5 strange sleeping disorders

[Tippiechick]

Both me and my cousin are insomniacs. We are just alike. She and I are rarely able to fall asleep on our own. We used to think we were just night owls. But, then we noticed in college that both of us were able to stay up all night and then the next day. We'd still have trouble falling asleep the next night. Both of us have trouble being places on time in the morning, because we are exhausted. But, we can very rarely get to sleep naturally.

Believe it or not, both of us are REALLY bad about sleepwalking, sleep eating, etc. When I played basketball, I would act out the game in my sleep. When I was 3, my parents had to install keyed deadbolts on all of the exterior doors. I used to actually run out of our house screaming bloody murder because someone was chasing me in my dreams. They literally had to lock me in the house to keep me from getting out of the house.

It's kind of scary. Lunesta is the only sleeping medicine I can take. Ambien doesn't knock me out enough. I only end up 1/2 asleep. I ACTUALLY RETURNED A NEW CELL PHONE BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT HAD BEEN USED! There were text messages to people I didn't know. Turns out, I HAD WRITTEN them in my sleep!

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by ThetaPrincess24

i'm not sure I fully buy into the whole sexsomnia thing........I think some of it may be legitmate but other parts I can see being used to let sex offenders get away with their crimes.

I took a Sexuality class as a psych elective and we talked about this, but it was just called "sleep sex." Sexsomnia was a nickname for it. I don't remember very well, though, it could've been the other way around.

I used to have sleep paralysis (quite possibly one of the scariesst things in the world) and a bad hypnic jerk (where you spasm as you're falling asleep or just after you fall asleep). That still happens sometimes if I'm really tired, which is often a I've had insomnia since high school. That's what pisses me off so much about this whole "Restless Legs" crap--most people just have a hypnic jerk, but don't know that such a thing exists. Of course a doctor won't recommend it, there's no expensive medicine for a hypnic jerk.

ETA: I don't mean to offend anyone who thinks they have RLS, but I'd look further into.

[AlethiaSi]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

I took a Sexuality class as a psych elective and we talked about this, but it was just called "sleep sex." Sexsomnia was a nickname for it. I don't remember very well, though, it could've been the other way around.

I used to have sleep paralysis (quite possibly one of the scariesst things in the world) and a bad hypnic jerk (where you spasm as you're falling asleep or just after you fall asleep). That still happens sometimes if I'm really tired, which is often a I've had insomnia since high school. That's what pisses me off so much about this whole "Restless Legs" crap--most people just have a hypnic jerk, but don't know that such a thing exists. Of course a doctor won't recommend it, there's no expensive medicine for a hypnic jerk.

ETA: I don't mean to offend anyone who thinks they have RLS, but I'd look further into.

the hypnotic jerk thing definitely happens to me when i'm really tired, I also get RLS "like" symptoms when i'm exhausted or falling asleep, even at work, its very very uncomfortable, but I don't think i'll get treated for it...
I already have enough meds in my body that I'd rather not have.

[lovelyivy84]

my ex did that- as he fell asleep he would start spasming- not wildly, just small motions. I didn't know there was a name for it!

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by lovelyivy84

my ex did that- as he fell asleep he would start spasming- not wildly, just small motions. I didn't know there was a name for it!

I first noticed it when I was little. I had just seen "Leprechaun" and was falling asleep with my hands under my pillow when they jerked really hard. I woke up screaming that there was an invisible leprechaun under my pillow trying to eat my thumbs....

What a little education will do for you.

[ThetaPrincess24]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

I used to have sleep paralysis (quite possibly one of the scariesst things in the world) and a bad hypnic jerk (where you spasm as you're falling asleep or just after you fall asleep). That still happens sometimes if I'm really tired, which is often a I've had insomnia since high school. That's what pisses me off so much about this whole "Restless Legs" crap--most people just have a hypnic jerk, but don't know that such a thing exists. Of course a doctor won't recommend it, there's no expensive medicine for a hypnic jerk.

I didnt know hypnic jerk is what that was. I also thought that happened to everyone now and then. I do have insomnia too and have since I was a little girl. It came and went through the years but then re-emerged itself full force when I started nursing school.

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by ThetaPrincess24

I didnt know hypnic jerk is what that was. I also thought that happened to everyone now and then.

That's definitely possible. Just because it's a disorder doesn't mean everybody can't have it.

[mulattogyrl]

Originally Posted by Tippiechick

It's kind of scary. Lunesta is the only sleeping medicine I can take. Ambien doesn't knock me out enough. I only end up 1/2 asleep. I ACTUALLY RETURNED A NEW CELL PHONE BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT HAD BEEN USED! There were text messages to people I didn't know. Turns out, I HAD WRITTEN them in my sleep!

THAT is really freaky! Wow.

Originally Posted by christiangirl

I used to have sleep paralysis (quite possibly one of the scariesst things in the world) and a bad hypnic jerk (where you spasm as you're falling asleep or just after you fall asleep). That still happens sometimes if I'm really tired, which is often a I've had insomnia since high school. That's what pisses me off so much about this whole "Restless Legs" crap--most people just have a hypnic jerk, but don't know that such a thing exists. Of course a doctor won't recommend it, there's no expensive medicine for a hypnic jerk.

ETA: I don't mean to offend anyone who thinks they have RLS, but I'd look further into.

I didn't know there was a name for the hypnic jerk thing. I just thought that happened to people when they are really exhausted. Unfortunately, that happens to me quite often. . I've suffered from insomnia and sleep paralysis too. I agree christiangirl, waking up and not being able to move is quite scary.

[lovelyivy84]

I'm an insomniac. I reaaally don't want to use sleeping pills but it's getting to the point that I feel that I have to- I can't sleep at night! I am always exhausted!

[ThetaPrincess24]

Originally Posted by lovelyivy84

I'm an insomniac. I reaaally don't want to use sleeping pills but it's getting to the point that I feel that I have to- I can't sleep at night! I am always exhausted!

Ambien-CR has been a Godsend for me.......and my husband because when i sleep soundly that means he will sleep soundly because i will not be hitting him all night to get him to turn over to stop his freight train snoring or tossing and turning constantly............or be waking up every hour or two hours and being in a really bad mood in the morning.

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by Tippiechick

It's kind of scary. Lunesta is the only sleeping medicine I can take. Ambien doesn't knock me out enough. I only end up 1/2 asleep. I ACTUALLY RETURNED A NEW CELL PHONE BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT HAD BEEN USED! There were text messages to people I didn't know. Turns out, I HAD WRITTEN them in my sleep!

I could write a book about things that people on Ambien have done. One man urinated into his grandson's crib (yes, with baby in it) because he thought he was at a baseball game; another went skinny-dipping in the high rise pool; dog walking; gardens dug - the list goes on & on. What's really sad is how many times a client of mine has been told they have dementia because of it, and yet, the minute Ambien is out of the picture, they're fine.

I wouldn't touch it with the proverbial ten-foot pole!

[ThetaPrincess24]

Originally Posted by honeychile

I could write a book about things that people on Ambien have done. One man urinated into his grandson's crib (yes, with baby in it) because he thought he was at a baseball game; another went skinny-dipping in the high rise pool; dog walking; gardens dug - the list goes on & on. What's really sad is how many times a client of mine has been told they have dementia because of it, and yet, the minute Ambien is out of the picture, they're fine.

I wouldn't touch it with the proverbial ten-foot pole!

I think Ambien is like most other drugs. It is not and will not work for everyone. Different treatments must often times be tried before the right one is found.

However I find it really sad that the medical establishment (I see this in my practice too) would automatically label someone as having dementia without checking side effects and/or adjusting medications first

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by ThetaPrincess24

I think Ambien is like most other drugs. It is not and will not work for everyone. Different treatments must often times be tried before the right one is found.

However I find it really sad that the medical establishment (I see this in my practice too) would automatically label someone as having dementia without checking side effects and/or adjusting medications first

That's one of the major down-sides of working in geriatrics. Too many people are ready to dismiss an elderly person as having senile dementia or Alzheimer's instead of really checking out the brain patterns etc.

I do think that Ambien-CR has addressed a lot of the problems found in the original formula. Although the anctedote about the grandfather was someone in his Fifties!!

Has anyone seen that commercial for Cialis (sp?) - with possible side effects including "gambling"? That always cracks me up!

[ThetaPrincess24]

Originally Posted by honeychile

That's one of the major down-sides of working in geriatrics. Too many people are ready to dismiss an elderly person as having senile dementia or Alzheimer's instead of really checking out the brain patterns etc.

This is one reason of many as to why I love working with the elderly and why i hope to be able to work with them in the future specializing in geriatrics/gerontology. I believe elderly people are often times not taken seriously or as seriously as they should be by medical professionals. They are truly a misrepresented, vulnerable population.

[1908Revelations]

Originally Posted by ThetaPrincess24

Ambien-CR has been a Godsend for me.

Me too.....however

Originally Posted by honeychile

a client of mine has been told they have dementia because of it, and yet, the minute Ambien is out of the picture, they're fine.

I usually have a bad memory, but I have been forgetting the names of family members who I see at least once a week, I have been calling someone on the phone thinking I am speaking to speron A but it is actually person B. I am not sayingit is connected, but I am getting worse. I have been sooooo tense and on edge a lot lately, however I have been getting some good sleep.