Aa
New Diagnosis?
My roommate noticed I was awake when she left for work this morning, so she came in and told me that she thought that all of my problems are from chronic sleep deprivation because my cat wakes me up during the night.
I mentioned my neurological symptoms, and she said "well, I don't know what the body does when it is chronically sleep deprived".
So, there you have it, folks, I have tremors of the head, hands, and trunk, and sometimes voice, bladder issues, parasthesias including buzzing/tingling and pain, bladder issues including spasms, urgency, frequency, small leakage, stop and start flow of urine, dizziness, lack of balance, decrease in fine motor skills during a flare, also muscles fatigue easily with use, including slicing tomatoes (also during flare), blurred vision, posterior vitreous detachment, eye & mouth dryness, and extreme fatigue, heat and cold intolerance, and all of that is because Fluffy wakes me up in the middle of the night, 2 - several times a night, depending on how he feels.
Shall we call it Catification? Fluffy-induced brain lesions, with bonus neurological symptoms?
Granted, Fluffy has for years wanted me to wake up at least once in the night to watch him eat. I would stumble out, then go back to sleep. In the last couple years, as his hyperthyroidism and inflammatory bowel disease became an issue, he has been waking me more often, but I can usually get right back to sleep.
Only since I woke up with tremors, dizziness and lack of balance in February have these symptoms became a regular occurence and I had two brain MRIs that showed multiple small lesions "most likely to be multiple sclerosis".
When I spent 8 days in Palm Springs, I slept well for a couple nights, then would wake up to go to the bathroom several times a night, or have trouble sleeping because of pain or tremors or other weird sensations.
When I've gone on my other trips, and slept Fluffy free, my fatigue, dizziness, and lack of balance, tremors, etc. did not go away.
You might be able to tell I'm a little frustrated by this new "diagnosis"; I couldn't go back to sleep because of it( I needed maybe one more hour of sleep). I have been dealing with all that I have, as well as Fluffy's health issues, and now I'm told by my closest friend that Fluffy is the cause of my problems. He may aggravate things, but I doubt he caused my brain lesions!
Still, I will ask what others think; can chronic sleep deprivation cause MS-like symptoms? Quix? Anyone?
Kathy
I mentioned my neurological symptoms, and she said "well, I don't know what the body does when it is chronically sleep deprived".
So, there you have it, folks, I have tremors of the head, hands, and trunk, and sometimes voice, bladder issues, parasthesias including buzzing/tingling and pain, bladder issues including spasms, urgency, frequency, small leakage, stop and start flow of urine, dizziness, lack of balance, decrease in fine motor skills during a flare, also muscles fatigue easily with use, including slicing tomatoes (also during flare), blurred vision, posterior vitreous detachment, eye & mouth dryness, and extreme fatigue, heat and cold intolerance, and all of that is because Fluffy wakes me up in the middle of the night, 2 - several times a night, depending on how he feels.
Shall we call it Catification? Fluffy-induced brain lesions, with bonus neurological symptoms?
Granted, Fluffy has for years wanted me to wake up at least once in the night to watch him eat. I would stumble out, then go back to sleep. In the last couple years, as his hyperthyroidism and inflammatory bowel disease became an issue, he has been waking me more often, but I can usually get right back to sleep.
Only since I woke up with tremors, dizziness and lack of balance in February have these symptoms became a regular occurence and I had two brain MRIs that showed multiple small lesions "most likely to be multiple sclerosis".
When I spent 8 days in Palm Springs, I slept well for a couple nights, then would wake up to go to the bathroom several times a night, or have trouble sleeping because of pain or tremors or other weird sensations.
When I've gone on my other trips, and slept Fluffy free, my fatigue, dizziness, and lack of balance, tremors, etc. did not go away.
You might be able to tell I'm a little frustrated by this new "diagnosis"; I couldn't go back to sleep because of it( I needed maybe one more hour of sleep). I have been dealing with all that I have, as well as Fluffy's health issues, and now I'm told by my closest friend that Fluffy is the cause of my problems. He may aggravate things, but I doubt he caused my brain lesions!
Still, I will ask what others think; can chronic sleep deprivation cause MS-like symptoms? Quix? Anyone?
Kathy
No problem; I'm still working on matching screen names with person names, and I've been here since February.
A 27 pound cat! And I thought Fluffy was a tub-o-lard at 17 pounds! What a zoo you had at your house. It must have been hard to go to work with such an active night.
I told my roommate about the funny names we all came up with for illness caused by things that keep us awake, and she laughed. I think she still thinks we're all as ill as we are because we have animals that wake us up! Actually, it doesn't help, having broken sleep, but it doesn't cause the illness.
Kathy
A 27 pound cat! And I thought Fluffy was a tub-o-lard at 17 pounds! What a zoo you had at your house. It must have been hard to go to work with such an active night.
I told my roommate about the funny names we all came up with for illness caused by things that keep us awake, and she laughed. I think she still thinks we're all as ill as we are because we have animals that wake us up! Actually, it doesn't help, having broken sleep, but it doesn't cause the illness.
Kathy
Sorry about calling you Lulu. Now I'm trying to think back over the day to remember if I wrote anything else to you and called you Lulu also. I sure hope not, but if I did I'm sorry about those also.
Dennis
Dennis
Lulu,
I sure can understand your lack of sleep due to Fluffy! When I was still married (and the start of the symptoms) we had 3 cats, a gerbil, a dog, several white mice, and the catch of the day from my daughter. The oldest cat weighed 27 lbs. and almost every night around 2AM he would climb up on my bed and lay down across my throat. Do you think he was trying to do me in? :) The middle cat would climb on the bed around 3AM (I had just gotten back to sleep) and start to need my chest. What a rude awakening! Then around 4AM the youngest would wake me up by meowing to go out through the sliding glass door of the bedroom. Of course I had to get up a 5AM in order to get to work by 8AM.
Dennis
I sure can understand your lack of sleep due to Fluffy! When I was still married (and the start of the symptoms) we had 3 cats, a gerbil, a dog, several white mice, and the catch of the day from my daughter. The oldest cat weighed 27 lbs. and almost every night around 2AM he would climb up on my bed and lay down across my throat. Do you think he was trying to do me in? :) The middle cat would climb on the bed around 3AM (I had just gotten back to sleep) and start to need my chest. What a rude awakening! Then around 4AM the youngest would wake me up by meowing to go out through the sliding glass door of the bedroom. Of course I had to get up a 5AM in order to get to work by 8AM.
Dennis
How very sad for your puddie cat! Poor, poor Fluffy, I'm sure he doesn't know that he is the culprit for all your medical problems. Hey, ask your neuro if he thinks poor Fluffy is the possible diagnosis. I bet a new disease will be named after Mr. Fluffy. We'll call it Multiple Flufferosis.
OK, I'm going off the deep end. You both take care and thanks for the smile :)
Julie
OK, I'm going off the deep end. You both take care and thanks for the smile :)
Julie
Good lord... a three-legged cat with IBS and thyroid problems? No wonder you can't sleep at night!
If I would not be discovered, I could become a serial killer of leaf blowers....but, I just lie there sputtering...being. Pending a CATastrophe, I'll be good.
I have five cats who all want favors of various kinds during the night. I awaken about once on hour. Then they all fall asleep after dawn and I sleep until 1pm after the Catamonium has ceased.
I have five cats who all want favors of various kinds during the night. I awaken about once on hour. Then they all fall asleep after dawn and I sleep until 1pm after the Catamonium has ceased.
syndismilez; I love your list of illnesses!
How about EarlyamLeafBlowerosis
Truckerjakebrakeitis (for those living near a curve in the freeway)
Heck, you're more creative than me!
Opera, how can your neurologists decide this without a CAT SCAN?
How about EarlyamLeafBlowerosis
Truckerjakebrakeitis (for those living near a curve in the freeway)
Heck, you're more creative than me!
Opera, how can your neurologists decide this without a CAT SCAN?
I ran your theory by my battery of crack neurologists...
They CATegorically denied this as an explanation!
Opera
They CATegorically denied this as an explanation!
Opera
how about ....
Kidnoiseitis/ same as sleepoveritis
Snoringhubbyacidosis
Anxietyucleosis/worry syndrome
Noisyneighbor syndrome
If cronic loss of sleep causes MS symptoms, I think the whole
World would be in the doctors office!!!
Tee hee
Kidnoiseitis/ same as sleepoveritis
Snoringhubbyacidosis
Anxietyucleosis/worry syndrome
Noisyneighbor syndrome
If cronic loss of sleep causes MS symptoms, I think the whole
World would be in the doctors office!!!
Tee hee
Thanks, I'll try to laugh more each day; I hear it's good for catification and dogification as well as for the soul!
Ha ha ho ho tee hee, giggle, chortle, :o)!!!!
Kathy
Ha ha ho ho tee hee, giggle, chortle, :o)!!!!
Kathy
Thanks, wonderful women, you've made me feel better!
I've tried putting Fluffy in another room; he gets so frantic that his inflammatory bowel disease flares up and diarrhea and a white three-legged cat are not a good combination. I've tried giving him medicine to calm him, but it upset his stomach so much that he threw up until he couldn't any more, just some foam with blood in it.
I've bought the Feliway infuser, the cat pheromones that are supposed to calm cats. It seems to help a little, but only part of the time.
He's been my baby for 14 years, and I can't bear the thought of trying to find a rescue group to adopt him, although I know I'd feel somewhat better if my sleep quality was better.
Doni, if the neighbors take a picture of you in the yard, will you post it? Tee hee! My vet says that 4 am is the normal time for cats to wake their people. Yawn!
Ess, thanks for your kindness and suggestions. I may try giving him the pills to make him relax a couple times a week, and see if his stomach can tolerate it.
I have Restless Leg Syndrome, so I know about chronic sleep issues; Fluffy is a small part. I also have chronic pain, frequent urination, and so on. Luckily Lyrica mostly takes care of the RLS.
I'll have to think of a calm way to approach this with my roommate. I know she was trying to help, and hoping that I don't have MS or Sjogren's or anything that can't be easily taken away. It was just upsetting when I was tired and upset with my neuro.
I spent part of last night composing a letter to take to my MS specialist today, dealing with the fact that her chart notes from my previous visit are totally different from the experience I posted about here. I posted the letter as well as my Journal Entry (edited post) in my journals, if you have the time or energy or interest to read them.
Comments would be appreciated!
Must take shower now, will be back shortly.
Kathy
I've tried putting Fluffy in another room; he gets so frantic that his inflammatory bowel disease flares up and diarrhea and a white three-legged cat are not a good combination. I've tried giving him medicine to calm him, but it upset his stomach so much that he threw up until he couldn't any more, just some foam with blood in it.
I've bought the Feliway infuser, the cat pheromones that are supposed to calm cats. It seems to help a little, but only part of the time.
He's been my baby for 14 years, and I can't bear the thought of trying to find a rescue group to adopt him, although I know I'd feel somewhat better if my sleep quality was better.
Doni, if the neighbors take a picture of you in the yard, will you post it? Tee hee! My vet says that 4 am is the normal time for cats to wake their people. Yawn!
Ess, thanks for your kindness and suggestions. I may try giving him the pills to make him relax a couple times a week, and see if his stomach can tolerate it.
I have Restless Leg Syndrome, so I know about chronic sleep issues; Fluffy is a small part. I also have chronic pain, frequent urination, and so on. Luckily Lyrica mostly takes care of the RLS.
I'll have to think of a calm way to approach this with my roommate. I know she was trying to help, and hoping that I don't have MS or Sjogren's or anything that can't be easily taken away. It was just upsetting when I was tired and upset with my neuro.
I spent part of last night composing a letter to take to my MS specialist today, dealing with the fact that her chart notes from my previous visit are totally different from the experience I posted about here. I posted the letter as well as my Journal Entry (edited post) in my journals, if you have the time or energy or interest to read them.
Comments would be appreciated!
Must take shower now, will be back shortly.
Kathy
Well I think that just answers all of our questions. If you have Catification, I have Dogification. I had to get up four times last night because of doggy. I am sure glad I don't have to worry anymore.
Just kidding, if that were the case I would have had Dogification years ago, brain lesions and all.
Keep laughing it is good for the soul, Terry
Just kidding, if that were the case I would have had Dogification years ago, brain lesions and all.
Keep laughing it is good for the soul, Terry
Hi Kathy,
Well, if that be the case then I suffer from SadieSclerosis. My bloodhound usually thinks it's time to go potty about 2 to 3 am most mornings. My hubby sleeps like the dead, so I get to get up and stumble through the dark house and dark yard....yippee!!!!
One of these mornings hubby is going to wake up and not be able to find me cause, "I've fallen and I can't get up". I can just see me sitting on my big fat bottom in the middle of the yard. OMG, what will the neighbors say....hahaha
My opinion agrees with ess's, NO.
I could have written your list of symptoms, been having them for years. I have always been an insomiac since my teenage years. Just had Sadie since Nov 06 so can't blame it on her.......heeheehee
You keep hanging in there until you get that dx, sweet lady. I've been praying that it will be soon for you.
Hugs,
doni
Well, if that be the case then I suffer from SadieSclerosis. My bloodhound usually thinks it's time to go potty about 2 to 3 am most mornings. My hubby sleeps like the dead, so I get to get up and stumble through the dark house and dark yard....yippee!!!!
One of these mornings hubby is going to wake up and not be able to find me cause, "I've fallen and I can't get up". I can just see me sitting on my big fat bottom in the middle of the yard. OMG, what will the neighbors say....hahaha
My opinion agrees with ess's, NO.
I could have written your list of symptoms, been having them for years. I have always been an insomiac since my teenage years. Just had Sadie since Nov 06 so can't blame it on her.......heeheehee
You keep hanging in there until you get that dx, sweet lady. I've been praying that it will be soon for you.
Hugs,
doni
Short answer: No. In my opinion, that is.
I have suffered from chronic insomnia for many years, though I'm somewhat better in the last few months. In its worst form it can cause confusion to a sort of delirium and even hallucinations, but I doubt if you could reach that stage based on the sleep you've described.
If your sleep were ideal your symptoms might be less magnified, and you'd feel generally better all over, but I strongly doubt that they'd go away. Your friend is trying to be helpful, but it seems almost universal that those who have never experienced what we know only too well will fail to understand. They will reach for ordinary solutions because that's all they understand. Lucky them.
Can you put Fluffy in another room to sleep? Perhaps you could set your alarm to wake up once to check on him. Your health is important.
You should understand, though, that if you are chronically sleep-deprived, a couple of good nights' sleep will not do the trick. It can take weeks to recover. So you can't judge by a night here or there away from Fluffy.
Please experiment a bit to make your sleep better, and don't let your friend's comments get you down. She just doesn't understand.
ess
I have suffered from chronic insomnia for many years, though I'm somewhat better in the last few months. In its worst form it can cause confusion to a sort of delirium and even hallucinations, but I doubt if you could reach that stage based on the sleep you've described.
If your sleep were ideal your symptoms might be less magnified, and you'd feel generally better all over, but I strongly doubt that they'd go away. Your friend is trying to be helpful, but it seems almost universal that those who have never experienced what we know only too well will fail to understand. They will reach for ordinary solutions because that's all they understand. Lucky them.
Can you put Fluffy in another room to sleep? Perhaps you could set your alarm to wake up once to check on him. Your health is important.
You should understand, though, that if you are chronically sleep-deprived, a couple of good nights' sleep will not do the trick. It can take weeks to recover. So you can't judge by a night here or there away from Fluffy.
Please experiment a bit to make your sleep better, and don't let your friend's comments get you down. She just doesn't understand.
ess
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