1. Community
  2. Symptoms
  3. Sleep Problems

insomnia linked to depression??

Posted , 5 users are following.

ab85901
ab85901

I'm a 19 year old girl & have major trouble sleeping at night, no matter what time I go to bed I cannot get to sleep and I end up crying uncontrollably, waking my boyfriend up, punching the walls and scratching myself which I cannot help doing. This happens for around 2-3 hours each time it occurs. Also, I have had to drop out of college due to the fact when I do finally get to sleep I cannot get out of bed in the morning and will sleep in to almost 2 in the afternoon every day. I also wake up with a headache every day. I get upset pretty easily and have always had trouble getting to sleep straight away but never this bad. It has been happening for around 8 months now and my boyfriend has told me to go to the doctors a few times but I cannot swallow tablets so sleeping pills won't help. I had the implant put in last June if that could be anything to do with it??

Please reply I really need help, solutions and advice!!

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • ab85901
    ab85901

    Posted

    P.s I have never been diagnosed with depression and I don't believe I have any reason to be depressed either!
  • marion29181
    marion29181 ab85901

    Posted

    Hi ab85901, so sorry to hear you are having this problem. What is the implant, is it for birth control? In that case it may well be altering your hormone levels, which, in turn, might be having a strong effect on your emotions. I think it would be a good idea to speak to your doctor. Losing sleep can make us feel ill, and if this has been going on for some time, you do need to resolve it. I'm guessing you've tried relaxation techniques and mild herbal remedies to try and sort this? Marion
  • linda187
    linda187 ab85901

    Posted

    What implant?  Do you correlate the start of your symptoms with the timing of the implant?  If so, the answer is simple - remove the implant.  If not, it sounds like a PTSD/trauma thing. I had a serious sleep disorder many years ago with similar sleep patterns of not being able to fall asleep and then not being able to wake up when I had fallen asleep.  This was due to trauma.  Also not feeling rested no matter how many hours I slept.  It later became clear that it seemed to be due to a neurotransmitter deficiency caused by the traumatic event.  This was corrected in me by the antidepressant imipramine. 
  • caitlin39841
    caitlin39841 ab85901

    Posted

    hi ab. this must be horrible for you. firstly a visit to your GP is over due to get this sorted. whilst a susceptibility to be a 'slow to get to sleep person' may have been be exacerrbated by the implant. however, low levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin can make us irritable and frustrated. insomnia and sleep problems are interrelated, one can cause the other. short term treatment with antidepressants such as what's know as the SSRI's group can get you back to a natural sleep pattern and a chat with your GP will hopefully reassure you & check if the implant is adding to the sleep problems. all good luck on getting it sorted.

    Caitlin

  • linda187
    linda187 ab85901

    Posted

    I was deficient in norepinephrine, not serotonin.  I have tried them all.  The SSRI's do not do a thing for me.  Unfortunately after all these years, Medicine  has not got a way of identifying what neurotransmitter you are deficient in other than a hit and miss try this drug, try that one and of course you won't know if it works for at least 6 weeks.  The drug that worked for me, I knew with the first dose yet the doc said it takes two weeks to work.  Not for sleep it didn't.

     

  • linda187
    linda187 ab85901

    Posted

    Brand name is Tofranil.  Generic name is Imipramine.  Very old drug.  Was on the market years before SSRIs.
  • linda187
    linda187 ab85901

    Posted

    There were side effects at the therapeutic dose for depression which is 75 to 100 mg per day but no side effects when I took 25 mg once a day and still benefits to sleep.  Even with the side effects at the dose for depression, the benefits outweighed the side effects.  I was also at one point given 25 mg of imipramine plus 25 micrograms of Cytomel to aid depression in order to avoid the side effects of a therapeutic dose of imipramine.  There were no side effects from that.  I currently still take 25 mg alone of Imipramine for sleep.
    • caitlin39841
      caitlin39841 linda187

      Posted

      that sounds a very good intervention for you. it's good to hear it. i'll take note. it reinforces that the 'one size fits all' approach just doesn't work. i guess when a new, product/drug comes on the market accompanied by aggressive marketing (such as the SSRI's) the benefits of the superseded drugs get forgotten. do you have any thoughts/suggestions on what might help reverse 'circadian rhythm disruption' ( feeling sleepy all day and fully awake all night) apart from all the 'natural' approaches including melatonin & the relaxation inteventions. i've tried all these.

      Caitlin.

  • linda187
    linda187 ab85901

    Posted

    The psychopharmacologist (psychiatrist who only prescribes drugs) told me that Imipramine was more thoroughly investigated than the current antidepressants because it was tested on psychiatric Inpatients in hospitals over a longer period of time and more money spent on it.  He said the current drugs on the market did not have near as much testing or money poured into them to get them into the marketplace.  The imipramine was also used in very low doses in children to control bedwetting.  This drug was what changed the sleep pattern for me because it has sedative side effects without being an addictive drug.  It seemed to address the Circadian rhythm problem in me.  Also, light therapy will change the circadian rhythm.  I had a great light box one winter and I dropped it acidentally and it shattered into a million pieces and I have not replaced it but would like to, especially for winter days.   The other suggestions for circadian rhythm are behavioural, going to bed one hour earlier than usual and then keep pushing it back by one hour until you are in a regular rhythm for sleep.  Keep the room dark when you want to sleep and keep a lot of light when you awake.  That's all I know but the imipramine made a HUGE difference for me.  I had more REM sleep and upon awakening felt refreshed like I had slept hours. 
    • caitlin39841
      caitlin39841 linda187

      Posted

      thank you Linda. that's very valauble info. i'll gen up on the info. on these anti-d's & pass it by my GP? i'm familar with some of the names but not with specific applications. really good to hear you are now having refreshing sleep, long may it last.

      i have done the going to bed one hr in advance of 'sleep time' but just dose for a half hour to become fully awake within 45 mns.

      perhaps i need to research the light box further. i never know which ones are 'kocher' & which just rip off products.

      with thanks

      Caitlin

    • linda187
      linda187 caitlin39841

      Posted

      Just order the light box from places that allow returns.  When you receive it, plug it in.  If it gives you the light you want, keep it.  If not, return it.  I loved my light that smashed to pieces.  The iight was brilliant.
  • linda187
    linda187 ab85901

    Posted

    I think lack of quality sleep is plenty of reason to be depressed.
Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.