Advice for sleeping through the night?

[Lizalou]

Hello all,

I'm so happy that I have found this website. It has been my support for the past 2 months as I learn to handle my IC. I've had symptoms for the past 4 years and it took that long to get a diagnosis.

I know everyone tends to have different symptoms with their IC. Most of my pain is centered in the abdomin and i do have frequency. I don't have pain when i urinate.

What i've been struggling with is trying to sleep through the entire night. I get up 2-3 times a night to go potty but barely go which is frustrating. I also tend to toss and turn alot, i think because of the pain. It is always worse when i lie on my back. I've been on sleeping meds in the past that didn't even help.

Now i'm taking Elmiron and adhering to the IC diet. But still i don't sleep through the night. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[Skynard]

Besides the meds, I take a warm shower and my hubby makes me a warm glass of (powdered) milk.

[maryla]

What helps me which I'm down from 8-? times a night, to 3-5 now which I think 2-3 times would be wonderful.

I take 2 atarax, 2 demerol, and insert a valuim suppository.

Hugs and blessings

[asIshallbe]

I went from sleeping 2-3 hours per night total to 7-8. It is awesome! :)

[kadi]

Elavil has been a miracle drug for me in that regard. I went from completely unable to sleep (voiding every 10 minutes around the clock) to 4 hours of sleep the first night I took it and only a month later I was sleeping 8 hours with only 2 wakeups to use the restroom.
Even a small dose helped.

I do home instillations at night, along with 20mg Elavil, 5mg Ditropan, 10mg Flexeril, 1 Darvocet. That helps a lot.

Non-medicine strategies? Heating pad helps me relax & go back to sleep. Night light in the bathroom so I don't turn on lights & wake myself up. I also use the Beaumont Hospital Relaxation & Healing cd's to put myself back to sleep. When I was staying with roommates & didn't want to bother them with my cds, I put them on my ipod & used that.

Hope you find some relief soon,

[goodiegoodie]

I was going 3-6 times a night until my doctor started me on Elavil and Atarax. I noticed a difference right away and now that I have been using them for 6 months I usually only wake up once and that is usually after I have been asleep for 5 or 6 hours. I take both meds at night right before I go to bed. Both make me drowsy which is a good thing!

Be for I started the Elavil and Atarax I was only on Elmiron and Enablex. Now I just take the Enablex when I feel like I need it instead of all the time.

//In the winter time a heating pad is helpful

[mary124]

I take 2 elavil (20mg total) and 1 100mg tablet of Lamictal ( both are prescribe for headaches) I usually take them both by 9:30. Within 45 minutes i am out like a light. i still get up anywhere from 1-2 times a night, but thankfully I can usually go back to sleep right away. Last few nights I have been sleeping till about 5a.m. which for me is all the way thru.

[MommaWuzzi]

I hate to admit it, but I found out the hard way that my pain medication and heating pad are pretty much all that is keeping me sleeping through the night. When the new urologist switched me from my oxycodone and soma to ultram and urelle (which were totally ineffective) I went from sleeping through with maybe one waking at night to up every hour. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones that interprets pain as "potty." ???

When I switch from my "old-fashioned" heating pad to one of the safe ones, I wake up every time the heat stops. I know this probably means my symptoms still aren't well-managed, but I'm hoping patience with the doctors will pay off with time. :-)

[purpletomorrow]

Remeron has been a godsend to me for sleeping at night. It's an antidepressant that sedates you, I take it an hour before bed, and it also apparently shuts off some of the pain messages going to the brain. Drawbacks are it seems to give you a craving for sweets.

[Julie B]

I have quite a routine when I am flaring. I will wash down there very carefully with a clean white wash cloth and plain water. Then I will soak in a warm tub that has about a cup of Epsom salts in it. I have vicodin for when it is really bad.

Other things that help include chamomile tea, warm milk with a touch of vanilla or white chocolate syrup, stretching.........that is the best...........stretching my legs, my sides, doing arm circles like in middle school gym class, head rolls........and three deep breaths............

I have found that I just cannot tolerate loud noise any more. I try to keep things calm at night. When I go to sleep, I have to start on my tummy. Otherwise it feels like my bladder is rolling around inside of me. Eventually, I can change my position.....

I hope some of this helps............

XOXOXO

[theclownster]

Hi there! I'm sorry to hear that you are having trouble sleeping at night. I remember those days and they really stink. I still have them from time to time, but for the most part I do very well (knock on wood).

Believe it or not I drink lots of water (bottled water with no added minerals) even at night. I do not limit my liquid intake and it really helps. In fact I keep a bottle of water at my bedside table and drink in the middle of the night if needed. It might sound weird but at least this way I'm staying hydrated and if I have to get up to go to the bathroom, I am able to pee and empty my bladder so I feel relief when I'm done. Most of the time I get up once or sleep through the night. Sometimes I get up maybe 2 or 3 times - but not very often. When I get up, I drink water after using the bathroom and fall back to sleep.

I usually have no problem falling back to sleep because I take nighttime meds. My meds at bedtime are Elavil 25mg, Atarax 25mg and Ditropan XL 15mg. I also take my birth control at bedtime which helps with my overall IC symptoms. I really think the meds have made a huge difference in my ability to get sleep. When I first started taking them they really knocked me out and I was very groggy the next day. Now, I tolerate them quite well and sometimes take them an hour or two before bed. For the most part they don't make me sleepy - but when I'm ready for bed, I can fall asleep easily and stay asleep until I need to be up. I also make sure I can completely empty my bladder before I lay down to go to sleep - so I can fall asleep easier.

I hope you are able to find some nighttime relief soon and get some good sleep!

Take care,
Jennifer

[musiclover]

I agree with the Elavil and Hydroxyzine. But I want to add Cystoprotek and Desert Harvest aloe only because they have decreased my frequency in general, day and night, which makes a good night's sleep possible.

[Glenda2]

The thing that helps me get some sleep at night , I bought afew Blue Ice Cooler Packs and I tuck one in back of my pajama's at night. Under the Pj's on the outside of the underware.

And I can put on in front too.

It feels really good. Kinda numbs the discomfort.

They melt in about 2 and 1/2 hours tho.

I get up and go potty and replace them.

[Bojana]

I suffer from insomnia in general and have been for years but now with bladder its even worse. I tried many things, all sorts of natural herbs etc but for now what works is real sleeping pills and I guess I decided I rather become "addicted" to sleeping pills as being without sleep and not being able to function. I just hope that doc will keep prescribing them for me.

[Glenda2]

I have had Insomnia for 25 to 30 years.

Tried all the Over the counter products. They only contain Benadryl. They don't phase me.
Tried 30 mg's of Melatonin. Didn't even make me Yawn*

Went to a Sleep Neurologist. She tried me on >

Ambien
Ambien Cr
Rozerem
Lunesta

The maxed doses. Still Nothing. Not even remotely tired.
She said she has No other options for me.

I won't take Anti Dep's > Elavil made me a zombee in 1983.

Won't take any Benzo drugs. Tried Lorazepam (Ativan ) was on it for 12 years due to stress from a sick family memeber I cared for.
It never worked , and I got hooked on it. New Primary care Doctor took me off it.

I refuse to get hooked on pills. :tsk:

I justwant relief for this darn IC. So far I am stricking out.
The Elmiron and Darpaz make me ill.