What keeps her from SLEEPING?

[my sunshine615]

Night # 50 and its an all nighter again. At the beginning the earliest she would fall asleep was 2:30-3am, some nights was after 4am. Then the neurologist started her on CLONIDINE HLC 0.1 MG on 7-17, half a pill at bedtime for 7 days then half at AM then half at bedtime. I give it to her at 10 and she would be asleep half hour, 45 minutes after. There was a couple times she woke up around 3am just as I was finishing up late night PANDAS research, and was up until 8-9am, and I was up with her, not a bit of sleep all night. Last night it was about 1am she fell asleep, and here we are tonight and its 2:48am, and she doesn't want anything to do with sleep. We were in bed watching a movie and she said she is ready to get up. I don't know what to do about this. Before this med it was late, late nights and early mornings (very little sleep). Not good for anyone in the house. I just wish this would all dissapear as fast as it came, but I know thats not gonna happen so what do I do? We are in the works to see a PANDAS doctor in Michigan (Dr. Harry Chugani) on August 15th, I pray for some good things to start happening. I want my little girl back. I PRAY, I PRAY! Any advice PLEASE!

[MomWithOCDSon]

How old is your DD? Is she having trouble sleeping because she's anxious and has worries that prevent her from falling, or staying, asleep? Does she want to get out of bed to engage in rituals or follow through with compulsions?

 

You might try melatonin about 1/2-hour before bedtime. Depending on your DD's age and weight, I would start low (maybe 1 mg.) and see how that works for her. Many of us use melatonin to help our kids fall asleep and it can be a lifesaver . . . available over the counter, and generally understood to be safe for all ages. There're lots of threads on it here on the forum if you want more info.

 

Good luck, and let us know how Dr. Chunagi responds.

[nicklemama]

I would try adding melatonin. It was a life saver for us. If she wakes again in the night, give her a little more. We started DS on melatonin at age 5.5. We did not know what was wrong w/ him at the time but he could not fall asleep and would wake in the middle of the night once he finally fell asleep. We started him at 0.5mg. He is currently 8.5 and he takes 1mg. PANDAS treatment has helped tremendously too. In his case, it was separation anxiety. He would always wake and get in bed with us.

[EmilyK]

It's anxiety for my son that keeps him up. We're using the workbook that someone on the forum recommended to me - What to do When You Dread Your Bed. It helps him go to sleep easier at a decent hour although he's still on the futon in our room and still does crawl in my bed around 3 am. But we are sleeping and not up all night at least. Good luck!

[tpotter]

It's anxiety for my son that keeps him up. We're using the workbook that someone on the forum recommended to me - What to do When You Dread Your Bed. It helps him go to sleep easier at a decent hour although he's still on the futon in our room and still does crawl in my bed around 3 am. But we are sleeping and not up all night at least. Good luck!

 

 

Could he actually have a strep infection? I know when DS starts having trouble sleeping again, all the other symptoms follow shortly afterwards. When we treat for strep, sleep improves (this could also explain the increase in anxiety.) When you test for strep, do you only do the throat culture, or do you also do ASO? My DS's throat culture is almost always clear (which means he's carrying the strep somewhere else.) But, ASO and AntiDNAseB go up.

 

BTW, 5-HTP has helped us a whole lot. It's one of the very first things that Dr. K. ordered for my children way back when, and whenever we try to eliminate it, symptoms increase (it helps keep tryptophan/seratonin levels up.)

[Missmom]

It's anxiety for my son that keeps him up. We're using the workbook that someone on the forum recommended to me - What to do When You Dread Your Bed. It helps him go to sleep easier at a decent hour although he's still on the futon in our room and still does crawl in my bed around 3 am. But we are sleeping and not up all night at least. Good luck!

 

 

Could he actually have a strep infection? I know when DS starts having trouble sleeping again, all the other symptoms follow shortly afterwards. When we treat for strep, sleep improves (this could also explain the increase in anxiety.) When you test for strep, do you only do the throat culture, or do you also do ASO? My DS's throat culture is almost always clear (which means he's carrying the strep somewhere else.) But, ASO and AntiDNAseB go up.

 

BTW, 5-HTP has helped us a whole lot. It's one of the very first things that Dr. K. ordered for my children way back when, and whenever we try to eliminate it, symptoms increase (it helps keep tryptophan/seratonin levels up.)

Sorry, but just wondering what 5-HTP is? Is it available over the counter or by script only? My ds is also having sleep issues I have started him on augmentin again. Thx.

[hugs2day]

What antibiotic is she on? My son had clonodine, melatonin, none would put him to sleep until he was put on high dose of azithromycin. Then the sleep came and the melatonin would help put him to sleep. His brain was basically on fire until the azithro is the way it was explained to me.

[Dedee]

We just got something called Kavinace by Neuroscience. It is supposed to help promote sleep and decrease anxiety. It was recommended by our LLMD. Haven't tried it yet. Melatonin just doesn't work for us and it makes my daughter crazy. I have heard of this extreme type of insomnia in the acute phases before. It's very hard to deal with. I am so sorry. I have heard good things about Dr. Chunagi. Keep us updated. Praying for your family.

 

Dedee