Trouble sleeping | Arthritis Information

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I'm hoping that someone out there has some tips on how to get better sleep. It's 4 am and here I sit waiting for my pain meds to kick in because I get so much pain while I sleep.

I have PA , diagnosed about 2 yrs ago, and I am in a constant struggle to get any kind of good sleep. I am on ambien which does help me fall asleep, but then after a couple of hours I am in terrible pain and stiff all over. The doctors aren't helping too much on this one. I feel like I am sleeping all the time but getting no rest if that makes any sense.

I was hoping maybe someone out there has any helpful tips or at least a shout out that I'm not alone in this struggle. Sometimes it seems like this disease is a very lonely one. Not too many people understand.

Ok well enough of my babbling There must be something to watch on tv in the middle of the night right lol I guess no one else has this problem I don't get on here everyday, so I just saw this.  Sorry you are having such a hard time sleping.  I too have PA and have a hard time sleeping.  When I fall asleep,  I sleep so hard that I don't move.  The PAIN and Stiffness for the first 3 hours of the morning Is hard to deal with.

 
I find it helps me not be so stiff if I set an alarm so that I move every hour.  That Screws up the whole restfull sleep thing, but I take small naps as often as I can. 
 
The Ambian might actually be doing more harm than good, becauseit makes you sleep to hard to move and avoid the pain and stiffness later in the day.
 
What do you take for pain at night?  I have a daytime pain killer, and a stronger nighttime pain killer for when I HAVE to sleep.
Can you exercise?  I find that on days when I can get in some exercise that I sleep much better.  I had a really bad restless night last night, and I did not get in my usual walk or other form of exercise.
 
Google some meditation techniques online - when you're laying in bed awake, you can try some of those.  Repeating a mantra in your mind, focusing on breathing patterns, etc.  It's a little difficult at first but the more you practice it, the more you learn to slow down the body and quiet the "monkey mind."  Best wishes to you.
It is a big problem. I think small exercise will help you.  Thank you so much for your replies! Exercise might just help. I am waiting on my Medicare to take effect in nov so I can go back to pt which helped a lot

redbedhead. I never even thought that the ambient could be a problem! Will talk to my doc about that. I take vicodin 7.5 for my pain. That's all rheumy is giving me. I'm thinking of going to pain management to see if they can help.

Thanks Green Tara I will def try that. It couldn't hurt

Yeah, When I took Ambien I thought it would be the answer to my sleep issues, but found out that it made things a LOT worse because It made me sleep too HARD and I couldn't move to aleiviate the pain and pressure of being in the same position for 8 hours.  It is worth checking into.
 
My daytime pain killer is Ultram and my night time painkiller is Oxycontin, although I only take the night time one when I ABSOLUTLY NEED to sleep and do not need to be mobile for 3 hours in the morning.
 
I love exercise, it really helps to work the stiffness out.   
I really need to try the exercise . The only thing I'm concerned about is making the pain worse and not better!
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