Let's get some sleep! - Page 5

[coolgirl]

Sam E and sleep

Has any one had any success with SAM-E? I would really like to hear about your experience with SAM-E if you have tried it either for depression or sleep issues.

[mtn.mama]

Isn't sam-e methionine? Its one of the things that my body crystal tests positive for daily. I don't think it changes my sleep patterns.

Well we did a week long melatonin trial for my 2.5 year old. It really did the trick... got her patterns switched up right away, so now she goes to sleep at 7 every night after laying down for 10-15 minutes. She still wakes frequently in the night, but she's staying in bed for 14 hours or so, and sometimes even napping (she quit napping 16 months ago).

[Theloose]

Originally Posted by coolgirl

Has any one had any success with SAM-E? I would really like to hear about your experience with SAM-E if you have tried it either for depression or sleep issues.

SAMe is what you're making more of when you support methylation - it's the carrier for methyl groups, iirc. I haven't played with it.

[mamafish9]

Originally Posted by mtn.mama

Isn't sam-e methionine? Its one of the things that my body crystal tests positive for daily. I don't think it changes my sleep patterns.

Well we did a week long melatonin trial for my 2.5 year old. It really did the trick... got her patterns switched up right away, so now she goes to sleep at 7 every night after laying down for 10-15 minutes. She still wakes frequently in the night, but she's staying in bed for 14 hours or so, and sometimes even napping (she quit napping 16 months ago).

Lisa, I think some people use time release melatonin, and it helps with the waking some as well.

[mtn.mama]

I've seen that stuff in the last week or so. I'm going to give it a whirl. I hope it does the trick!

[JaneS]

I need to ask for some help...

My hands have been falling asleep at night for past couple weeks, it's freaking me out (and waking me up). Any ideas?

This kind of thing hasn't ever happened since I was pg and got carpal tunnel and numbness at night in last trimester. No carpal tunnel now.

No way I'm pg. Really stressed right now.

[JaneS]

Originally Posted by mtn.mama

Well we did a week long melatonin trial for my 2.5 year old. It really did the trick... got her patterns switched up right away, so now she goes to sleep at 7 every night after laying down for 10-15 minutes. She still wakes frequently in the night, but she's staying in bed for 14 hours or so, and sometimes even napping (she quit napping 16 months ago).

Have you tried Methyl B12? I'm pretty sure why one doesn't make enough melatonin is not having enough B12.

[tanyalynn]

It's a Jane spotting! Sorry it's for a problem though.

Wish I knew, I'll think a bit and see if anything pops to the surface. But nice to see you, even if it's just a moment.

[FireWithin]

Trying lithium for all of us. I read that lack of it inhibits b12 from doing what it should, including helpign with melatonin process.
I am hoping it will help my oldest go to sleep easier.

[JaneS]

Speaking of copper, mine is still high and I need to go back on a supplement... even the best food is not doing it.

But every zinc I've tried makes me nauseous, anyone else have same issue find a good one? Standard Process is the only one I haven't tried maybe that would work b/c it's whole food based.

Tanya thank you, it's nice to be here.

[WuWei]

Originally Posted by JaneS

I need to ask for some help...

My hands have been falling asleep at night for past couple weeks, it's freaking me out (and waking me up). Any ideas?

I've read that B6 and B12 help, especially if you take a lot of vit C, you need extra Bs, careful not too much B6 though.


Pat

[mtn.mama]

Thanks for the idea about methyl B-12. My body certainly asks for alot of it, and my little girl asks for it multiple times a day and especially in the evening... so I think we're getting what we need there.

[mamafish9]

Originally Posted by JaneS

I need to ask for some help...

My hands have been falling asleep at night for past couple weeks, it's freaking me out (and waking me up). Any ideas?

This kind of thing hasn't ever happened since I was pg and got carpal tunnel and numbness at night in last trimester. No carpal tunnel now.

No way I'm pg. Really stressed right now.

I carry my stress in my neck/shoulders, so when I'm really stressed, I get all sorts of weird effects in my hands, including that one (especially if I sleep in a way that jams up those nerves even more). Maybe try some yoga/stretching before bed?

For high copper, Andy Cutler recommends zinc, molybdenum, milk thistle, and lots of C. I have my DH on that protocol right now, and it's really helping. The idea is to take the zinc, mo, and C with meals, to prevent any more copper absorption, and the milk thistle to help stimulate bile to dump the copper. I'm betting you could do everything except zinc and still see benefits (mo can push out copper too), or very low zinc to begin with?

[millefleur]

[TzippityDoulah]

please help!

ok smart mamas, I really need some advise!

I am So way impressed with you're knowledge on adrenal fatigue and so forth and I really need some help. a bit of backstory:

since I can remember I've had trouble sleeping. it only got worse after being put on antidepressants when I was a teen. I've been off of them for almost 5 yrs but it seems I never can get back on track.

I am ALWAYS tired. when it's nighttime I start to feel tired but for some reason I fight sleep. like I can't control it - my whole being fights sleep no matter how badly I want it. I can be yawning and falling to sleep and my midn will race and go go go. like I have no shut off button. then sometime between 3am and 8am suddnely BOOM! deep sleep happens. I can't wake up. then I want to sleep til middle of the afternoon. and it starts all over again.

I HATE this cycle. I have 3 kids which I homeschool. I CANNOT function, mamas. I feel I should have enough self control to deal with it, but i can't seem to fix it! I'm desperate for real sleep. and I feel I'm only ale to be half the mother I should b/c I'm too tired.

that aside I have celiac disease and COPIOUS amounts of food allergies. it seems I always have more instead of less allergies. SO annoying. I'm not having dizzy episodes a couple of times a week. I start walking and everything leans to the side and I fall over. ugh.

and now? my 3rd baby (9months) is having the smae symptoms as my older two- basically the same as mine. he gets tired then fights sleep. then he's up every 30 mins to 2 hrs all night long every single night. if he sleeps a 3 hr stretch we think something must be wrong! he's fussy a lot of the time, and has so many food allergies that he is still strictly breastfed b/c I can't find him one single food to eat that he doesn't react to. not to mention I am on a very strict Elimination Diet. and it seemed to help for a littl while - but now am started to think it's making it worse b/c I'm not getting hardly any nutrients for either of us. I have a very SMALL diet I eat. hardly any veggies (aside from carrots, potatoes, asparagus and onions). I'm starving!

I'm baffled. I'm so not sure what to do. i need sleep. my boy needs sleep! it's like he is exactly like me! the hardest part? because he can't sleep I can't sleep so we just keep each other awake! we're up now at 3:30 am b/c we're both having trouble sleeping... again.

a last thought that may or may not be related: when I'm pregnant I have liver issues and SEVERE hyperemesis gravidarum. I take unisom 3 times a day every day for most of my pregnancy. (it's the least evasive drug I could find to keep me out of the hospital). I'm SO worried this is causing some of the issues. I can't not take it because we would have died... but I'm so guilty that unisom could be causing this.

for the record we are vary serious about healthy eating. cook everything from scratch - but my diet is so limited b/c of my son's allergies so I know I am lacking in a lot of areas vitamin and mineral wise.

any thoughts? if there a chance me and my baby could have adrenal fatigue? is there a chance might be able to sleep at night again? and function like a semi-normal family? please give me hope because I am worn so thin. I don't know how much longer I can go on like this without collapsing!

signed,
the tiredest mama in the world who is nursing the tiredest baby in the world

[Theloose]

For me, mind racing is low melatonin. Serotonin is the precursor - what have you done to get off antidepressants? Or do you have an 'about me' thread and we can help you brainstorm how your whole picture fits together?

Last night, I re-read this site, and according to it, you need b5 plus methyl groups to convert serotonin to melatonin - so there's your b12 link, Jane!
http://www.understand-andcure-anxiet...Melatonin.html

eta: a couple more links -
http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/2/1/22
http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/local/project...ang/synth.html

The first of two enzymes to convert serotonin to melatonin needs acetyl coA, so b5, mag, b1. The second needs SAMe, IOW, a methyl group, so folate, b12.

[TzippityDoulah]

WhoME -- just to be sure, are you responding to me? or another person? (I wasn't sure so I don't want to assume it was me)

that said if it was me - I have been off of antidepressants for 5 yrs now. I was on them for nearly 8. I take CLO and a prenatal vitamin. I try to eat as healthy as possible. honey is my only sweetner sans a time here or there when we go out to eat (rare!)

it's beena while.... but when I went off of antidepressants I have about 6 weeks of withdrawl. 3 weeks which were awful - hallucinations, delusions, you name it. it was just terrible. by 6 weeks i was feeling much better but then gained about 15 lbs in that week alone. I didn't eat more - it just messed with my metabolism. I took CLO and B complex for a long time after going off of them. it helped a lot.

if you weren't talking to me... well... then nevermind

[TzippityDoulah]

forgot to add - I also take dandelion root for my liver. my liver seems ot be a mess - I get HG and cholostasis/jaundice during pregnancy (so do my babies) and I have chronic constipation.

[Theloose]

Originally Posted by HennyPenny

WhoME -- just to be sure, are you responding to me? or another person? (I wasn't sure so I don't want to assume it was me)

that said if it was me - I have been off of antidepressants for 5 yrs now. I was on them for nearly 8. I take CLO and a prenatal vitamin. I try to eat as healthy as possible. honey is my only sweetner sans a time here or there when we go out to eat (rare!)

it's beena while.... but when I went off of antidepressants I have about 6 weeks of withdrawl. 3 weeks which were awful - hallucinations, delusions, you name it. it was just terrible. by 6 weeks i was feeling much better but then gained about 15 lbs in that week alone. I didn't eat more - it just messed with my metabolism. I took CLO and B complex for a long time after going off of them. it helped a lot.

if you weren't talking to me... well... then nevermind

Yeah, sorry, I forgot to quote.

[tanyalynn]

Laura, as an interim solution, I'd try melatonin. Magnesium would be an additional thing to try, for you and the kids. My DD is 6yo and still needs supplemental magnesium to fall asleep, but DS, 3yo, needs melatonin--I give him mag anyway because I think he needs it, it's just not the key to his sleep.

I'm not sure what age people would say melatonin for a kid, I started my son on it at 14mos at a HCP's advice. I started at 3mg for myself then, 1mg for him, and it's worked well for us.

Do you have a good multivit to take? I'd do that if you can, Thorne seems to be pretty low in allergens (not sure about corn, you'd need to ask), they've got multivits and mineral supplements and I'd think both given the celiac history. Thorne's easy to buy online too.

The cycle of when you _can_ sleep sounds very like adrenal fatigue, which would make sense with lots of food allergies and celiac. That seems to be a slow thing to heal, and removing stresses and adding supportive things, nutrients, lifestyle, relationships, seem to combine best to make the healing happen.