Just want to sleep all the time!

[Shashi]

I can't seem to get enough sleep. Twice last week, I slept in until 10:30 a.m. (after going to bed at 2 a.m.), then went back to bed at 11:30 a.m. and slept until 4:30 p.m. And was very sleepy the rest of the evening.

Granted, I'm not on my usual work schedule where I usually teach at night. I'm having to wake up at 6:45 a.m. and go to bed at midnight, which is weird for me as I'm a night owl and normall stay up until the wee hours of the morning. I'm also working two 14-hour days on Wednesdays and Thursdays, which about wipes me out for the rest of the weekend.

But all I want to do is sleep, even when I get naps during the day! And when I do sleep, it seems like I dream the whole entire time. It's like going to a movie that lasts all night.

Even my ALA/ALC combo isn't helping with this, as it's not fatigue, just sleepiness. Does anyone else have this problem?

[mtnwillow]

My sleeping disorder seem to cycle between insomnia, can't go to sleep or stay asleep to what you describe as sleeping 12-16 hours per day. Once I averaged it out for a 7 day period I determined I was sleeping an average of 8 hrs/night. Now I try to not stress.
I no longer have a job or children. My husband says my only requirement is to care for myself so as to have some quality of life.
I sleep when sleepy and surf the net when I cannot. I wish I could read again, because I have received some awesome books just waiting for my eyes and cognition to corrolate.

[Toomnyhats]

Try bumping your ALA/ALC up to the study dosage. I have found I do much better at the higher dosage.

That may help until you get your body regulated to your new schedule.

[mjan]

Sorry to hear of that, but it sounds like your schedule is erractic too? 14 hour days? Going to sleep in middle of night?

Have you blood sugars checked several times. When it drops I become so sleepy I could just fall asleep while sitting along with my meds. What meds do you take that is sedating? (ex: gabapentin, baclofen)??

Are you eating well balanced meals? Protein and veggies?

You could be lacking key nutrients/minerals and your body is reacting to that deficiency.

Good luck figuring this out. How is your vision these days?

Jan

[Shashi]

Try bumping your ALA/ALC up to the study dosage. I have found I do much better at the higher dosage.

That may help until you get your body regulated to your new schedule.

I'm going to try that suggestion on the days I have to work from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and see if it helps any. I'm also going to increase my caffeine intake (I was out of Coke Zero for awhile) and see if that helps too.

Jan, since I got the new lens for my glasses, my vision is doing great. I can see distance really well (my right eye is corrected to 20/20 now) and the bifocals help me see books and my computer. The lenses are also anti-glare, so they cut out that problem too.

The only problem I have is that if I'm doing computer work for an extended period of time (which I'm always doing because I'm a teacher), my eyes go out of focus, so I have to put it down and focus on something in the distance for awhile. But otherwise, I'm happy with the outcome. I'll probably go ahead and get the cataract in my left eye removed in December, if it's "ripe". LOL!

[palmtree]

Since my dx I have been a sleeper too. It's exactly like what you describe: vivid technicolor dreams. I feel like there are changes going on in my brain related to the MS.

However, lately, I haven't been able to sleep as well. It's very temperature related. Cold weather=sleep. Hot weather=no sleep.

Being forced to switch from a night schedule to a day schedule makes everything worse.

I'm too new to have any answers. Just saying, "me too".

[Camsue]

Hi Shashi

I consider myself part vampire I stay up late and can sleep late in the am...when I felt I just couldn't keep my eyes open, all I wanted to do was sleep my Dr tested my thyroid, which turned out to be low (Yea, an answer!)

Taking thyroxin (low dose) has made such a difference, I still stay up late and get up later am, but I can stay awake during the day and function

[hunterd]

every time i quit moving/doing something, i can nod off!!! maybe because i`m in a wc and don`t have the same abilities (so less i can do being "vertically challenged"). it`s not the "normal" fatigue feeling either (IMO, untrained as it is).

[lynnepynne]

eeek!

(dont wanna be a bringer of bad news)
But when I get like that it's usually about 1-2 weeks before I get a big crappy flare.
I truly hope this isn't part of a flare prodrome for you.

BTW I also suffer lots from having to get up early, and needing time for myself/peace & quiet/interests at night. I cant follow my own natural time schedule so end up keeping hours which dont do me so much good. (a cycle early mornings, afternoon naps and short nights)

Hope your back to your comfort zone energy level soon!
Lynne