TO YOUR HEALTH Diary of a Former Insomniac, Part 1

by Paulette Avery, RN, MSN, IBCLC

With apologies to the lucky readers who sleep well, I’m devoting this and next month's column to those who don’t. Since a poll last year by the National Sleep Foundation found that 67 percent of American women surveyed report having trouble sleeping, and many men also suffer from sleep disorders, the majority of readers should find this information of interest.

I’m taking a personal approach this time because I’ve dealt with sleep problems for many years, and recently it became essential that I find something safe and effective to help me sleep. A few years ago when my insomnia began to interfere significantly with my life, my doctor prescribed a sleep medication for me. It worked great! I fell asleep quickly and woke in the morning without any unpleasant side effects. Gradually, I found it wasn’t working as well. I’d get to sleep fine, but awaken four to five hours later and have trouble returning to sleep. That problem was at least partially solved when the medication became available in a time-release formulation. I could get to sleep and stay asleep. But as my insomnia continued and then worsened, I found myself taking it almost every night. When I requested a refill, my doctor expressed concern that I might be developing a tolerance to the drug and suggested I try something else. At about the same time, I saw a report on TV about people becoming addicted to this medication, despite the drug company’s assurance that it is not addictive. It was time to find another way.

My doctor told me that several of her patients had found another prescribed medication helpful for sleep problems. It was an antidepressant with the side effect of sleepiness and without the problem of addiction. With some reluctance, I decided to try it. It didn’t work for me until I took the full dose of two pills. Then I did sleep better, but I also had a dry mouth and felt headachy. That was tolerable, but when I had an episode of light-headedness (another possible side effect) one morning after taking the antidepressant the night before, I decided it was not the right choice for me.

I asked my doctor for a referral to a sleep specialist. She referred me to a neurologist. I didn’t know how this would help, but I agreed to go. The neurologist asked me lots of questions about my health and the history of my sleep problems. Then he did a neurological exam that included checking my reflexes and asking me to touch my finger to my nose with my eyes closed. I passed with flying colors. That was the good news. The bad news came when he told me that primary insomnia, meaning the kind most people have, including me, has no known cause or treatment. He did suggest that I get evaluated for sleep apnea to be sure that wasn’t part of my problem. I rarely snore and had no other symptoms of sleep apnea, so neither he nor I thought that was likely to be the problem, but again I agreed to do it.

This time the referral was to the Sleep Lab. Finally, I thought, I might get some answers. My appointment at the Sleep Lab included five other patients. We sat around a table in a small basement room while a woman taught us how to use a machine at home to monitor our oxygen levels and other information while we slept. The next morning we would return the machine to the lab, and if they weren’t too busy, we could find out the results right then.

For the rest of the story, you’ll have to wait until next month’s column. In the meantime, may you sleep well!

Paulette Avery is a registered nurse and a freelance writer who specializes in health issues.