My name is Jeff and I’ve never been a good sleeper due to arthritic problems at an early age. However, after a heart operation I had about three years ago I developed full-blown insomnia. The last stretch was this week for about five days with just light naps that I suspect I had here and there. I’m desperate for help. I read that possible conditions you can develop with insomnia include heart disease. What do I do?
I’m a useful senior but still a senior and I can’t afford to have too many issues like this going on in tandem. I’ve heard the cognitive behavioral therapy is useful, but I’ve never been able to find one that’s available in the San Francisco Bay area and who takes insurance. Some of the products I’ve seen here look good but I need a specialist to advise me about which ones to focus on.
Right now I take melatonin and/or Tylenol p.m., but melatonin has a long after life during the day that makes me feel groggy and irritable. I could go on and on. The point is that I am in trouble with this issue and I need help desperately. Please advise me about next steps. Sometimes I feel like I’m going out of my mind. I feel worn out dealing with this on my own.
Hi Jeff,
Sorry to hear about your difficulty sleeping. I am a senior and as my heart problems developed I’ve had more trouble falling asleep. I also .live at 7200 feet which inceases insomnia. Your email didnt mention if you have trouble falling,ling aslleep staying asleep or both. I’ve used hydroxyzine (benadryl) which my GP was ok prescribing but it eventually stops working according to my pharmacist and that was my experience. Since Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Insomnia is highly recommeneded i tried it a couple of times. I didnt find a local resource but found Jade Wu’s Hello Sleep useful --sbe is at Duke Sleep Disorder Center and really seemed knowledgeable. The VA has an excellent online CBT-I Coach. Although neither helped me fall asleep both are free so are definitely worth a shot.
I now take generic Ambien and haven’t had any negatve side effects at least yet. I also take melatonin 5 mg SLOW RELEASE. Every couple months i switch back to hydroxyzine for a week or to minimize addiction. I am going to try eszopiclone as it seems to be safer to take long term and hopefully it will work as well as generic Ambien. I know that long term use of sleeping pills us risky, but so is long term lack of sleep. And i might not be getting the best sleep but it is definitely better than 2-3 hours i might get without help. And finally you might check out a book by Kogan MD, Medical Marijuana . He is a geronlolgist and on faculty at Washington University. I am allergic toTHC but if not, I definitely would try his sleep formula.
Sorry this is such a long answer but thoubht id share my experience.
Good luck
Sharon
Hi I know how you feel not being able to sleep it’s exhausting , I need any advice or help please ,
I’m feeling desperate now this is effecting my life daily it’s been going on for years and my health is getting worse not to mention the mental tow this is causing me
I’m not sure what’s causing my sleep issues I need to find out then I can get the help I need to get my life back to normal ,
I’m having different symptoms I’m not sure if I have a sleep disorder ? or it’s something else that’s causing my health problems,
When I go to bed and try to get to sleep it seems just before I’m able to have any form of sleep i have to open my eyes to open my mouth to be able to breath it’s like I need air / oxygen and my Heart rate is so fast which is very frightening it’s so distressing my heart rate is so fast this can’t be good I don’t want anything to turn serious as I’ve read that sleep disorders if left untreated can cause Heart issues , I do have aches in my left shoulder which hurts when I move it in different positions, I have been to see a cardiologist in recent years had ECG monitoring it did show my heart skipping beats but apparently they didn’t think this was a problem??
I like going for walks but it’s even effecting this now It’s causing my back to ache so much I do have aches in my back but it’s getting worse especially when I’m going for walks I have to keep stopping to stretch my shoulders back it’s very uncomfortable I go for shorter walks now I just feel so fed up with it all something is wrong that is causing all my symptoms ,
I did have a sleep apnea test done at home it did show Mild sleep apnea but I’ve got to wait along time to see the consultant due to NHS waiting times !
But my worry is after speaking to a sleep clinic and looking at lots of things online a sleep apnea home test will only give true reading when you have at least 4 hours sleep well I don’t sleep 4 hrs and didn’t sleep 4 hrs when I did the test but it still shown I have mild sleep apnea I actually think it’s worst than Mild
I can’t seem to get the right diagnosis to get this sorted out I know my health is getting worse especially my racing heart and no sleep I don’t ever have any deep sleep,
Sorry about the long story I’ve written here any help or advice would be really appreciated
My dr is trying to help but this is limited to what they can do any ideas to who can help me without wasting time going down the wrong path so I don’t get any worse thank you for your time x
Hi there, I just wanted to say I’m really sorry you’re going through this — it sounds absolutely exhausting, both physically and emotionally. You’re not alone in how you’re feeling, and it’s incredibly strong of you to reach out and share everything so openly.
The fact that your sleep study showed mild sleep apnea even without getting a full 4 hours is telling — many people find that their apnea is worse than initially measured, especially if they couldn’t sleep deeply during the test. Trust your instincts — if you feel it’s more severe, it’s worth pushing for further evaluation when you’re able.
The gasping for air, racing heart, and inability to fall into deeper sleep definitely sound like they could be tied to a sleep breathing issue or possibly something like upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS), which can sometimes be missed on standard apnea tests. It’s a shame you’re having to wait so long to see someone, but in the meantime, you might consider looking into a second opinion with a private sleep specialist, if that’s accessible — even just one consult could give you more clarity.
You’re right — sleep disorders can affect heart rate, blood pressure, and so many other systems in the body over time. So it makes total sense that you’re feeling this toll. You’re not imagining it, and you’re absolutely not alone in how much it’s affecting daily life.
You’re doing the right things — advocating for yourself, asking questions, and staying active where you can, even if it’s hard. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed and not have all the answers right now. One step at a time. Please keep us posted, and don’t hesitate to reach out here for support anytime. We’re listening.
,