Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


    
      
        Clusterheadaches.com Message Board
        (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
      

        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> Insomnia
        
(Message started by: kcopelin on Oct 8^th, 2006, 10:00am)

Title: Insomnia
Post by kcopelin on Oct 8^th, 2006, 10:00am

This is getting a bit weird. I take melatonin 9mg and benadryl 50mg each night before bed-they have worked like a charm for months to keep the night time hits at bay. BUT, for the past month or so I have had insomnia-goes like this-to bed at 9:00 (I have a 4th grader who likes me to read to him every night and be there when he falls asleep-I usually fall asleep too)-back up at 10:30, no headache just awake and usually sweaty and congested on cluster side-back to bed at 10:45 after going outside to "chill out"-awake again at 12:00-awake again at 1:30, awake again at 3:00 awake for the day at 4:30 or 5. This goes on 4-5 nights then I sleep through after the 12:00 wake up. Anyone else going through this?
This is also the same schedule my nightime hits had-except I never got a break. Could it be CH trying to break through?
Any input would really be appreciated, as I am tired of this.
PFDAN y'all,
kathy

Title: Re: Insomnia
Post by BarbaraD on Oct 8^th, 2006, 10:58am

Try 12mg of melatonin and take it a little later (after child falls asleep).

The "night sweats" are just a part of this demon.

I've been taking melatonin for a couple of years and it works great (MOST of the time). Occasionally I'll still have insominia, but most of the time the melatonin works.

You might also try 3 tylenol PMs. That's what I do when I get the insominia.

Hope this helps some.

Hugs BD

Title: Re: Insomnia
Post by kcopelin on Oct 8^th, 2006, 12:38pm

Thank you Barbara! Was gonna say it's nice to know I'm not the only one-but dang, that sounds bad. :-/
At any rate-sure beats the heck out of getting hit every night!
Just get "dysfunctional" after a couple of nights-as in putting phone in fridge, not being able to find stuff on the computer...NO it is not pre-senile dementia or Alzheimers...though I have noticed that "the older I get the more interesting my mind seems to be. I don't agree with it always but its more interesting." That was a quote from Pete Seeger (not Bob). Sure fits. ::)
PFDAN,
kathy

Title: Re: Insomnia
Post by BB on Oct 8^th, 2006, 4:12pm

Hi Kathy

Sorry to hear you are having problems sleeping at night.

Just wondering if it maybe rebound from benadryl. Too much antihistamine can do this sometimes.

May like to up the melatonin and stop the benadryl a few nights then try them together again to see?

Good luck and PF wishes to you.

Annette

Title: Re: Insomnia
Post by Charlotte on Oct 8^th, 2006, 6:34pm

You can say it , Kathy. It's nice to know we're not the only one.

love, Charlotte

Title: Re: Insomnia
Post by georgej on Oct 8^th, 2006, 8:54pm

I noticed that you're waking up every time approximately ninety minutes after you fall asleep--when REM kicks in. It may not be the headaches trying to break through, but instead, it could be that your mind and body "knows" that the REM stage is a trigger, and wakes you. I know that for some time when my cycle is finished, I still wake up briefly during most of my REM stages--even though there is no pain. I wake up, realize that I'm not hurting, and then fall back asleep. It seems to go away after a while.

Just a thought.

Best,

George

Title: Re: Insomnia
Post by pattik on Oct 8^th, 2006, 10:45pm

Kathy, I go through very similar cycles of insomnia. In fact they seem to be so cyclical in nature, that I have started tracking these periods much the same as a headache diary. I also have the one-sided stuffy nose and flushing along with these episodes, although I don't have as many per night as you do. I'm fairly convinced it's all connected to the hypothalamathingy issues. I take less Benedryl--25mg at bedtime (I'm really sensitive to the stuff, and a larger dose makes me too hungover). I'm also cutting back on the melatonin as long as I'm not having headaches. So you are definitely not alone with these issues.

Patti