Insomnia friends - I will sleep well tonight because I have told my unconscious I will- Part II

[madmouse]

Help we left it too late the old thread is full!!! Hope we all find this one!!!

I know what you mean getDown. If he had seen me at the weekend, for example, he would have said I have depression, possibly quite severe. I guess that if my depression was severe though, I wouldn't have 'normal' days at all.

The HV has texted me but won't recommend a specific Dr, suggests I speak to other mums, but said which local practices are well thought of.

My dilemma is, if I change surgeries now it takes at least six weeks to transfer my records. I think they may be unwilling to prescribe a sedating AD without having my records to hand, however if I stick with current one he would give me amitriptyline in a couple of weeks time if I go back and say propranolol not helping.

I don't understand why they are so resistant to mirtazapine and dopethein. I looked on wikipaedia and they say dopethein is relatively mild, and that mirtazapine has less side effects than many other meds, and is used to treat insomnia. . Why are they acting like I want them to give me crack cocaine?!

I think I'll make an appointment to go back in two weeks, discuss with him again, try the amitriptyline if I'm no better, then switch GPs if I'm not happy with the appointment. Then I could look to switch meds if necessary.

Thanks for your help getdown I feel like I'm being a bit needy at the mo!

"Why are they acting like I want them to give me crack cocaine?!"

It is because they are ignorant of these drugs. GPs are generalist - they do not, and cannot possibly know about all the drugs that are out there.

Just annoying for you that they won't do a bit of research

Mirtazapine is being looked at specifically as a treatment for insomnia, and the fact it has anti -anxiety effects too would be a bonus for you.

Maybe (being cynical here) you should make yourself have a bad night the night before your next appointment - let them see you at your worst and them let them decide what to do.

I am not particularly happy with my GP at the moment either, they won't give me an appointment before 1st Nov, because "pregnancy is not urgent" - even if I am on medication

I did feel like it was out of his comfort zone. So why won't he refer me on? .

Thank goodness I've been on here, otherwise I would be happily taking the zopiclone every night and not realising that may be a problem, from what he said - or rather didn't say!

In a way seeing the counsellor and being really listened to has made it harder for me to accept that at the end of the day, most of the world doesn't really give a s**t if I'm feeling bad!

I think you should be able to have an appointment sooner than that - just say you have some concerns to speed it up maybe?

Hi arcadia just thought I'd add something. I only got dosulepin by default I think!

I was given Citalapram first, not by my usual doctor, I think this is because it's new and more known about perhaps? This didn't agree with me at all and I lost weight. My usual doctor saw me and thought of mirtazapine initially as it's more sedative and increases appetite (I couldn't eat on citalapram). However I had a bad reaction to mirtazapine (I've written about this on my thread about dosulepin), so she then said go away for a bit and she would have a think and then she came up with dosulepin! She is a bit older than the other doctors though, and knows more about the older ADs.

This doesn't really help you at the moment but it does seem to be that doctors generally prescribe the newer drugs first unless something goes wrong, which is rather frustrating.

Hopefully if you keep chatting to your HV you might eventually get what you need. Unfortunately it looks like you may have to wait a while which is annoying when you want
things sorted quickly.

Thanks orangeflutie, it helps to know your story. It makes sense I suppose that they tend to try the newer ones first, and they are more confident with prescribing them. I think in theory at least the newer ones are less addictive. They all seem keen on amitriptyline though, which is one of the oldest of all.

Maybe mirtazapine wouldn't be so good for me - I have a huge appetite!

I'm starting to have way too much knowledge about ADs! I think going back to work will be a good distraction for me, to think about something else!

Hi all, in haste, had a busy, busy, busy day. Arcadia you've had similar problems with me with GPs. Every time I've gone I've been told to go home and relax, have a bit of lavender, etc. Paaaa.

Zopiclone are evil (but necessary sometimes!). If it wasn't for my HV telling me to take them every night for at least two weeks I don't think I'd be so sleep-obsessed as I am now ten months later (or I might be, who knows?).

I know thank goodness for your cautionary tale becky, though I am going to take them if necessary for my first couple of days back at work. That makes me feel much calmer about going back - knowing that I will sleep the night before, so won't have sleep deprivation to cope with as well as everything else! Hopefully once I'm settled back into work I won't need them any more.

Feeling better this afternoon after a sorting-out day (DD at nursery). Got a new bike too for getting to and from work - it's brilliant! . Love the feeling of freedom being on a bike again, and hopefully will lose a bit of weight!

I am starting to worry about my holiday next week: no DH but 11 children. I think that is why I have kept myself so busy this week: can't stop to think about it. I have been working every spare minute, today I had phonics class at school, then harvest festival, and work in between. Manic. DH is bathing the DSs and I'm supposedly putting my jammies on

Arcadia I think you'll feel much better as you go back to work. I certainly did. I look back at my time on maternity leave and I was bloody miserable!

Is it a cottage becky you are all staying in?

You will be fine! See it as a challenge to get through. You will be so proud of yourself that you did it!

What are the things about it worrying you the most? Post them here and we will reason them away one by one!!

Good news about your new bike arcadia - exercise will really help your mood and sleep.

I've not been jogging for a while - too cold and dark. And too lazy.

Ok, GetDown here goes:

My friends will all want to go to bed really late and I'll panic about getting enough sleep if I do too.
My friends will all want to go to bed really late and they'll think I'm boring if I go to bed early.
My friends...early (as above) and I still won't sleep properly!
I'll have a bad night, get all anxious, make a fool of myself (no DH to hide behind) and my friends'll think I'm bonkers.
I'll have a bad night, get into such a flap, ring DH to rescue me, make a fool of myself, etc.
DS3 will keep me awake as I am sleeping in the same room as all three DSs.
Someone will be ill and I'll get all anxious and flappy.
I'll be ill and not be able to cope.

That's about it really!

Oh really, that's a terrible list of worries. This is a HOLIDAY. I should just go with the flow! What am I like??

PS DS1 has a fantastic book about worrying called 'The Big Bag of Worries'. It's for children but whenever I read it to him at bedtime it really makes me think. It was recommended to me by his old preschool teacher when DS1 was going through a really tough phase of anxiety and problems socialising and adjusting to changes in his routine. I recommend it!

PPS Yes it is a cottage, on the top of a cliff (in this weather, might be interesting - supposed to snow next week - eek!).

oh becky ! you were up early!

If your friends really know you and care about you, they WON'T think any less of you for going to bed early. Honestly they won't. The main bit of the holiday is what you do during the daytime anyway.

You could plan to stay up lateish one of the nights, see how it goes, then if you have a bad one, go to bed early the next night.

I know you hate them, but you could just take one zopiclone with you for "emergencies". You probably wouldn't even need it, but just knowing it was there in your sponge bag, could help you relax about it a bit.

Your friends won't think you're bonkers. When we went away with two other couples and their kids back in July, I had all bad nights but I honestly don't think they even noticed!! Remember, you need less sleep to function and be "ok" than you think. 4 hours and you will be fine.

Re. DS3 keeping you awake as in the same room - ear plugs. That's what I did in Cornwall when DD was sleeping in our room. They did work a treat.

Re. getting ill, you can't possibly control for that, so there's no point worrying about it (I know, it's hard not to!) but that could just as easily happen at home.

Try to go with a positive outlook - a change of scenery, beautiful place, chance to have a laugh with your friends.

Hi Becky GetDown has good ideas. I've thought of another positive you're all girls:) I've found when it comes to children we all seem to work better as a team when no DHs or DPs:)

HTH try not to worry xx

PS I am in a very happy positive frame of mind though as have just returned from my art class. I think it's doing me good:) as I don't think of anything else whilst I'm there.

Ow ow ow it's really cramping

Getdown you ok? Take two paracetamol and a hot water bottle and sit down for a bit unless walking around makes you feel better.

thanks madmouse yeah it's ok again now. Keep getting these crampy pains, but then they ease again.

It's ok to take paracetamol isn't it.. I can't remember>??

Hope you're OK GetDown. I remember being quite crampy in the early days of pregnancy.

yes to paracetamol no to nurofen

Parecetomol ok. Cramps completely normal - I have had really bad ones, on and off, with every pregnancy.

PS thanks for the advice! Sorry not reply sooner - another horribly busy day.

Ah good to hear it is relatively normal. I've had no blood at all which is good news I guess.

Hope you've all had a good day

GetDown I know it's hard not to but try not to worry. Pain is completely normal at this stage and it can feel quite bad - did you have cramps with DD? (In fact I didn't notice any difference between the two pregnancies that ended in miscarraige and the three that ended in the DSs during the first 10-12 weeks.)

I am starting to get nervous about this damn holiday. I slept really well again last night. I've had nearly two weeks of normal sleep now but I am so worried it's going to go to pot and I'll turn into a stress buny and not cope. Yesterday we took all 11 children out for tea at a local family-friendly pub and it was two hours of chaos. An oldish couple actually moved from next to us to another corner of the restaurant! It's not that the 11 children are badly behaved, not at all, it's just that managing them all together is really hard!

Hi Becky it's a shame that your nervous about the holiday but quite understandable I think. You've had a really good couple of weeks and you don't want to go off track. Try not to be annoyed with yourself for being nervous. The other side of nerves is excitement, maybe you're feeling a bit excited too!

You've been away lots of times before and you will be OK. Even if you have one crappy night there will be loads of people around to help in the daytime, and the older boys are going to be off having an amazing time with their friends so they won't notice if you're not feeling great. It doesn't matter if your friends do see you upset - you will get more support that way.

I had a couple of hours awake last night and I got up and took a nytol in the end but I tried the 'acceptance' thing. I told myself that I accepted being awake, but felt my brain say 'no but I don't like it!' then I told myself that I didn't like it, but I accepted it, and drifted off again. Seems to kind of work . Feeling much less stressy again at the moment .

I freaked myself out this morning by doing my second clearblue digital test. It says "pregnant" but still only 1-2 weeks

I should be 2-3 weeks by now...

Did anyone else use these? I don't know how accurate these are or if I should be worried.