperately trying to function

< audience claps>

"And tonight we are joined by special guests, 'heavily pregnant woman with baby on bladder' and 'ragingly hot menopausal woman'

"Ooh, not that kind of hot, you lot with your dirty minds, they are way too old to be That kind of hot!

"Later on we have a special piece from @MrsGlum who is rapidly becoming. An expert on insomnia induced by lack of drugs.

"No, no , not those kind of drugs. You lot with your minds in the gutter again! "

"But first let's go over to @jowly for our regular slot on hot flushes and night waking ........



apologies I think I may be going slowly mad

Enh @catwomando we’re all a little mad here. What you didn’t expect was… I would fall asleep! I’m not sure what’s been happening the last two days, if my disease is just reaching the point that I’m so exhausted that my body is falling unconscious or what. I don’t dream, I don’t remember falling asleep, and I feel like absolute shite when I wake up, so… it’s not exactly doing me a world of good yet, ha. But I just woke up at noon my time which must be at least eight hours.

@SisterBeaverhausen So sorry you had the combo of sleepless baby and pain! It’s not a great combo ever, and a terrible combo for sleep. I do hope maybe you at least got a bit of rest before sunrise.

@GetOffTheTableMabel I’m sure that’s terrifying! I don’t blame you for being knackered and unsettled. While it might not be A&E territory, it does sound like maybe you should try to talk to a doctor next week (of COURSE, these things always happen on a Friday night). And even if it runs in your family, if you feel really dizzy or unwell with it, it is A&E territory, because it’s new for you. It’s not wasting anyone’s time or NHS money, though I understand already feeling so tired that you don’t want to go to A&E. I do hope it doesn’t happen tonight and you get a bit more rest.

Well everyone, sun is (way) up so the thread is done for tonight. As always, if you want to talk about anything, or need to talk about your exhaustion, you can always use the thread during the day. Otherwise, we’ll be back tonight! If I sleep again for more than three hours tonight, this will seriously be a record. Three nights in a row will be the most in two years. What will it be!

Thank you @catwomando, and welcome everyone to another update from jowly HQ

I can report that recent research in to the effects of gin on hot flushes and insomnia has confirmed the theory that it knocks you out pretty well, but be prepared to wake in the early hours. This sudden wakefulness will not only be accompanied by a headache but also the realisation that you've had several unnoticed hot flushes already, and you really could do with a fresh pj top. (Sorry this update should have had a warning)

In the interests of everyone tonight's research will involve leftover Christmas tipples, mainly port, but probably starting with a small Sherry.

In the meantime I'm off out to prune my roses, albeit a bit early, but they're hardy things and seem to bounce back regardless. Much like ourselves fellow insomniacs

Now back to the studio...

Thank you so much for reporting the latest from your important research, @jowly 😂 Made me smile!!

Hey all - the after midnight thread is open! If you’re up with stress, grief, anxiety, pain, insomnia, or dealing with poorly children, babies, pets, or OHs, we’re here.

I’ve actually been been asleep on and off all day with a killer headache. Sigh. Looks like the last two nights of sleep may have just been a sign it was coming.

Hi after midnighters 👋
How are we all?
We’ve had a little girl (she’s about 7) screaming most of the day from early this morning. Her mum ignores her and it’s awful to listen to as I want to help but it’s also very loud and annoying! It’s most days but this has been the longest.
Then someone asked me why I hadn’t done any washing (I have!) and why I’ve already got a house viewing etc
Living with other people is weird!
We went for a walk into town, I’m definitely at waddling like I’m carrying a bowling ball in my pants stage. I’m not too uncomfortable laying down it’s just when I stand up and get lightening pain at the moment so I’m hoping to get some sleep

@Chichimcgee Well… they say, “Hell is other people,” for a reason, and I suspect, in addition to busybodies questioning your washing, that probably includes screaming 7 year olds Though that’s heartbreaking about her mum ignoring her. You’ll be in your own house soon, so hopefully, you won’t have to deal with any of this much longer! And hopefully, no lightning pain when laying down, so sleep will be a bit easier for you, fingers crossed, though it’s a shame you have to deal with it while standing up, either.

It would be so handy if we could just manoeuvre babies in the womb to a more comfortable position!

How’s your headache now? I can deal with pretty much any pain but I find headaches and migraines absolutely debilitating. DS gets thunderclap headaches and if I get calpol to him quick enough he goes to sleep and wakes up ok, I wish I was the same!

@Chichimcgee Oh gosh, I understand thunderclap headaches are horrific. I didn’t start getting migraines until I was 17. I can’t imagine at 12. There are, of course, millions upon millions of people who just suffer from migraines, but I do tend to wonder in my case if it was somehow connected to me finally getting seriously ill, because when my inflammation goes up now, I always have more “headaches,” but then again, my migraines were also exactly the same for years and years and YEARS (horrible stabbing, throbbing pain only on the left side above my eye), and they’ve only changed in the last year and a half as I’ve gotten worse and now have pain sometimes on the right, sometimes on both sides, sometimes going into my neck; it all gets quite bizarre. But it’s fortunate that I can still mostly go to sleep and try to sleep them off unless I’m actively being sick with them Your poor wee (regardless of his actual height) boy though, dealing with any headaches so young, ugh.

I started getting migraines around the same age as him and my mum had cluster headaches so I think it’s a family thing? Since being diagnosed coeliac I get them less often touch wood! and then I cut down on sugar and lactose and it’s been even better. No idea what triggers ds but it’s horrible to see bless him.
I wish I had some advice or a magic cure for you, I just think you’re amazing

Youngest DD has constipation and finally went to the toilet and blocked it. I'm not a poo troll just a relieved mum as she was in so much pain. Thought of leaving it for DP in the morning who slept through everything but thought that was mean.

She's currently asleep next to me. I know I'll get kicked and forced out the bed soon but she's happily sleep and pain free.

@Chichimcgee It’s funny you say that about families. My grandmother also had migraines JUST like mine (we had the same visual auras), though no idea about my mum or dad really, so it might run through my family as well. It’s tough watching someone you love in pain, though. As for me, ha - definitely not amazing. I’m scared all the time. We’re starting to decrease the last of my steroids on Monday because my neurologist hopes maybe it will take some pressure off my joints (decreasing the very last of the steroids will hopefully decrease some swelling) and maybe stop my metabolism from being non-existant and my circulation from being QUITE so bad, but I’ve tried decreasing them completely before and it was a disaster because my adrenal glands just weren’t working. (Either your adrenal glands have to work or steroids have to do the work for them - unfortunately, a doctor put me on REALLY high dose of steroids for a while and may have saved my life at that point since it was an emergency but also permanently ruined my adrenal glands; this is when we’ll finally know for sure, after three years). Anyway, so I’m piss myself scared and this is just decreasing a medication! No idea how I’m going to face the end at this rate 🤣 So no, not amazing. It’s just that I don’t have any choice but to face all of this.

@ScrumptiousBears Oh no, you don’t sound like a poo troll; just a relieved mother! I had constipation on and off when I was a child and it can be awful to deal with. I’m so glad your DD is feeling a bit better, even though it means you’re awake a bit late at night and may be kicked out of the bed soon. I don’t know if you’ve already had tons of advice or you’re under a consultant, so I won’t recommend any random things, but I have seen people recommend the Eric website (Eric.org.uk) which contains all the advice, is really great, and is just for bowel and bladder problems in children.