Another night of insomnia....

[s10sleeper]

good morning everyone, I was just wondering how many people here suffer from insomnia along with their epilepsy. My insomnia got worse recently since I was diagnosed with adult ADHD and put on Vyvanse, so the doctors doubled my dosage of Ambien. At the moment I am running on no sleep last night, 4 hours the night before and 4 the night before that. I think that the reason for the lack of sleep is a combination of my keppra, Vyvanse and the fact that I ran out of ambien a few days ago and I have to wait until the end of the week for medicaid to cover it.

Anyways, I am worried about going to work today, as the sleep deprivation may cause some problems with my seizures. It is only 5 hours of work, but it is in the heat, alot of heavy lifting and alot of climbing. What I do is work in an auto parts warehouse and so it is a very physical job.

My boss is very understanding about my seizures, not real understanding about my ADHD though as he is my cousin and is also the type of person that won't go to a doctor unless he is near death. If he were here there would be no trouble about me missing work, but he is on vacation for a couple of weeks as he got married saturday and is on his honeymoon, so there is another guy taking his place that doesn't seem to understand. Besides that, I hate taking days off as I tend to have to take a couple days a week off due to dr appointments and health issues. I was hired with that understanding though and am only part time, basically just hired on to help me out to earn extra money rather than to make them money, just basically a spare hand.

Anyways, I feel horrible right now as my head is pounding, especially since I took all of my meds this morning, I know there is no way I will be able to sleep on the Vyvanse though but I worry about getting injured on the job or hurting someone else, however, if I do miss work I will not be able to stand staying home doing nothing as once my medicine kicks in no matter how tired I am I feel motivated and have to accomplish things. I do know that my boss has already told me not to worry about losing my job while he is gone as the person taking his place has no authority to fire me, and he always tells me not to apologize if I miss work due to medical issues, but I feel so horrible about doing it, especially because he went out on a limb to hire me. Along with this, whenever I call in to work it has always been my belief that I should not be out and around at all as if I am able to leave my house I should be able to work, but am afraid of having a seizure on the job. Besides that, if I have time to spare though, I need to use it to run errands that I have not been able to accomplish.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should do? Any ideas are appreciated.

 

[Jeannie55]

Tell your docotor and see if he can put you on a sleep assist med. I had the same problem when they first started me on the Vimpat. I dont remember thename of the med ( sorry memorie not working) but I dont have a problem sleeping now.

 

[s10sleeper]

They have me on Ambien, had to up my dosage to 20mg a night due to the Vyvanse which is basically a form of prescription speed. The downside is that the state of Kansas medicaid will not cover more than 30 10mg pills a month and so I am unable to refill it. The one seizure med I am on that causes troubles too is Keppra, however the 4 meds I am consistently on is the only way to keep my seizures down. I have tried a large number of them over the past 17 years and these are all that work. I think I am just gonna try to stay home for the day and hopefully the Vyvanse will taper off since it is extended release and the life is 14 hours for it. Otherwise, at least I will be at home if i have a seizure.

 

[paradise survivor]

Really! I do not know why I don't go on this site at least weekly...I have been suffering from extreme insomnia since I started Vimpat. I find it hard to go to sleep and really hard to stay asleep. I sleep with eye covering and earplugs and still wake up 2,3,4 times a night. 100mg of phenabarbitol only helps the going to sleep... needless to say I am **tch from hell durring the day, tired, depressed, depressed and tired. Oddly enough the Vimpat has given great control in spite of the crazy sleep schedule. Just a thought...I find that my depression is linked to a lack of dreaming, anyone else?

 

[Jeannie55]

I looked it up on my insurance web page. I am on 30mg Temazepam to help me sleep and sometimes depending on if I have a really bad headache I will also take 25mg of Alprazolam. I am such a wimp when it comes to drugs that the Temazepam knocks me out and if I take both forget it I am gone until the alarm goes off.
I do dream on one or both, but sometimes they are funky dreams. The one med I didnt dream on was Topomax, hated that med.

 

[paradise survivor]

DITTO on the Topomax!!!!!

 

[Crash]

Over here i used to get Zoplicone,which is pretty effective up to a point when you stop taking it you get what they call Rebound Insomania,so your back to the start.Mentaly weird dreams though.

 

[s10sleeper]

I can't stand taking the benzodiazepines, they never really help me sleep and leave me so groggy the next day. The first sleep med I was on was Restoril but it didn't work well. So far ambien has worked best, but I still wake up constantly during the night, the doctor says the ambien should last all night but to me it stops after a few hours. The only benzo I am on now is Lorazepam as a rescue med, and I avoid taking it at all costs, usually a bottle of 20 will last me about 6 months to a year.

 

[bazpa]

I cannot sleep either. This seemed to start 6 weeks ago when I started Topomax. I like it better than the 6 others I have tried, because I am not tired all the time, but really-I would like to sleep at night! I am turning into a huge crab all day-anybody who says the wrong thing might get their head bit off! I am not usually like this, but it seems to pop out of my mouth before I can stop myself, then I end up feeling bad. I swear since starting meds for seizures I have become A.D.D. ( I don't have the energy part!) The not being able to concentrate, and focus is driving me crazy! I hope you have better luck than I do, however you are a lot younger-try becoming this way at 47!!! My husband, and son have been a.d.h.d., since they were born. so they don't know any different. Yes they did have to learn to deal with it, but they both do very well, hold jobs, and have more energy than god! They have been trying to give me tips! I keep trying to explain that becoming this way in older age is a whole different think! Ya just gotta laugh!

 

[paradise survivor]

Don't worry you won't remember any of this...that is the Topamax effect:roflmao: You might want to get name tags for the childrenonder:

 

[bazpa]

Not sure I want to remember anything right now. I closed my business lasy week that I had owned for 16 years. The whole thing has been awful. Although I now realize I have had seizures every now and then since I was very young, for some reason they hit me like a bus around 4 years ago. It took over 3 yeaars and several doctors to finally figure out what was wrong. The whole time I was barely able to function, and just could not keep up anymore. This has been one of the hardest if not the hardest time of my life. Feels like I just lost every thing. Have cried or tried not too most of the last week.

 

[paradise survivor]

Do you have a pet? I find that my two dogs help me to get up and get out. I walk them with my cell phone, medic alert bracelet, and the leash looped onto a fanny pack and off I go. My hubby knows how long I should be gone and checks accordingly. Good days get longer walks--bad days mean pee faster! It gives me comfort to know that the dogs guard me if I do go down, they were both adopted from the humane society so loyalty is HUGE. They are very attentive when I do have seizures and will lay with me till I recover. It will not make all the emotional pain go away but it is a good band-aid, as it helps to put one foot in front of the other and move foward.

 

[s10sleeper]

That is how I get out the most too, I have 2 shih tzu and constantly take them out for walks. I usually don't go far, especially lately as the heat has been horrible. I has been averaging over 100 degrees for the past month. Anyways, it does help, they also lay in bed with me at night and that helps me relax until they hog the bed, you wouldn't think small dogs like that would, but they sure do.

 

[bazpa]

Those dogs do not think they are dogs! I had one-loved her to death, however, she would not drink out of the dog bowl. She went to the sink to let me know she needed fresh water! She chewed her food, talked back when she was in trouble, got even, hogged the bed, slept with her head on the pillow, and would not go to the bathroom if anybody was around! She had a huge attitude!! Sadly I lost her about a year and a half ago. That when I ended up with my peekapoo, which is the sweetest dog I have ever has, and taught me to sit, before I taught her! Before I knew these things were seizures-she did. She is now trained, and lets me drive. That is one wonderful thing that I do have. Winnie is the best.

 

[paradise survivor]

It has been said that you may not always get the dog you want, but you do get the dog you need. (I think that comes from Cesar Millan) I find it oddly true onder: ( of course I have very low standards...a cold nose, tail, and four legs and that 'take me home look', I melt like wet sugar)

 

[bazpa]

yeah, I think I could fall in love with just about anything in about 30 seconds!

 

[s10sleeper]

Yeah, my dogs quit drinking out of their dish, now they go jump in the bathtub and start barking. They refuse to drink water unless it is running from the faucet. One of them refuses to eat out of the dog dish too, the food either has to be on a plate or fed by hand, she is so spoiled. They are so adorable though, they run around playing all day nonstop until bedtime then curl up with me.

 

[bazpa]

They are the cutest little dogs-I have to admit! Makes me kind of sad. I miss Dolly dog. I knew I finally had to put her to sleep. I made the horrible mistake of bringing a cheeseburger home for them to share one night. Big mistake! They never forgot a fast food bag! They night before I took her I got her a whole cheeseburger of her own. That was a horrible night. They bring such happiness to your life, but it seems to go by so fast. In the end-they make me so happy that I try to remember that part. If you think about it-your dog never cares what you look like, what mood your in, they always forgive you, are always happy to see you, are always there for you, and never tell your secrets! That is unconditional love at its best.

 

[paradise survivor]

They also never 'talk back' or ask for money...That is not to say they won't cost you money...ah the price of love. (worth every penney):woot:

 

[s10sleeper]

They are, I think they were the best purchase I ever made, it is so nice to have them greeting me at the door after work and if I'm depressed all they want to do is hang out with me. They also tend to try to beat my alarm clock in the mornings waking me up.