Struggling to stay awake...

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Senjuro

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I've recently had my meds upped due to breakthrough seizures, and the dosage is making me sleep at random times during the day, throwing my sleep schedule out of whack.

What are all of your ways to stay awake when medicine exhausts you? I'm going to see my neurologist tomorrow, so I really, really hope he can suggest some helpful things for me.

I feel like I've tried everything... Energetic music, holding my breath to raise my heart rate, exercise, you name it. Energy drinks and caffeine have the opposite effect on me so those are out.

I can literally fall asleep sitting up straight, lights and tv on, brother making a racket playing games, whatever.

I don't want to be jumping around full of energy all the time, I just want to be back to a normal energy level where I can stay awake during the day, and sleep at night. Many thanks in advance!!
 
For the first time I was experiencing this after an increase in one of my medications. Like you I tried everything, including splashing cold water on my face and having as cool a shower as I could tolerate. Also like you, I could fall asleep at the drop of a hat. The odd time I could work through it but typically I would just have to let myself sleep. When I was worried I might sleep too long I would set my alarm but I would usually wake on my own after 30-60 min. Fortunately I timed my Summer holiday for this adjustment period. The last thing I wanted to do was spend my Summer sleeping, but at least there was no risk of falling asleep at work! It took 6 weeks to completely get through the sleepiness, but it was becoming more intermittent by about week 3. Good luck!!
 
I wish I could wake up to alarms, lol. I need someone to physically wake me up because even with an alarm right near my head it will 9 times out of 10 not wake me up. Or I'll be lucky enough to wake up, but I'll still be so exhausted that I literally just pass out again for several hours.

I guess I need to start working out a plan to get myself back on track, because I keep falling asleep around 7pm-9pm and waking up around 1am-4am then back to sleep around 8am from anywhere between 1-6 hours some times. I rarely get to bed at a good time and sleep all night which is seriously screwing with my sense of time. And not sleeping well has a bad influence on epilepsy as I'm sure you know. :(
I wonder what my neurologist will have to say...
 
Was your sleeping a lot better on the previous dose? If so, you could consider asking the neurologist if you could slow down the titration increases to give yourself more time to adapt to each increase. Or, maybe the dose increase is too much and stepping back on this one and adding in an additional antiseizure medication would be better for you. This was the case for me at one point, when I was having too many side effects with continued increases in one medication. I know many neurologists prefer monotherapy, but it isn't necessarily favorable for everyone.
 
Yes it was, I was able to stay awake all day and sleep all night, I'll have to google titration later lol. I discussed some options with my neurologist today, but he doesn't want to change anything, no swapping out any meds or lowering any dosages. :( I guess I can understand why, I'm in my current condition because last time my dosages were lowered or I was weaned off a med, I had a grand mal seizure just about every time it seems. I don't really know what else I can do besides deal with it.
 
I was using the term "titration" to mean how much of a dose increase you make, and how long you stay at each dose, until you achieve the goal dose. Clear as mud, right?! Let's say your doc tells you you should increase your medication by 500 mg, flat out. You might then want to ask about increasing it by 100 mg (for example) every few days to minimize side effects. I've always needed to slow down how quickly I increase a dose, and often I do it at half the pace of the so-called standard dose increase.

Any chance your workplace will give you some vacation time? Even if it is unpaid, you might find a couple of weeks of just doing what your body tells you to do (ie. sleep when you need to, when nothing else works to keep you awake) will help you get through this. I was honestly feeling like I would never adapt but amazingly I did. I hope this happens for you, too.
 
Ahh, I understand now! Lol, thank you for clarifying. :)

I actually don't work, I've been on SSI benefits for about 8 years if I recall... So, I guess in that regard I'm actually quite fortunate to not have to worry about that

I had actually come here to report I managed to stay up all day and sleep until 6am this morning. I feel like a million bucks lol. It has been since mid August that I've been nocturnal, sleeping all day and only staying awake for a small portion of the day.

I had no idea about titration... It will be another 3 months before I see my neurologist, it's very difficult to get appointments with him, I can almost always only see his... what is that called, not his assistant, but his nurse practitioner I guess?
 
Fortunately where I go there is no nurse practitioner, and I see the doctor. But, that still means a long wait to get seen. So glad you slept well last night! Maybe this is the first sign that you are beginning to adapt to the med increase; I hope so!
 
It usually takes me 2-4 weeks to get use to side effects, except for the drowsiness that can hit me with my Fycompa I don't have fatigue anymore.
If I"m just having side effects in the morning from med but not enough so can go back to sleep everytime I take my meds at 5:00am
 
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It has been since mid August that I've been nocturnal, sleeping all day and only staying awake for a small portion of the day.

I wanted to clear up the above, I usually repeat a cycle of sleep at 6pm, a couple hours more if I'm lucky, all the way to around 2-4am, then back to sleep again at around 6-7am til early to late afternoon and repeat. It all really depends on the day.

And holy crap, I never really plotted it out until now. I sleep a lot more than I thought!

Well luckily I've been quite alert since my last update! :)
 
Ahh, man... Things are so much better now!! I can stay awake all day and then some!
 
Very well, thanks! :) It had been so many weeks, I thought it would not change, so I guess I made this post too soon. Thank you all for your help!
 
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