Hypomania and sleep + medfail
Oct. 9th, 2011 11:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
untonuggan posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
who_needs_sleepHi all! Just found this community tonight. I was wondering if anyone here has had experience with (1) hypomania and sleep; (2) migraine medication and sleep.
I have bipolar II (formerly known as manic-depressive syndrome), which means that when my mood fluctuates it's usually towards the "depressed" end of the spectrum. When I do have "mania", it's a slightly-less-high form known as hypomania. So if I were to go on a hypomanic spending spree, it would be more like $100 rather than a manic $1,000. I haven't had a hypomanic episode for years, but I'm getting the royal treatment now. Working with doctor on it, but of course it is that lovely vicious cycle: the more hypomanic you are, the harder it is to sleep; the less you sleep, the more hypomanic you get. So I get in bed and my mind starts going-going-going with a "flight of ideas." I normally use a mood light in the mornings, but I can't while hypomanic (as it can make the hypomania worse). Does anyone else have experience with hypomania/mania and sleep?
Second comes the lovely paradox of my migraine medication. The only thing I've had much luck with is Midrin, which is a compound of a variety of substances...including caffeine. (Caffeine causes your blood vessels to constrict, reducing headache pain.) Problem: if I get a migraine in the evening, then I will most likely be awake because of the Midrin. Of course, I could try to sleep off the headache, but I usually like to nip it in the bud...
Hap.
I have bipolar II (formerly known as manic-depressive syndrome), which means that when my mood fluctuates it's usually towards the "depressed" end of the spectrum. When I do have "mania", it's a slightly-less-high form known as hypomania. So if I were to go on a hypomanic spending spree, it would be more like $100 rather than a manic $1,000. I haven't had a hypomanic episode for years, but I'm getting the royal treatment now. Working with doctor on it, but of course it is that lovely vicious cycle: the more hypomanic you are, the harder it is to sleep; the less you sleep, the more hypomanic you get. So I get in bed and my mind starts going-going-going with a "flight of ideas." I normally use a mood light in the mornings, but I can't while hypomanic (as it can make the hypomania worse). Does anyone else have experience with hypomania/mania and sleep?
Second comes the lovely paradox of my migraine medication. The only thing I've had much luck with is Midrin, which is a compound of a variety of substances...including caffeine. (Caffeine causes your blood vessels to constrict, reducing headache pain.) Problem: if I get a migraine in the evening, then I will most likely be awake because of the Midrin. Of course, I could try to sleep off the headache, but I usually like to nip it in the bud...
Hap.
no subject
Date: 2011-10-10 05:29 am (UTC)Seroquel will also help snap the manic cycle, although it really makes you sleepy. Like you've been hit by a ten-ton truck. But I take half a 25 mg and it will let me sleep like nobody's business and still wake up in the morning.
Hope this helps.