not sleeping

[leigh222]

i work from 530 till 1am i have not slept in 2 days i am exhausted. i go to bed and i cannot sleep, i lay there for hours before i give up and get up to take care of my 5 year old son for the day. if i do manage to get to sleep i only sleep a few min at a time and then i am back up again.i also find that when i am laying down trying to sleep i find it harder to breathe, i feel like i have to work harder to get air, i am tired and i am losing weight i am cranky, i stopped driving because i cannot concentrate, work is getting tougher i am desperate. i have a prescribed sleeping pill which is not working i just wanted to know if anyone had any ideas

[Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD]

Hello.

You are depressed. The symptoms are suggestive.

But this depression is not the only cause for your problems. You are in a situation where you do not have control on your life. You can not have time for yourself, you can not relax enough. To add to that, you have a job, which is tough.

Think for a while. Is this the life you had imagined when you were a teenager ? Can you do something about it ?

Medicines are a short cut. And short cuts do not work for long. You will have to do a lot of thinking and take some decisions.

Counseling will surely help you clear some thoughts. But you must try and get yourself out of this. Physical ailments can be treated and forgotten. But the constant stress that you are under has to be removed.

Wish you good luck. Please do not hesitate to seek help from anyone you think could help you.

Regards

[leigh222]

also i have money worries like everyone else and health issues, not only the sleep issue i had a stroke when i was 19 i am now 23, i have an issue with my bladder i am going for day surgery and another day surgery on my cervix which i have been having problems with for a long time, abnormal cells, i just have alot going on with health problems and no sleep doesn't help,

[leigh222]

also i have money worries like everyone else and health issues, not only the sleep issue i had a stroke when i was 19 i am now 23, i have an issue with my bladder i am going for day surgery and another day surgery on my cervix which i have been having problems with for a long time, abnormal cells, i just have alot going on with health problems and no sleep doesn't help,

[Hope75]

I am not sleeping well either.  I have stress at work, with parents too.  I have always had problems sleeping.  Therapy helps, but as far as meds - I have tried several.  Those that worked:  Ambien - memory loss of 1/2 before bedtime though, Ativan - worked great for 1.5yrs, then developed tolerance, Valium - doesn't keep me sleepy long enough though, currently on Tranxene - it works, but I am starting to develop a tolerance to it as well - thus I am not falling asleep for hours.  I tried Lunesta and it didn't work whatsoever - but a friend swears it is the best thing since sliced bread to get him to sleep.  I wouldn't suffer long if I were you - try some counseling and a different med (in my opinion:)  Take care and hope you sleep!

[leigh222]

Well my home life is very alright,when i am at my parents is when i have problems, me and my father are constantly fighting over everything usually how to raise my son when i am there he is constantly telling me i am not a good mother, i should have kept my legs closed, i am fat, i wont amount to anything, i try and not let that bother me. work is basically i have people yelling at me all the time, i am an internet technician so anytime it doesnt work i take the heat for it. they yell scream, swear at me, that or they don't listen to me when i am trying to help and they they start yelling when the call is twice as long.i try my best when i come home from work to seperate myself from that, i light some candles, lay on my coach and relax..i usually work 530 till 1am every night now, i didnt before i use to work earlier shifts i recently switched. and i feel down, not so happy, my self esteem is down, i'm not eating as much, i dont feel like going anywhere anymore, and i am more emotional now, i dont know if thats depressed, i do feel that i am

[Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD]

Hello.

Looks like you are stressed at work and home. A stressful life leads to such problems. A simple sleeping pill will not help. The root of the sleep disturbance is something else. You have to identify the things ans situations that are bothering you presently.

Do you feel like sharing some more thoughts ? And do you feel you are depressed ?

Regards