sleep

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

This may be an obvious question, but have you been to a sleep doctor?

[jane13 2,256]

I thought it was just me and just a few others.

I have dealt with this off/on for a while now (before WLS) but it seems to be a "norm" now to do what @@Dub did last night...fall asleep, wake up, get up because I cant fall back to sleep. I get the "restless" sleep if I do fall back asleep. I have to be at work early but I get sleepy earlier in the afternoon and fight to stay awake so I can sleep from roughly 8-9pm to 3:30ish. Neither melatonin or Zyquil kept me asleep.

[Kathy66 11]

Yes i have been to sleep doctor and had sleep study. Didn't really get any answers.

[Mistie 201]

A few years ago one doc prescribed Xanax for this type of disturbed sleep. She thought it would help because even if you wake, it will have you calmed enough you can go back to sleep. I have four sleep disorders lol. And yes, it has been much worse since surgery.

[Amelie2016 116]

Oh Mistie and everyone else here, I feel so bad for you!

I've tried all of them. Right now I have Dalmane 30mg. It's a very light touch but can keep you in a dream state longer, for me anyway. The only thing I ever loved that worked was Ambien (real name brand ambien, the kind that used to work). But that wears off it's efficacy within 3 weeks for me. So I have to rotate that in and out, and can not afford name brand ($400) anymore and the generics are a waste of zolpidem chalk.

I have sleep studies done regularly and a psychiatrist. But last night I slept like a rock. First week out of surgery. The night before I was sleeping like a rock... until my husband started his "fish out of water" flipping around. I really need my own bed!

PS Get to a psychiatrist for sleep issues. Primary Care Dr.s can't help. They can, but the are legally limited as to what they can do for you.

Edited February 9, 2016 by Amelie2016

[Melanie28 22]

I am 20 days pre op and talked to my doctor about it. He said it's very normal. He recommended Melatonin. He said its natural and helps your body regulate your sleep schedule. I took it last night and it sort of worked. Better than the night before! Another dr also recommended Benadryl

[ssflbelle 829]

I'm sleeping better than I have in 20 years. More exercise, not eating late at night = sleeping longer, deeper.

EDIT 24 HOURS LATER:

Just remembered this bit: My surgical team urged me pre-op to reduce / cut out caffeine so I wouldn't suffer post-op from recovery issues AND caffeine withdrawal. (The idea there is that our poor little traumatized tummies don't need any extra acid immediately post-op.)

Anyway, 10 days post-op my surgeon said I could have a cup of coffee again. And today, 18 months later, I very, very seldom have more than 8 ounces of coffee in a 24-hour period. Obviously I don't drink any more carbonated colas, so no caffeine coming in that way. Therefore, I'll hypothesize that drinking less caffeine than I used to drink also contributes to my better sleep.

Same exact thing here Ann. I am sleeping better than I ever had. My sleep years before surgery was so bad I was taking NyQuil every night to fall asleep. I would toss and turn all night long and could never get comfortable.

My surgeon during the 6 months supervised diet had me get off soda. coffee and tea, eat high Protein, low carb and exercising. Since my surgery 14 days ago I have gone to bed on my right side and slept straight through the night and was still on my right side in the morning. I never ever thought I would sleep straight through again. No need to drink coffee to wake me up any more. My Dr said I could have coffee again after 2 months but I don't even miss it and I doubt that I will need it. again.

[FocusOnMeNow 599]

Um, I slept a LOT for the first two weeks, and then not so much for the next 8 or so weeks. Now I am nearly back to normal at almost 6 months. But hello, there is a simple reason we are not sleeping as well as before....we are no longer inducing the carbohydrate comas. Like a junkie who doesn't get their fix, we are no longer numbing out with carbs. This is generally a good thing because we have more energy, but for others a pretty dramatic shift. I could not have caffeine for 8 weeks per my doctor and honestly in week 9, I could barely tolerate tea much less coffee. I've been doing coffee since about 4 months, and once I start having coffee in the mornings and getting revved up then, it does "enhance" how tired I am at night and I sleep way better at night now. I always have always will be somewhat of a night owl, but once I lay my head down....well I could actually oversleep now without an alarm. The first 8 weeks or so no alarm was necessary and I usually woke up an hour or more early without it.

[MojoCAMI 75]

ohh wow I thought I was the only one, I plan on talking to my doctor at my next visit in a few weeks. My issue is that I go to sleep normal usual time and have zero issues falling to sleep, but like clock work I wake up before my alarm which is nice but 1-2hrs earlier so 4:30am or 5:30am and I can't get back to sleep.

I have stopped laying in bed awake, I now get up and read or walk on treadmill or get some cleaning done.. the good thing I guess is that I am no longer rushing to get out the door for work, Now i will admit this is not a 7day a week occurance but it does happen more than 4 out of 7 days in a given week.

[unclebigbad 4]

Me too. I feel like I look really bad?

hey Kathy. I saw your post and I am reading through but I was wondering if you have been checked for sleep apnea? I sleep so amazingly better after I got cpap machine it is a night and day difference. I hope you figure it out quickly!

[Kathy66 11]

Yes i was tested for sleep apnea and i was told i didnt have it. The only was i can sleep through the night is with Ambien but i never feel rested.

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

Yes i was tested for sleep apnea and i was told i didnt have it. The only was i can sleep through the night is with Ambien but i never feel rested.

Sleep apnea isn't the only thing that can cause sleep issues. I hope you are able to figure this out or find something that helps.

[unclebigbad 4]

Yes i was tested for sleep apnea and i was told i didnt have it. The only was i can sleep through the night is with Ambien but i never feel rested.

How about a more natural way of getting to sleep. Like many melatonin if you need to take something or maybe just working out really hard? I'm sure you've tried all this I just wondering why is left for you to try.