Overcoming Insomnia

[pbsing]

I have been suffering from Insomnia for the last 8 weeks odd. I was diagnosed with a slipped disc in my neck and much of the initial weeks of lack of sleep was linked to the physical pain and discomfort.

My neck is getting better and most of the muscle spasms are gone, however the sleep is still patchy. I end up falling asleep somewhere between 2.30 & 4 a.m and wake up by 8/9 a.m.

My doctor recently put me on Valdoxan, to try and restore my sleep pattern and after the first week of taking the medicine I started sleeping normal hours for about 11 days. 3 days ago my sleep was disrupted again. I know I am getting some sleep because I dont feel like I havent slept at all. But its patchy.

Its only been 3 weeks since I started this medication and my doctor had told me I would need to continue with it for 3 months, before my pattern would fully restore.

Wanted to check if anybody has been through a similar experience and does the lack of sleep eventually go away?

[pbsing]

Thanks for your response. The sleep is coming back on most night, but I have some nights with poor sleep.

Have you had patients with similar issues?

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

Sometimes certain changes from normal routine or physical health can disrupt the sleep schedules. This should normalize with time. Follow good sleep hygiene measures like going to bed at the same time, waking up at the same time, avoidance of alcohol, smoking and caffeinated beverages. Maintain warm, comfortable bedroom environment and engage in relaxing activities like a warm bath before bed time. This will help to restore normal sleep rhythm. Please consult your primary care physician if problem persists.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.

[InsomniaDoc]

Valdoxan is the brand name for Agomelatine which is a melatonin agonist (meaning it provides a similar function as melatonin).  Melatonin is a hormone naturally present in everyone's body that helps regulate when we go to sleep.  Melatonin is sometimes given to help insomnia (along with other melatonin agonists) but they generally only provide a relatively small benefit.  That said, they're probably pretty safe (though sometimes expensive).  Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia is the preferred treatment for insomnia and a Harvard study in 2004 demonstrated it's at least as effective, if not more so, than medications and doesn't suffer the side effects or long term expense of medications.