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Avatar universal

Issues with weird sleep

Hey everybody.  I am having some trouble, and I wanted to know if anyone else does or did this?  

I am falling asleep around 11:00 pm after I take clonidine, but I don't take any OTC or prescription sleep meds.  Just the BP pill and some Cal/Mag supplement.  I have been waking up at like 3:20 every morning, wide awake.  Then I fall back to sleep around 5 and sleep till maybe 7.  The strange thing is that it's like my body is DONE sleeping a little after 3. Like I could get up and drive across country and not be the least bit sleepy!  I had to take some tylenol to get back to sleep this morning.  It's just crazy.  After 4 or so hours, could my body be feeling like that's all I need?  Maybe it is just early in all of this to be sleeping all night?  OR....is the clonidine putting me to sleep and then I am waking up, because my sleep cycle is not back to normal and the clonidine wears off??  

I just wonder if the clonidine is just doing more harm than good??  I want to take it so that I can at least fall asleep. I don't feel like I would even be able to do that without it.  Plus, my doc gave me plenty and told me to take it at night. BUT...if it's causing me to wake when it wears off, then I think I should taper off it.  I have another BP med that the same doctor gives me that he says I can change back to when the WD was over.  I wouldn't be doing anything without talking to the doctor, but I DO need SOME sleep, even if it is just 4 hours!!!

What do you guys think?  Anybody do that weird waking up thing, even if not taking meds?

26 Responses
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Avatar universal
Not sleeping is a terrible thing! I have also had problems with it forever. But when I was taking the norco it didn't freak me out as much. Even though I never took it in the evening because it would mess with my sleep, somehow I would just sort of lie there and sort of flow with it. Now I get totally anxious. It is getting a little better and there are some nights I sleep a consecutive 4 or 5 hours. But I hear ya on the fear of nightime!!
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Avatar universal
normal is only a setting on the dryer....LOL
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Avatar universal
I have been told that many times in my numerous attempts at inpatient rehab!  And it is so correct.  The other thing I have heard that is right on target...."If you abuse opiates, you WILL pay the piper!"  SO TRUE!!!

What you say does help, however I am not staying awake with worry.  That is what's nuts about it.  It's just like my brain says, "hey, you....I'm done sleeping!"
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Avatar universal
Ha Ha.....YES, you're in trouble.  You're kicked outta here!!!

So what do you get deleted for anyway?  

I know that the sleep thing is just going to take some time....but it does su*k...see if it gets me this time???  I think that is the hardest thing for me.  I used to be so addicted to ambien cause of some lifelong insomnia, so I can't even go to the doc and get a few sleeping pills without being scared to death of the outcome.  Those were the hardest pills to come off of that I have EVER been through!  Even the tram was easier!  And that's saying a lot.  I went about 2 or 3 months and didn't sleep more than 5 or 6 hours......TOTAL....not at one time!  I would go days and days without even going to sleep and when I did it was for 10 or 15 minutes and then back up for a few more days.  It was awful!   Talk about fear of nighttime...I had it bigtime!  So when people say you won't die from not sleeping, it's true, but nothing makes me madder than to hear someone tell me that when I haven't slept in a week!!!!!!!!!! : )
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1171817 tn?1281632180
I loved it when you said define normal !

YEA RIGHT!!!!   I have been saying that for years. There is no such thing.

On the sleep issue in 2001 I was told by my rehab doc that the sooner we stop all chemicals the sooner our brains natural pharmacy gets back online. Our brain is a very complex and sensitive piece of machinery. The medical field only knows about 10% or so of its functions.  When we tamper with it we do not know the full effects of our actions. I was begging my rehab dr ( just as am addict does) for something to make me sleep. My sleep (even when using)  was so messed up for years with anxiety, anger, fear (especially of not being able to sleep) and worries. What he told me made sense so I stopped all meds just to see what would happen and I prayed. Then I got a revelation. I will share it with you. The revelation came in a form of a question to myself. " is there anything I can do about what I am worried about right this moment" The answer was always no. I kept asking that question until I finally ease into sleep. It helped a lot.

I hope comes soon for you!

Dafish

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495284 tn?1333894042
COMMUNITY LEADER
No you arent in trouble!!!  We all get bleeped from time to time!!
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Avatar universal
Oh no, I got bleeped too...I wonder if it is my first time. Am I in trouble?
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Avatar universal
I think it is totally normal for where we both are in this process. I hate to tell you this, but even with ambien I can't sleep through the night yet. I was doing the same 3-5ish thing you are going through but this week it has been a 4:30 to 6ish. And it totally *****. I have to take deep breaths so I don't have a complete anxiety attack when I wake up. I'm not taking the clonodine anymore, but am still taking ambien (a SLEEPING pill!) and don't sleep more than 3 maybe 4 hours at a time. I'm sure your surgery is messing with your energy too. I know you don't want to hear this, but it is just gonna take more time Miss (In)Patience. :)
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495284 tn?1333894042
COMMUNITY LEADER
Give yourself some time to get your body back to normal.  If you just had surgery that is probably one of the reasons and if i am thinking the same thing as avis it would make sense.  Patience my dear patience!!!!       sara
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Avatar universal
Bleeped? Where?  Oh...did you write the "s" word ?            LOL

Wait til you get deleted for the first time...LOL
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Avatar universal
Ha....I just got bleeped for the first time!  I must be starting to fit in!
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Avatar universal
I am in NO way ready for a convent!!!  I'm way to mean for that!!! : )

I think you defined part of my problem.  I am a type A, perfectionist.  DUH, right?  Anyway, I want to feel good EVERY day. Good mood every day.  Smiles all around every day.  Etc, etc, etc.  It just doesn't work that way!!!  Sooner I face it....better off I'll be.  Had I never met pills, I would have been satisfied with a good day....whenever!  But I am finding that part of each day is starting to be good now.  Maybe not a whole day, but moments of happiness thrown in, if that makes sense?  Hey....at least all day, everyday no longer *****!

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Avatar universal
I cannot define normal...      But,here's a truth I've often had to remind myself :  I am not perfect,I am not super-human. Somedays I don't feel as perky as other days and that's how it is with life.  I don't believe we were meant to feel great every single day. Our own biological rhythms cannot support it..  It's peaks and valleys with everyone;good mood,bad mood.  And,I also think,those of us who have been addicted expect sooo much because we KNOW what feeling good all the time is. And THAT is NOT normal.

You'll get there and I'll get there. I'm not there yet but getting very close to a comfort level.   And,yes,15 yrs is a long time. For people like you and me, with a long history(mine is longer),we just really don't have a point of reference as to how we're supposed to feel at this time/age.   And so it goes...

Yes, I know where there's a PA meeting :  In a convent. Are you ready for that???  LOL

Vicki  xo
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Avatar universal
I KNOW....I KNOW......I KNOW!  : )

I have a patience issue.  Do you two think there is a PA meeting I could go to anywhere?  

All jokes aside.....I know the surgery is messing me up.  Ok, that said, anytime I have had WDs, I have had this "time" of sluggishness after I go through the acute, restless, nervous junk.  It's like I go from not being able to sit still to not being able to get up!  I guess I'm just looking for normal, but I forgot over the last 15 years or so what normal is!  Like.....can someone please define normal???  I don't know what it feels like exactly.  Normal for me before drugs IS NOT going to be normal for me now, 15 years later.  I do know that much!  

I'll get there eventually.  Maybe I need to start a Patience Anonymous!  I might really get on the map for that one!!!! : )  I know a few non-drug-addicts who might could use that!!!
Helpful - 0
199177 tn?1490498534
yes after sugery because of the trama it can mess with your sleep it happened to me when I had my hyterectomy
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Avatar universal
Also...Do I need to remind you that you just had surgery???    So,you're a little drowsy during the early afternoon??????     Hmmmm..Could it be you're forgetting that recovery time(for the surgery) is six weeks?????     Now,be a good girl and give yoursekf a break and stop expecting so much all at one time because that is not going to happen and you know it as sure as I have green eyes.  Whew!

Love~Vicki
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Avatar universal
Gosh, I feel like I have done everything short of taking a sleeping pill!!!  I took a long bath at almost 10 last night, trying to relax.  It's not really that I am not relaxed anyway.....it's just that I wake up at 3 and wouldn't go to sleep at all if I weren't taking clonidine! (good thing it's safe!)  I'm relaxed.....I'm just awake!  Strange, I know!  But I also know that it hasn't been that long since I stopped pills, so I am just going to try to have some patience.........UGGGGGHHHHHHHH!

This is the thing that usually sends me searching for the pills again!  I just can't wait to feel better and sleep normally!  Gets me every time!
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Avatar universal
I had horrible problems even with ambien. I am now getting to a place where sleep is coming back and becoming fun again. I talked to my doctor and we are on a plan. He is helping me with the depression and anxiety and made me use in the first place. Just the relief of all the anxiety and depression has helped me sleep. It is like I trust I will get a full night's sleep now. Sleep was so hard in the beginning. But, it gets better. You regain the way you used to sleep
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Avatar universal
Sleep is wierd for me also but my body will be completely awake and my mind will be soooo tired.  I am on day 7 and sleep has not got much better for me  in the past week but I feel it will get better.
Helpful - 0
699217 tn?1323438700
I felt sluggish too for a really long time.  I wasnt on tramadol this last time though, it just took a long time to get that energy naturally back.  Try not to sweat it, I know its easy for me to say, I go to sleep at 9 30 or 10 and wake at 5, and am good with that.  Vicki is right (yet again-shes is so knowlegable, love u vick ;) as we age, we require less sleep.  Our bodies just don't need as much as when we were even in our 30's....
And Gnarly is also right (he is alot too ;), if you take a hot bath for about 20 minutes before you go to bed, it relaxes every muscle and eases your mind too.  You will sleep better, I'll bet all my money on that!  Buy you some Calgon or something fragrant to put in there, thats a plus.  You know, they have all that aromatherapy stuff.   Matter of fact, there is a line of product called "Aromatherapy" and they have a bath wash that has lavender or something in it that is specifically for relaxation and sleep.  It works!  Ive bought it many times, alas, I only have a shower now.  I miss my Bathtub!!! :(    But try that or something similar.
Im hoping you get a good good nights sleep soon my friend :)
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199177 tn?1490498534
Tram send me a PM tell me what kind of sugery you just had ? if it what i think then I had the same problem ....
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Avatar universal
Hey thanks everybody!  I'm sure it's probably being caused by a number of things.  My main thing is that I don't feel like I require as much sleep as most people.  If I get 5 or 6 hours, I'm good!!  If I slept 8 hours (OR till Noon again, Vicki!!!) I would be MISERABLE!  I would hurt from head to toe.  I take the Prozac in the a.m. already.  I would not DARE try to take it at night.  Everything messes me up if I take it at night!! (I mean, it keeps me awake!)

I can get back to sleep...kinda.  But not for about 2 hours!  About the time everyone else in the house is about ready to get up I get sleepy....sometimes.  But sometimes I just wake at 3 and stay awake!  I just hope that taking the clonidine isn't "waking" me up after a few hours.  But hey, at least I am getting that much sleep!  Better than nothing and that's what I'd be getting if I didn't take it.  Hubby is ready for me to stop taking it, but I said no way!  

Here's the other weird thing.  It's just after noon here, and I feel soooooo sluggish.  Almost a sleepy feeling, but not.....make sense?  Just like I'm worn completely out!  I probably couldn't go to sleep if I tried, but I fight it and do not nap cause I would NEVER sleep at night if I took a nap!  It has happened for the last 4 days or so.  I just yawn and feel so sleepy all day.  I even drank a Red Bull yesterday afternoon!!!!

Suggestions??  I am taking every vitamin and amino known to man I think!!!
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Avatar universal
Hey~  It's most likely a combination of everything...Don't forget the Prozac has to enter into the mix.  A lot of folks wake up in the night...at least you can get back to sleep!

But,hey,I don't have the answer. I just think we change all the time as we get older.
Remember when we could sleep til noon???  Seems like a million years ago!
So, do you feel like you've gotten enough sleep?  Take the Prozac in the morning,if you're not already.
As for me,I get about 6 hrs a night. I'm usually up at 5am but I like the early am.
Vicki   xo
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Avatar universal
HI the sleep issue always seam to be the last thing to come back to normal it took months for me to not wake up wide awake at 3.30 in the morning ..my dr prescribed
tamasapan on a short term script....it had the same effect your getting it would put you to sleep but not keep you asleep ....count your blessings at lest your able to get back to sleep once I was up I would lay awake no mater how hard I tried to go back to sleep
also my sleep was very restless I never dreamed on methadone so when I came off it
and started to dream again it was in tec/na/color and really bizarre dreams of people form my past...if it dident interrupt my sleep it would have been entertaining .....ooo who am I kidding I still find it amusing...LOL...just know that things slowly get better with time ...I now get a solid 6 hr a night on a good night 7 hrs...and im 171 days clean but it took a good 90+ days to get to where im at....so hang in there use what your dr says to and try a good long hot bath right b/4 you try and go to sleep ...I found that that worked better then the pills to relax me and give me a good nights sleep ...ive been following your story since you started your doing great so far try not to get discouraged by the sleep thing....good luck and God bless....Gnarly      
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