lazarus wrote: ↑Sat Feb 17, 2024 10:31 am
what have you found to be most helpful so far with
sleep-maintenance insomnia
arthritis
stress and grief?
And what seems to make them worse?
I wish I knew the answer to those questions but I am hit and miss with what works and what doesn't work and what maybe works sometimes.
A couple of years ago I did the SCS thing and got some relief from the pain but as with anything....not enough relief.
It's never enough is it??? I knew I wouldn't get all the relief I needed or wanted because of the problem I have with all the arthritis and degenerative changes in my spine and pelvis but I did get considerable relief.
It's like I am playing a game of whack a mole all the time and nothing ever lets me actually "win". I whack one mole with something and another one pops up to annoy me so I have to go looking for something else to do some whacking with.
To be clear about something though.....the really bad pain is pretty much well managed unless I go and do something stupid (which I have been known to do) but remember what I say "ANYTHING that disturbs my sleep is unwanted" and while the pain isn't horrible...it is enough to mess with my sleep and that's of course a problem.
The weather is a big factor in the "worse or better" thing. Cold rainy shitty weather and I have more problems than when it is sunny and warm. It's no joke when I tell people that "rain is moving in because my back tells me it is"....or a cold front is moving in or whatever.
Right now my biggest problem is probably the sleep maintenance insomnia thing and the stress and grief sure isn't helping me sort it all out.
I have various tricks up my sleeves to try to help but nothing is a clear cut winner or consistent winner.
I know when I get a decent amount of hours of sleep (even if it is rather crappy sleep) I feel better than when I don't get enough hours of sleep (no matter how "good" it might be) so getting the sleep first is my main priority.
I can't take melatonin because it causes me vertigo and that's the LAST thing I need is more vertigo (still dealing with the BPPV thing that flared up last Sept with the parotitis problem I had.
I have Belsomra on hand for especially difficult times but it isn't the magic bullet. I don't take it all that often since I save it for emergencies like when I have had 3 nights in a row with less than 6 hours of sleep. Belsomra doesn't always work so great and when it works it's a marginal improvement at best. BUT enough marginal improvements do add up though. That's pretty much where I am at right now....trying to do enough things that give me marginal improvements that add up to better sleep.
At least with the Belsomra I don't have the daytime hangover effect that Ambien gave me. Ambien is great for helping a person fall asleep but it sucks for helping someone stay asleep and when you feel like crap the whole next day just from the hangover effect it's far from a good solution.
I have some "medicated" gummies on hand and I have discovered that adding in a good dose of CBN to the THC seems to also help.
It helps with the discomfort a bit and it sure helps with the stress and grief thing. Those are reserved for bedtime use though. I don't really care for how they make me feel during the day.
What I want is something that I can take at bedtime that will last more than 4 or 5 hours and I have yet to find it.
Still looking though and still trying. I don't know why I can have some "good" nights on occasion and other nights I end up feeling like death warmed over from not enough sleep.
I also recognize the depression that comes along with the stress and grief and guilt when we lose someone....that's a whole different ball game there. That's a work in progress for sure.
It's damn near impossible to flip that switch and turn off the brain.
I may have to RISE but I refuse to SHINE.
If you want to try the Eclipse mask and want a special promo code to get a little off the price...send me a private message.
