Another Sleepless Night
By mrs_lidwell
@mrs_lidwell (115)
United States
July 24, 2007 6:19am CST
Well, I put my son, Lenny, to bed at 10pm last night (which is an hour PAST his bedtime), he woke up at exactly 12:15pm and every 15-45 minutes since then... up until now! He just woke up and it is now 7:07am, although I am not sure if he is going to stay awake or go back to sleep since he is laying down on the couch. I think he has been having night terrors. I am not sure. I dont know how to tell if he is waking up from a bad dream or if he is just waking up. You see, he has been waking up frequently in the middle of the night for about 2 weeks now. I think he is having night terrors and I think my severe mood swings are part of the problem so I am going to try even harder to keep my composure when he is around. I know I should do it all the time, and I plan to try harder to do so, but sometimes I just cant help it. You see, my doctor thinks I have bipolar and I am on medication to help level out my mood swings... however my doctor is just giving me samples of these pills. I had been off my pills for about a week because the doctors office did not have any samples of the Mg's that I take on hand... so finally I told them on Thursday of last week that I would take ANY Mg dosage they could possibly give me... because anything at that point would atleast help! So they did and ive been back on my pills since then (except last night, i didnt take them last night because it was so late and they tend to really knock me out... i wanted to make sure I could get up with the kids ok in the morning so i skipped last nights dose). Now I think since I was off of them for a week... my body is having to re-adjust to the pills again... there for they arent working as well as they should... so my mood swings are still pretty bad.
Anywho... I think that is why he is waking up so much. I think he is having night terrors, and I think it is mostly my fault as to why he is having these night terrors. He is 2 years old and I have no idea how to tell if he is waking up from night terrors or just to wake up. And if he is waking up because of night terrors... I dotn know what to do other that just hug him.
Suggestions please?!
2 people like this
6 responses
@breelee2007 (126)
• United States
25 Jul 07
Sorry to hear what you are going through mrs lidwell. my sister is bipolar and has a heck of a time with her meds too. She has discribed everything that you have. The one thing she did for herself was to get her meds under control and started taking them on time, every time. I know its hard to do with a little one though. Old school with a 2 year old who is waking often, and you aren't really sure why? It may be also that he is used to his mama being there every time he wakes and maybe he doesn't quite know how to go back to sleep on his own with out you helping him. My son had a real problem with that. It took about 5 nights, but it finally worked, letting him find a way to get himsself back to sleep without me going in his room. Also, I didn't let him go back in for a little nap when he woke up tired every morning, that way he was really good and tired when he went to bed and usually stayed asleep. There are a lot of good suggestions posted to you, please don't think the worst thing wrong with your baby. Take care of yourself and baby will feel that too. Good luck
@mrs_lidwell (115)
• United States
25 Jul 07
Yeah, I wish I could get my meds under control. I really do, but since I am having to wait on doctors to supply me with samples... it is a little bit difficult ya know? I think I am giong to talk to my doctor the next time I go see him about these pills. I cant even get up in the middle of the night with the kids without stumbling because these pills make me feel drunk! So I will see if there is a better alternative. You see, when I was first put on these pills, we both sat down and talked about everything. I decided these pills might be the best option since they are designed to help with ALL aspects of bipolar... he said it has an antidepressant IN it so I wouldnt have to take a bipolar pill AND an anti depressant. So we both felt this was the best way to go... well now that i see how it makes me feel when i have to get up in the middle of the night for my son... im thinking it might not be the best option. Anywho. I am going to talk to the doctor about it next time i see him and see what we can come up with
@breelee2007 (126)
• United States
25 Jul 07
I didn't mean to sound like getting your meds under control was easy. I hope you didn't take it that way. My sis was diagnossed over 6 years ago and it took her and her doctor a few years to figure it all out. She would get so frustrated that often she just went off all her meds. I spent many nights talking her through a rough sleepless night so I know first hand how devastating this is to you. What did help her though was a support group. Her hubby doesn' get it and so few others in the family understand, it really helped her to hear other people with bipolar tell her she wasn't a total nut job. Bipolar is one of the most difficult diagnosses to treat because of the many different types. (p.s. my sis also changed doctors and found one that specialzed in it and his take on things was a total turn around from the first doctor). Hang in there, we are all pulling for you!
@mrs_lidwell (115)
• United States
26 Jul 07
lol oh no i wasnt taking it like that, i was just saying i would love to be able to get things under control. The way my family doctor diagnosed me with it was because I took one of those online bipolar tests and it said i was. I printed the test out and took it too my doctor and he said its the exact test he uses also. So we talked about a couple of different meds, and i thought this pill would work the best for me out of the rest since it helps with the depression end of bipolar as well as everything else.I just think it is time to change since i now know what its like when I have to get up in the middle of the night, ya know.
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
24 Jul 07
Night Terrors Symptoms: Sudden awakening from sleep, persistent fear or terror that occurs at night, screaming, sweating, confusion, rapid heart rate, inability to explain what happened, usually no recall of "bad dreams" or nightmares, may have a vague sense of frightening images. Many people see spiders, snakes, animals or people in the room, are unable to fully awake, difficult to comfort, with no memory of the event on awakening the next day.
Night Terror or Nightmare?: Nightmares occur during the dream phase of sleep known as REM sleep. Most people enter the REM stage of sleep sometime after 90 minutes of sleep. The circumstances of the nightmare will frighten the sleeper, who usually will wake up with a vivid memory of a long movie-like dream. Night terrors, on the other hand, occur during a phase of deep non-REM sleep usually within an hour after the subject goes to bed. This is also known as stage 4. (A link to a sleep stages chart can be found on the navigation bar to the left) During a night terror, which may last anywhere from five to twenty minutes, the person is still asleep, although the sleepers eyes may be open. When the subject does wake up, they usually have no recollection of the episode other than a sense of fear. This, however, is not always the case. Quite a few people interviewed can remember portions of the night terror, and some remember the whole thing.
I got this information from a http://www.nightterrors.org/. You might want to check it out and get more information. I don't think that your son is having night terrors. He might just be having nightmares. My daughter experienced night terrors and eventually it went away on it's own. It is very scary and there really is no reason for it. Don't blame yourself, for that. This is a medical condition, not something you did to him. Don't try to wake them up from this. that could be dangerous as well. But do some research, maybe ask your doctor about it.
@mrs_lidwell (115)
• United States
24 Jul 07
Thank you so much. I do feel a little bit better. Thank you for looking that information up for me. After reading that though... and seeing how he doesnt stay asleep for longer than an hour before waking up (a lot of the time he just sits up... fusses a little bit... then lays back down so im not sure if hes actually "awake" or if his eyes are just open in those cases) it still might be night terrors... either way... it is either night terrors or night mares... so I now need to help him deal with them. I guess the only thing I can do is hold him and reassure hes ok.
1 person likes this
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
29 Jul 07
Just try not to wake him up, they say it is not good to do that for some reason. My daughter went through this and I would just sit there and tell her everything is ok, then she would lay back down and close her eyes. Even though their eyese are open they could still be asleep. No problem on the research! I didn't mind at all!
@Gemmygirl1 (2867)
• Australia
25 Jul 07
Yeah i would suggest taking him to the Dr as well - just for a general check up as they may be able to pin-point the problem. It probably wont take much to fix but the Dr would know best!
They may be able to tell you if it is indeed night terrors, nightmares or something else.
I hope they can work out the problem though, i don't think i could handle waking every 30 - 45 minutes either, i'd be so out of what.
Does he have a night light by any chance? If not, perhaps you could try that, something dull but enough to add a little comfort.
Good luck with this little problem, i really do hope you can get it all sorted soon!
@mrs_lidwell (115)
• United States
25 Jul 07
I dont think he needs to see a doctor, i honestly think this is something i can deal with myself.. once i find the source of the problem... i think it is nightmares/terrors... i just dont know whats causing them if its not my mood swings.
Thank you all for all your help, opinions, and suggestions!
@dedicated_28 (1383)
• United States
24 Jul 07
Hi mrs_lidwell. I'm sorry to hear that you aren't sleeping. I'm not sure what your child's abnormal sleep patterns are stemming from, I think the first response gave you some great information though. I just wanted to let you know that I can completely relate to your situation. I am also bipolar and have a special needs child who seems to think that sleep is not important. I have had to skip doses or even completely stop my meds because they do make you drowsy and tend to give you the hangover effect and I must be alert for my child. I can't seem to get a good level of meds in my system for them to even be beneficial. I'm not sure what med you take but if you had stopped and are now recently just starting to take them, it will take about 2 weeks before your body will have a normal level for the med to start helping..be patient.. the meds should help after you adjust to them again. I hope you figure out the problem and are able to sleep again, I know what sleep deprivation feels like and that will only make your mood swings worse. good luck=)
@mrs_lidwell (115)
• United States
24 Jul 07
EXACTLY!!! I hate when he wakes up in the middle of the night now because those meds make me feel so wierd... like ive never had a hang over before... and when he wakes me up in the middle of the night... i about fall on my hind end on my way to my bedroom door just trying to walk! I hate it! Not to mention I still feel like im sleeping... feels like im like sleepwalking or something. I am so afraid one day im just gong to get up in the middle of the night half asleep and not think anything of it and just take him out of his crib and not be awake enough to keep an eye on him. I think the next time I go to my doctor I am going to have to mention these things to him and see what else we can come up with. By the way... I am on Seroquel... supposed to be taking 300 miligrams... but since they didnt have anything higher than 100s in that brand in samples at the docs office... ive been taking 100s since Thrusday night. I hope you dont mind my adding you as a friend. It is always nice to talk with others with the same conditions and problems.
@senthil2k (1500)
• India
25 Jul 07
I am sorry that you son had to wake up every now and then. Its always a thing with the babies and you have to bear it up all for your son.
You should contact your doctor and check for your son's health, if he is going to continue waking up like these for many days. But if its for one or two days, then I think its very normal with the babies and need not worry about that.
@Gemmygirl1 (2867)
• Australia
25 Jul 07
senthil2k :- this is a 2 year old so not exactly a baby any more, 2 year olds are usually well & truly past the waking in the middle of the night stage for feeds etc. My daughter is 13 months now & even she is well past the waking at night stages!
@lucyem (120)
• United States
25 Jul 07
Since he's 2, he could also be waking for other reasons, including back teeth coming in, developmental milestones, etc. Or he could be having night terrors as you believe. Have you tried to ask him how he's feeling? Be gentle and kind with him; tell him you want to help and understand why he's waking up, so you can help him if he's having trouble sleeping.
As for your mood swings, I want to offer you a big hug! I know how painful bipolar is for the sufferers and those who love them. Have you tried taking fish oil supplements? Omega-3 and 1200MG of EPA often helps regulate hormonal imbalances that trigger bipolar and depression, etc. It won't hurt you if you start taking it, even if you're on other meds. You can get the Nature Made brand at Wal-Mart, I think 120 for $5. They also have coupons online so they're even less expensive. They don't taste like fish at all. Actually, there's vanilla in them, and that's what they taste like.
Good luck to you and your little one!
@mrs_lidwell (115)
• United States
25 Jul 07
Well, he has already got his 2 year molars...so i dont think it is teething, maybe a growth spurt. I never thought of that. I still think it was night terrors or night mares because of the way he was waking up. Like I said, he woke up once saying "no no" woke up a few times fussing and crying a little bit. Woke up a couple times sat straight up then grabbed a pillow and went back to sleep.. So I do think it is either night terrors or night mares still. I just dont know what is causing them other than possibly my severe mood swings.
I will talk to a doctor about some of those thins you had mentioned as far as the fish oil suppliments and such.
Thank you very much for your opinion and suggestions!
