I miss my dreams, too!

Hi

I wish for a good sleep without drugs, etc. I have used ear plugs for a number of years now (can’t sleep at all without them!). They do help block outside stimuli, but for me it is the “noise” in my body that causes the problem.

I have hyperalgesia in my back. I can’t put pressure, anything (even clothes sometimes) on it, without causing a burning sensation that can last up to 30 minutes. That, along with the numbness, tingling, pins and needles and electrical shocks in my feet , calves, arms and hands (altho, to be fair, can’t feel too much in my toes anymore!) – what I term “noise” definitely keeps me awake.

My drug regime helps tone it down enough for sleep. IVIg helps tone it down. The thing is, some nights are better than others, no matter what. I know that we all have difficulty sleeping from time to time, but not 3-4 nights out of 7. When I do go to sleep, I don’t dream anymore. I put it down to the meds.

You have to get something to help you sleep more consistently. It is imperative – no one can survive without rest. The docs will help you – using your journal will help for this, it gives them a sense of the issue. The sleep study sounds like it is interesting.

How many of you use the CPAP machine? It seems fairly common, certainly amongst people I know with lupus.

Debs