[She's Come Undone]

*I posted this on a Sleep Board, but thought I'd ask y'all*

I'm sure you've heard it before, but I am so frustrated I decided I'd like some input. Over the past year I have sought help for several different things, with no relief. 1: I gave my general physician my list of complaints and he said it was a combination of anxiety and depression. The medication did nothing, so I did some research and bipolar disorder really seemed to fit more. That medication did nothing as well.
Next, I went to an ENT about my constantly stuffy nose and sneezing. He did the testing, found I'm allergic to many things, gave me meds. 4-5 different ones, none worked. Nasal spray either.

Separately, I made an appointment with a rheumatologist because I was having pain in my hips, knees, elbows and shoulders. He gave me excercises and Mobic(which helped) but I don't really want to conceal what may be something serious. Blood tests were all fine.

I have always thought I have been a "deep" sleeper, but I'm not so sure. I seem to dream all the time, sometimes counting 10 different dreams in one night. I wake up completely exhausted, feeling like it's physically impossible for me to get out of bed. I could easily sleep until noon every day (dang work!) which just makes me feel worse. I just had a bad bout of insomnia, which I think has passed for now. I pass most days in one (daze) and the other days I am wired, like I'm on something. I'm sooo at my wits end. Please help!!

[Pookette]

You should have a sleep study done. My husband has Restless Leg Syndrome where he kicks and kicks and kicks all night. He wakes up feeling unrested.

Your problem can be something as simple as not having the right mattress. I slept like **** until I got a different mattress. Now I sleep as well as I can laying next to someone who kicks like a horse all night.

[faux]

I am noticing that you are using a lot of medical terminology in describing how you feel, which to me is a warning sign. You also mentioned that you read up on Bipolar disorder, and that it "seemed to fit more". You claim to have been on medication, and that you have gone for medical tests at various doctors.

If the doctors have found nothing wrong then you do not need to be worried about anything. Mentioning insomnia, Bipolar, and other terms has gotten me thinking that perhaps the problem is in your mind, and not due to some type of physical illness. It is not uncommon for people to convince themselves that they are sick for various reasons.

Psychotropic medication takes weeks, to months, to work. If one medication or group of medications did not work for you, then you should look into changing your psychiatrist, getting a new psychologist, and trying out different medications. I would not continue going to a general physician for psychotropic medication. I would recommend seeking a psychiatrist and a very good psychologist for treatment options.

Do not read up more on anything you believe might possibly be bothering you, especially mental illness, unless a medical professional diagnoses you with a particular condition. Too many times reading up on something causes our minds to wander, and makes us think we too are suffering from that ailment. In my experience it has never helped unless a professional instructed me to read literature on a certain subject.

If you are worried over your health, go get another opinion on something from a medical professional. If you believe that you may be suffering from a mental disorder, be sure to get properly evaluated.

[Pyrannaste]

Hi there She's Come Undone,

are you currently on on some kind of meds?
were your sleep problems always there or did they start in one particular moment, perhaps when you were taking some medications?

I am asking because I experienced something very similar to this

I seem to dream all the time, sometimes counting 10 different dreams in one night. I wake up completely exhausted, feeling like it's physically impossible for me to get out of bed. I could easily sleep until noon every day (dang work!) which just makes me feel worse.

when I was on prozac a few years ago.

I needed some 3-4 more hours of sleep a day, if I had nowhere to go i could sleep even more than 12 hours a day, and I felt dazed all the time, like my brain was....well, numb. And dazed. And I felt physically very tired all the time.
And while I usually can't remember dreams (I remember something from a dream when I wake up perhaps once or twice a month), at the time I could remember a lot of stuff I dreamt.
(I read somewhere that 10 (or more)dreams per night is not unusual at all, it is average when you are in REM sleep phase, what is really unusual is remembering so many. )

[She's Come Undone]

Pyra,

I do not currently take any medications, and my craving sleep 24-7 seems to have been there ever since I can remember. It has actually caused me problems at work. My son starts 5K this fall and I am scared to death of making him late because I can't get my *ss out of bed.

When I was in high school and college, several times I would veer out of my driving lane, it's amazing I never killed myself. I don't trust myself to drive more than 2 hours now.

Pookette,

I have finally caved and am going to see a sleep specialist tomorrow morning. Yay! I have also been told my legs "flinch?" while I sleep at night. I will let you know what the dr. says!

Faux,

Not sure what you mean by a lot of medical terminology. I have actually studied about every condition I posted about in school. I agree a general physician may not be "appropriate" for mental concerns. I am actually kind of relieved the bipolar medicine did not work, it's not something I wanted to have. However, SOMEthing is not right, I am extremely frustrated, and my standard of living and happiness are at stake here. So please forgive me for trying to figure out what it is on my own, before I spend hundreds more on the wrong doctors!