Can't sleep... clowns will eat me.

[jensequitur]

Sorry to keep complaining about stuff - this has been a hard couple of months!

My back has been really bothering me the last couple of nights, and I've been waking up around 2:00 am with serious back pain.  It's the kind of horrible back pain that doesn't go away, except with doses of muscle relaxer.  I tried every position I could think of last night, and nothing helped - pain radiating down into my butt and legs, pain at my hips going up into my waist... sheesh.  I don't think I went back to sleep this morning.

I know Quix talks about sleeping in her recliner.  Unfortunately that doesn't work for me.  I was going to ask you guys if there was anything you did that helped your sleep - if you use pillows or sleep in a recliner or what, because I'm out of ideas.  Maybe if I slept on the floor...

[jensequitur]

I took two Flexaril last night and slept like a baby!  No, a baby wakes up every four hours, crying and with a wet diaper.  So I guess I slept like a log.

[jensequitur]

Bob - that's not a bad idea.  I think I'll try that tonight.  

Dan - Oddly enough, one Flexaril is barely even a blip on my radar.  I think I'll start with one and work up!

Lulu - you know, I used to be the world's best sleeper.  If there was an award for sleeping, I would have several.  I have wondered if this is a bit of a flare, caused by the hospitalization.  But the reason why I didn't get my leg seen right away was because I was already having problems with stiffness and spasticity.  So maybe it's just the same stuff coming back.

[Lulu54]

Jens- how horrible.  I am rarely sleep deprived and I wish everyone else were the same.  Tossing and turning is one of the worst forms of torture to me.  

What are the chances that this is related to your hospitalization?  Whatever it is, I hope you feel better soon and get back to restful sleep.

be well, Lulu

[PastorDan]

Loretta used to share her Flexeril with me every once in a while.  She took two every night, but I couldn't handle even one; the residual sleepiness hung with me for at least 24 hours.  I've heard folks on here mention Baclofen, but I'm not familiar with it at all.  I'd also used her Vicodin and/or Tramadol on rare occassions.  I think it was Tramadol that allowed me to relax and pass a small kidney stone once, though a bigger one hit me a couple days later, requiring surgical intervention.  After she passed away, the coroner took all her old drugs, otherwise I might've been able to retire, considering the neighborhood we lived in at the time.

Get well soon.

[COBOB]

I take Flexeril every night before bed.  I try to get ahead of the night time muscle spasms.  It seems to work.  My Dr doesn't seem to think there is any problem with doing this since it is easier to prevent the spasm than break the cycle once it has started.  Maybe pre-medicating at bedtime would work for you too.

Bob

[jensequitur]

Hey, Dan!  I am affected negatively by heat, but the most difficult thing is getting in and out of the bath.  With my weak legs I've had to use a bathtub transfer bench to get safely in and out of the tub.  I can take a shower without much trouble, but a bath is out of the question.  

And it's crazy - I usually have no trouble getting to sleep, but the pain is a problem.  I took a Baclofen at 2:30, and after an hour and a half of tossing and turning, took a Flexaril as well.  That might have given me a couple of hours - I'm not sure.

[PastorDan]

I am seriously sorry you're having this trouble, jens.  Are you negatively affected by heat?  If not, a hot bath often helps relax muscles, in the back and legs especially.  I've seen some kinds of back braces that I think might help with some of the assorted back pains I've experienced, but I've been reluctant to experiment without consulting an M.D., and without having access to lots of cash.

We will pray for you to receive relief.

[PastorDan]

Drugs.

No, sleeping is rarely a problem for me.  Very rarely.  Back pain's not uncommon, though, but it's not intolerable at this point.

When I do have trouble sleeping, seriously, I count my blessings, give thanks for them, ask for help in getting to sleep, then go back to thinking about all the good things in my life, especially the people.

If you get really desperate, many of my recent sermons are available online.  They usually put me out right away!