Sleepwalking

[Guest]

I am a 33f and have been sleepwalking since a child. I have been to sleep disorders clinic, had sleep studies, ruled out apnea, etc. He now wants to put me on BZD (I have never drank, done drugs, etc. and this scares the heck out of me as all research I seen points to it as being a very addictive drug causing permanent irreversible "chemical changes of the brain"). and yes, I am a "sleepwalkerfromhell" as my family puts it and I need something done drastically. It is always the "funny" conversation for get togethers. I have done everything from going outside, unplugging every appliance in the house, disconnected all sorts of electronics and respective wires (I remember of dream of green bean pickin'), set off the fire alarm at a motel on vacation (after terrorizing my 2 children for the "rental keys to a white jeep we rented" (NOT!), jumped off our bed and broke my foot in 3 places (awoke next day with a very painful, swollen foot), try to constantly kill or chase anything from "opossums to mice to little mushrooms" in my house and I could go on and on. I am not a whacko (actually quite normal and educated otherwise!) Has anybody else had it to this extreme, what did you do and any words on the pros or cons of BZD? (We did Ambien 5 or 10 mg h.s. for 6 months but now he wants to try Temazepam) Thanks all!

[Guest]

Sleepwalker from hell:
YOU ARE NOT CRAZY!

I asked this question when my mom screamed with night terrors for years. It scared me and I always thought it she had unresolved conflicts. Then...I began sleep walking and talking-occasional terrors too. I wasn't the type to keep things in and I deal with issues as them come. I was a psychology major and did the research t o find out. But as I've researched it, I've round that it's chemical. Some doctors are debating it still but my doctors have said it's physiological, not psychological and it's chemical brain imbalances. They are not sure of the cure or cause, at least I have not found that anywhere. The meds are bandaids but they help.

About Temazepam:
I like it better than Ambien. It doesn't have "memory black outs" like Ambien did after I took it and before falling asleep. I dont' feel any affects in the morning.

I just wrote this on the previous thread and wanted to re-post this here for you.


My post from previous thread:
I have the same thing as you described. I've been evaluated by 3 doctors and been in 4 nights of sleep labs. I'm 41F and began sleep walking as an adult. My mother has night terrors-which is a sleep disorder that occurs during the same stage of sleep and is related and hereditary. I "see" things. I get out of bed and look at them and I have hundreds of funny/embarrassing stories to tell you. The thing that made me seek professional sleep clinic help was when I walked out the front door into the snow.

I don't usually wake up but if someone is trying to tell me to go back to bed, I will at times. I have been diagnosed to have sleep walking disorder. I do it between 1-5 times every night. It usually occurs the first 20 minutes after falling asleep. I can live with it but I can't live with the fatigue. I have severe chronic fatigue with this-which the doctors say is not normal. They say that elderly people don't enter into the deep stages of sleep much and they aren't as tired as I am.
I have tried many sleep tranquilizers that do help. I hated Klonopin-which made it worse. It was horrible and I suffered side effects very badly. But I'd recommend Ambien or Temazepan. All can be prescribed by a family practioner or sleep specialist.
The best doctor four years ago, put me on Dexedrine during the day. It's a stimulant that kids take for ADD.
It's changed my life and I can function most of the day like a normal person. It's time-released and I'm ready for bed at night. I still suffer several weeks a year with fatigue that interrupts my day but not like before.

My poor husband has a hard time sleeping with me and has gotten used to it. But when he's really tired, I'll send him to the guest room. He visited the doctor with me and it was good for him to hear that it wasn't psychological but physiological, a chemical imbalance in my brain and that there's not a cure for it now. There's not much I can do about it.
Things that do help a little:
Excercise regularly, no caffeine after 12 noon,or at all, no decaf at night (traces of caffeine in decaf),no chocolate at night(caffeine),
same time to bed, read before bed, no tv at night, no scarey movies, non sugary snack but high carb like popcorn, white noise and a night light all help me but nothing has cured it.

I hope they come up with a cure for this. Just know that you're not crazy and you're not alone. I am open about my problem with friends, and you can't believe how many people suffer from sleep disorders! Most people don't talk about it.

I don't know if this helps but I hoped it will get you to see a doctor and try some meds.

Best of luck!
SleepTalkerWalker



[quote] I am a 33f and have been sleepwalking since a child. I have been to sleep disorders clinic, had sleep studies, ruled out apnea, etc... [/quote]