Sleep since brain surgery

[2ndchances]

In April, I had my second right temporal lobectomy, and since then I can't get enough sleep! I've returned to work, I'm seizure-free, so for all intents and purposes, things are great and I couldn't be happier. But seriously, I'm always tired.

I get 8-9 hours of sleep per night, and wake up tired and unrefreshed. My husband calls to wake me up because I've often turned off my alarm clock and fallen back asleep; it's a struggle to wake up most mornings. I often sneak a little nap in during my lunch (thankfully, I work at home!).

I had to go in for another minor surgery in September (unrelated), but was also under general anesthetic.

I'm not sure if this could have something to do with my new brain, a by-product of surgery? (If it was in the initial recovery stage, I'd understand it better, but I'm now 6 months post-op, and it's really been only in the last 2-3 months) Or maybe the anesthetic?

The colder, darker, rainy mornings certainly haven't helped in these last few weeks, when I'm comfortably snuggled under my warm blanket!

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this, or if its something I should bring up with the docs?

 

[Fedup]

2ndchances

You know with me it's the medication so I am not much use to you. You are one brave person and if you think that you are sleeping too much then you will have to talk with the doctor. But and this is only my opinion, you have gone through a lot and tried to put things on hold which did not work, the worry and all that goes with it is catching up with you and saying, "come on take a rest for yourself" and you should you deserve it.

 

[2ndchances]

Thanks, Liam! Thankfully, I've got a few weeks of vacation coming up between now and the end of the year; I just don't want to sleep them away! But maybe you're right... maybe things have just piled on top of each other, and I need the rest.

We've recently added a low, slowly increasing dose of lamotrigine, which I'll stay on at a maintenance level, but I was even this way before introducing that, so I don't think it's that. I'll eventually begin tapering off the phenobarbital, then very slowly, the dilantin.

I guess I'm just wondering, because this is not me. I used to work in an office, started at 7am, and that was after getting my young son ready, fed, and dropped off at daycare. Now, getting up for 9am, in my home office, where I don't necessarily need to get ready (I can work in my pajamas:tup is a daily struggle!

I'm hoping that the running and working out will create a good cycle of energy instead of the sleepy cycle I'm on. We'll see. Thanks again!

 

[Fedup]

2ndchances

Those early hours have not helped you. You need to take care of yourself and a vacation sounds like a very good idea.