Trouble sleeping? - Epilepsy Message Board

bettyst · 09-21-2005, 06:58 AM

I know one reason Tripp has a seizure is because he does not sleep well. Do you all sleep well? Could it be the meds(Topamax and Tegretol XR) that he is on making it hard for him to sleep. It was almost 1am this morning before he went to sleep and he is up at 7am. He wakes up several times a night. I HAVE to make him nap durning the day to make up for lack of sleep. IS there anything I can give him to make him sleep???
TIA,
Betty

shelseker · 09-21-2005, 03:22 PM

I can't really help you, but I can tell you what NOT to do!! My Michael has been taking 15 mg. of Temazepam and 50 mg of Benadryl every night for years for sleep. He goes to sleep fine, but then is up at 3 or 4 in the morning for an hour or so. Then, he's tired when he has to get up and sleeps all morning if he can. Went to a new doc (regular FP, not neuro) yesterday. She said to get him off the Benadryl. Later, I discovered that the epileptologists at the local medical center will not prescribe Benadryl at all because it can cause seizures!! Now, isn't that just a hoot? Why has no one ever told me that and why have docs let me give that to him for years? Anyway, last night was his first time on Temazepam only. I really saw little change. He went to sleep about 10, but was up from 3 to 4:30. I meant to ask the doc about that new Lunesta (spelling?), but forgot. She did recommend that I make Michael an appt. with the epileptologist rather than go back to the neurologist he had just started seeing a year ago. So, I have a call in to make that appt. Good luck with the sleep. The Temazepam does work for Michael. Have you tried things like Melatonin and Ambien? We tried both of those with little success.
Sandy

bettyst · 09-22-2005, 07:46 AM

Thanks for your reply. I called the neruo yesterday and she prescribed him clonazepam 0.5 mg to take 1/2 of that pill if needed for sleep. She told me NOT to use it every night...ONLY if he can't sleep.

I knew that about Benadryl helping one to sleep but did not know it could cause seizures. I asked her about Melatonin...but she said to try this first.
Betty

shelseker · 09-22-2005, 04:13 PM

Our doctor suggested more exercise in the evening, so I took him swimming last evening. Would you believe he slept ALL NIGHT!!! I don't know that I can take him swimming every night, but maybe I can do something to get more exercise for him.

neurowreck · 09-22-2005, 09:36 PM

I can sleep for hours after the seizures, and get up for a while, stumble around, try to drink some Gatorade, then go back to bed and sleep til morning. But I also take my biggest dose of meds at night (or I'd be a total zombie during the day)-- carbamazepine, clonazepam, Benadryl, tapering dose of Neurontin, Darvocet, allergy med that causes drowsiness .....think that's it...a horse should sleep with that.... some nights I don't sleep well, but then its usually because of a milder seizure during the day, sleeping after that, and then being wide awake (sort of). Even with the night seizures, Im groggy the next day, even if I was asleep during the seizure (tongue chewed, inner cheek chewed, occasional wet bed- horrifying but it happens)... still feel worn out the next day. Balance can be messed up for a couple of days.