yes my body is tired and my brain too but my brain will just not shut off at all.The only way i can get any sleep is to smoke medical marijuana it helps me with my fms pain but it also makes me go to sleep.My drs wont rx xanax or pain killers so im lucky enough to be able to have this.I also find if i have my room dark cool and have soothing music it also helps i also use ear plugs to try and keep the noise out.Hope you find something that helps you ,.Cheers

Marijuana doesn't help me sleep - it for some reason has the opposite effect.

My Drs wont prescribe pain meds either - so when the pain is more than mild which it often is, that makes it even harder to sleep.

Also my room is dark and a comfortable temp and quiet. Music even soothing tends to stimulate my brain. Thanks for the ideas.

hey no prob i know everyone is different.Hope you find something that helps you.Good luck.cheers

Ambien has been a great help to me. Allows me to sleep, without the drowsiness morning side effects. It is addictive, but worth a good nights sleeping my opinion. I can't do without it.

I take 6mgs of Melatonin each night. I go up to 12 mgs or so if I know I need to sleep early.

It is "light sensitive" which means you have to turn the light out and go to bed within 45 minutes or it loses it's effectiveness by 50%. I tend to stay on my computer too long! lol

Be sure to get an overnight sleep study done. I had sleep apnea from being overweight and had to use a CPAP machine. It was easier to lose enough weight to go off the machine than to try and deal with that thing (hated it!)! lol Most people with fibro have issues and can't use the machine (according to my doc) yet some people LOVE it and won't sleep without it.

I have had 3 sleep studies and wear a CPAP every night.

what is allowing me to sleep is .25 ativan at night and in a.m. take 50 mg 5htp (over counter) between the two it shuts of the brain for 4-6 hours,. before that I was becoming a nutcase trying to survive on 2-3 hours sleep.

Sleep????? What is that???? I can totally relate... I take lorazepam every night to help me sleep aswell as 1 tab mersyndol... It helps sometimes but not always.... I too use a cpap machine and I effing hate it... I dont use it as much as I should. I am anxious all of the time, Like.... All day and night so by the time im ready for bed it takes me 2 hours to finally fall asleep which consists of me tossing and turning all night long.... Seems over the years its getting worse... FML right! Still looking for answers like the rest...

I know exactly what you mean! You are exhausted but your mind keeps going and going! I started to experience this when I first started taking tramadol. It drove me crazy. Eventually my body adjusted to the tramadol, but I still have issues staying asleep.

My sleep regimin consists of the following: hot bath or shower, no caffeine, pain cream rubbed all over my body(after bathing), progesterone cream (doc said it would help with sleep and night sweats), lavender oil drops on my pillow, also I bathe with lavender body wash or soak in lavender Epsom salts, rest and restore (an herbal preparation that contains GABA, melatonin, valerian, skullcap etc.). Also I have invested in a new mattress, a new pillow for my neck pain, and a portable jet spa for my tub. I also take tramadol at night if needed.

I do not understand why your doctor will not prescribe anything for your pain. Your doctor works for you and is a part of your wellness plan. For me personally, I would fire any doctor who does not take my pain seriously!! Best wishes to you!!

I could not tolerate the CPAP mask. It kept me up more than the apnea! lol My doc did a good study on CPAP masks, cheaper treatments and Fibro.

http://painmuse.org/?p=1336

I use nasal pillows - I couldnt tolerate the mask either. I am use to sleeping with the CPAP - I feel worse in the morning without it. I hate that I have to sleep with it - but it is what it is.

I call that effect having gerbils in my head...like my brain is full of gerbils spinning on their wheels and keeping my brain spinning whe I am so tired I oughta be comatose! My doc looked at me like I was nuts... but mostly I cannot sleep because of pain. Argh!

Good luck getting a good solution.

My rheumatologist and primary physican have both been terribly concerned that I only get 5 hours of sleep on a good night. I have been given ambien, lorazapam, trazadone, gabapentin, etc....Nothing changes my sleep pattern. I finally told them that apparently this bothers them more than it bothers me. My body seems to override any medication that they give me that has sleep benefits. I will just have to continue sleeping my 5 hours and adjusting my schedule when I become fatigued.

That is funny but true Leo - gerbils in the head - like hamsters on the wheel.