INSOMNIA

Hi all, I've noticed over the course of the past week of doing TO that my insomnia worsened. I've had trouble with this since my son was in a bad car accident several years ago. (I saw him directly after the accident, on the ground, neck broken in four places...I need to add he has made an amazing recovery) At any rate, since then I've had insomnia. Did a lot of therapy work, etc. but still have trouble.  SO...... I noticed this past week that my sleep medication wasn't even working. I had a real rough couple of nights the past two nights. I finally did eat a slice of high fiber bread...thinking that it MIGHT be the no carbs issue, withdrawl from sugar, etc. but I was just guessing.  So, my guess was right...wanted to share the info with others that might have the same issues... I was just surfing the net about more information about insomnia and I found this: See below:

Foods high in carbohydrates for curing insomnia

Carbohydrates are also thought to boost the production of serotonin and melatonin. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends “a carbohydrate snack of cereal or crackers with milk before bed

That is interesting, maybe it would also help me with b.r. LOL... I know if i eat alot of bad carbs i get tiered and want to take a nao, i always thought it was a form of dumping or something.. I think you need to do what is right with your body and if some high fiber bread or cereal helps, then you should add it to your plan.. (sent you an email awhile ago) 

I  personally  have  had trouble with   insomnia  since  my   surgery  10/18/05 .  My   Dr finally  had  the  pharmacy   do  a  compound  medication and  I   can  now   sleep  6  hours  instead  of   2 1/2  at  a  time ...  So   you  might  ask  about  a  compound  mecication  so  your  body  can absorb  it ..  its  been  successful  for  me  ..  :-) Tami

I've often said I don't think I'm absorbing the meds. What is a compound medication. I'll call my doctor and ask him for it. He's really good at working with me regarding my struggle with lack of sleep. Thanks so much Tami for any information you can give me....

I too have been having terrible problems with insomnia.  I've always been a light sleeper, but now when I wake up, I can't go back to sleep.  To make things even worse, I'd snack in the middle of the night!  Carbs of course. I thought it was an age thing and got my GP to give me Ambien just recently.  It helped at first, got my first solid 6 hours in I don't know how long!  But now I wake up.  At least I fall back asleep fairly easily.  I try to only take the Ambien on weekends, don't want to get dependent. It never occured to me that this could be related to WLS.  So please share what a compound medication is. I started a modified TO yesterday. It's a struggle, but a necessary one. Michele

I believe that Ambien does increase your desire for carbs. I know of three people (friends and my mom) that have taken Ambien for quite awhile, linked it to their night eating, and switched meds. I am taking Lunesta right now. It works fairly well but leaves a metalic taste in your mouth...AND it's pricey! (fifty bucks a month)  I think in your case (and I'm just guessing here) it might be a combination of the Ambien and of course the carbs actually helping your body go to sleep. Figures, huh?~! When I was reading that high carbs at bedtime are ENCOURAGE for people with insomnia I groaned! So, that being said, we will wait to find out about the compound medication. I believe it might be meds in powdered form?? I'll do a little reseach in this myself and see.  Yes, the TO is hard. It really helped me to put myself back to the first month after surgery. Kind of pretending or at least reaching that level of acceptance that I had the first month out.  Good Luck Michele. We're all in this together.

Michele ....     All  of  the  sleep  meds  you  see  on   tv  do   not  disolve  in  20  minutes  so  there  for  people  that  have  these  surgeries  can  not   absorb  the  medicine  . And  in order  for  the  sleep   meds  like  Ambien  to  keep  us  a  sleep  after  about  3  or  4 hours there  needs  to  be  a  release  of  the  meds  again  .  So  I  have  been  to a  hematologist  and a  internal   medicine  dr  ad  with  there  input  my  Dr   put  me  on  a  tranquilizer  that  is   uses  any   times  for   sleep   when  used  in   the   right  dosage ...  There  are  many  that  they  can  compound   specially  just  for  you .  They  have  started  with Alprazolam with  me   I  started  out  taking  1/2 of  a  ML  and  I  can  go  up  to  a  full  ML  to  use  it  for  sleep .  Its   liquid  and they  flavored mine  grape and  I am  blessed to  have  it  I  have   gone  from  sleep   2 1/2 hours  and  last  night  I  sleep  7 .  I   did   wake  up   twice  but  I  rolled  over  and went  back  to  sleep first  time in  almost   2   years ..   Talk  to  you  Dr  I  no  others  that  have  had  surgery  that use   other  tranquilizers for   sleep  that  are   having  great  success ..  and no  more  side  affects  than  any  of  the  sleep  meds ..  I  personally   can  not  say  that  I  have  any  of  the  side  affects   so  far  I wake  up   rested  and  ready  to  live  live  to  the  fullest.... 

Thank you so much for this information! I kept asking and asking if it was possible that I wasn't able to absorb the meds and my GP and my Lupus Doc both seemed to think it was. My GP won't treat me for my insomnia anymore and says I have to go to a sleep clinic...which freaks me out. My GP doesn't really want to address the problem because he's real conservative with any sleep medications...REAL conservative. My Lupus Doc has me on the sleep meds and I am hoping he will be able to help me. Has anyone out there gone to a sleep clinic? I just don't think it's necessary for me to go through that....I KNOW what the problem is. Partly emotional, partly physical.... Any suggestions for how to go about seeking out my sleep meds???

My  Surgeon  told  me to  get  a internal  medicine  Dr  for  my  general   Dr  because  even the  common day   illnesses  we  need to make  sure  the meds  can  be  absorbed ... So  that  what  I  have done  and  its  working  for  me  ..  There are  several medicine that  can  be  compounded  for  sleep   aids  in  liquid   forms ...  There  is  a  issue  even  if its  emaotional  or  physical  ..  I know  well that if  we  dont  get   proper  rest  our  body  can  not  function properly ...   I   just  want  to  encourage  you seek  out  a Dr  that  wants  to  see that  you  are  taken  care  of  there  are  good  ones  out  there  ,...  :-) Tami

Thanks so much for all of your help regarding this issue. It's been a real bear for me since my surgery, my son's accident, etc......I just called my GP and talked to the nurse. SHE is really great about understanding my delimma. She said she was going to call around and also run all of this past my doc when he returns from vacation. I expressed to her that although my doc is doing a great job staying on top of my labs, and my issues with low iron, etc. it still is not addressing my problems with insomnia and depression. He has switched my medication (which I have to go get now) but I am wondering if that, too, is an issue of malabsorbtion.  I've got my anemia and hypoglyceima all figured out now and have a plan in place for treatment for those issues. NOW, if I can just get the insomnia and depression figured out I'll be all set!  I am still so glad I had this surgery. It's just a bit frustrating to know that there aren't a lot of docs out there that understand treatment of us post-ops.....it always makes me feel like one big science experiment! I had to push and push the low iron issue (I was down to 2 before they gave me an infusion, even though I told two docs that I needed one four months before they would do it!) and now feel the same way about the insomnia issue. It may be that I'm over sensitive but I feel like they think I am either a hypocondriac or a drug abuser when I complain that the sleep medications don't work for me. (sigh) Oh well, I will continue to seek out proper medical help just as I had to do for my low iron issues. Thanks again Tami! Laurie