Posted by Quintal on April 28, 2008, at 14:38:36
I've run out of zopiclone again and my insomnia has come back with a vengence. Last night it took four hours to fall asleep, and that was with 4mg Periactin, 6mg melatonin and a bunch of herbal sleeping tablets. I've always been a night owl, even as a kid I'd be awake until 11:00 or 12:00, and later, in adolesence I'd stay up until 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning. It's just a wonderful time to be awake. It feels cosy, like being wrapped up in a warm blanket. No interference from other people.
Doctors in general don't seem to accept that some people are nocturnal, although when I was in hospital one of the pdocs agreed that some people are. When I worked I always preferred night shift. Day shift was hell - almost the opposite of your typical 'normal' person. If I could work permanent nights I would. I've heard about 'delayed sleep phase syndrome', but I doubt most doctors here would recognize it as a genuine medical condition. I may try taking a copy of the wiki article in to my next pdoc appointment and see what he says.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed_sleep_phase_syndromeI have no trouble falling asleep during the day, or early morning, but at night my mind is active and my energy levels are at their highest. My mother always said 4:00Am is the body's lowest ebb, but I'm certain this isn't true for me. Morning is my lowest ebb. I'm about 4-6 hours behind the normal schedule. Zopiclone helps me fall asleep earlier, but my pdoc will only give me 14 a month. So far I've managed to get more by various means, but now I'm stuck. He doesn't appreciate how this affects my life. I can't just take it on alternate days because my sleep pattern goes out the window - I go back to sleeping at 4:00AM or later. At at my wits end trying to find a solution to this. It's the biggest factor affceting my quality of life right now.
Q
poster:Quintal
thread:826079
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080420/msgs/826079.html