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Back Pain causing me to have restless nights sleep

Posted , 3 users are following.

dawn57104
dawn57104

Argh what i would give for 1 night to sleep right through.

Since Friday night i have been unable to settle at night and sleep right through, generally this is not a problem for me but for some reason i just cannot settle and the pain is unbearable even with taking pain killers 30 minutes before bed. I have cocodamol 30/500mg and citalopram. i did have Zopiclone sleeping tablets but due to their side effects i threw them away months ago.

Lost as to what to do at night, i am tired so that is not the issue i just keep waking at various times in the night, nothing is working.

Any advice will be most helpful. I am getting a tens machine tomorrow from the hospital and i have an MRI booked for the 22nd but until then i need to find a way to manage the pain especially at night times.

 

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • ihavenonickname
    ihavenonickname dawn57104

    Posted

    The TENS will help...I love mine set on "modulate"

    Our body releases melatonin in preparation to sleep but our lights and screens inhibit this process. I take 3 mg melatonin two hours before bedtime...took a few days, but I sleep and straight through.

    ,Room is cool, blackout window coverings up.

    Hope this helps

    • dawn57104
      dawn57104 ihavenonickname

      Posted

      Hi,

      I have limited screen time also before bed but this makes no difference for me at the moment.

      With the melatonin is that something a GP prescribes?

       

    • dawn57104
      dawn57104 ihavenonickname

      Posted

      I got my tens machine to try this morning, apparently it is not advised for bed time but i will try it during the day. I took 2 kalms last night and my lavender scented warm buddie to bed and that seemed to settle me after i fell asleep.

      hugs too.

    • dawn57104
      dawn57104 ihavenonickname

      Posted

      Thanks and although it is still new the sensation is not working for me either, i used it for a hour or so last night and just feels weird and odd.

      Oddly enough my back feels worse today than it did yesterday.

  • ihavenonickname
    ihavenonickname dawn57104

    Posted

    for a TENS to be effective, it needs to be positioned on top of the nerve.

    A TENS does not eliminate pain like a narcotic does. A TENS interrupts the pain signal so that it can not reach the brain. Rather than the pain signal reaching the brain, the TENS signal reaches the brain. You have to work with the TENS to find the volumn that works best for you.

    When you put it on, try to relax...I have slept in mine. I have a Meda One Step from the early nineties.

    hugs

    • amkoffee
      amkoffee dawn57104

      Posted

      She know what she talking about. I have a TENS unit as well and I know that it will take a little experience to get some results. And it is very important to place the stickies in the right place and in the right order. So that the red and the black are kitty corner from each other. But I'm pretty confident you will find that it work fairly well in blocking the pain signals. I've never slept with mine because I was told not to. And I would be afraid too. I guess I just don't think it's safe but that's just me. Good luck on that I hope it works for you

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