Feedback would be... nice. - Sleep Disorders Message Board

james5272 · 05-13-2005, 11:13 PM

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.

dackard · 05-14-2005, 01:23 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.

james5272 · 05-14-2005, 12:02 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.

analog2000 · 05-14-2005, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by james5272

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?

dackard · 05-15-2005, 01:14 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.