Severe Insomnia

[ShodokanJenn]

So I have been averaging 1-3 hours a night of sleep for the last year or so. Constantly sleep deprived. It has impacted EVERYTHING. My psychiatrist has been systematically trying everything she can to get me sleeping better. Last week on Tuesday night, I got two hours of sleep. I woke up at 330 AM Wednesday morning. I have not been asleep since. I am beyond miserable. I called and talked to my psych nurse today. I see my psychiatrist for an emergency appoint tomorrow. This afternoon, the hallucinations (visual and tactile) started. Those are on top of the utter exhaustion, extreme anxiety, muscle pain, stiffness, and twitching, very frequent flashbacks, frequent dissociation, swimming vision, inability to focus/concentrate, aggitation, and lots of other intermittent and random symptoms. I am pretty desperate at this point, and pretty scared. I know this much sleep deprivation is dangerous.

Not sure what I am looking for by posting here. But thank you in advance for any and all replies.

 

[joeylittle]

@ShodokanJenn - that sounds very rough.

Have you ever done a sleep study, or been seen by a specialist (other than your psychiatrist) for your insomnia?

 

[Friday]

If they offer you the chance to go inpatient? (Regardless of which ward, less likely to be psych, more likely to be surgical or neuro as that's where the anesthesiologists -aka the cool kids- hang out ;)). To get some serious sleep under medical monitoring? Take them up on it. One better, would be to ask if they can come check on you / at a hospital where your psychiatrist has privileges to provide continuity of care.

 

[Seasounds]

I like the suggestion of being in-patient. Truly, you may want to ask for the hospital admission. Insomnia can have so many causes. In hospitals, you have many types of specialists available. They can induce sleep.

Go to the Emergency Department; with your symptoms, they may admit you, as you may not have the ability to take care of yourself/be a danger to yourself.

 

[ShodokanJenn]

Thanks everyone. Still no sleep. I was doing some research Sunday and read that with sleep deprivation, the brain will actually sleep for a few seconds at a time and the person is unaware. That must be happening for me as I am not completely insane yet. I am trying to avoid the ER as that will just add stress, trigger me, and make sleep even less likely. Since last night I have been pouring sweat and shivering at the same time, but my temperature is normal. This is beyond miserable.

 

[Friday]

It wouldn't necessarily have to be (much less probably be) the ER. If you're meeting with your care team, and they suggest inpatient, then a planned admit is something that is arranged in advance. Including riding there with your therapist, having an overnight bag & your own PJs, music, books, things to do, etc. Check in. Go to a room. Get settled in. And then worrying about whether or not you can sleep? Not a concern. Because anesthesiologists have amazing drugs. The only question would really be how long they want to keep you under, initially. It's not anesthesia, & it's not a medically induced coma, although it's similar to both. They knock your ass out, and then either allow your sleep to progress normally, or gradually bring you through various sleep stages before bringing you awake.

They'd have to do this sometimes for the kids at my son's hospital... Because the life saving meds they were on? Were giving them severe insomnia. Sometimes it would be a simple monitored chemical sedation. (SpO2, HR, hourly vitals or PICU constant monitor, etc.). Other times they'd have you climb into a "robot suit" (looking very SpaceAge in a kaleidoscope of rainbow wires ;)), to be monitoring those sleep stages, and gradually bring the kids through them manually. My son has done it a few times.