james5272
05-14-2005, 02:13 AM
Hello. I'm new here...
Anyway. I have a few problems... let me start off by saying that I am seeing a counsellor, and I am supposed to be going for a full Mental Health Examination within the next month (system moves soooo slow). But I'm not sure if that will really solve anything.
I will start of with my sleeping problem. My sleep patterns vary incredibly from week to week. Recently, I have been able to fall asleep alright, but have had a lot of trouble getting up. I will go to bed anytime from 11pm-2am, and I will "wake up" around 9. However, it's like I'm paralyzed. I'm awake... I see my world around me. I know that what I'm "awake". But I can't get up! Eventually I can (of course), but the time it takes goes from one hour to three. And when I finally get up, I feel like I didn't sleep at all. I went to sleep, closed my eyes, and was unconscious... but I didn't gain any energy. I simply maintain the level I had before going to "sleep".
The other extreme I have is where I lie down, close my eyes, and just have so much energy I CAN'T sleep. I will wake up countless times during the night, and eventually wake up (without the feelings of paralysis). However, I am still INCREDIBLY tired. EXTREMELY tired, but my body won't allow me to sleep anymore.
My mood is all over the charts during the day. I've been told I'm sensitive, and I know I am. But anything can change my mood. Absolutely NOTHING can change my mood. I will be overly happy, and five seconds later I can feel like crying. I have had problems keeping jobs and holding onto relationships because of my incredible mood swings. (I actually skipped the second day of work at one of my jobs, and told noone where I was going. They all assumed I was going to work, but I went elsewhere. On my own. I felt extremely sad, and I still can't quite place why.)
I am also incredibly self-conscious... if that helps. Hard to relax. I feel like if I mess up on anything, I am a miserable failure. I am very afraid of change, because of this. New things need me to learn something new, and that leaves room for me to screw up. So I usually don't... I'm trapped.
That's all I will say. If anyone can give advice, that would be great.
Anyway. I have a few problems... let me start off by saying that I am seeing a counsellor, and I am supposed to be going for a full Mental Health Examination within the next month (system moves soooo slow). But I'm not sure if that will really solve anything.
I will start of with my sleeping problem. My sleep patterns vary incredibly from week to week. Recently, I have been able to fall asleep alright, but have had a lot of trouble getting up. I will go to bed anytime from 11pm-2am, and I will "wake up" around 9. However, it's like I'm paralyzed. I'm awake... I see my world around me. I know that what I'm "awake". But I can't get up! Eventually I can (of course), but the time it takes goes from one hour to three. And when I finally get up, I feel like I didn't sleep at all. I went to sleep, closed my eyes, and was unconscious... but I didn't gain any energy. I simply maintain the level I had before going to "sleep".
The other extreme I have is where I lie down, close my eyes, and just have so much energy I CAN'T sleep. I will wake up countless times during the night, and eventually wake up (without the feelings of paralysis). However, I am still INCREDIBLY tired. EXTREMELY tired, but my body won't allow me to sleep anymore.
My mood is all over the charts during the day. I've been told I'm sensitive, and I know I am. But anything can change my mood. Absolutely NOTHING can change my mood. I will be overly happy, and five seconds later I can feel like crying. I have had problems keeping jobs and holding onto relationships because of my incredible mood swings. (I actually skipped the second day of work at one of my jobs, and told noone where I was going. They all assumed I was going to work, but I went elsewhere. On my own. I felt extremely sad, and I still can't quite place why.)
I am also incredibly self-conscious... if that helps. Hard to relax. I feel like if I mess up on anything, I am a miserable failure. I am very afraid of change, because of this. New things need me to learn something new, and that leaves room for me to screw up. So I usually don't... I'm trapped.
That's all I will say. If anyone can give advice, that would be great.
Sponsor
dackard
05-14-2005, 04:23 AM
Well, I do know that depression can cause all sorts of sleep disturbances, so it's definately a good think that you're getting evaluated. Your last 2 paragraphs definately indicate depression or some sort of mood disorder. Of course, sleep deprivation can make you depressed, so what's really important is to figure out which came first. If you can remember when your symptoms started, that will help.
When you say you sleep, but then don't feel rested, that sounds like a medical problem. It first makes me think, sleep apnea, but of course there are other causes of this. Has your doctor ruled out any physical problem as a cause of your sleep problems? It could very well be physically based. Insomnia often has a physical cause. Also are you on any drugs or medications, over-the-counter pills, lots of caffeine, poor diet etc., these can greatly affect both your mood and sleep.
When you say you sleep, but then don't feel rested, that sounds like a medical problem. It first makes me think, sleep apnea, but of course there are other causes of this. Has your doctor ruled out any physical problem as a cause of your sleep problems? It could very well be physically based. Insomnia often has a physical cause. Also are you on any drugs or medications, over-the-counter pills, lots of caffeine, poor diet etc., these can greatly affect both your mood and sleep.
james5272
05-14-2005, 03:02 PM
Thanks for the reply dackard.
And I've been tested before. I've had sleeping problems since grade 8, but at the time I thought nothing of it because it was during puberty. But it' been carrying on ever since. I can remember having the mood fluctuations as early as grade 1. Pretty much everything before that is too foggy to really say for sure. But I've told my doctor about it, and he did some checks and had some blood tests run. I actually had them on multiple occasions, just to see... but there was nothing there.
The counsellor thing is recent. After 4 years of complaining to my doctor about my sleeping problems, he said I should talk to a counsellor and see where it goes from there. Well, I've been to counsellor to psychiatrist to nurse to counsellor to counsellor, and now I'm supposed to be going to another psychiatrist. The system, is SLOW!
I'm currently taking no drugs, of any kind. I was given some sort of sleeping pill before. I don't remember the name, but it made my mouth taste like metal the morning after. However, all these pills did was put me to sleep the whole night, whether I was overly energetic or not. They didn't make me feel any more rested. In fact, sometimes I felt WORSE.
And I've been tested before. I've had sleeping problems since grade 8, but at the time I thought nothing of it because it was during puberty. But it' been carrying on ever since. I can remember having the mood fluctuations as early as grade 1. Pretty much everything before that is too foggy to really say for sure. But I've told my doctor about it, and he did some checks and had some blood tests run. I actually had them on multiple occasions, just to see... but there was nothing there.
The counsellor thing is recent. After 4 years of complaining to my doctor about my sleeping problems, he said I should talk to a counsellor and see where it goes from there. Well, I've been to counsellor to psychiatrist to nurse to counsellor to counsellor, and now I'm supposed to be going to another psychiatrist. The system, is SLOW!
I'm currently taking no drugs, of any kind. I was given some sort of sleeping pill before. I don't remember the name, but it made my mouth taste like metal the morning after. However, all these pills did was put me to sleep the whole night, whether I was overly energetic or not. They didn't make me feel any more rested. In fact, sometimes I felt WORSE.
analog2000
05-14-2005, 10:35 PM
And I've been tested before.
But I've told my doctor about it, and he did some checks and had some blood tests run. I actually had them on multiple occasions, just to see... but there was nothing there.
How have you been tested? Have you had a sleep study done in a sleep lab?
But I've told my doctor about it, and he did some checks and had some blood tests run. I actually had them on multiple occasions, just to see... but there was nothing there.
How have you been tested? Have you had a sleep study done in a sleep lab?
dackard
05-15-2005, 04:14 AM
Sounds like nothing I've ever heard of. I wonder if the mood fluctations are being caused by your sleep problems. Have you been checked for sleep apnea, I know sometimes children get this too. I got this test done recently, you clip something on your finger overnight and your oxygen levels are tested throughout the night. You can insist on getting this done if your doctor resists, it's a simple test.
Is it just me or is this forum seeming very sleepy lately (sorry, I couldn't help the pun)?
I hope someone comes on who has the same problem and can help you more.
I had some similar depression problems too, feeling self-consious etc. and successfully treated these with cognitive behavior therapy. Although I had a really bad night last night and today I feel tense, self-conscious etc. Probably part of your mood problems are simply due to lack of sleep or maybe it's the other way round. I hope you get some help.
Is it just me or is this forum seeming very sleepy lately (sorry, I couldn't help the pun)?
I hope someone comes on who has the same problem and can help you more.
I had some similar depression problems too, feeling self-consious etc. and successfully treated these with cognitive behavior therapy. Although I had a really bad night last night and today I feel tense, self-conscious etc. Probably part of your mood problems are simply due to lack of sleep or maybe it's the other way round. I hope you get some help.
tiresome
05-15-2005, 03:02 PM
Hello. My sleep study indicated that narcolepsy was a possibility for me. I too have the sleep paralisis and there are times when I cannot fall asleep because mind is still going. My neuro is sending me for a 5 to 7 day video EEG next. I have suffered from depression most my life, but since I started having the times when I can't fall asleep my depression has been worse. It use to be I could sleep anywhere anytime. Sorry I can't be of much help.
allen_dave
05-15-2005, 07:27 PM
James5272, it sounds a lot like depression to me. I now suffer from chronic axiety, but it started off by being extremely weak and tired. I felt too weak to climb stairs, didn't feel like I had slept at all the night before, etc. I also had occurrences of sleep paralysis, but nothing as severe as you're describing. My sleep paralysis usually lasted a minute or so. I was diagnosed with depression, and later anxiety set in.
analog2000
05-16-2005, 02:01 AM
Have you been checked for sleep apnea ... test done recently, you clip something on your finger overnight and your oxygen levels are tested throughout the night. You can insist on getting this done if your doctor resists, it's a simple test.
I just wanted to clarify here. The test you are talking about is called a pulse oximetry. The device on your finger measures the oxygen saturation in your blood and your heart rate. It is a simple test that is often used to detect sleep apnea, but it can be inaccurate and cannot detect other types of sleep disorders.
The gold standard in diagnosing sleep disorders in an overnight (and possibly also a daytime) polysomnography. During a polysomnography, a number of things are measured/observed such as brain electrical activity, eye and jaw muscle movement, leg movement, and EKG. It is much more expensive than pulse oximetry, and much more involved, but it can give a lot more info. Info such as whether a patient has RLS, narcolepsy, or another sleep disorder. Many people have sleep apnea, in addition to other sleep problems.
This is why I wondered if james 5472 has had other testing done.
I just wanted to clarify here. The test you are talking about is called a pulse oximetry. The device on your finger measures the oxygen saturation in your blood and your heart rate. It is a simple test that is often used to detect sleep apnea, but it can be inaccurate and cannot detect other types of sleep disorders.
The gold standard in diagnosing sleep disorders in an overnight (and possibly also a daytime) polysomnography. During a polysomnography, a number of things are measured/observed such as brain electrical activity, eye and jaw muscle movement, leg movement, and EKG. It is much more expensive than pulse oximetry, and much more involved, but it can give a lot more info. Info such as whether a patient has RLS, narcolepsy, or another sleep disorder. Many people have sleep apnea, in addition to other sleep problems.
This is why I wondered if james 5472 has had other testing done.