What about sleep?

I was on sleeping pills for a long time. One thing you could do is take your Neurontin/Lyrica right before bed since a known side effect is tiredness and see if that helps. I take a shower, take my Lyrica and then lie down and read, I usually fall asleep pretty quickly then. I hope that helps.

Jerimy

Hi Cheryl,

Like Jeremy, I take a shower, take Lyrica and of course, put on my socks, watch tv to relax and finally fall asleep.

There are times that the pain/discomfort does get unbearable and I lose a nites sleep 😡 but, I think that kind of goes along with CIDP.

As Jeremy said, hope this helps a bit.

Blessings,
Barbara

Has anyone tried a memory form bed? I keep thinking that may help but they are expensive.

Pam K.

Hi Cheryl,

For pain during the day I take neurontin – and this is usually enough for getting through the night too. However for those occasions when I am in too much pain to sleep I have a prescription for Pamelor (Nortriptylin generic). Wowser- those little pills make me groggy the whole next day so I only take them when I am on the verge of tears.

If it is “just” the “fidgets” (what an ineffective word to describe the tossing, turning, kicking, irritation) then I sometimes just get up and wait for exhaustion regardless of what time the clock says it is. I’d rather be reading than flipping around in bed. Other times rubbing my feet with emu oil is just soothing enough to tip me over into sleep.

I am a nutritional supplement believer so I also take an extra Essential Fatty Acid (fish oil) pill and more antioxidants on the bad nights.

I would like to hear from folks about the best mattress. I would love to know that I could look forward to falling asleep every night without more drugs.

Flossie

I started with GBS in March 2004. I spent one month in intensive care and one month in rehab. At both hospitals they had me on an inflatable mattress that went on over the hospital bed. When I came home I had a hard time sleeping on a regular bed. In September of 04 I started sleeping in ouir living room on a recliner. Last week I got an inflatable mattress like I had in the hospital. I cost about $200.00 (used) on ebay. I am able to sleep in a bed for about 2 hours right now. I still log in some time on the recliner.

John

Live for today, look foward for tomorrow

My husband bought a memory foam bed for me because I was having such a hard time sleeping when I first came home from the hospital in November. The mattress has made a huge difference in making my body feel relaxed and I do get a good nites sleep for the most part. I do still have nites here and there that I have a hard time. I feel that the mattress does allow me to rest a lot better.

Blessings,
Barbara

Hi,

Is any one type of memory foam bed better than the other. I have been looking at them and wonder if anyone has an option. Are the Tempur-pedic the best?

Pam K.

Hi Cheryl…
I can appreciate the problem with sleeping… I slept in a recliner for about a week… We were going to a family reunion out of state and my husband and I looked at the pictures of the rental (6 bedrooms) to see if there was a recliner… We could not see anything and I really worried about how/where I would sleep… My husband thought of an airmattess and we took one of the twin ones I had (Coleman’s that we bought for guests until our house is completed) and I was amazed… It felt like I was sleeping on a cloud… When I would get tired during the day I would sneak back to the bedroom and would be “out” in a few minutes… When we returned home we put the queen size Coleman on our bed and pushed the regular mattess into the living room against a wall… I slept on it for about two months before I could tolerate the regular mattress… Now I just do the shower/ reading routine that Jerimy suggested and I have no trouble at all falling asleep…

When we finish the addtions we will get a new mattess, etc for our bedroom set… I am interested in comments about the foam mattresses too… **S**
Good luck…
Aimee

i have been sleeping on a serta foam mattress for about 3 yrs now. it is much like the temprapedic mattress. however, it was 2k for a king size. once i get to sleep, i usually sleep well. it is the getting asleep that is so difficult. my legs kick and squirm so much while trying to get relaxed. i have tried requip for restless leg syndrome as well as klonopin with little relief. i spent a period of time taking ambien, but i would usually find myself awake with the munchies and doing stupid things around the house or making phone calls with out remembering. so ambien is not good for my well being.
currently i try to relax with music and take melatonin and neurontin at night.
–flower

I do have a suggestion for restless legs. From Dr. Gott in the newspaper and many of his readers. Put a bar of soap under your sheet. Do not use Dial or Dove. He has no idea why this works, but it does for restless legs. It won’t cost you anything to try it, you’ve got fresh soap in the house anyway. Pain is another story, I guess it would depend upon how severe it is. Hope this helps someone.
Mary Ann