CP and insomnia

Pancreatitis
#1

Hi, I hope that most of us are having a fairly pain-free day. I wanted to pick everyone’s brains on some topics. Do any of you suffer from insomnia? I have found that over the last month, I am lucky to get even 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Sunday I slept one hour because of the pain. Last night I “slept” 8 hours, but that includes about 5 times of heading to the bathroom for steatorrhea issues. What really annoys me is that I ate next to nothing yesterday- just some nuts and a half of a yogurt. I know that I am not as bad off as some of you, but this is really beginning to drag me down. I am used to being able to shrug things off for the most part. Both times that my disk ruptured, I was able to do day to day things for a month without the use of narcotics so I know that I have a high pain threshold. I am finding that I am having to take my pain meds more frequently. I am still not on daily pain meds, but I am now taking them at least several days out of the week. I saw my PCP today and will be getting a referral to a pain specialist.

I don’t see my gi until July 26th. I have reached the point where I am considering having an ERCP to see if a duct stent might be helpful. Well, sorry for ranting and thanks for lending an “ear”. Any input for this pancreatitis “newbie” would be appreciated.

Warm wishes for everyone.

Warren

#2

Warren,

Many times, issues with insomnia are related more with anxiety and depression (at least it was for me and others have spoken with). Cymbalta has helped me with these issues quite a bit and I notice that when I don’t take it I can stay up for days and go deeper and deeper into depression and then suicidal stuff.

If it really is the pain, you need to tal with your pain specialist and tell him that you want him to prescribe medication to “get ahead” of your current pain state. I did that and was given more than I thought that I would get and it really has worked out extremely well. However, when the pain is so great that I cannot eat or drinnk water, I know that I am having an acute attack on me by my “angry” pancreas and I have to go to hospital for 3-5 days for what THEY call “bowell rest” and what I call “gut rest” so that my pancreas can get better. I am NPO, on IV saline with added potassium, diluaded 2-4mg for every 4-hour period, zofran every 8 hours or so for nausea.

Best of luck to you and, since everyone usually gets these emails, I have so many hugs from you and many others that I don’t know what to do with them.

My thoughts are with you.

Anyse

#3

Anyse,
Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately, I am already on 60 mg of Cymbalta and have been for several months now so… lol I just seem to be in the middle of a particularly bad flare-up (for me). Sunday night it was the pain and then last night, I just had to keep getting up to deal with the steatorrhea. Luckily, my gut seems to have run out of ammo since I haven’t eaten anyhting today. Once again thank you for your kind words. Warren

#4

Hi Warren,

Sorry to hear that you are going through rough time. Sometimes I get
insomnia but I’m on so much pain medication they’ll make me sleepy and I
can nap if I can’t sleep at night with pain and muscle cramps, I started
taking potassium. I need to start my vitamins but I’m also going through
excruciating pain since Saturday. The attack hit me so bad, each time
it feels like it’s the first time. I don’t think no one can get used to
this kind of stupid pain. I was on breakthrough pain meds and yesterday
I felt better but it came back today.

I’m with you this time having excruciating pain. So don’t feel lonely.
I understand what you are going through and I wish you get better soon
and won’t get another episode for a long time or forever from the bottom
of my heart.

Take it easy and try not to get dehydrated taking little sips or if you
are tolerating taking water, you’ll be alright. I had to stop my tube
feedings, tea crackers and if it hurts to take water I push through my
J-tube.

I DON’T WANT YOU GET THERE WHERE I’M, NOWAY,NEVER, ARE YOU LISTENING
TO ME. I WANT MY FRIENDS GET BETTER BEFORE IT GETS WORSE. SO TAKE GOOD
CARE OF YOURSELF FOLLOWING THE LOW FAT DIET, TAKING ENZYMES, PAIN MEDS
AND TRYING TO RELAX.

Hang in there hope it resolves soon for both of us and get back to do so
many things,but carefully.

Lots of Love and many hugs.
Durga.

#5

Warbi,

I will try as best as I can to help anytime. Your thank you was so much appreciated. No reply needed.

Anyse

#6

Hi, Warren–

I’m sorry you’re having a tough time. I recently decided to try some sub-lingual Melatonin (pharmaceutical grade/vegetarian) and take 2mg at night when I need some extra help through the night. The GI doc said it was fine to use w/CP-- It can’t hurt. Doesn’t help me fall asleep, but helps to stay asleep somewhat. Pain can still break through it, but it might be worth a try to anyone w/insomnia issues and CP pain.

Hope this helps–

Take care and sending hugs,

Lisa

#7

I too have problems sleaping. I do feel that a lot of my sleep problems are caused by anxiety and depression. When I take Vicodin I can sleep but it is not always a good sleep and I wake up groggy. I recently increased my Lexapro to 20mg and it is helping some.

I saw my GI Dr. today and he prescribed Elavil. 10mg (it’s less than an antidepressant dose) I don’t know anything about it but he said it has been very benificial to patients with insomnia, diarrhea and chronic pain. (So heck, it’s worth a try isn’t it?) He wants me to take it 1 hour before I go to bed. I hope it will help.

Has anyone had experience with Elavil? Good/bad?

Patti

#8

Patti,

Ya know, I should have mentioned this to Warbi earlier. I could take elavil 10mg and that stuff can either make one sleep soundly (even with a bit of a hangover or sleepiness the next morning as it might not have worked off yet) or wire you so tight that you’ll be afraid that you’ll never sleep again. It is definitely worth a try. Thanks for kicking my synapses on this one.

Anyse

#9

I used to take Elavil for insomnia and it did help me sleep…BUT it gave me terrible nightmares. You know, the kind where you know your’e deraming but can’t wake up? Now I take a low dose of Klonipin 0.5 mgs and it works great. Good luck with the Elavil, I know everyone reacts to meds diffrently and I hope it works for you!

Take care

Cindy in KY

#10

Well, the generic Ambien seemed to work even if it did take several hours to finally kick in. Hard to tell if it was just because my body was finally too exhausted to stay up anymore. I will consider this a “possible” win. Time will tell. Thank you, all who responded. I truly appreciate it. Wishing a pain-free day for all.

#11

I also was prescribed Elavil by my GI. He said that there had been studies showing that Elavil in doses or 50mg or more helped with neurogenic pain. That is, I think what our type of pain related to CP is (celiac nerve involvement). Anyway, it definately helps me sleep. I don’t know if it helps that pain but as I told my husband once, if I was told that rubbing your behind with monkeys from the Amazon helped CP pain I would be paddling down river as we speak. Talk to you docs and see if they might want to give it a try.

Take care and I hope the insomnia resolves soon. I have had problems with it for many years and it can be SO frustrating. It’s like insult to injury!
Love and Hugs,
Angela

#12

I am so there!!! I have had chronic, horrible, beyond insomnia for a year now. My sleep wasn’t the best before that just due to being so so ill. Then about a year ago (around march/april) I decided to go off the fentanyl patch. Ever since then my sleep schedule has been screwed up. It is as though my circadian pattern is reversed. I am awake at night and sleep days. I have tried for a year to change it to no avail. I’ve been told “oh if you don’t let yourself sleep during the day, you’ll sleep at night”. Ummm, no. I end up staying up for 30+ hours then crashing for 12. If I have something I have to do during day hours, I just stay up and then crash after.

My insurance wont cover ambien or lutera so they have tried me on a bunch of stuff including chloral hydrate. Right now I take amitriptaline and melatonin. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Often the melatonin will push me over the edge when I’m tired but can’t drift off. I did a search on it and it has other uses plus it is produced by the pineal gland by the body so it is fairly natural.

Luckily several people in the house here are also nocturnal so that helps. It sucke when I was alone in my apt and was just feeling so crappy all of the time. My heart goes out to those of you still in that situation.

If nothing else, email me if you are up at night. I’m usually on at odd hours!!