SleepWin!

Thursday, September 23, 2010
So after bitching and crying about my insomnia for the last ten years or so, I finally took up NeuronDoc's offer to discuss the matter on the phone. As her name implies, NeuronDoc is a neurologist. She made sure I was aware (in no uncertain terms) that chronic sleep deprivation is NOT OKAY and causes all sorts of troubling results from both a physical and emotional point of view. She made a few suggestions and STRONGLY SUGGESTED* that I make an appointment with my doctor to discuss the matter, with another STRONG SUGGESTION* that if I didn't get appropriate answers from my GP to insist on a neurology consult.

So I did as NeuronDoc ordered...er, suggested, and made an appointment with my GP. I explained all the contributing factors and symptoms to my GP, and also told her how apprehensive I was about taking prescription "sleep aids." It is my belief that regardless of what the pharmaceutical companies claim about the habit-forming potential of such medications, they're addictive, period. With my highly addictive personality, such a course of action is most definitely NOT for me.

To my very pleasant surprise, my GP agreed with me about the sleep aid meds (even commenting that addiction to Ambien is the most common addiction in her practice), and essentially decided on the same course of action that NeuronDoc recommended:
  • Full metabolic panel to determine if there might be a physical cause for my insomnia.
  • A very low prescription for Trazodone, an anti-depression/anti-anxiety medication to help me sleep through the night.
  • A referral to mental health to see why I can't sleep through the night without help.
It turns out there aren't any metabolic issues, so apparently it's all in my head (bazinga!). The Trazodone is working exactly as intended, and with the exception of two or three nights, I have slept through the night consistently since starting the med. And today is my first appointment to get my head shrunk.

I can't tell you how much better I feel. As I explained to Mechanicky Gal, not getting enough sleep on a regular basis was my "normal," and I had learned how to cope. But (as emphasized by NeuronDoc), spending a portion of each sleep cycle wide awake and laying there is NOT NORMAL. And SHOULD BE TREATED.

Thanks, NeuronDoc. You gave me just the kick I needed to get this under control, and I owe you some sushi the next time we're in the same vicinity.


____________
*Okay, she was being a pushy broad. But in a good way - this is her area of expertise, after all, and she knows far more about it than me. Plus there's the whole "why have you suffered needlessly for ten years" dynamic.

15 comments:

Stacey said...

I'm so glad you are getting solutions for this issue. Many thanks to NeuronDoc!

Shawn Powers said...

NeuronDoc is the shiz. I'm very happy for you!

The Mechanicky Gal said...

And NeuronDoc, I am off to my GP on Friday for a checkup and diagnosis.(Although, when I didn't know not sleeping WASN'T normal, I was OK. Now that I know it isn't normal, I'm pretty cranky!)
I am excited that I may be able to consistently sleep the night through!

Tom said...

Woohoo! FriendWin, too. Yay ND!

When I was smoking, I would get up 4 or 5 times a night to smoke, etc. I could get right back to REM sleep, so I figured I wasn't really losing any sleep.

Now that I stopped smoking, I may wake up once in the middle of the night (sometimes not at all!). "Sleep, that knits up the raveled sleeve of care..." I sleep better, and feel better. :)

So glad to hear you are getting some sleep!

Anne C. said...

Yay! Thank you, NeuronDoc!

Random Michelle K said...

YAY!

You know there are other benefits to sleeping well, right?

Your metabolism should benefit for one. :)

Carol Elaine said...

Yay! Way to go, NeuronDoc!

Isn't sleep wonderful, Janiece? Maybe I should do more of it myself...

Nathan said...

Uh...my bladder wakes me up in the middle of the night now-a-days. But I guess it beats the alternative.

TMI?

Steve Buchheit said...

very much yes. While sleep is mostly a cognitive thing, prolonged sleep difficulty has dire effects on the body and your metabolism (including obesity and premature death).

I'm trying to get off NyQuil. Had to take it for the bad summer cold I'm still wrestling with. But stayed awake way too long Tuesday and Wednesday nights (first attempts without it). Last night broke down and took a 1/4 dose. Even the non-prescription stuff can do that to you.

Nathan, welcome to becoming older (and your prostate continuing to grow). However, I am not a doctor, but if you have multiple episodes a night and it is every single night, you should also have it checked out.

neurondoc said...

YAY! Sushi is unnecessary. Knowing your sleep is better is good enough reward.

And "I told you so!" (Why no, I couldn't resist, thank you...)

I live with a former sailor, so I know lots about the power of suggestion. Or SUGGESTION, as you call it. I swear you former Navy peeps need lots of loud suggestions, otherwise you don't (well, really, *he doesn't*) do as I say.

I am glad that your GP listened to you (most important) and prescribed the right course of treatment. It was definitely the right treatment regimen, because she agreed with my SUGGESTIONS.

I hate Ambien for its addictive potential.

crinks = what you get in your neck when you're lying in bed NOT SLEEPING

neurondoc said...

And Nathan -- I'm a NEUROlogist, not a UROlogist. The "N" and the "E" are very important. I draw the line at over-the-phone urology consults for friends. Just sayin'

Random Michelle K said...

neurondoc, you're TOTALLY missing an opportunity here.

Thing of all the fun and exciting things you can suggest Nathan try, such as the prostate warmer.

The Mechanicky Gal said...

And the Rectal Rotor! For you piles, Nathan!

neurondoc said...

I will not make any urological suggestions. Because it is possible that the suggestions might be followed.

Nathan said...

first of all...

neurondoc, I didn't ask for a call. I prefer my medical advice from people in unrelated fields to come in the comments section of blog posts about unrelated topics. Let's find a blog about mid-western tourism and discuss it there.

And Michelle, YEOOOOWWWWWWW.