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Author Topic: I cant sleep, ANY ADVICE??  (Read 4733 times)

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Offline VenusGirl

  • Member
  • Posts: 6
I cant sleep, ANY ADVICE??
« on: May 29, 2009, 01:07:29 pm »
i just found out 2 weeks ago today. 
I think ill be OK and I'm trying to adjust with coping but its so rollercoster.
One day I'm OK the next 2 I'm tired and no focus.
I sleep in 2-3 hour cycles and then toss and turn for a couple hours.

AAAHHHHHHHHH
I'm in the middle of finals and graduate next week.  My family is coming into town. I have my first doctors appt next week on Thursday.  So i can know what my VL and tcells are at. So until then, i don't know where I'm at with my healt ???
I wish i could just cry it all out but its just not that easy.  I'm anxious, on edge, tired, distracted
and i know it all contributes to my failure to sleep well

oh please help me........... i feel so disgusted with myself

Offline emeraldize

  • Member
  • Posts: 3,397
Re: I cant sleep, ANY ADVICE??
« Reply #1 on: May 29, 2009, 03:24:49 pm »
Hey VG

Starting from the bottom of your message and working up...

Try not to be too disgusted with yourself. This is a process of adjustments of every type imaginable.
You found this site in short order. That is great.

Something I was told recently, by a nurse, is to use Benadryl as a sleep inducer. It's over-the-counter and providing you're able to use it you may find it helpful.

You're undergoing a lot of anxiety-inducing things even without your diagnosis. Finals,graduation, family visiting, and juggling all of that with life-changing news and awaiting your numbers.

Try to parse things. You'll never graduate again. Try to put the HIV to the sidelines and immerse yourself in the best of what the graduation experience is and feel the pride from your family and friends.

Sleep will help you feel less anxious, edgy and most of all, your immune system benefits greatly from sleep.

If it persists, perhaps you'll need to speak with a physician about a prescription for a sleeping med until you can get back to good sleep on your own.

What you may find helpful with so many competing, high anxiety issues is to create a list of things you can have an impact on and things you can't or can't at this time.

FINALS
Eat, sleep, study.

GRADUATION
Rehearsal on (day/time)
Parents arrive
Dinner at
Breakfast at
Campus tour...

DOCTORS APPT
list of questions/concerns
resources available in the city where I'm living or will be living

POST-GRADUATION
Plans: graduate school? work?
Resume in place?


Bottom line...keep looking forward. Keep planning. It will help you focus and feel more in control (to the degree you need to feel in some control) and, over time, things will settle down.

This August marks my sixth year since diagnosis. If you would have asked me in the first few weeks if I would be doing with my life what I'm doing now, I would have said " No way!" but surprisingly and wonderfully I am having some of the best years ever...post-diagnosis.

You have decades ahead of you. I'm an old bat so I can write such a thing.

Oh yes, if you have access to cable or movies, watch comedy shows/flicks. I watched Comedy Central at night for several months after I got the news. It took the hardest edges off and helped me to keep my sense of humor.

Take good care of yourself.
Em
« Last Edit: May 29, 2009, 08:59:39 pm by emeraldize »

Offline positivmat

  • Member
  • Posts: 222
Re: I cant sleep, ANY ADVICE??
« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2009, 09:41:21 pm »
Anxiety, no-focus and disgusted with yourself. Meditation would help you with that. I think these two weeks are key for you though. I would take the benadryl or get a sleeping aid. Your dr should give you a prescription for your finals and graduation no problem. But if you are facing anxiety and focus difficulties, another long term solution would definitely be meditation. If you have time this summer, you might want to check out Jon Kabat Zinn's "Full Catastrophe Living". It is the basis for mindfulness based stress reduction.  It might help you while you continue on at Berkeley. You can google it and find 8 week long classes which might help. Good luck on your finals and Enjoy your graduation next week.
Matt

Offline Winiroo

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,082
  • Positive since 1991
Re: I cant sleep, ANY ADVICE??
« Reply #3 on: May 29, 2009, 10:16:32 pm »
I dont have anything to add to what Em wrote. She said it all very well. But I wanted to let you know I read your post and wish you the best.

 


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