Chronic insomnia caused by nervous system damage

[brokenmommy10]

I have had insomnia for 7 weeks, I have had good sleep hygiene for 3 weeks now, I've tried a lot of natural sleep aids which I'm now dependent on and gained a tolerance of, I've been to the doctor 2 times and they just put me on anti-depressants and anti anxiety meds that I refuse to take because i know they are not going to for me and are not treating the root cause, not what i need, and they say go to sleep when you're tired, which isn't until 5am or so usually, I'm having nightmares about my health now for 7 weeks and my pain either keeps me awake or wakes me up in the middle of the night or if i awake in the middle of a cycle i have pain.

Does anyone have any suggestions how I can get to sleep and stay asleep for at least 8 hours? The max I have been able to get is 6 hours then I hit a brick wall and I wake up suddenly...is it bad if i only am able to get 6 hours of sleep? this is the normal for people with my same health conditions.

I have a chronic invisible illness that i acquired suddenly after taking the wrong dose of antibiotic(too much a day for too many days, 2 times over the rda for my weight/height) that mimics lou gehrig's disease, all the auto immune diseases, als, Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy, lyme disease...I'm having a wide array of nervous system damage symptoms that are effecting my whole body and i believe contributing to or what is causing my insomnia and anxiety entirely!

What can or should i do to sleep for at least 6 hours(not broken up), when the underlying cause of my insomnia and anxiety is nervous system damage?

i'm 26 and my height weight are: 5ft. 5in. 104lbs.

[seachangeau]

Some people just need less sleep but if your problem is primarily the pain of neuropathy yeah treat that! Your neuropathy symptoms sound horrible - why not also go look at the neuropathy forum. There are things you can do to support neuronal repair ( not just stopping the  antibiotic). Knowing the cause really helps of course! You don't mention the name of the antibiotic. So be more specific eg. Isoniazid will cause B6 depletion neuropathy. B6 depletion is also noted for causing insomnia and anxiety. Tesing for and replacing it is relatively easy although you must be careful not to get a TOXIC neuropathy from that.

Melatonin and light therapy work well for me when I don't feel tired but i know i should get to bed. Like now! Really shouldn't be staring at a computer monitor :)

[brokenmommy10]

I often get symptoms like my legs tingling(under the knee and the calf muscles, sometimes the thighs and sharp pain in my ankles), when i start exercising, and then when i get into strenuous exercise, and also when im in bed, kinda like rls. It also occurs if i get up from say a chair and just start running or when i have to sit or stand for more than 10 mins at a time, but in the day laying down i am fine. Other times it will be random, like when im walking, and also i get it in my forearm and elbow, like when im doing something active such as typing.

The tingling doesn't happen in the water, showering or swimming, or hot tub. And the pain sometimes subsides when i itch it, like it feels like an itch sometimes. The tingling lasts untill i walk for awhile and is relieved by laying down in the day and sometimes at night...nothing has relieved the sharp pain but that lasts usually no longer than 5 mins. at a time and sometimes happens randomly, mainly at night or when walking...

also have digestive symptoms, abdominal pains, gas, bloating, kinda similar to a parasite infection, green/pale stools...I get chills all the time, i also get cold sensations sometimes in my calf muscles...i have joint pain and popping(doesn't hurt)...random itching, decreased sweating in armpits...

I have am on the waiting list to see a neurologist. I feel totally awake when i wake up after 6 hours, but most of that is anxiety i think, but yea not tired at all when i wake up, have tones of energy...i usually eat breakfast and hit the pool...

[MMahon]

Anxiety and depression are disorders of the nervous system and CAN be the cause of the symptoms you describe.  I think you should listen to your doctors on this.  Your nervous system is ailing but perhaps not in the way that you think.  Taking the meds that were prescribed may very well relieve you of the problems you are having with insomnia, health anxiety, etc...  6 hours sleep per night isn't that bad if you feel refreshed and able to go about your day normally.  If you sleep but still feel like you haven't slept at all then that's different.
What makes you think your nervous system is damaged?  What is the pain you experience?
Have you been to a neurologist?  I have severe CIDP as well as anxiety and depression.
What you describe above sounds clearly like anxiety and depression.