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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Deneb on November 26, 2011, at 1:39:21
I don't know if this has anything to do with stopping the 0.25 mg Risperdal, or if it has more to do with the fact that Tim Hortons now has espresso, but I'm having a hard time sleeping most days.
When I do sleep I wake up like every hour or couple of hours. Other times I just lie in bed tossing and turning.
This used to be a rare occurence for me.
I find I sleep better on the days I don't have to work the next day. Actually I usually oversleep by a lot. I still wake up every couple of hours, but I sleep for like 12 hours.
I don't drink coffee or espresso too close to bedtime. I usually drink it at around 4 pm.
Yesterday was going to be my second day without any sleep at all so I ended up taking 0.5 mg Risperdal even though I'm not supposed to. I was desperate though because I just got a new position at my work and yesterday was the first day of training and I needed to be well rested and alert.
I went to bed at 9 pm last night because I was really tired from not sleeping at all the night before, but I could not sleep. I ended up tossing and turning until about 1 am. That's when I resorted to the Risperdal.
Well, I must have fallen asleep pretty soon afterwards because I don't remember tossing and turning at all after that. I slept through the night without waking up.
What can I do to sleep again? I can't take the Risperdal even though it seems to help. Pdoc wants me off it.
I'll ask pdoc on Tues of course, but what can I do to sleep in the meantime? I think waking up every hour is taking it's toll on me.
I really don't want to give up my espresso drinks because I find I work better when I drink them. Would melatonin help?
Posted by Deneb on November 26, 2011, at 5:17:38
In reply to Insomnia and just weird sleep, posted by Deneb on November 26, 2011, at 1:39:21
Ugh, I give up on sleep tonight.
I've had zero caffeine since about 4 pm and yet I still can't sleep. I've been awake in bed tossing and turning for about 4 hours. It's now past 6 am and I'm not in the least bit tired.
Well at least I only work from 1 pm to 6 pm today. Hopefully I won't be too tired and hopefully I can sleep tomorrow!
Maybe this is a good thing though. I usually sleep too much.
Posted by Phillipa on November 26, 2011, at 9:53:26
In reply to Re: Insomnia and just weird sleep, posted by Deneb on November 26, 2011, at 5:17:38
Deneb I'd suspect the coffee, no longer taking resperidol, and anticipatory anxiety about the new position. Did the doc stop the resperidol as you had been it so long. I'm really impressed you seem to be doing well. Congrats on the new position also. Phillipa
Posted by jane d on November 26, 2011, at 20:36:25
In reply to Insomnia and just weird sleep, posted by Deneb on November 26, 2011, at 1:39:21
> I don't know if this has anything to do with stopping the 0.25 mg Risperdal, or if it has more to do with the fact that Tim Hortons now has espresso, but I'm having a hard time sleeping most days.
If you take a drug that's meant to keep you from sleeping (caffeine) it's not really that surprising that you don't sleep.
Don't get me wrong. Caffeine is probably my all time favorite drug but it is a drug like any other and it deserves to be treated with respect. Try cutting it off several hours earlier or switch to decaf. Though there is something very esthetically wrong with decaf expresso.
Posted by Deneb on November 27, 2011, at 1:56:45
In reply to Re: Insomnia and just weird sleep » Deneb, posted by Phillipa on November 26, 2011, at 9:53:26
Yeah, pdoc said I could stop it now.
I'm still not convinced that it's the caffeine, but I will try to go caffeine free these next 4 days to see what happens. I'm training for my new position on Thurs. so I'm going to drink caffeine in order to perform my best.
OK, so no caffeine Sun., Mon., Tues, and Weds.
Let's see if that makes a difference.
Posted by Phillipa on November 27, 2011, at 17:47:38
In reply to Re: Insomnia and just weird sleep, posted by Deneb on November 27, 2011, at 1:56:45
Good luck. So coffee gives energy to you and not anxiety? Phillipa
Posted by Deneb on November 28, 2011, at 3:38:37
In reply to Re: Insomnia and just weird sleep » Deneb, posted by Phillipa on November 27, 2011, at 17:47:38
> Good luck. So coffee gives energy to you and not anxiety? Phillipa
Yeah, for the most part. It can also give me papitations, but I know they're not harmful so I'm not scared of them. If they get bad I have propranolol.
Well today is my first full day without caffeine, let's see how I sleep.
Hmmm....but I slept until like 4 pm today (on and off) lol. My sleep was still very weird. I kept waking up.
Well usually I can still sleep more, but maybe it will be different without the Risperdal.
Posted by Phidippus on November 30, 2011, at 20:38:39
In reply to Insomnia and just weird sleep, posted by Deneb on November 26, 2011, at 1:39:21
I struggle with insomnia myself. Currently I take Rozerem to help me sleep. Rozerem is a melatonin synthesist, so it acts like Melatonin. Melatonin might work for you.
Here's a list of medications that might help you sleep:
Seroquel
Thorazine
Ambien
Lunesta
Gabitril
Oxazepam
Restoril
Cyproheptadine
Vistaril
ClonodineSome are better at putting you to sleep and others help you stay asleep. You may even have to take multiple medications to achieve the effect you seek.
Eric
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