Tips for insomnia due to pain

[lizk]

Hi all,

For the past month I've had horrible middle of the night insomnia due to chronic pain. Mine is because of terrible yeast infections/vulvodynia. I've been taking Benadryl to help (thinking that the antihistamines would help), but my mind starts racing so badly when I get up to use the bathroom. I was up for at least 4 hours last night. I was wondering if people could share what helps them get to sleep while they are dealing with pain. I've been trying to deep breathe and work a gratitude list to calm me down. So far the anxiety of the pain is still winning. I've also tried melatonin and a regular sleeping pill but those haven't been successful either. Techniques, supplements, specific brands of sleeping pills--please let me know.

Thanks,

Liz

SSA positive and Raynaud's (200mg plaquenil 1 x day, evoxac 30 mg 3 x day, amlodipine 5 mg 1 x day)

[araminta]

This sounds horrible, you have my sympathy, pain is bad enough, but it's worse if it stops us sleeping.

Have you tried anaesthetic gels to help with the pain?   And are there no painkillers you could take?   I'm not clear why you think Benadryl will help with this, as I don't think you're dealing with an allergy.   (But of course I'm no expert).

I find a method called progressive muscle relaxation useful when I can't sleep.   You can google it, but basically it involves tensing and then relaxing different muscle groups.   You can start with your feet, try making them as tense as possible, notice how that feels, hold them like that for a count of (say) 6, then relax your feet,  count to 6, and notice how that feels.   You can repeat that a few times, then go up to leg muscles, all the way up your body.

I would also suggest you look into mindfulness as that can be extremely helpful with the anxiety.

[Joe S.]

When meditation will not work, try distraction. I accept that I am going to be up for while. I will turn on the TV and try to find a program to enjoy...laugh with. I will read as that often puts me to sleep. I have used lavender on blankets and pillows.

I try not to worry about getting enough sleep. When my mind calms down, I go back to my meditation since 15 min of meditation can be as effective as an hour of sleep.

Sometimes the weight of the blankets may help me sleep. I have two bath blankets. One will do most nights but two or three may be required to calm my muscles enough to sleep. Sometimes I put shoes on to stop foot spasms.

[quietdynamics]

I use Melantonin. Here is information on OTC sleep aids from Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/sleep-aids/art-20047860

[Nomad]

I've had good luck with sublingual melatonin. The regular melatonin did not do much for me.

Avoiding caffeine late afternoon is a little helpful as well. Epsome salt baths before bed too.

[bluegardenia]

if your problem is pain from vulvodynia i understand you, i had that for years till i found a really good doctor who is expert in this and cured me. i was desperate, not every gyne know the problem, so the cure is not easy  but you CAN be cured and pain will go away. in my case i made tens two times a week , for a couple or months,so i finished on buying the machine and if i do not feel well i do it  home by myself . usually now   two or three times in enough. and i put an oestrogen cream
everything can start from a candida but im convinced that you must have  quite an abnormal sensiotivity of nerves down there and everywhere else, to have that horrible pain. take lots of good probiotics, you can also put yoghurt in your vagina, obviously with no sugar or fruits... possibly the greek one or another good product. dont panic! this can go away even if now you are terrified that you will be stuck in that all your life long. look for a good gino, change yours if he does not help with specific cures, you cannot go random with that.
i could not  even wear panties... not walk, i thought i had cystitis all the time, horrible

[irish]

I am wondering if you could ask your doc for a script for gabapentin which decreases nerve pain. The vaginal issues of yeast and infection are miserable but with Sjogrens we ca have neuropathy in many areas that reason increases our pain issues.

Also, gabapentin causes some sedation so you might be able to settle down and sleep. Good luck Irish

[Carolina]

I also highly recommend trying Low Dose Naltrexone, taken at bedtime.

Regards, Elaine

[lizk]

Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for your suggestions. I'm so grateful.

Lidocaine has helped me out in the past. The version I was given this time simply hasn't done anything to relieve the pain. I've taken to using ice packs at night. I just got in touch with my doctor about gabapentin. I was on it for awhile way back when to help with this issue (which last nearly 2 years, though I didn't have the insomnia back then).

All of the suggestions for working the muscle groups, using distractions, getting up and watching TV are so helpful.

I'm only 36 so I don't think I can use anything hormonal at this point.

I'm going to look into the sleep aids that were mentioned and see what works best.

Thanks again to all of you for the kind words and support!

Liz

[bmonahan]

Medical Cannabis works very well for me.  I just started this three months ago.  I take the CBD "Cannabinoid" during the day as you get benefit ( reduced pain) during the day, and it's non-hallucinagenic.  At night right before bed a take a lozenge that has THC.  I used to take 2-3 hours to fall asleep and would wake up on the hour in pain.  I am actually sleeping through the night. I do still wake up in pain but at least it's not till 6am. Honestly, I was always against Medical Cannabis. I am glad I listened to my awesome doctor and took a leap of faith. It has improved my quality of life. Especially with sleep. I know not all states are in on this, but hopefully, they will be some day. 

[swf994]

1/3 Benadryl + 1/3 of an alcoholic drink works wonders for me. I would never need any more than that, and I could virtually go to sleep at will, at almost any time, and sleep 7-8 hours.

Then I learned about the link between anticholinergics like Benadryl (there are lists online) and Alzheimer's, and I now stay away from them like my life depends on it. Which I think it literally does. Then again, my allergist just waved off my concerns, "explaining" that antihistamines "have been around for 50 years," so if anyone knows any different, please bring it up.

I'm open to any such suggestions as well, since I otherwise wake up in the middle of the night and waste a couple hours trying to get back to sleep.

I never tried and don't have access to medical cannabis, but never got the public resistance to it. Nobody has a problem with legalized medical morphine either, so what's the big deal?

[warmwaters]

Here's my approach.

If I can't fall asleep within a half an hour, I get up and do something quiet, like read, play a simple game (like a crossword puzzle, not a stimulating action game), play some music quietly.  And hope I get sleepy. When I do, I go back to bed.

If I wake up in the night, pretty much the same.  I try not to worry about the not sleeping (note to self - this is not a failure!), and assume I may end up napping the next day. And I try to stop dwelling on the pain, and find something else to focus on.

However, getting treatment for the underlying pain is the best approach. If you aren't getting treatment to help, try to do so. Use whatever remedies you have available. For me, it's often heating pads. Obvious not for your situation.

[SjoGirl]

Are you taking something to clear the infection? Until it's gone it may only become worse.

Ditto gabapentin if you have nerve pain.