Question:
I have had severe, chronic insomnia for 10 years. I suddenly lost my
ability to sleep/gain delta wave or rem sleep/gain significant amounts of
sleep suddenly, overnight 10 and 1/2 years ago. Never has my sleeping
returned to normal. I only get 100-200 minutes a night of extremely
fragmented level 1 and level 2 sleep. No REM sleep. The symptoms from
years of this are unspeakable. Benzodiazapenes do improve the sleep
somewhat but the fatigue is so overwhelming in the daytime it is a high
price to pay for getting a little refreshing sleep. I have been diagnosed
with OCD, anxiety disorder and I have a very addictive type of personality.
I am always tapping and touching things, the number 6 is very good, the
number 3 is not. I feel like a basket case. I would pay any price for
normal refreshing sleep. It is the foundation to work on all problems,
without it there is hardly anything. I have never believed the insomnia
could be related to the OCD simply because the insomnia started suddenly,
overnight and never returned to normal. Maybe I am wrong. Anyone have any
ideas for better sleep? 25% of my life has been taken by the insomnia so
far.
Answer:
ed, my insomnia has not been as severe as yours but do feel mine is
related to ocd
insomnia started when i was 10 yrs old .. ocd full-blown when i was 11 ..
started taking elavil in late 20's recently switched to desyrel .. desyrel
doesn't allow such solid sleep during the night & more problematically
causes fatigue during the day .. i'm lowering dose of lithobid to
counteract this
i wish you well in your sleep disorders endeavors .. if further research
is done relating ocd & sleep disorders i'd be happy to know about it or be
a part of it
I also have OCD and suffered from depression and insomnia. About two
months ago I underwent treatment with Luvox, and my OCD came under control,
AND I started into a normal sleep pattern.
I have OCD, depression, anxiety and insomnia... I can't sleep either. I
have tried many different things, and many drugs but nothing seemed to
help. I finially got some relief when I started taking most of my ocd
drugs during the day and by adding elavil, and Ambian. My sleep is
still disturbed and I have a hard time falling asleep but I do get about
four hours..smetime's five with this treatment.
