i am sleeping my life away - Sleep Disorders Message Board

mishl33 · 07-10-2002, 08:06 PM

hi, i am 26 yrs old and after being ill with many different symptoms for the past two years i am still undiagnosed. i sometimes sleep all day and all night and there are other times that i can only sleep in the day and not at night and then there are sometimes when i go 3 maybe 4 days with no sleep but i am exhausted.
after all the sleep i get, i never feel refreshed! my imunologist wants to put me on amphedimines to keep me awake but i really dont like the thought of using those kinds of drugs especially when they don't even know the cause. does anyone have any suggestions or advise? i would really appreciate it as this is really getting me down. i feel like i dont have a life anymore and i feel that my boyfriend of 7 yrs is going to leave me sooner or later because this is not fair on him either. i know he loves me but this sleeping problem as well as all my medical problems is causing problems in all aspects of my life.
please help!

fitzjr · 07-13-2002, 05:09 AM

Hi. I am 33 years old and I know how you feel. For years I couldn't sleep either and when I did, I wouldn't feel refreshed. My doctor told me I had Chronic Fatigue Syndrom and to deal with it. I wasn't happy with that and kept searching. At the time I was seeing a therapist and she recommended a GREAT doctor. I had a physical and nothing was wrong. The new doctor diagnosed me with clinical depression and we have been working on meds for the last 2 1/2 to 3 years. They have changed due to pregnancy and my bodies' tolerance level. Now I am on Paxil and can sleep better (if I take it at the right time) and my depression symptoms are very mild. I still get tired during the day (thanks to babys' not sleeping at night) and end up falling asleep during the day (kids are safe). Since I nap, I can't sleep that well at night (or my own stubborness). He added Provigil for me to stay awake. NOw the combination is starting to work (as long as I take both at the right time of the day). Hopefully it will continue to work. But if it doesn't, I will talk to my doctor again and we will find out whats best for me.
So, talk to your doctor. Ask for referrals. I don't know if you've considered depression, but it might be worth a try. I searched on Bulletin Boards for other health issues. I originally thought I had Fibromyalgia which started me looking for a new doctor. Doctors aren't perfect. My original doctor that diagnosed me with CFS didn't even think of depression.
I guess what I'm saying is search and talk to anybody. Ask other people how they feel, their symptoms etc. Ask other people about their doctors'. There may underlying things that you never realized. For me not sleeping was part of my depression, among many other symptoms.
Don't give up. You will find the right doctor, solution etc.

mishl33 · 07-13-2002, 08:18 AM

thanks for replying, i appreciate it! i have been to two different psychiatrists and i am currently taking antidepressants because every now and then i get down because i have been sick and unable to work for two years. i find the antidepressants help with my mood and i have tried many different ones because of side effects but my sleeping problem is just getting worse.
i had a sleep study done and the results stated that i had slept for 4.5hrs in the night but had awoken 96 times and then i had to take 4 fifteen minute naps the next day and they time how long it takes for me to fall asleep and it literally took me only a minute or two to fall asleep. my doctor says i do not have CFS but i do have major fatigue which could be due to the illness i have been suffering from but still undiagnosed even after seeing 2 psychiatrists, 3 immunologists, 4 gps, 1 gastroenterologist, 2 dermotologists and a tricologist for my hair loss.
i really do want to thankyou for taking the time to read my message and offer some advise.

Dawn1973 · 07-14-2002, 06:45 AM

Possibly part of your problem is depression. Sleeping a lot is one of the most common signs of depression. And it is a vicious cycle. Because the more you sleep, the more depressed you get, the more you just want to sleep, etc etc. Anyway, try forcing yourself up on a steady time every morning. Get straight in the shower. And make plans for your day. DO NOT sleep during the day. You just need to get yourself regulated and stop sleeping all of the time and that in itself will give you energy. Nothing makes you more tired than spending your life in bed. I know, been there done that.
Dawn

Beth Ann · 07-14-2002, 09:50 AM

I went through the same thing for 4 years. I was tired all the time and would go for days not sleeping, then I would sleep about 16 hours a day when the weekend got here. I work night shift, so my doctors blamed that for the reason. I was eventually put on Wellbutrin for depression, but was still sleeping my life away. Finally, my doctor tested my iron, which had never been tested throughout all of this. He found out that my iron level is so low that he considered me to be borderline anemic. He put me on prescription iron pills, and it has helped tremendously. I also started using progesterone cream for problems with night sweats. (By the way, I'm 34.) I feel like I have gotten my life back. I thought the night sweats were making me so tired because they drained me of all my energy, and I do think that was a big part of it. So, all-in-all, I think the iron and also the progesterone cream solved my problems. I really hope you find the solution to your problem. I know what it's like, believe me. It caused a lot of problems between me and my husband also. Good luck with everything.