Severe Insomnia for 2 months!

[Dragi316]

Hi ! I'm new to this Board and have started this topic because of my Fear of why I have Insomnia ?
Before I explain what has been happing , Let me say I am a male 28 years old. who never has had a problem sleeping. I used to sleep 9 to 11 hours easily.
My problem began a little more then two months ago. One night I went to bed as usual at around 12 am and woke up at
2 am and couldn't get back to sleep all night. The next night I couldn't fall asleep at all , even though I was very tired. I then started to really worry about what was going on,So I googled Imsomnia and what pops up but a article on Fatal Insomnia and how it's usually genetic but there is a Sporadic form as well! Well that was the straw that broke the camels back. I was so scared I had this. The next night I took 2 Tylenal Pms and slept a good seven hours. The next night the Pms didint work and I was up until 4 am and managed only 2 hours of sleep. I went to see my Doc who put me on 100mg of Trazodone witch did not work at all! So the pattern began where every night I would just lay awake in bed until somehow I drifted off to sleep always around 4 or 5 am . On good nights at best I could manage 4 hours of sleep . I have noticed when I do sleep all I do is Dream every night sometimes 5 Dreams a night! I would Dream then wake up then dream again. I was very afraid that I had Fatal Insomnia even though I know only 1 in a Billion get it. I saw my Doc again and told him I'm afraid I had this horrible Disease and he looked at me like I'm crazy! I am at my wits end I'm so afraid I have this disease and my Doc thinks its all in my head . But it can't be I am really not sleeping so it's not like I'm faking that. How do I get out of this mess please someone tell me?

[Stormsky]

I had an obession a few months back with that Fatal Insomenia... but ive let it go now!! you dont have it ! same as you, started with sleepness nights for no reason, and waking every few hours ... then i watched a programme on tv which delt with that Fatal Insomenia, and that was it!! like you, i decided i must have it... which only makes sleeping even more impossible... I rationalised with myself, and let it go... and since i did , i started sleeping again... and if i do have a bad night, i dont let it get to me... so many people have insomenia, its very very common... its the fear you have now given to not sleeping, which is stopping you from not sleeping- You probably go to bed at night telling yourself your not going to sleep (i mean youve decided youve got fatal insomenia, so why would you sleep??) and the anxiety and the fact your telling yourself your not going to sleep, will give you the outcome of no sleep !!! LET IT GO, you are not dying ...xxx

[Dragi316]

Thanks. I will try that. Can insomnia last this long?

[Stormsky]

Insomnia can last for years... if its really bad, pop see GP

[Beyonderz]

Hey Dragi,

I had the same actually when my anxiety disorder started but I didn't know what it was back then.
I never had any problems in daytime at first. It started one night and I woke up like 4 am in the morning with feverish chills, massive heart beating, sweat and fatigue feeling all over. Even though I had no clue about that was related to anxiety, I didn't manage to sleep again.

After 3 days of not being able to fall a sleep, I started visiting doctors one by one. Heart, lungs, blood pressure... All were totally fine.
I got nearly no sleep for a week and then I was directed to psychiatrist by a cardiologist. Then after naming my problem, it was even harder to fall a sleep. But now I can get good nights sleep mostly.
Hope you feel better soon.

[Dragi316]

Thanks guys this helps. I slept a good 5 hours yesterday , Unfourtunatly it was filled with frequint awakenings . I can't take this fear anymore one minute I'm afraid of Fatal Insomnia and the next I'm afraid of CJD the Human Mad Cow disease. It's all driving me crazy and the Doctors just think I'm insane.

[Wuboo]

There is only about 40 family's world wide that have Fatal Insomnia so don't worry about that! It has to be in your genes for you to be affected. I wouldn't worry about CJD either because you'd be very ill if you had it and thankfully cases of CJD are still pretty rare, there are about only 200 cases in the USA per year.

For the sleeping, have you tried meditation music or having a workout? If it gets too much you could try benzo's but I would prefer to try other things first.

[Liliana83]

First of all..STOP googling for symptoms!

Try different techniques..stop drinking sugary drinks 4-5 hours prior to sleeping. Try working out on regular basis to help your mind relax/ease up in the evening time..but remember not to work out prior to sleeping..try doing it in the afternoon time. I've heard meditating is another good thing to take up.

It also seems like you have anxiety..have you talked to your doctor about it? That to me is your problem..your anxiety is causing your insomnia!