(no subject)

[catslash]

Insomnia continues. I'd guess I've had about ten hours sleep in the last three days, and for well over twenty-four hours now I've felt - I don't know how to describe it. Like I drank too much coffee, or like I'm a few minutes away from throwing up. That shivery ants-under-your-skin feeling. It just won't go away and it's keeping me awake more than anything else. I thought initially that it was caused by the NyQuil I took a couple nights ago, but surely that's long since out of my system.

I'm kinda freaked out by it at this point, though. I've never before had insomnia this bad, so I haven't got any prior experience. Is this feeling normal? Is something wrong? It's keeping me awake more than anything else at this point, and I just don't know what to do. I'm going to hit the student health center on campus tomorrow to see if they can help me out with anything. I don't know how much longer I can even function if I don't get some real sleep soon.

In the meantime, though, reassurances from insomniacs on the flist that I'm not dying or something would be much appreciated. I'm gonna go back to bed, but I expect I'll be checking my e-mail again before long.

Comments

[kleenexwoman.livejournal.com]

I'm not so much an insomniac as someone whose sleep schedule doesn't jibe with the world around her, but I can tell you that the jittery feeling and feeling like you're about to throw up is exactly par for the course if you've had that little sleep. And that the longer you go without sleep, the harder it is to actually get to sleep--a couple nights without eight solid hours will screw up your sleep rhythms something awful.

If you're getting a little bit of sleep, you're not going to die, I promise you. Drink lots of water, though. Your body is going a little out of homeostasis right now, and keeping yourself hydrated will help you feel less sick.

*hugs* Good luck.

[littlestclouds.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Could it be anxiety or something?

[badninja.livejournal.com]

I've had insomnia for years and hit sleep deprivation psychosis four times in my life, so I can give you pretty much expert advice. Is it the past three days or farther with insomnia? You're not dying. I once hit 120 hours of missed sleep and I didn't die, if that helps. But I can tell you when you need to worry or not, what to assess, ect.

[bjewelled.livejournal.com]

You're not dying, as other folks who also get insomnia are saying. You feel like absolute crap, but you're not dying. Eventually, you'll crash, and crash hard. Just let yourself sleep it off when you do, and don't worry too much about sleeping all day and missing stuff.

[xenutia1.livejournal.com]

I'm a regular insomnia sufferer, for numerous reasons but mostly the lupus and medications I'm on, and I honestly understand how AWFUL you must be feeling. **HUG** The nausea is the worst for me . . . and this total inability to focus on the things you need to focus on, even people speaking to you. In the end I got some temazapam from my doctor and that does work for a few months as a temporary measure, if you get too bad I'd recommend it just so your body can catch up. They're not addictive so you can stop anytime once you're back to normal.

But no, you're not dying, And it's common for the anxiety over the insomnia to actually perpetuate itself and stop you sleeping, which is why some sort of aid might help. If you can get a decent night's sleep even some of the time, it can lessen the feeling of impending doom as bedtime nears, and help you sleep more naturally again. And I know this is an old chestnut, but if you're lying there and know damn well you won't sleep for a while, it's better to get up and do something (I listen to audiobooks in bed, lol) until you are tired enough to pass out, rather than lying there worrying about it.

I'll get off the soapbox now. :) But from experience I just sympathise hugely with your problem, and I really hope it gets better for you soon. **HUG**