Tip for those with insomnia

I've eaten food under the inlfuence of Ambien. I'm frightened of using it because if I get reactive hypoglycemia will I wake up enough to eat something or will I fall into a coma? My insurance wanted me to do ambien instead of Lunesta, but I fought them.

None of them keep me asleep.

 I am in the same boat! Does anyone know the medical reason behind the insomnia after our surgery?? I wasn't sleeping well before but it's much worse now. Even with sleep aids I wake up 2 hours later. I am very curious as to what the surgery does to keep us awake all the time! Anyone know?? I don't think my body is absorbing the sleep aids at all ! 

The malabsorption that occurs after RNY might affect our ability to absorb some medications.  Other than that, I don't know.  Maybe the crazy hormones in the early days also have something to do with it.

My insomnia is not related to my WLS, though.  I think it is primarily related to my PTSD and I have had it for a long, long time.  At least as far back as eighth grade.

This hopefully doesn't sound like a dumb question or suggestion, but have  you oir anyone tried hypnosis to address the PTSD and sleep problems? I have mixed feelings about hypnosis, it worries me to have someone messing with people's unconscious or subconscious brains but maybe it would work? I don't know since I've never tried it but have heard that it can help for some problems. Just a thought. Disregard if it sounds quacky!

Not a dumb question at all.  I have not tried hypnosis to address the PTSD or sleep problems, but I did try it for depression.  Didn't help.  It was relaxing at the time, but that's about it.

Well  that's disappointing! I'm sorry it didn't work for depression. I was hoping to suggest something new that would work. Sigh!

I appreciate the thought.  After dealing with these issues for more than 20 years, there is not a lot I haven't tried.  I've never tried acupuncture, because I can't really afford it and there is not enough evidence to convince me that it would worth finding a way to come up with the money.  But I've tried a very long list of things, including more than 30 different medications in various doses and combinations, individual therapy, group therapy (and therapy does help some, I just wi**** helped more), various herbal treatments including St. John's wort, aromatherapy, Bach flower remedies, ECT, various forms of meditation, the hypnosis... I'm probably forgetting a few things.

You know, I've never expended much thought on insomnia... or at least not on the why's and wherefore's.

I do wonder about why I suffer from it. I know that it alarmed me when I was in school and a teacher told me I'd send 1/3rd of my life asleep. That freaked me out, I think I've had an adversarial relationship with sleep since then. I know I have to sleep, but I don't like to yield any of my life up to sleep.

I remember when I finished with college, I was looking forward to going home and sleeping in for a week. Pretty much from the inception of that thought, I've never been able to sleep in. I have issues with not wanting to sleep.

Perhaps though I have unresolved issues in my head. I've been doing a lot of self-analysis lately trying to understand myself and my motives. I tend to want to "get" my reasons for the things I do. This month has been a bigger trial because I'd hoped to do some daily exercise, but I haven't. Not sure how much I've used my physical illness this month (STILL having swollen glands in my face!) as a way of excusing not doing the exercise.

Hubby and I were watching a movie (Contagion) on HBO and I had to make hubby turn it off in the beginning when the babysitter called the father and then freaked out that the boy she was babysitting was dead. Having been the "babysitter" when my brother died... I have come to think that there are some deep unresolved issues there. Especially that he died in his sleep. There's a huge part of me that rejects sleep as a terrifying place where people go to die. This is also what terrifies me about having further surgeries.... fear of dying during the procedure.

I've had problems off and on throughout the years and I finally realized that it was my husband who was keeping me awake with sleep apnea, talking, elbow in my eye, etc. So I moved him into the room next door and it is better. Now I sleep with the TV on or read and go back to sleep. Before RNY I had to get up to go to the bathroom every night around 3am, for some reason, now, I don't need to go until 5 or 6, sometimes 8am.

 Thanks for the reply Kelly:)  I am almost 4 months out ,and I really believe my meds don't malabsorb as well after surgery. I don't think my Lexapro(anti depression /anxiety) is working anymore either. I'll talk to my Dr at my next visit to maybe change meds . Thanks to you I know I am at least taking all the right vitamins !