Sleep problem.

[RJG]

Thanks to all that replied to my question regarding Amiodorone and it's sesitivity to sunlight.
I also have a question about sleeping or rather the inabilty to fall asleep and have a restful night's sleep. My son, who is now on Amiodorone and previously was on Sotalol, generally has a lot of trouble falling asleep.
Is this commoon with HCM? Any known solutions to the problem?
Recently a doctor perscribed a late evening massage however it did little or no good. Hopefully some of you may have some ideas on making his situation better. Thanks.

[Burton Borrok]

Re: Sleep problem.

Hi RJG,
I took a quick look and could find no sleep effects related to the Amiodarone, but there are always concerns and underlying uneasiness with this disease which can disturb a person’s sleeping patterns. You might try reinstating a fixed routine, as follows.

Do not sleep or nap during the day. After dinner avoid all caffeinated or milky drinks or foods. Go to bed at the same time every day. Don’t lay around in bed in the mornings – get up and do something. After a few days the body will settle into the new routine and sleep will come easier.

If the above does not work, you might encourage sleep a bit further by doing some light exercise a short time before going to bed. As your body slows down from the exercise, it often will be easier to continue slowing down into a sleep state. Building a routine will often encourage a full night’s sleep when going to bed, and allow you to sleep through the night.

If that doesn’t work, after a fair trial, it might be time to see your doctor about some chemical encouragement, but I would avoid any over-the-counter remedies unless first approved by the doctor. They sometimes can interact with other medications or conditions.

Hope this is of some help.
Burt

[Laoshur]

Re: Sleep problem.

Just my two cents worth:
I have always had trouble sleeping, even from early childhood and long before I was diagnosed with HCM, when I was under even minor stress and often even when I was not. I find that this is improving somewhat as I get my heart rhythms under control and the heart slowed and less frenetic with beta blockers and calcium channel blockers. So, my experience might indicate that the problem is that your son's heart is still beating too hard, too fast, and too irregularly to allow him to sleep. Talk with his doctor about this to see if he needs more or a change of medication. I did find Amiodarone on a list of drugs that cause insomnia http://www.healthcentral.com/peoples...DF/sleep65.pdf

Rhoda

[Largehearted]

Re: Sleep problem.

RJG
I have slept very lightly for years. I discovered with a higher dose of beta-blockers my sleep patterns are more and more uneven. I am presently on Sotolol (360 a day) and find I can rarely sleep more than 5 hours at a time and even then I wake up at the slightest thing. I also dream very vividly which seems to keep me from entering a deep sleep. It is a drag, but I am amazed at what I can get done between 4:30 and 7:30 a.m.

I hope restful sleep becomes a reality for your son. I don't know much about Amiodarone

Peace,
Leon

[Glen Beamish]

Re: Sleep problem.

Leon, I have been taking Amio for 1 1/2 years now and my sleep pattern has not changed.
I have taken beta blockers for 30 years and find that I do wake up several times a night, but that was happening long before I took Amio.

[Eileen2345]

Re: Sleep problem.

I think this happens to many people with HCM. I have difficultly falling asleep and have for many years. And I have difficulty staying asleep, I wake up during the night.

However, now I wake up at night because I'm in pain. If I sleep on my back, I have pain in the left side of my chest, so I have to roll over on my right side. I can no longer sleep on my left side, it's too painful.

I take a medication to help me fall asleep. But I don't recommend that for everyone, as I am now dependent on it. But, for me it came to the point that I needed something.

Sorry I cannot help very much. I hope this gets better for your son.

Hugs -- Eileen