I'll warn you now, this is moaning post. I am really pissed off with my condition. I HAVE been taking it more easily, listening to my body and it is still telling me to go stuff myself.
I have cut down my swimming to 3 days a week. I have cut the actual time spent swimming by half. Even that half time is not easy to do but not agony. More fatigue inducing.
I really don't think it's is the problem. It is not sleeping that is the problem. Obvious isn't it? I am having rough pain filled nights and am waking up every hour or so. I have to get up. I have to rearrange myself and usually end up sleeping sitting up. When I am asleep, I am dreaming, sometimes weird, sometimes, okay, sometimes nasty. Whatever, I am not getting deep sleep. So no wonder I am feeling so crap.
I am prone to forcing myself onward, trying to work though it but it is not working. I just seem to make matters worse. I knew when I got up this morning that I could do with staying in bed longer. Yet I had already had a day off, surely I didn't need two days off when I was doing so little? Yes was the answer to that and I found out once I had already f*cked up my day.
I don't know how to overcome this. I can't take pills for it cos I know that they lose their effectiveness. In the past, these periods of pain disturbed sleep have gone and I returned to normal. This spell has been going on nearly a year now and has got worse not better. I know I started to write about how I was having trouble doing my swimming about last November, maybe the month before.
200mg long acting Tramadol doesn't help. Morphine disturbs my sleep and gives me nightmares (common side effect). Besides, the problem seems to be more cramp in my ribcage and nothing seems to stop that happening. I might get it for many nights in row and then it stops. Other times I am not aware of pain at night but am still sleeping badly, waking every hour or so. I know I always wake to change position as I can't just roll over or whatever automatically. It takes effort.
The less I sleep the more difficult everything becomes and the more pain I am in, or maybe it just seems that way because I am exhausted and therefore do not tolerate the pain so easily.
It's a pity they have not come up with a drug that helps this that doesn't cause dependence or that one's body doesn't get used to.
Well, that is about it for now. At least writing this has shown me that my major problem is the lack of sleep and that is why I am having trouble doing everything else. Quite how I can overcome this, I don't know. Waiting for the change to come seems to be it but this has been a long time coming. In the past, it has lasted maybe a few weeks and then returned to normal. This hasn't changed for many months now.
I have cut down my swimming to 3 days a week. I have cut the actual time spent swimming by half. Even that half time is not easy to do but not agony. More fatigue inducing.
I really don't think it's is the problem. It is not sleeping that is the problem. Obvious isn't it? I am having rough pain filled nights and am waking up every hour or so. I have to get up. I have to rearrange myself and usually end up sleeping sitting up. When I am asleep, I am dreaming, sometimes weird, sometimes, okay, sometimes nasty. Whatever, I am not getting deep sleep. So no wonder I am feeling so crap.
I am prone to forcing myself onward, trying to work though it but it is not working. I just seem to make matters worse. I knew when I got up this morning that I could do with staying in bed longer. Yet I had already had a day off, surely I didn't need two days off when I was doing so little? Yes was the answer to that and I found out once I had already f*cked up my day.
I don't know how to overcome this. I can't take pills for it cos I know that they lose their effectiveness. In the past, these periods of pain disturbed sleep have gone and I returned to normal. This spell has been going on nearly a year now and has got worse not better. I know I started to write about how I was having trouble doing my swimming about last November, maybe the month before.
200mg long acting Tramadol doesn't help. Morphine disturbs my sleep and gives me nightmares (common side effect). Besides, the problem seems to be more cramp in my ribcage and nothing seems to stop that happening. I might get it for many nights in row and then it stops. Other times I am not aware of pain at night but am still sleeping badly, waking every hour or so. I know I always wake to change position as I can't just roll over or whatever automatically. It takes effort.
The less I sleep the more difficult everything becomes and the more pain I am in, or maybe it just seems that way because I am exhausted and therefore do not tolerate the pain so easily.
It's a pity they have not come up with a drug that helps this that doesn't cause dependence or that one's body doesn't get used to.
Well, that is about it for now. At least writing this has shown me that my major problem is the lack of sleep and that is why I am having trouble doing everything else. Quite how I can overcome this, I don't know. Waiting for the change to come seems to be it but this has been a long time coming. In the past, it has lasted maybe a few weeks and then returned to normal. This hasn't changed for many months now.
13 comments:
I like the new blog photo!
I have trouble sleeping, too, and I still can sleep all night if I take Alka Selzer. It know it's weird, but it works. The problem is, I have to take a double dose of it and I don't know if that is dangerous, or not, so I only do it a couple of times a week. There's aspirin in there and tummy stuff, so it may just be masking symptoms that keep me awake.
I hope you find something that works for you.
Oh Colin, I am so sorry to hear you aren't sleeping! I know from experience how much more difficult it seems to make everything. I can't imagine putting pain on top of that. I wish I could suggest something that would help, just so I would be some assistance.
I'll cross my fingers that you get a good night of sleep soon.
So sorry it is such al long time of being teased/tortured by the condition, Hope it is just a long lasting flare and there will be better times ahead.
Being in constant pain is nerve wrecking, do you have a pain specialist working with you?
Love the pink hat and tie!
I have the occasional aches and pains and when I have trouble sleeping I just take ibuprofen.
Also, I make sure I don't go to bed unless I'm falling asleep at whatever I'm doing (computer, knitting, etc).
If you can do self-hypnosis, sometimes that works also.
Hang in there, and please know that you have people thinking of you and sending prayers and good thoughts from all over the world.
Sleep deprivation does make everything worse! Maybe you could talk to your doctor about Ambien--it is not habit forming (I believe), puts you to sleep very easily and causes no drug hangover. We can't get it in the UAE, but I don't know about the UK.
The socks are beautiful. Your pattern essentially produces a garter rib, doesn't it?
Hi Colin, I am so sorry to hear all this. Since I am ill, I don't sleep as I used to and sometimes I take di-antalvic that is some opiacy. I know it's bad as I don't have any pain, but I would take anything just to sleep a few hours. I am thinking of you and wish you all the best. If I could do somathing for you, I would do it. But unfortunately it's impossible.....
Colin, have you tried a GoLITE? It is designed for diurnal disorders which affect sleep, mood, fatigue levels, etc. I have been using one for about 20 minutes (early evening) per day for about 6 months, and it has made an enormous difference. Even if it is a placebo, who cares???
For what it is worth, my husband has had prpoblems with his sleep patterns if he takes his Tramadol too late in the day (like after about 4:00 in the afternoon). It is hard for him to get by for the night on just Tylenol, but he does sleep SO much better. Just a thought, but maybe you could look at your schedule of when you take your Tramadol and adjust it so it isn't too close to bedtime? Hope this helps...
Forgot to say... "I LOVE the socks!!"
Have you tried Marijuana? It can be a life saver for those with medical issues like your self. Having no sleep can do wild things to your psyche, as I am sure you know.
Just a thought. I hope you get some sleep soon.
Nice socks, BTW!
Colin, I am so sorry that your condition is in a really bad state at present. Can't give your any comfort or help, I'm afraid, but just that we are all thinking positively to you. Love the socks, are you a centipede????? I've only got about 7 pairs, next winter I will do some more.
Colin, I am so sorry that your condition is in a really bad state at present. Can't give your any comfort or help, I'm afraid, but just that we are all thinking positively to you. Love the socks, are you a centipede????? I've only got about 7 pairs, next winter I will do some more.
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