No sleep study, but I have used Clonazepam. I went through a period where I did not sleep. I only needed .5 mg and slept like a baby. Really no hangover, but I had to make sure I took it early enough- like 8:00 or 8:30. It takes 20 to 30 min to hit you. I took 1 mg a few times and almost fell trying to get to bed, I was so drunk! The .5 mg allowed me to get up once at night to go to the bathroom and go back to bed with no problems and go right back to sleep. Good luck!
Mary Ann

I know the feeling of more drugs, I swear any ailment they offer another drug- but with this condition you have to have them to function somewhat normal. Good luck with sleep I would do better if I got rid of a few of my dogs (5 I know that is ignorant) but they all have come to the house in real need.

Sorry to hear of your need for a new med, but as you said, maybe it will help you be better rested in the morning.

What was a sleep study like? My ENT prescribed one for me several months ago, but I had so much other stuff going on, that I've been putting it off.

Vivre,

You have your own room with a TV. They hook your head up to a lot of wires, as well as your chest area and your legs (to see if you have restless leg syndrome). It is not that uncomfortable. There is a box that all these tubes go into and you can carry it around your neck if you need to go to the bathroom. It hangs on a metal stand when you sleep. I went to sleep around 11:00. They wake you up at 5:30 and send you home unless you have to do the day study like I did. During that, they let you nap 15 minutes every 2 hours. I hated that part because you have to sit in a chair and the room was 62 degrees.

So my brain doesn't sleep, I sleep walk, and I have REM sleep behavior disturbance disorder, which means I am not paralyzed when I dream. I have to ask the doc more about this. I read that it can increase your chance of getting Parkinson's by 40 to 45%.

Good luck,

Gabrielle

Thank you for explaining the sleep study, Gabrielle. I have a much better picture of it now.

Sleep walking sounds scary and your other sleep issues no picnic either. I hope you can get some help and relief for your sleep situation.

I used to sleep walk, but seem to have "grown" out of it. I have not done it for years. I did a sleep study a couple years ago, but I passed. They said I woke up a lot, but I guess not enough to show anything.
-Kate

When I went to Mayo they did a plus oximetry overnight study on me and I guess it did have some abnormal s because they told me that when I get home I need to follow up with my Dr to see if they want to do a sleep study. I haven't done this yet but I do have a lot of trouble sleeping. I take 5 mg flexerall to help with sleep but it doesn't seem to help much anymore . My Dr told me that trouble sleeping goes along with this mCTd.. I do have alprazolam .5 and when I take that at night I sleep like a baby

It takes me 2 to 2.5 hours to wake up in the morning. I hate it because it means I am often late to work and then I have to stay late. Maybe the Clonazepam will help. I have only been on it a few days. I wasn't always this way, so at least work knows that!

Work has officially given me accommodations, but it is such a stressful job that I am looking for new work. I have good insurance, so the thought of a new job is scary.

Gabrielle

Gabrielle,

Did you have to submit paperwork such as FMLA (Think that's what it's called) before your employer "officially" made accommodations for you? I'm glad to hear that they did! I'm still tiptoeing around the issue of bringing up MCTD w/ my employer despite symptoms getting worse...

AnnMarie

I did not have to do FMLA. Just an official human resources accommodations form with a letter from my doctor outlining my diagnosis, prognosis, and symptoms. I did NOT have to provide any tests results or blood work, etc. I also had to complete a memo myself. I admit it did feel a bit invasive, but they forced me to work in unheated conditions once, and my Raynaud's acted up, so I had to do it.

I am not super-sick (I'd say medium sick), so they allow me flex time when I can't wake up in the morning and my joints hurt, telecommuting when I don't feel well, but still can work a bit, and advanced sick leave (I am completely out of leave due to the illness and tests at the hospital.) There are days when I can't get out of bed at all, so those are just sick days.

There was a time period when I was in the hospital a lot, so I wanted them to know I had a disability and they cannot fire me.
The head of my agency is a really supportive man. My immediate supervisors ... not so much.

Gabrielle

Thanks Gabrielle! All good information to know.