peapod778
01-22-2008, 04:36 PM
I am new here, and looking for any advice on overcoming what I believe is hypersomnia.
I truly believe that I could sleep all the time. I sleep whenever I get the chance, and if time allows, I easily sleep well over 24 hrs at a time. If I need to get up for work or class, I need to set three alarms, and even that doesn't always wake me. My grades are suffering, my roommates think I am a lazy freak, and my self esteem is plummeting.
I have been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and am currently on 150 mgs daily of Effexor XR. I have talked to my Dr.'s about my sleeping problem, but they always seem to act like it's a mental thing that I can overcome with effort, but I feel sometimes like it is physically impossible to wake up.
I have always slept too much and had a difficult time waking, but it keeps getting worse and worse. Any any any suggestions would be helpful! I'm going crazy...
I truly believe that I could sleep all the time. I sleep whenever I get the chance, and if time allows, I easily sleep well over 24 hrs at a time. If I need to get up for work or class, I need to set three alarms, and even that doesn't always wake me. My grades are suffering, my roommates think I am a lazy freak, and my self esteem is plummeting.
I have been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and am currently on 150 mgs daily of Effexor XR. I have talked to my Dr.'s about my sleeping problem, but they always seem to act like it's a mental thing that I can overcome with effort, but I feel sometimes like it is physically impossible to wake up.
I have always slept too much and had a difficult time waking, but it keeps getting worse and worse. Any any any suggestions would be helpful! I'm going crazy...
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PinkFloyd1
01-22-2008, 09:34 PM
I have been having the same problem since 1999! I have been to numerous specialists, and this last October finally did a sleep study. Everyone associates those with apnea but that isn't always so. I started seeing a Neurologist and she is the one that sent me to get it done. If you read the post labeled Narcolepsy and Ritilin, I responded to that one and it is relative to your situation too so check that out. Good luck!
bethsheba
01-22-2008, 10:04 PM
...I have been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and am currently on 150 mgs daily of Effexor XR. I have talked to my Dr.'s about my sleeping problem, but they always seem to act like it's a mental thing that I can overcome with effort, but I feel sometimes like it is physically impossible to wake up.
I have always slept too much and had a difficult time waking, but it keeps getting worse and worse. Any any any suggestions would be helpful! I'm going crazy...
I think it's your meds, despite your doctors comments. I had a similar problem--I was sleeping 16-20 hours per day, couldn't work, didn't pay my bills, lost contact with my friends, gained about 40 pounds, and felt absolutely horrible. It took me 3 years before I figured out it was a little pill I was taking for blood pressure. My sleep specialist and my primary denied meds were causing the problems. But I stopped taking the meds, and my problems disappeared.
Whatever you do, DO NOT TAKE THE WORD OF YOUR PHYSICIANS WITHOUT CHECKING THEIR INFO OUT FIRST. I took the advice of my physicians and it cost me my career, my life savings, my self esteem, and my reputation (yes, even my friends were thinking I was lazy).
Now, your medication may not be the problem....but it's the first place I would start. I quickly reviewed some data about effexor XR and found cases where people experienced problems similar to yours. Your pharmacist may have more info, but also check the package insert that comes with your meds....if you are only given the pharmacy insert, go back to the pharmacy and get the manufacturer's insert as it will contain more info. Also, check these boards.
And yes, in the past I've always slept too much, too, and had difficulty waking up. I also experienced periods of depression though I had nothing really to be depressed about. I've since learned I have a sleeping disorder, and sleeping disorders can cause/aggravate depression. I haven't been depressed since being treated for sleep apnea (except for the time I experienced as a side effect of my bp med). Given your history, you may want to learn more about sleep disorders. Sleeping long and having a hard time waking up is sometimes a symptom of depression but it may be that in your case the depression is caused the sleeping disorder.
Bethsheba
I have always slept too much and had a difficult time waking, but it keeps getting worse and worse. Any any any suggestions would be helpful! I'm going crazy...
I think it's your meds, despite your doctors comments. I had a similar problem--I was sleeping 16-20 hours per day, couldn't work, didn't pay my bills, lost contact with my friends, gained about 40 pounds, and felt absolutely horrible. It took me 3 years before I figured out it was a little pill I was taking for blood pressure. My sleep specialist and my primary denied meds were causing the problems. But I stopped taking the meds, and my problems disappeared.
Whatever you do, DO NOT TAKE THE WORD OF YOUR PHYSICIANS WITHOUT CHECKING THEIR INFO OUT FIRST. I took the advice of my physicians and it cost me my career, my life savings, my self esteem, and my reputation (yes, even my friends were thinking I was lazy).
Now, your medication may not be the problem....but it's the first place I would start. I quickly reviewed some data about effexor XR and found cases where people experienced problems similar to yours. Your pharmacist may have more info, but also check the package insert that comes with your meds....if you are only given the pharmacy insert, go back to the pharmacy and get the manufacturer's insert as it will contain more info. Also, check these boards.
And yes, in the past I've always slept too much, too, and had difficulty waking up. I also experienced periods of depression though I had nothing really to be depressed about. I've since learned I have a sleeping disorder, and sleeping disorders can cause/aggravate depression. I haven't been depressed since being treated for sleep apnea (except for the time I experienced as a side effect of my bp med). Given your history, you may want to learn more about sleep disorders. Sleeping long and having a hard time waking up is sometimes a symptom of depression but it may be that in your case the depression is caused the sleeping disorder.
Bethsheba