Any Unusual Sleep Patterns Since Rsd Onset? - Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Message Board

LeftyKid · 06-22-2006, 12:24 AM

Hi All!

Just wondering how many of us with RSD experience sleep problems.

Not just the usual insomnia associated with chronic pain, but unusual sleep patterns, such as sleeping at unorthodox times of day.
I've always had difficulty getting to sleep and I've always been a night owl. But since the RSD, I've noticed that I can't seem to get to sleep before 3:30-4am, even sometimes as late as 5:30-6am. Of course, I rarely get 8 hours b/c I don't often get the chance to sleep until noon or 2pm. So I get about 5-6 hours a night and I feel like I'm sleepwalking the first few hours I'm up. I read an article that these are symptoms of "delayed sleep." Anyone ever heard of this?

So, I'm curious if anyone else has noticed "delayed sleep" or other unusual sleep patterns since RSD onset. If so, were you able to do anything about it? Do you think changing medication times would help? What have you all tried to regulate sleep patterns? I would do anything to sleep from even 2am to 10am! How pathetic!

Note: I don't work, so I don't usually have to be awake at any certain time, but I just hate being off schedule with the rest of the world. If anyone has ever worked night shifts, you know what I mean!

eunie'sflame · 06-22-2006, 11:17 AM

Hi again Lefty..I just replied to your other post

boy I can relate to this one..my sleep patterns have really been bad lately and I have been just walking around the apartment. My partner Kellie is a manger in a major retail store out here so she works weird hrs so we usually keep strange hrs as it is but at the latest were in bed at 12:30 am.. lately I haven't been going to sleep till 3:30-4:00am myself then I'm up at 6:00am and just walking around again! I haven't worked in 3 yrs. I have done online surverys for the past 5 yrs now and I try to stay busy with those and when I did work I would either would the graveyard shift or early shift of 5:00am, but I've been so depressed lately I can lay down and go to sleep for 5 hrs straight and same thing when my pain level is high and that scared the you know what out of Kellie because she will be trying to reach me and I'll be sound asleep..My shrink have given me Klonopin that I refuse to take but I guess it's good for aniexty attacks and great for knocking you out so you might want to check it out..I want to steer away from that type of drug! this is a good post Lefty hope you get some good replys..talk with you later..
eunie

pattihabs · 06-22-2006, 12:15 PM

hey lefty

i'm with ya, never before in my life have i been a napper since rsd enless i was sick or something. now, it's all i think about. go to bed early, get up late and nap during the day. i have to really push myself to do anything. i try to make myself busy so i don't jump in bed but usually end up canceling my plans. we got a new bed about 3 weeks ago which does'nt help the matter(too comphey...lol). i thing the meds has alot to do with it and depression. i don't really know. hope this helps, or at least, you know your not alone...have a great day

... ps i like the new bouncy guy, he's cute

mtmjwz · 06-22-2006, 12:35 PM

I can relate. I thought it was just me, and being so new to it, I din't think to ask. I have some very strange sleeping hours too. I was wondering if it was because I was so bored, but even when I am doing something, I will have to stop and take a nap, but then at night I can't sleep for the life of me. I have always been very energetic, and went to the gym all the time before the RSD, I thought it was because I stopped that. But, like everyone else said, you aren't alone. It's just nice to kno wthat neither am I. :0)

Sunnycal · 06-22-2006, 01:27 PM

Sleeping has been one of my husband's main problems. He goes to bed around 1 or 2 am and sleeps until 2 in the afternoon. He then has trouble focusing enough to get ready and ends up eating "breakfast" around 3-4:00. Methadone is one culprit, but when he was on Topamax in addition, it was even worse. One day I came home from work, and he was having "breakfast" at 7:00 PM! He also has sleep apnea, and is having another sleep study done next week. As we understand it, the medications relax the throat muscles, which cause obstructive apnea, and they also can cause central apnea. So we don't have a good solution yet. But stopping the Topamax and going back to Lyrica did help some.
Sunny