trouble getting to sleep

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hi all, I am 11 weeks post op rthr and have been back working full time for 3 weeks now, I am doing well my only problem is sleeping

When I was off work I didnt sleep terribly well but made up for it by sleeping later and catching up in the afternoon. Now I have to get up at 7.30 and no afternoon nap, I go to bed around 10.30 and then lay awake for ages and wake up several times during the night so find it difficult at work. I went to my GP and she has given me some sleeping tablets called zopiclone but I googled them and didnt like the sound of the side effects etc. Can anyone suggest any other options would be very grateful

2

I havent had my op yet but i find it increasingly difficult to sleep. I never had issues sleeping until i was put on the list for my thr and also told i need a seperate op for my shoulder. Now my brain refuses to switch off.

Iv been put on an anti depressent which is supposed to help me sleep because a side effrct is drowsiness. I tend to ignore the side effects bit because its very rare you get any. Try the tablets and see how it goes? Could take a little while to feel tje effects though. Best of luck hun

3

horrid isnt it not being able to sleep, these tablets are supposed to be hypnotic which worries me apparently they are very addictive and make you unaware of what you are doing and can make you feel dizzy and drunk all sounds a bit scary so will see how i am without them this weekend hope you get yours sorted out too lovely x

 

4

My tramadol are like that. If i dont eat and take them i feel incredibly dizzy and kind of drugged up. But if i eat im fine. Also there meant to be addictive but i deffo dont feel addicted.

Its best to just see if they work rather than worry about all the nasty things. I wish you luck

5

have you tried boots sleepeze i have found them good

6

I got to the point of having a glass of alcohol, one I liked before going to bed, helps you relax enough I think to get to sleep.

I think also when you get into the habit of not sleeping because of pain, and or anxiety it becomes a habit, a nasty habit, and it does take some time to overcome.

Sarah - darling don't worry about addicition, you need those pain killers for now, but you will know for sure if you are addicted when you stop taking them.

I had the most horrid problem after my cancer hysterectomy, stomach cramps, vomiting, and generally feeling terrible, four hours after being discharged from hospital, back to the hospital and answer was addiction, after 9 days crazy but true. 

Now they know about it, they are very careful with my painkillers, but i was very relaxed about it, I knew what I had to do if the same problem happened again, it didn't.

I sometimes wonder if it was the mix of hysterectomy and traumatic change of life, and the painkillers combined that resulted in addiction.

Young Dr got his pen out and wrote for me 1 x tablet every four hrs, for a week, then 1 x 4 half hrs for a week, then 1 x 5 hrs for a week, and so on, you get the idea, after a number of weeks, and getting out to 8 hours apart, I though what if I don't take the next one, no problems, addiction problem solved.

7

Hi Julia,, 

That is tough ... When I lived in Los Angeles I took something like Tylenol PM, or Advil PM which, unfortunately they don't have here in Holland - Never heard of them _ I know that Tylenol = paracetamol - they look at me as if I am from another planet ... Is there something like that in the UK --- just over the counter meds ....so, I found Dr. Vogel Dormesan Extra strenght which helps me -

or perhaps Melatonine (smallest dosage otherwise hangover effect) 

I have taken Ambien (similar to zopiclone) , given to me by a loving friend and had a terrifying experience - When I woke after a gooooood night sleep, I found my kitchen in disarray - apparently I had cooked a meal (pork chops and rice ????) during the night and did not remember anything .... totally blacked out - so scary .... will not recommend it - 

What is keeping you awake?   Just remember that your body had major surgery and is still healing, repairing and what not - 

I hope you can rest up this weekend.

Big warm hug

renee

 

8

Julia,

How about "Nurofen Plus"  which contains Ibuprofen & Codeine ?  

Or one of the non-branded Ibuprofen & Codeine pills?

That's about as strong as you can get over the counter.

Graham

9

Hi Renee

As usual you are so helpful, I have bought some sominex which is an over the counter sleeping aid. I stayed up a bit later last night but still took over an hour to get off, doesnt help that my husband is decorating our bedroom at the back of the house so we are having to sleep in the front bedroom so different bed and more noisy as it faces on to the road (we live in a village near and airport and strangely enough am used to the aircraft noise but not traffic haha) Mind you my sleep problems started before then!

Strangely enough I slept better when I wasnt allowed to move and had to sleep on my back! 

Anyway although it took an hour or so to get off to sleep and woke a few times wasnt too bad just took co-codamol. Will try the sominex as

well tonight.

Hope you are keeping well and warm

Hugs to you too

Julie

10

Thanks Graham unfortunately cant take ibuprofen but had co-codamol which helps a bit and am going to try sominex as well tonight may have a glass or two of wine too haha

Hope you are continuing to recover well

Regards

Julie

11

Sominex plus co-codamol will work ---- Just take it at least 30 minutes before you go to bed .. 

The darnest thing that they don't sell these over-the-counter in Holland - 

Ah .... but then we can buy some marihuana -

12

mad isnt it? haha 

13

I still get nights where I can't sleep I have used boots sleeper or parasol night time xx

14

It is a mad world.

In the abscence of 'weed', Sominex plus co-codamol sounds like a good combination.

Graham

15

ha ha yes at least I wont get into trouble taking that! 

 

16

I was on Temazepam for a while.  It is a Class A drug.  In the Spring 2015, I came straight off it, and was put on 5 mg and 2 mg of Diazepam.  Some nights I can get away with using just 5 mg, others 5mg + 2 mg, depending on fraught the day ha been.  I beieve Valerian can also be used, but I know very little about it.  Think it is a health food store remedy, but I do understand that it wise to read up on it, before using it as it can had unwanted side effects is not used properly.

I don't find the over the counter sleep aids helpful at all.  

One other suggestion that puts e to sleep easily enough, is a good book, or good computer games, like the Solitaire games.  Relaxation tapes can be useful if you are a good subject, as can meditation, if you know how.

17

For me antihistamine which makes u drowsy works well and its not too strong

Best to make sure it dosent clash with other medications

18

hi lucite,

how are you doing?

good to see you again. ..

Big warm hug

Renee ❤