Sleep is a 5 letter word I can't get!

Hello Sisters...I'm new to this web site and first want to say thanks for existing! I am 5 weeks Post-Op from surgery and haven't slept a wink since then! All my buddies, have come by to say hello..starting with Somenx,Excedrin PM,Valeria Root, Melatonin,then calling my DR and getting 10 pills only(10 mgs each) of Ambien..which was the friend that did nothing for me...DR told me she never had anyone suffer from Insomia..which until I came to this web site made me feel insane...Not feeling Insane now after reading about others with the same problem...Just hoping maybe that someone has come up with something better for those who really really have insomia like there is no tomorrow! Which come to think of it today runs into tomorrow as that clock just ticks away hour after hour! Anyway..just wanted to vent I guess..lol I'm trying Tylenol PM tonight...Wish me luck...and if anyone has any new advice for the Insomnia wake me up from my 20 minutes sleep and let me in on the secret to sleeping better..Very lonely at night that's for sure! Thanks for listening...good health and happiness to all!
Jeanne

Well my insomnia dosen't seem quite as bad but my problem is actually GOING to sleep! My usual schedule (when I am working) is going to bed somewhere between 9 and 10pm with the alarm clock going off at 5 am. And now since my trip to the castle I am up until all hours of the morning! 130am last night. 100am the night before. That and the usual 5am bathroom call since I can't handle a full bladder quite yet. I am just not tired. My mom says it is because I am not working. My job is physically demanding and since I am not doing it I am not quite as tired as before. I sure dread the first few days (weeks?) after I return to work! I am really trying to get myself back on track but nothing is working. So, yes, if anybody has any secrets out there please pass them on! I am beginning to feel more like a vampire then a princess!
Much Love
Carrie

I too wont to know if there is a secert to going to sleep.Once I finally drift off I'm fine but I see 1am 2am 3am roll around more often than not.I had problems getting to sleep before the surgery but not like this.I was given Ambien by my doc to 3 pills were $7.49 with insurance at that price I thought "OH a good nights sleep awaits me"HA they caused insomna.At first after surgery the lack of sleep wasn't so bad because I would nap off and on all day but at 2 weeks post op {I'm 4 tomorrow}my hubby went back to work and I had to get up at 7:30 to get the kids ready for school and drive them then pick them up after so now the sleep is takeing it's tole on me.I've tried over the counter sleep aids with no luck even tried half a pain med and a sleeping pill no luck.Any advice for us sleep deprived??And does anyone know what the deal is with the sleep thing why are so many haveing this problem after surgery??

Ladies,

I too was having trouble sleeping. I would maybe sleep 1 to 2 hours and then be wide awake. I would read or watch tv for awhile then try to sleep. I hadn't had more than 5 hours sleep a night since surgery but I was also having hot flashes and night sweats. I called my Dr. He increased my Primarin to 1.25 and then told me to take Benadryl before I went to bed to help sleep. He said to take 25mg to 50mg. He said that the ingredient in TylenolPm was the same as Benadryl and not addicting. I tried it for the last 2 nights and it helped alot. I still got up to go to the bathroom the first night 3 times and only 1 time last night.

I used to be able to sleep standing up! I never had a problem sleeping, not after a few deaths, a divorce, and other trama, I was always able to shut the world out and sleep! That's what got me through it all! Now? I have not had a good nights sleep for 5 weeks, it is 5 weeks today, had my check up yesterday, Dr said all was well....yup...all but sleep. he said it would get better...yup, sure......I wake every hr on the hr, toss and turn etc....I need my SLEEP also! Aghhhhhhhhhhhh! Don;t know how I can be so tired all day and not sleep at night! I can fall asleep in the recliner or on the couch...but wake every hr....so ideas are sure welcome!
nan-c

i too had Insomnia after my hysterectomy, I think it was due to sleeping all day on the pain meds for three days after surgery.
My days and nights seemed to have gotten mixed up.
I took myself off pain meds and got ambien from doctor (10 pills) the first two pills didnt work after it saying" take it and lay down...works extremely fast" NOT !!! i talked my husbands ear off in a hyper state for two nights, then they started working better I averaged 4 hours a night. Now tylenol PM seems to be helping, that and the fact that I can lay on my stomach to get comfortable.
Good luck it took me three weeks to get my days and nights straight.
Carrie

I had insommnia for about 3 weeks post op. My husband and son got me tons of movies to watch while in bed. It helped alot.

I suppose not needing much energy laying around makes one sleep less?

Hi Jeanne,
Welcome to the site, and let me assure you-you are not alone!
Shortly after my TVH on 12-19-02-I started experiencing terrible
insomnia. I was off from work for 17 days,and thought I'd go
insane from lack of sleep! I'm a teacher- and on my daily 40 minute break, I'd go to my car,push the seat back,and try to cat-nap. Otherwise, I'd never make it through the day. My co-worker
and friend Audra who's been this route-suggested melatonin/
with a warm glass of milk mixed with honey. Ok- I tried this for 2
weeks-NOTHING! I've also tried Valerian root-NOTHING,benadryl
NOTHING-and Tylenol PM-NOTHING. By this time, I was getting
desperate, I literally was a zombie! I called my dear psychiatrist/
and she prescribed Ambien 5 mg. then upped it to 10 mg.Still
was not sleeping well. Finally,on my most recent visit to her on
4-10-03/I told her. I see her regularly anyway,because I suffer
from depression-and panic disorder,and am on meds for both.
She prescribed Restoril for me-30 mg./and while I don't sleep
like a baby-LOL/at least I am able to sleep 6-7 hours nightly.
Good luck to you Jeanne,and I hope the Ambien works for you.
Our systems are all different/and we all react differently.
I'm just sharing my experiences with you.

Tina

try bendadryl ,but please check with doctor first. this is what the active ingredient is in tylenol pm, and such. I take 3 benadryl and 10mg ambien, i have been sleeping like a baby for two weeks now, other than a day or two. I started a new job on the 2nd of april, and it requires me to get up at 5am. I had just gotten to sleep good about 4am when i had to set my new schedule. I am now drifting off about 9pm. give it some time, you will sleep.

11 weeks today, and feel good.

Hello Ladies..
Thanks for the feedback about insomnia..I'm just so happy to have talk to others that have it since their Hysterectomies. Considering my DR told me no one ever complained about Insomnia to her. Made me feel crazy!

I had tried the Excedin PM way back when I first couldn't sleep..and it did nothing..so I didn't try the Tylenol PM because I thought it would be pretty much the same thing..After moving on to all the other things I said I tried, I ended up buying and taking the Tylenol PM last night and actually slept 4 hours in a ROW. Whooohoooo! Even though it's not a full night's sleep, It felt wonderful to have slept a long time without the tossing and turning and frustration.

So I guess I want to tell everyone that you have to just keep trying different things..over the counter stuff or anything your DR will prescribe for you..Don't give up there is something out there to help you get some relief...you just gotta keep strong and keep trying different things. It might cost you a few $ but if it keeps you from losing your sanity its worth it! My real hope is that once I return to work everything will go back to normal.
Thanks for listening..and being there ladies! Jeanne