2 months later

sleep specialist

by Tracey_E - 2016-12-09 09:17:27

I think I'd want to start with the sleep specialist. Insomnia is going to cause exhaustion so you need to get to the root of the insomnia. Pacer settings may be a factor, but they likely aren't keeping you up at night. 

Day night inversion

by Selwyn - 2016-12-09 13:08:12

The fact that you sleep all day makes it likely that you are not going to sleep at night. We were not made to sleep for 24 hours daily!

The fact that you sleep durig the day points the ability to sleep. It is therefore not likely to be a physical problem ( otherwise you would be awake during the day with symptoms).

What I would do...

You must  wean yourself off the day time sleep. Yes, initially it will cause tiredness. Do not put yourself in a cosy position where you can fall asleep ( if would be unusual for one to sleep eg. stood up, or doing a little exercise etc.)

Practice relaxation techniques. You need 3 things to sleep ( apart from cosy surroundings)

1. Physical relaxation of muscles

2. Diaphragmatic breathing

3. Mental relaxation ( make sure you think only of picturing yourself in relaxing situations).

If takes practice. If you do not get it right straight away, get up, have a walk about or a read or something, and then try again after 10 minutes or so. The worse thing is to let the frustration build up.

You will find on line instructions for diaphragmatic breathing- this is the change in breathing pattern we all experience just prior to getting a good night's sleep. 

Sweet dreams.

Selwyn

problems

by Cabg Patch - 2016-12-09 17:03:00

Wow, reading all of your problems over numerous posts reminds me of an old member, Alaskan Brat, who experienced many of the same problems as you. As I recall she had to fire so many doctors for incompetence they ran out of doctors available in her city. Wonder what ever happened to her?

No where to go

by Cajun Girl - 2016-12-09 21:53:37

i live in the greater New Orleans Area. Since Hurricane Katrina, most of the large hospitals closed and a lot of good doctors left.  As far as psychiatrist, I have fought with depression since the mid 70's.  My psychiatrist expired and I have been seen by a psychologist for years and maintained on Cymbalta 30mg.  In April this year I was very ill with an abdominal diagnosis and the bacteria crossed the blood brain barrier in the brain.  I was in a gerpsyche unit in the area and the doctor almost killed me with the regimen of Meds he put me on.  When I got out this psychiatrist was recommended to me by a friend who is a pediatric psychiatrist.  This lady saved my life.  She is private pay, not cheap, but worth every penny.  Most other psychiatrist around here are crazy!

I never even knew about EP doctors until I got on this website.... now I know.  I am going to have the cardiac test done and then go to another EP.

How do you get the facility that monitors your pacemaker sent to another one?

The not sleeping at night issue is what is killing me.  I failed to mention in the last post that 2 weeks ago I went to the ER where my PM was put in telling them how tired I was and could not keep going.  They ran basic labs, EKK, CXR, U/A and everything was normal so they sent me home.

The Parish ((County) that I live in has the highest suicide rate in Louisiana.  If you go to the ER and seem too emotional they will commit you to a psyche hospital in the blink of an eye.  I am too sick to be sent there and made sicker!

i need a quick fix and there doesn't seem to be one 😥

There is no...

by donr - 2016-12-11 10:06:17

..easy, fast solution to your problem!  Answer the following question & it well may be the answer to what ails you & where to go for the solution:  You said you are/were an RN.  Did you work rotating shifts or random shifts that included the night shift?  Also, I calculate your age as about 55-60.  Selwyn has you pegged, I think.  Violating Circadian rhythm is your problem.  It takes a long time to get there & a long time to get over it - like lotsa months to years.

Our MD Daughter spent 15 yrs as a\n ER "Rent-a-doc," doing only nights on a randon schedule.  Last year she decided that she had enough of the grind & quit that to open her own practice.  It's been over a year & she STILL cannot sleep right.  She spends a lot of nights not able to go to sleep till 2:30 or later & doesn't wake up to get to the office on time.   Unfortunately, she still does periodic ER night shifts to keep herself afloat till the practice becomes profitable.

I have been tellig her for years about her problem & what the solution is - just like Selwyn says, but she won't believe me.

She comes home from a solitary night shift & decides she needs a "Nap."  Then goes to sleep for 10 hours, wakes up cranky & irritable.  Your only solution is to "Force" the circadian rhythm by stayig AWAKE till it is dark again & Then going to sleep.  IT is tougfh, but it works.  AND, it takes a while to do.  You have shifted your sleep patterns & need to get them back into whack!

A suggestion:  trying to get a full 12 hr shift in sleep pattern is tough, but you can make it easier by shifting it slowly & in increments.  Make a decision that you are going to do it.  Enlist the aid of your husband - a critical part of the solution.  You know what time you want to go to sleep now - tomorrow, stay awake ONE extra hour, then go to bed.  This takes self-discipline to adhere to the schedule.  The day after that, stay awake another extra hour before going to bed.  Do that every day till you are on a normal human's sleep pattern of sleeping during the dark hours of the day/night periods.

Does it work?  YES.  I used that method to adapt a bunch of Boy Scouts to a time zone some eight hours different from where they lived before we went to the World Jamboree in 1975 in Norway.  We went into a Scout camp for a week before traveling to the event & by the time we left, all boys were sleeping in their new time zone.  We just happened to be in Japan, part of the US Far East Council.  We flew with the Japanese contingent out of Tokyo.  We flew the long way to Norway - Tokyo - Alaska - Oslo - but when we got there, my boys were up & operating, whereas the Japanese boys were functioning poorly & did so the entire period of the Jamboree.  At least as far as sleep patterns were concerned. Naturally, they had to stay awake one night to see what the "Midnight Sun" looked like. 

Donr

TY

by Cajun Girl - 2016-12-11 13:30:50

Thank you for your thoughts.  I use to work evening shift (3-11), but that was over 30 years ago.  I was still working prior to having my pacemaker implanted, but it was part-time, flexible times, from home.  I had to take a leave because of my excessive tiredness during the day, and inability to sleep at night.  I am 67 yo.

i have always been a night owl, have always loved to sleep, but could get up and function fine at any time I needed or wanted to.

I know my circadian rhythm is messed up bad.  There is no rhythm right now.  I need a few answers (which are coming very slowly) to have a clue.  #1 - I will get the test results back Tuesday to see if I have Adrenal Fatigue.  I have most of the symptoms, but pray I don't have that.  From what I read it is though to get through. #2 - on the 18th I will have a nuclear stress test and echo cardiogram to see if there is anything else wrong with my heart.  I personally think that should have been done before the pacemaker.  #3 - on the 21st I will see the EP.  I do not think the PM is programmed correctly and do not know his expertise.  As a back up I have an appointment with a new EP at a larger hospital on the 28th.  #4 - Depression is definitely playing a role now, but my psychiatrist will not change nothing until my cardiac status is cleared and scheduled my appointment in 2 months. #5 - my blood pressure drops significantly between lying and sitting and is extremely low when standing - all I am on is 1/2 tab diuretic a day. #6 - I am physically getting weak.

After all is said and done I am down for the count.  I was fairly healthy until the beginning of 2016 and it has been one major medical problem after the other.  I recoup from one and then something else happens.  I am worn out 😥