new scared member. sudden severe insomnia

Hi All,

I am new here, and also new to Insomnia (sorry, if my Englisch is not perfect, but I am not an native Englisch speaker)

Two months ago my insomnia started with one or two nights with 0 sleep. I attributed it to some stress, but slept 10 hours the following day.
This progressed to not sleeping at all anymore since 4 weeks! Sometimes I fall asleep for 15 minutes or so (REM-sleep immediately, because I dream then).

I have a stressful job, but I like it a lot, and only work 3 days a week. If my job is causing this, I will look for a more relaxed job, but how can I quit my job if I don't know the cause. What to do?

I tried al sleep hygiëne rules, all natural supplements (melatonin, valerian, gaba etc). Nothing works. The doctor put me on Temazepam, Ambien and Seroquel (not to take together, but to see what works best). Only Temazepam can help me fall asleep, but only for 3 hours.

I Always was a very good sleeper before this (8 to 9 hours a night without interuption). This is sooo scary for me! What is going on.

My doc sent me to the endo for hormonal bloodtests, but she doesn't think it is hormonal. She did send me to the cardiologist because of an irregular heartbeat. THis could be a result of the insomnia. So I feel slowly my body getting very sick en exhausted and nothing I can do.

Anyone any advice?

Gr. Lily

Ask your doctor about having a sleep study conducted.

I know it's an aweful, scary feeling. I've been dealing with insomnia for 5 months now. It's as if my brain has lost all ability to sleep. I cannot even take a nap during the day to make up for several bad nights. I was never really a good sleeper before, but this is something totally different. I've always have been able to sleep during the day if I couldn't sleep during the night. I fear there is something seriously wrong with me.

Hang in there, you're not alone. Let us know what you find out.

MrHanson wrote:I know it's an aweful, scary feeling. I've been dealing with insomnia for 5 months now. It's as if my brain has lost all ability to sleep. I cannot even take a nap during the day to make up for several bad nights. I was never really a good sleeper before, but this is something totally different. I've always have been able to sleep during the day if I couldn't sleep during the night. I fear there is something seriously wrong with me.

Hang in there, you're not alone. Let us know what you find out.

Hey MR hanson im having insomnia as well. You mentioned that you have not been able to go to sleep in the daytime at all. If so, I am having the same thing since December I have not been able to sleep in the daytime at all even if im tired. I think there is something wrong with me, but I will be going to a sleep specialist.

Hello. Sorry for my bad English.

I have the same symptoms as yours from 3 years up to now. It begun suddenly with 1-2 nights with 0 sleep. I even can't sleep during the day after 0 sleep during the night. I have visited many physicians but no success. I have done a lot of blood tests, Brain MRI - everything looks OK, but I can't sleep without sleeping pills. It looks like my body have lost the natural ability to sleep.
I take very low dose of Mirtazapine - 7.5mg before 10PM and it helps most of the nights. If I can't fall asleep I take very low dose of benzo - GERODORM.
Even with pills I don't have the feeling that I sleep but I feel good and refreshed next morning. My wife comes every night to check me whether I sleep or not. She enters the room, turn on the lights, asking me something, but there is no answer or movement from me. She thinks that I sleep like a brick.

Please help. I don't know what to do. Am I condemned to taking the pills to the rest of my life ?
I read about terrible diseases that can cause this condition, but doctors say that I should be dead until now if it was that issue.

hdimitrov wrote:Hello. Sorry for my bad English.

I have the same symptoms as yours from 3 years up to now. It begun suddenly with 1-2 nights with 0 sleep. I even can't sleep during the day after 0 sleep during the night. I have visited many physicians but no success. I have done a lot of blood tests, Brain MRI - everything looks OK, but I can't sleep without sleeping pills. It looks like my body have lost the natural ability to sleep.
I take very low dose of Mirtazapine - 7.5mg before 10PM and it helps most of the nights. If I can't fall asleep I take very low dose of benzo - GERODORM.
Even with pills I don't have the feeling that I sleep but I feel good and refreshed next morning. My wife comes every night to check me whether I sleep or not. She enters the room, turn on the lights, asking me something, but there is no answer or movement from me. She thinks that I sleep like a brick.

Please help. I don't know what to do. Am I condemned to taking the pills to the rest of my life ?
I read about terrible diseases that can cause this condition, but doctors say that I should be dead until now if it was that issue.

Hey man I seen your post. Your having the same symptoms as me. You said that you can't sleep during the daytime even if you miss a day of sleep, well that has been happening to me too!!!! Since December 2016 I have not slept in the afternoon(daytime) at all even if im tired, no abilitiy to take naps either. You mentioned that you can't tell if you slept or not, well guess what, same thing has happened too me, since December I have not been able to tell if I slept or not. I always have to tell my partner that sleeps next to me if I slept or not. You mentioned that you cannot sleep without medicine, well I also can't sleep without medicine. Im taking saphris 10mg and sertraline 50mg. Ive been to the psychiatrist but they don't say much or really seem to care they just recommend the typical sleep hygiene #######4. I tried going to my primary care doctor and asking for a sleep specialist but they said that my psychiatrist should know about sleep. I think that we have some new type of disease or something man. Ive thought about suicide many times because of this type of insomnia that I am having but ultimately ive decided just to stick it out. Anyways it will be nice to keep in touch with you on here as we seem to be struggling with the same thing.