Can anyone give me some advice?

[aurora969]

I'm a new person to this, and I hoped that this might be the place to come to for advice.
I'm sixteen, female, currently taking my exams.
I haven't been able to sleep for about five days now, until blacking out from exhaustion. I have never had actual problems with sleep when I was younger, it has only started happening recently.
I'm not sure if I might be an insomniac (or a person with another type of sleep disorder), or that its due to stress about my exams.
I would really appreciate some advice, as I desperately need some sleep again.
Please contact me either on this or over email. Mine is unicorn_st_claire@hotmail.com, I would be really thankful for some help!

Thankyou.

[DreamStalker]

I'm a new person to this, and I hoped that this might be the place to come to for advice.
I'm sixteen, female, currently taking my exams.
I haven't been able to sleep for about five days now, until blacking out from exhaustion. I have never had actual problems with sleep when I was younger, it has only started happening recently.
I'm not sure if I might be an insomniac (or a person with another type of sleep disorder), or that its due to stress about my exams.
I would really appreciate some advice, as I desperately need some sleep again.
Please contact me either on this or over email. Mine is unicorn_st_claire@hotmail.com, I would be really thankful for some help!

Thankyou.

My advice is to start off by seeing your doctor. Your doc will have a sleep study done to see what is going on.

Why do you think it is apnea related? WHat symptoms beside lack of rest do you have?

[new2]

I have never heard of someone going 5 days without sleep except in a drug detox. Make sure to tell your doctor of any and all drugs you may have had because if it is medication related, seizures could be next.
Like Dreamseeker said, see your Dr. asap

[aurora969]

I would, but I'm not sure what they could do. I mean, I want to get this sorted, but I don't want to have a load of pills shoved in my hands and be told just to get on with it.
Erm, when I try to go to sleep, I pretty much try for about five hours, so have been awake for over twenty hours in a day, and I start to see black and white spots infront of my eyes before I seem to pretty much collapse. Ok, writing that like that makes it seem even worse...

[aurora969]

No, its not without sleep, its just being unable to get to sleep. I haven't taken any drugs, so I'm absolutely sure it is nothing to do with them.

[topher]

As far as I know people with sleep apnea don't have a problem falling a sleep its staying asleep and getting restful sleep, and being tired all the time falling asleep driving talking on the phone and working, thats just some of the stuff that happened to me for the 10 plus years with out cpap.

chris

[cajapato]

I would, but I'm not sure what they could do. I mean, I want to get this sorted, but I don't want to have a load of pills shoved in my hands and be told just to get on with it.
Erm, when I try to go to sleep, I pretty much try for about five hours, so have been awake for over twenty hours in a day, and I start to see black and white spots infront of my eyes before I seem to pretty much collapse. Ok, writing that like that makes it seem even worse...

You have a health issue, not an apnea or xPAP issue at this point. You will not find the answer to your problem in this forum. What you can find here is support and guidance after you have been diagnosed. Get to your doctor before serious damage occurs.

[aurora969]

Thankyou.

[m1k2s3]

First of all, I agree with cajapato, it doesn't sound like sleep apnea, although I'm not a medical doctor. You should see a doctor to help you sort out what's going on - whether its medical or stress related.

Speaking as a mom, I have 3 teenage daughters and it sounds to me as though you might be dealing with a lot of stress issues right now. Being a teenager is not easy - there's so much going on in your life - school, friends, family - sometimes it's hard to sort it all out. Stress can affect us even when we think everything is ok.

You haven't mentioned your family - try talking to them - they may know what's going on (i.e. family medical history) or they might be able to provide you with some support.

[oldgearhead]

I must say your story sounds familiar. I could not sleep for several days
in 1977. I had to see two doctors, a GP and a Phycologist. I had to re-learn
how to go to sleep. I was given a 4-day supply of drugs, and a written
test. I was about two-thirds through the written test, when I started feeling
better. I wish I could remember the name of the test. It was a big help to
me. It made me feel better about myself, and retrieved me from the fog.

You think 5 days it bad, my record was 9. Please get treated ASAP.
It is probably not apnea. See a doctor, soon.

[Guest]

I know it is a difficult problem. My 16 year old suffers from just about what you say. He goes to bed and lays awake for hours and ends up with 4 hrs sleep. High school starts so early.

We haven't had much luck as he is not like you and won't look for an answer. I am impressed that you recognize the issue and are seeking an answer.

We tried white noise, altering when you eat, darkening the room, etc.

He seems to do better when he goes to bed really early 6pm or so and I get him up around 4am to finish homework. I think he is just on a different sleep pattern than most and is also an anxious person.

If you are willing to search for answers, you are one step ahead of my son. Go see the doc and see what they can do. If you find a real answer please share with me via PM or something. I am at my wits end and totally understand and sympathize with you.

[kavanaugh1950]

aurora, you really should see a doctor. stress could do this but it is also a symptom of bipolar disorder- get checked out.

[Snoredog]

sounds like Normal kid stuff to me at that age, don't worry about it you are thinking too much about fun stuff and it becomes too hard to turn off when you need to sleep.

My 16yr old daughter does the same thing, stays up all night text messaging her friends on her laptop and sleeps most of the next day.

like I said all normal stuff for your age.