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3 hours sleep a night

Posted , 4 users are following.

gaz12302
gaz12302

Hi roughly 7 months ago my wife had her first seizure. She had a few more and each time I struggled to sleep for a few days after. Meds now control her Epilepsy but she stopped taking them 3 months ago. A day later she had her worst night of seizures yet and was hospitalised. She's now back on her meds but I've not slept since that night. My Doctor refused to prescribe anything until I'd tried other options and over the counter meds. Nothing worked and he prescribed me Pherngan which worked for a week. I could only take it on my days off though as couldn't wake up in a morning and due to my job it was unsafe anyway. Each night I go to bed shattered and drained but my eyes wake up as soon as my head hits the pillow. I usually lay there for a couple of hours before giving up and going on the sofa. If I'm lucky I'll fall asleep at about 2am but then awake again by 5am. I cannot remember the last night I stayed in bed all night. I've told my Doctor I'm close to giving up on work as can't carry on like this. I feel like a hypochondriac, body aching, dizzy spells and a shortage of breathe quite often and loss of appetite. I'm at a loss why my Doctor doesn't think 3 hours sleeps a night for 3 months isn't urgently needing something. I've phoned today and now waiting for a sleep disorder referral which won't be soon. I don't want to go on the sick with having 3 children and xmas coming up but I don't even feel right driving to work never mind the long shift. I do think it's anxiety towards my wife having another bad night. She had a weekend away and even then I still couldn't sleep so think my body clock has set to 3 hours now. Any advice is greatly appreciated. 

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • rey87890
    rey87890 gaz12302

    Posted

    This sounds similar to what I've been going through. I also have 3 kids and don't feel like I can function or work. I have been to several doctors and find most don't know much about sleep or how it works. I'm now seeing a natural doctor who has come up with a plan and is checking my hormones and non traditional testing. She says that sleep is a reaction involving hormones and other substances in the body and brain. I'm pleading to God that her plan will work as im hurting badly and stressing everyone out. Please keep updating your status as I will too. I find that nobody ever comes back to share how they are doing later on. My trigger was anxiety and shortness of breath. It's like my pattern changed into less deep sleep and tossing and turning.

    • gaz12302
      gaz12302 rey87890

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply, I'll discuss what you've said about hormones etc with the sleep disorder clinic when they eventually get in touch. I spent most of yesterday on the sofa and barely ate anything. By 8pm I went to bed as felt far from right. Shortly after I was shivering then spent most of the night sweating like mad and feeling awful. I will be ringing my works shortly as cannot make it in today feeling like this. I've read online how sleep deprivation can effect the immune system. I can't say for definite but do think it's contributed to whatever I have now as it's rare I'm ill. It annoys me Doctors in the UK won't or as some say can't prescribe proper sleeping pills. I'd be happy with 2 weeks worth just to revitalise me for another month of little sleep whilst they do tests etc. When I do fall asleep I go straight into a deep sleep. Throughout my life I only ever dream in deep sleep, more when I've been drinking alcohol. Since this started I've had strange bits of dreams each time I've fallen asleep. It's rare I actually dream normally as well. 

    • gaz12302
      gaz12302 rey87890

      Posted

      The wonderful English NHS has been back in touch, they are not willing to offer any more help. I sat and waited 24 hours for the call from the sleep disorder clinic my doctor had supposedly referred me to. I then rung my doctor again to be told I'm not eligible as I don't wake up during the night. I argued this as I do wake up during the night and have said this each time I've been. Whatever time I fall asleep I wake up roughly 3 hours later which can range from 1am to 5am. My doctor ignored what I was saying and kept saying he wouldn't refer me and won't prescribe anything else. He then had the nerve to say I should try the gym at night. He knows I used to the gym numerous times a week. I reminded him I don't have the energy to do anything off this little amount of sleep. He then recommended over the counter meds again and Phenergan. The same drug he prescribed me but said I could only take for 2 weeks yet it seems it's now fine for me to take for as long as I want. He's also forgot I work in mental health and I'm fully aware of all drugs that are used as a sedative medication. For this I will be reporting him as under no circumstance should a doctor recommend buying a drug that is highly addictive and that also should be time limited. I've tried other doctors in the area but none have any space for new patients. I'm at a loss besides buying medication illegally. Many people are against it but I'd personally prefer healthcare to be privatised in the UK. I pay thousands a year in national insurance to be treat like a stray dog. I'd be more than happy to pay for help now but struggling to find anywhere nearby. 

    • rey87890
      rey87890 gaz12302

      Posted

      I feel bad. It's enough suffering through sleep deprivation but also having to deal with health system. Are you allowed to switch doctors? Also have you had blood work run yet? It would be nice to find easily treated condition.

    • gaz12302
      gaz12302 rey87890

      Posted

      The head Doctor at my surgery made the decision so wouldn't matter if I so one of the others. My other choice is to go a different surgery but none have spaces for new patients. I've read I can still get a second opinion from another surgery though.

    • gaz12302
      gaz12302 rey87890

      Posted

      The head Doctor at my surgery made the decision so wouldn't matter if I so one of the others. My other choice is to go a different surgery but none have spaces for new patients. I've read I can still get a second opinion from another surgery though.

  • gouptoday
    gouptoday gaz12302

    Posted

    you need to have a picnic to restore your activity
  • nicole_03116
    nicole_03116 gaz12302

    Posted

    I dont know if you're still having problems sleeping but it sounds very likely that you can't sleep because of psychological and emotional distress. You say you haven't been able to sleep since your wife had a seizure in the night- this may be causing you to (subconsciously) feel you must stay up all night in case she has another seizure, which is a completely understandable reaction as it is obviously stressful to see a loved one suffer.

    I went through a period of getting very little sleep at night for around a year and managed to go to a sleep clinic on the NHS. However, none of their treatments really worked for me because it was my depression and anxiety that was keeping me up all night after my mother died. Medication will NOT help you and you are wasting your time with doctors! The only thing that has helped me is seeing a therapist every week. Your lack of sleep will (as you have described) only makes you more anxious, which will keep you up all night, etc. I still have problems with my sleep but I have been in therapy for 2 years now and it is nowhere near as bad as it was in the past. Good luck

    • gaz12302
      gaz12302 nicole_03116

      Posted

      Hi Nicole, thanks for your reply. I’ve tried the NHS sleep clinic but won’t help unless I have a GP referral. I’ve now been taking Phenergan since my last comment on here. It works for the majority of nights. I know it’s not the answer and face a struggle to sleep when I do stop taking it. I’m just happy for the time being to be able to get on with normal life again. I went 3 nights without any sleep at Xmas due to drinking and not risking taking phenergan with alcohol. I know you are right with what you’ve said but my Doctor doesn’t see the need to offer any help. My wife forgot her meds yesterday so I half expected a seizure last night. Even with a phenergan I still woke just before 2am which is the time she’s had most of her seizures. 
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