So I'm going back to work today and had the absolute worst night of sleep yet. Going to sleep was impossible - between worries, and not able to get comfortable... Once I finally managed to sleep dreams were bizzarre and nightmarish. I kept dreaming I was waking up and couldn't move, of the lyme.....

Anyway, I quite often take benydryll 2 tabs to sleep - but didn't last night so I could be clear headed today - HAH!

Found Sleepy Time tea with Valarian (Celestial seasonings) worked the first night then plbbbttt.

Ideas???? Thanks.

Sorry the sunshine isn't out for you today. I know a lost night's sleep TRASHES me. This may be saying the obvious since you've already asked the sleep question, but what about melatonin? Next comes HTP5, a form or L-tryptophan. L-tryptophan requires a prescripton and I've taken it for years for mood swings and sleep deprivation. I am now coming off of it, I think it may be contributing to my fatigue since I've been taking lyme treatment for 2 years now.

I see you only have 15 posts. Are you a recent dx? Maybe with time this will be better. I know it's a long road but when I look around at people I've helped get a diagnoses and see where they are now compared to where they were then, I am amazed at how our bodies can heal.

Keep at it. You've got a great attitude and that will keep you searching which WILL get answers.

I had problems not only getting asleep, but staying asleep, and the days I felt like I had slept for 8+ hours - I still woke up feeling crappy.

The Amitriptyline helps me go to sleep and stay asleep. When I wake up, I feel great!

I used to take Flexeril, also. That would help put me to sleep but didn't keep me asleep.

Good luck,

I have been in this terrible pattern since I had a virus few mo`s back. Took 2 mo to cure.

What happens up for close to 72 hrs. Then hit the wall, so to speak. Then can`t seem to stay awake for day or 2.

I just hate it pryor as soon as go into delta sleep about every 90 min. Just like a bolt I awake.

Know this is very common for fmers. Our bodies usually do not allow us to get restoative sleep we need for bodies to heel themselves.

The good & the bad. When I do fall asleep, & get up I am in terrible pain. If I am up the pain keeps me up sometimes, just not as severe when I sleep. Almost afraid at times to sleep. Other night kept waking to go to bathroom. Was so bad last awakening had to crawl. Legs would not hold me. It is like a mac truck hit you. This is quite common for fmers. Very severe pain.

Also have woken not only struggle to get to potty, but can`t remember how to get there. Know it is there just too brain fogged.

Usually sleep is just a constant state of wild exhausting dreams.

Elavil, keeps me up, & restless leg increase.

Melatonin had program & alot of warnings. Especially for fmers. So chucked that.

Tryed tea`s,tapes meditation reading when able with this blurred vision.

Absolutely have not found anything. When first on neurontin helped then it stopped.

My nausea med sometimes works, only thing helps sleep not nausea, DUH...

Very frustrating, for fmers usually poor sleep studies. Has to do with suppossed to be in constant flight or fright stage, dysautonomia. Our bodies do not know how to regulate the flight or fright. Also bodies are suppossed to be in constant mild seizure state.

So complicated to get that restorative sleep.

Anyway - melatonin - silly question but how do I find it? pill, tea...??

Yes I am a newbie lymie, but if only I'd known about symptoms.... My new conquest is to tell everyone I know about symptoms. I just pushed them off to being stressed, working too hard, too much, exercising too much or maybe I lifted something too heavy.

Finally, after about 9 months of feeling crummy and getting chills at night (constantly feeling like 'I'm coming down with something') I went to the dr.

THANK GOD, he recognized the symptoms, and tested me and demanded I be treated (I was thinking you know - it might go away- lol).

Anyway - here I am. Thanks for the suggestions.

rid the world of ticks!!!! - really what good are they???

I am curious about Kerryblue's statement: 'Melatonin had program & alot of warnings. Especially for fmers. So chucked that.'

She got her first decent night sleep in months the first night she took Topamax. It was prescribed by a neurologist for her headaches and we were pleasantly surprised to find it helped her sleep.

She has also tried 60 mg Melantonin (helped a little) in place of the 2-Tylenol PMs.

Then we tried Sonata instead of 2-Tylenol PMs...made her sleepy but didn't keep her asleep.

She also tried Lorazapen...told by some folks it worked wonders for them...didn't help her much.

We also tried the Alpha Stim...it flipped her sleep to sleeping nights instead of days until she had a relapse with Lyme.

Just a few suggestions....good luck.

Benadryl worked for me too, but usually only knocked me out for 6 hours.

Nighty night!

God Bless You,

Off the record, one thing that really helped was playing a violent computer game with lots of big fuzzy monsters to fight. It siphoned off lots of frustration and energy.

On the medical end, I used to take 10mg of ambien a night. Lately, I've been able to cut back. I take valerian one hour before going to bed, then chop up 10mg ambien into three or four pieces, take one, and leave the rest on a nightstand next to some water. If I snap awake in the middle of the night, I take a small chunk and go back to sleep. This cut down on ambien's side effects, and I needed a lot less over the course of the night as a result.

Hope you find one that works well for you.

Nite Nite

I did the natural stuff and it didn't help. Melatonin seemed to help the best but like but like WildConder said you got to turn the lights out and WAIT and I hate to do that! It tends to keep me awake.
I took elavil at one time and it helped me sleep but gave me problems peeing I think. It has been a LONG time. I thought about giving it a try again.

I have teen told Trazadone helps also but not sure about that one so don't quote me on it.

Here's some lifestyle things to think about so that you have the best chance of getting to sleep and staying asleep. (these aren't necessarily things that will put you to sleep but might as well get the odds in your favor.)

Some of these things may be obvious so forgive me-I'm not trying to insult anyone.

1. Watch out for caffiene use...if possible cut it out completely. If you can't quit then don't have any after 10 am.

This includes coffee, black, green or white teas (and look at tea labels some of those "lemon" or "mint" teas have black tea in them), colas and other caffienated soft drinks AND even decaf stuff which often has a small amount of caffiene in it.

And watch out for other stimulating drinks like Yerba Mate, hot chocolate, etc.

2. Try to drink lots of water during the day and try to stop drinking water by 7 or 8 p.m. This way you may not have to get up to pee after you go to bed.

3. Watch out for sugar. Try not to eat it at all (better for all of us yeast prone folk on abx anyhow) or don't eat it before bed or late in the day. Better to have your blood sugar as stable as possible when you are trying to sleep.

4. Try to finish eating at least 4 hours before bed so that your stomach is not so full when you lay down. (Plus it may help if you have GERD which may means that you may also be having trouble with sleep apnea which can really screw things up.)

5. If you can exercise (and I realize that alot of us are too sick to do this) try to do it everyday and early in the day. That way your metabolism isn't raised late in the day.

Exercise doesn't have to be long or hard. A short walk outside in the morning light can help set your biological rhythms so your body can remember to go to sleep at night.

6. Try some kind of meditation or relaxation practices. This doesn't have to be sitting in a lotus position contemplating your navel.

It can be as simple as:

A) lying on your back and noticing the sensastions in your feet and then letting go and relaxing and working your way right up through your whole body. (Remember your pain is not the same as you.

B) Paying attention to each breath from inhalation to exhalation to inhalation and so on. No judgement, no rules just notice when you've stopped paying attention to your breath and begin again.

C) Use visualization to place yourself in a wonderful calming location (a beach, a forest, a meadow, near a river, whatever works for you) and let yourself be there.

7. Try to do a soothing activity before actually getting into bed. Listen to quiet music, read a peaceful book or poetry, light a candle and just mellow out in the dark, take a warm bath or shower.

8. Make sure you are as comfy as possible in your bed. The right mattress, the right pillows, a dark room (move your clocks and other electronics away from your head!), a quiet room, etc.

9. If you can't sleep try not to stress out (I know this is hard but try to take the attitude that stressing about it isn't helping so you might as well enjoy lying in your comfy bed and at least relaxing.)

10. Alot of us probably have health issues that are affecting our ability to sleep-try to explore those conditions (even constitutional things like yeast, hormone imbalances, etc can affect sleep) and figure out how to improve them.