Hello guys,
I'm a 32 year old woman in overall good health. Starting in November 2017 (the 1st, funny enough), quite suddenly, I started having insomnia issues. The symptoms are difficulty to fall asleep, sensations of adrenaline surge and alertness, waking up startled when falling asleep, a sensation of weakness/numbness in both my arms, mental agitation, occasionally (what feels like) restless leg syndrome, falling asleep late, waking up several times per night, unable to get back to sleep and having very vivid dreams.I just felt very weird altogether. I had this pretty bad for about a week in November, then I started feeling a bit better, with just 1-2 wakes during the night (usually around 4-5am), but still not my usual deep, proper sleep. At the end of November I started taking melatonin supplements before going to bed, around 1.5mg (half a 3mg tablet) and it made me sleep VERY well. Felt the sleepiness within 40 minutes of taking it and then slept well throughout the night. Yesterday I stopped the melatonin since I don't think I'm supposed to take it for a long time and I had a horrible night. Woke up 6-7 times, staying awake between 10-40 minutes each time, dreaming very vividly, being aware that I am dreaming while asleep, didn't feel like I managed any deep sleep at all. I don't know what exactly is the matter with me. I am now fearing sporadic fatal insomnia and that is NOT helping things at all. I feel very distressed now. I feel terribly tired and look like hell today, it's obvious I did not get any rest.
A bit about my context. I am a mother of a 1 year old boy, who sleeps in the same room with me (and my bf), but he sleeps well throughout the night. I do check on him whenever I wake up from sleep (and have been doing that ever since he was born, however I only had insomnia in the last 1.5 months). I'm a bit stressed with all the work involving staying at home with a small child, but nothing extreme. I do get irritable and angry sometimes, but nothing that would constitute an issue.
Last summer I started having migraines with aura, all of the sudden, in June, during the stresses of starting solids and having to employ my non-existing cooking skills. I was pretty worked up and overwhelmed during that time. I had an MRI and angio-MRI and it was all clear. So I was diagnosed with migraine with aura and had a few of these auras for a few months and then they seem to have stopped around September. In the last 3-4 months, I also started having occasional hypnagogic and hypnapompic hallucinations with visual patterns appearing, pulsating (with my own pulse) and.or rotating in my vision, I can only see them when there is dark and they disappear in about 5-20 minutes. I was told this was something that's not worrisome and that many people have these sometimes by a neurologist. But I still notice that symptoms keep appearing where before there were none.
I also have autoimmune hyperthyroidism (Grave's), which only occasionally acts up. I have had this for 13 years, I only take medications when my thyroid acts up. I NEVER had insomnia with this condition. And I don't feel like being hyperthyroid at the moment (normal pulse, not a lot of anxiety, no panic attacks, not losing weight) - but I will check it tomorrow just in case. However even if I am hyper, I would still not be sure the insomnia is related to that, since I never had insomnia as a result of my thyroid condition.
I have no one in my family with fatal insomnia, but my mother did have insomnia as a result of her anxiety and depression (which started when she was over 40). However I do NOT have depression and have only mild anxiety (related mainly to minor issues and now this new onset insomnia).
First of all, can this be sporadic fatal insomnia? Because this scares me a lot during the night. I know it's rare, but can it be? Also, can it be some sort of psychosis or whatever? Something neurological? During the day I feel and function normally (so far). Today I do feel especially tired and feel unusual, but it was probably the worst sleep I ever got since the insomnia began.
What else can this be, does the melatonin working well for me suggest anything in particular?
What should I do? Any ideas or advice? Anyone in the same situation?
Thank you for any help.
