# Sleeping tablets..?



## Emmal31 (Feb 22, 2010)

Hi Guys,

Don't know what is wrong with me over the last few days but whenever I get into bed although I am absolutely shattered I sit there thinking for about an hour and then after that I relax a bit but still can't sleep and it is driving me mad. I need to get some shut eye so that I have enough energy to deal with jessica and at the minute I'm really struggling I keep crying because I'm just so tired. Anyway my question is do any of you use sleeping tablets and as a diabetic are they a good idea? 

Thank you.

Emma x


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## Northerner (Feb 22, 2010)

Hi Emma, there are a few of us who have been having trouble sleeping of late, myself included. I did contemplate some kind of sleeping aid, but I would be worried that it would stop me from waking if I went low, so I have decided against it. I have found that things have improved by trying to stick to a 'normal' day - not staying in bed late, however little sleep I got during the night, and not going to bed too late even if I'm not tired. Eventually, this has resulted in longer periods of sleep. Of course, I don't have a little baby to disrupt my schedule!


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## am64 (Feb 22, 2010)

i would think a sleeping tablet would not be a good idea... try focusing on not worrying about trying to sleep... i would imagine your day to day life is in J timeat the moment so catch your kip whilst she does if you need to catch up, Sometimes just the physical rest will be good.


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## karinagal (Feb 22, 2010)

*Would a herbal remedy do?*

The likes of Nytol and other herbal remedies are designed to help you to relax enough to drop off to sleep, but my understanding is that they won't necessarily keep you sleeping if there is something trying to wake you - like a hazard, a child, or a hypo?

I found that the hardest thing for me for a long time after taking steroids (during chemo) was switching off my brain long enough (I was wired to the moon) for me to drop off to sleep. Herbal remedies like Nytol and Valerian helped me. Best to check with your healthcare team though - no idea what impact this might have on diabetics (I 'don't think' I was one then..)

Karina


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## Emmal31 (Feb 22, 2010)

Problem is jessica doesn't really sleep during the day I didn't end up eating any lunch today as a result then had a hypo later. I've had quite a few hypo's lately so would have to make sure that my levels were steady if I was going to take one, it's probably not a good idea but I need to rest somehow.


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## Emmal31 (Feb 22, 2010)

karinagal said:


> The likes of Nytol and other herbal remedies are designed to help you to relax enough to drop off to sleep, but my understanding is that they won't necessarily keep you sleeping if there is something trying to wake you - like a hazard, a child, or a hypo?
> 
> I found that the hardest thing for me for a long time after taking steroids (during chemo) was switching off my brain long enough (I was wired to the moon) for me to drop off to sleep. Herbal remedies like Nytol and Valerian helped me. Best to check with your healthcare team though - no idea what impact this might have on diabetics (I 'don't think' I was one then..)
> 
> Karina



thank you karina for your advice


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## am64 (Feb 22, 2010)

are you breast feeding ? i would still avoid the sleeping tablets cos the way they make me feel next day but everyone is different


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## Emmal31 (Feb 22, 2010)

No I was but I got an internal infection after the c section and as a result my milk dried up completely


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## Northerner (Feb 22, 2010)

I've taken Nytol in the past (pre-diabetes) and it did work well. Emma, can't you put Jessica in a dark cupboard during the day so you can get some rest? Never did me any harm!

(You might guess I don't have children!)


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## am64 (Feb 22, 2010)

Emmal31 said:


> No I was but I got an internal infection after the c section and as a result my milk dried up completely



oh sorry, i remember now thats a shame i couldnt do it at all so well done for what you did x...have you taken Sleeping tablets before ?


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## Emmal31 (Feb 22, 2010)

Northerner said:


> I've taken Nytol in the past (pre-diabetes) and it did work well. Emma, can't you put Jessica in a dark cupboard during the day so you can get some rest? Never did me any harm!
> 
> (You might guess I don't have children!)





haha I think social services would be called if anyone found out plus if you put her down she starts crying almost instantly, but thank you for making me laugh


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## Emmal31 (Feb 22, 2010)

am64 said:


> oh sorry, i remember now thats a shame i couldnt do it at all so well done for what you did x...have you taken Sleeping tablets before ?



I am pretty proud of myself for doing it as long as I did because it played havoc with my levels but I wanted to give her the best start possible. No never taken sleeping tablets in my life.


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## am64 (Feb 22, 2010)

Emmal31 said:


> haha I think social services would be called if anyone found out plus if you put her down she starts crying almost instantly, but thank you for making me laugh



loved it aswell northe ...my mum used to put me in the barn...not our barn but the one across the road in a neighbours garden!!


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## Northerner (Feb 22, 2010)

am64 said:


> loved it aswell northe ...my mum used to put me in the barn...not our barn but the one across the road in a neighbours garden!!



Explains a lot...


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## karinagal (Feb 22, 2010)

That sounds like a plan then... Emma - you go to the barn after putting J in Northerners dark cupboard. Problem solved.


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## Emmal31 (Feb 22, 2010)

am64 said:


> loved it aswell northe ...my mum used to put me in the barn...not our barn but the one across the road in a neighbours garden!!



parents, who'd have them


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## Emmal31 (Feb 22, 2010)

karinagal said:


> That sounds like a plan then... Emma - you go to the barn after putting J in Northerners dark cupboard. Problem solved.



If I could find a barn round here I think I would be tempted. Northerners dark cupboard sounds like a euphamism


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## karinagal (Feb 22, 2010)

Emmal31 said:


> If I could find a barn round here I think I would be tempted. Northerners dark cupboard sounds like a euphamism



Oooerrr missus!!!!


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## am64 (Feb 22, 2010)

Emmal31 said:


> I am pretty proud of myself for doing it as long as I did because it played havoc with my levels but I wanted to give her the best start possible. No never taken sleeping tablets in my life.



well done em you should be proud of yourself i must admit i didnt get past the OW THAT HURT xxx i have had to use sleeping tablets in the past and the effect on me the next day was strange you feel totally out of touch i certainly couldnt drive ...but thats me and everyone is different i would advise to speak to nurse or gp before buying anything over the counter. lavander oil in your bath  if you get a chance for a soak and just try and clear your mind a little when starting to sleep... try and remember when you had a lovely sleep and what it felt like falling asleep then . 
You have got alot on your mind and your hormones, sleep patterns,, engery levels, eating habits all go a bit haywire when you have a baby plus you have the D so good luck x


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## karinagal (Feb 22, 2010)

*"Time for bed!" said Zebedee...*

all this talk of sleep is wearing me out... Night, night everyone


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## am64 (Feb 22, 2010)

karinagal said:


> all this talk of sleep is wearing me out... Night, night everyone



nite nite me too xxx


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## am64 (Feb 22, 2010)

am64 said:


> nite nite me too xxx



emma you could always try watching the winter olympics !!


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## twinnie (Feb 23, 2010)

hi emma cant offer much advice but i am going though the same problem at the moment {{{hugs}}}


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## Caroline (Feb 23, 2010)

If it hasn't already been suggested, keep a diary. Write in it about an hour before you plan to go to bed if you can, and write down all the worries you have. Hopefully then, when you go to bed you wont be sitting worrying about things and will find it easier to go to sleep. You can then review the diary once a week or once a fortnight and see if anything has worked itself out.

Another alternative is if you have afriend or someone who could stay with you once a week and have a sleeping aid then.

I hope it gets sorted and you get a good nights sleep.


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## Emmal31 (Feb 23, 2010)

am64 said:


> well done em you should be proud of yourself i must admit i didnt get past the OW THAT HURT xxx i have had to use sleeping tablets in the past and the effect on me the next day was strange you feel totally out of touch i certainly couldnt drive ...but thats me and everyone is different i would advise to speak to nurse or gp before buying anything over the counter. lavander oil in your bath  if you get a chance for a soak and just try and clear your mind a little when starting to sleep... try and remember when you had a lovely sleep and what it felt like falling asleep then .
> You have got alot on your mind and your hormones, sleep patterns,, engery levels, eating habits all go a bit haywire when you have a baby plus you have the D so good luck x



Thank you, I have to admit I'm basically ignoring my diabetes at the min I don't really have time for the tight control I'd gotten used to whilst I was pregnant  I slept fairly well last night when I eventually drifted off so I think I'm going to stay away from the sleeping tablets for now. Thank you for all the advice last night  x


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## Emmal31 (Feb 23, 2010)

Caroline said:


> If it hasn't already been suggested, keep a diary. Write in it about an hour before you plan to go to bed if you can, and write down all the worries you have. Hopefully then, when you go to bed you wont be sitting worrying about things and will find it easier to go to sleep. You can then review the diary once a week or once a fortnight and see if anything has worked itself out.
> 
> Another alternative is if you have afriend or someone who could stay with you once a week and have a sleeping aid then.
> 
> I hope it gets sorted and you get a good nights sleep.



That's a really good idea caroline thanks I think I will use it later x


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## Emmal31 (Feb 23, 2010)

twinnie said:


> hi emma cant offer much advice but i am going though the same problem at the moment {{{hugs}}}



Thank you ((((Hugs)))) back to you too  hope your able to sleep better soon x


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## rachelha (Mar 3, 2010)

HI Emma - I was just wondering how you are getting on?  Are you managing to sleep any better?

Rx


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## squidge63 (Mar 3, 2010)

I find even when I am tired it takes me ages to get to sleep, ages ago I started seeing if I could count to a 1000, and that sort of worked as I never remember getting that high... now I get past 1000 and work backwards lol.. i tried the old counting of sheep but that didnt work lol and then one night i went 10 sheep, 10 goats, 10 horse, 10 giraffes etc... then I found I was searching for different animals to count!!! but every night I now count and can't get out of the habit and I am sure that keeps me awake (with my eyes closed), but if I don't count then I find myself thinking breathe in, breathe out... 

I do have sleeping tablets (zopiclone) and I take them as and when I want, 1/2 a tablet works fine for me when I need a good sleep for a solid few hours and they work well.

Hope that you get some sleep..


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## The Ethical (Mar 3, 2010)

Emmal31 said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> Don't know what is wrong with me over the last few days but whenever I get into bed although I am absolutely shattered I sit there thinking for about an hour and then after that I relax a bit but still can't sleep and it is driving me mad. I need to get some shut eye so that I have enough energy to deal with jessica and at the minute I'm really struggling I keep crying because I'm just so tired. Anyway my question is do any of you use sleeping tablets and as a diabetic are they a good idea?
> 
> ...


Hi,

I suffered very badly from insomnia about 20 years ago. I tried drugs, herbal remedies and various mental relaxation techniques. In the end I found listening to books on tape enabled me to drop off. I would listen to anything from BBC drama productions to unabridged readings of thrillers and non-fiction.

I don't know why it worked but it did. Perhaps it will for you.


TE


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## smile4loubie (Mar 3, 2010)

I use herbal ones. And never had a problem because my body wakes me up when low. I use them for a couple of weeks to get me back into a good routine then im usually ok until i have a late night then i gotta go bk on the tablets unless i can wake up the following day early.


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