I can't sleep at all- some nights two hours. I walk around like the living dead every day. I am on IV Zithromax and it stimulates me more than caffeine. How long can you live without sleep? I am hypervigilant. This is a nightmare. Sometimes the medications that are supposed to help you sleep make you worse.
Posted by sutherngrl (Member # 16270) on :
I lived years on 2 or 3 hours of sleep a night. It was horrible and debilitating. For me it was a Lyme symptom and not meds. My brain just would not shut off.
I wish I had some answers. For some people sleep meds help, or natural melatonin. Maybe essential oils, Epsom salt baths, etc.
Posted by Mariel25 (Member # 45205) on :
Are you sleeping now?
Posted by tulips (Member # 44773) on :
Hi, When I was at my sickest, I didn't sleep at all. I just rested. I now take liquid melatonin half an hour before bedtime, sleep for 3-4 hours, then wake up. Then I take another dropper full of liquid melatonin (which is recommended for Lyme sleep issues on BuhnerHealingLyme.com) + one valerian capsule and go back to sleep for the rest of the night.
Posted by Blymey919 (Member # 47424) on :
I went through horrible bouts of this about a year ago. Some of it was Lyme for sure but it turned out for me that it was also low progesterone levels.
I learned from my LLMD that in may cases when adrenal levels are affected by chronic stress and/or illness that subsiquently other hormone levels can drop, like progesterone and DHEA.
For me I felt amped with high anxiety and my brain would not shut off. The first night I was on oral progesterone I feel asleep within an hour and sleep really well. My anxiety and racing mind also subsided. I've been sleeping well since.
Before I got on progesterone I did have success with a product by OHCO called Chi'll Out. It worked really well for the anxiety, restlessness and just allowed me to peacefully fall asleep.
It's such a kooky name I know, but it works really well. Even my non-Lyme friends use and love. So sorry if I sound like I'm plugging this product! Just when you find something that works for me I can be eager to share
Chi'll Out is a combination of Chinese herbs. There haven't been any side effects, drug interactions or that drugged-and-tired-but-not-quite-sleepy feeling that I got from so many other sleeping pills/products I tried.
I will still take the pills on occasion when under more stress. For sleep I would take 4 capsules a few hours before I want to go to sleep. It usually made me feel really relaxed, but if I wasn't yet sleepy enough for bed I'd take 4 more.
Two herbs that Stephen Buhner and/or my LLMD also recommended that helped were -
* Ashwaganda (helps with hormone balancing & adrenal stress among other things)
* Passionflower tea (naturally high in calcium and calms the nerves to help you sleep)
Also I've been into using essential oils for many years and like this mixture of French Lavender, Atlas Cedarwood & Sandlewood (all nervines) which relax me immediately if I feel wound up.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
I've been going through this lately too and it's very annoying being on a different schedule than the rest of the world! Like I don't have time for this problem!
I took benadryl 25mg for a long time to go to sleep, then upped to 50mg and now that's not working.
My doc just suggested taking magnesium powder before bedtime to relax. And some other stuff - I'll try to find my notes.
Posted by bcb1200 (Member # 25745) on :
Yup. Never ever had sleep issues with Lyme and co for past 6 years and the last 2 months I've had insomnia. I fall asleep ok, but typically wake up around 2-3 and then toss/turn until it is time to get up.
I HATE IT!!!
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
I catnap all night long.
Posted by Catgirl (Member # 31149) on :
Focusing on adrenals, thyroid and mediation have helped me. I muscle test to figure out what I need and when. I also take melatonin sometimes and almost every night a probiotic or s.boullardi or something for yeast before bed. Yeast can keep and wake you up.
Posted by Blymey919 (Member # 47424) on :
Bcb - waking up consistently at 2-3 in morning is usually means detoxing issues.
When this happened to me 2 years ago with Bartonella issues (also had night sweats & heel pain) my LLMD explained that waking at this time often indicates issues with liver & blood detoxing.
My liver results were fine (was doing lots of liver support) so my LLMD added modified citrus pectin and and a homeopathic called apo-Heat to my protocol. Also take Red Root tincture for lymph support.
Posted by bcb1200 (Member # 25745) on :
Thanks Blymey919.
The waking up at 2-3 isn't neesarily the issue. Its the fact that I then can't get back to bed. Is this what you mean?
How did the citrus pectin do for you. Did it resolve your sleep issues?
Posted by Blymey919 (Member # 47424) on :
[QUOTE]Originally posted by bcb1200:
The waking up at 2-3 isn't neesarily the issue. Its the fact that I then can't get back to bed. Is this what you mean?
Yup - but also the timing of 2-3am. Apparently this is when the liver tends to be most 'active' with detoxing. So the apo-Heat plus the modified citrus pectin (important that it was 'modified') supported this detox process by binding to the toxins and decreased reabsorption.
Apparently it's thought that bacterial die-off floating around in the blood not only causes the cytokine cascade but also can act as mold spores. Have to do a little digging on the science journal I got that from.
And yes it helped alot. I stopped waking up at that time and it was also soon after that I really started noticeably getting better with Lyme and free of Bartonella.
Everybody seems to have one detox method or another they prefer. I (with doctor) found I responded best using several detox methods - also use Chlorella, drink lemon water w/ trace minerals and use herbs and other methods to support lymph system.
Thank you all but I'm not even tired until 6 or 7 in the morning. This is crazy- I can't get anything done. I can't even make appointments before 3 in the afternoon. I feel so stimulated that even medications don't work. I feel like any day I'm just going to drop and that will be it.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
What have you tried thus far?
Posted by Mariel25 (Member # 45205) on :
Valium, Elavil, melatonin, magnesium, 5htp, GABA and the list goes on. I'm afraid to even go to sleep because I know what's going to happen.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Ambien?
Posted by Razzle (Member # 30398) on :
Biggest things that interfere with sleep for me are overheating during sleep, unusual noises, and vertigo.
And yes, like you, I've tried a huge list of supplements, herbs, etc. and haven't found much that helps.
What has been most helpful for me is Chiropractic adjustment of my atlas (bone at the top of the neck). It somehow makes me able to stay asleep longer, and also seems to help calm the vertigo some.
Keeping the room I sleep in between 63-67 degrees F also helps prevent overheating.
If I'm too cold when I first get in bed, I have a heating pad that I will use to help warm me up so I can fall asleep. The heating pad automatically turns off when I let go of the switch (which happens when I fall asleep).
Another thing that has been helpful sometimes is a homeopathic remedy called Quietude. It can be taken before bed and again if I wake in the middle of the night, to help me get back to sleep.
Posted by Blymey919 (Member # 47424) on :
Mariel -
If you've tried a lot of sleep aids without success it could very well be hormone imbalances especially with that wired feeling. Have you had your thyroid, adrenals, Progesterone, etc. levels checked?
Also Vitamin D deficiency can cause those symptoms. Particularly noticeable when meds don't work so well.
May also be a coinfection like Bartonella?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Salicylates in foods (and supplements) can keep me awake forever.
Posted by Mariel25 (Member # 45205) on :
I'm sure it is the co-infection. I need to have adrenals checked but how?
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