sleep test

[debsy]

My husband wakes up every 2-3hrs. He had a sleep test done-in 8 hr test he got 341 minutes of sleep but had 59 awakenings. He does not have sleep apnea nor restless leg syndrome but has a problem with positioning during sleep. He never had a problem with sleeping until a car accident in which he now has problems with his neck, with 30 & 50% tears in his shoulders and a hip problem. The sleep test results say that he never gets into stage 3 or 4 sleep but our physician says all he needs is to stop sleeping on his back and to place a tennis ball to prevent him from this position. He says that the weight my husband has gained is causing his sleep problems, however, it is too painful for my husband to sleep on his side because of pain in his shoulders or his stomach because of his neck pain. He is also been taking Wellbutrin for 2 years now and really needs it for his depression. Any help or suggestion would be greatly appreciated because the lack of sleep is causing all kinds of momentary blackouts; slurred speech; memory problems; grouchiness and our doctor says the lack of sleep could result in a heart attack or stroke. Can you please help us?

[Enoch Choi, MD]

I agree with Danny444, ask your doctor for more help, or get a second opinion.  Momentary blackouts could be pretty dangerous and he could hurt himself!

Dr. Enoch Choi, MD
Palo Alto, CA

[DANNY444]

Hi, I have just been diagnosed with narcolespy. I have black outs, slurred speech, memory loss. I can't sleep more than half an hour before waking up as I go straight in to REM sleep then wake up. I feel most of the time in a trance like state and carry on on auto pilot which of course causes depression. I have had this for almost a year now and have just been diagnosed and now having further tests to make this diagnosis 100%.
I would push for more tests. They can detect it by taking fluid from the spine, all people with narcolespy have a missing chemical from the brain.
Hope you find out what is causing these symptoms soon. Takecare :-)

[Connie 1]

wow, that's terrible.  i've never heard of sleeplessness causing a heart attack or stroke, maybe he's talking about being tired?

has he seen a physiatrist?  physical medicine & rehabilitation doctors are helpful with these kinds of problems