Question
Dear Karel,
My wife (32 years with 3 kids: 8 & 7 & 2 years) is having non-sleeping periods, which lasts for 3-4 weeks in some occasions. The problem started ~8 years back when she was pregnant with her first baby. She suffered from non-sleeping periods (day & night) for ~ 4 weeks, we tried all kind of sleeping drugs with no benefit. This period has gone by itself and came back again after around 2 years, however, this time it occurs more often (every 2 months or so). All physical checks we did appeared to be normal and no clue of any physical causes for this. Before almost 3 years, we went to a psychologist where he diagnosed the situation to be some type of depression & advised her to take tablets called ?Remeron? (30 mg), one tablet every day. She responded to the tablets, however, it was causing some side effects like weight gain & dryness in throat! Later, we visited a neurologist & did MRI & EEG; MRI showed no physical reasons for this whereas EEG showed that her brain has minor disturbance on electrical pulses (one side is receiving more pulses that the other) which, as per the neurologist, is most likely the cause of this non-sleeping. He advised to take tablets called ?Triptizole? (25 mg), one tablet a day. As long as she is having these tablets she can sleep, however, if she stops she can?t. Normally, it starts with strong headache for 2-3 days, converts to migraine (with nausea) then the lack of sleep starts and lasts for more than 3 weeks.
With this non-sleeping, my wife is always having headache & always short temper with kids and she always feels tired & depressed!!
I truly appreciate your advise on this.
Yours truly,
Dawood Al-Qassabi
Muscat - Oman
Answer
Although Im no doctor you might want to bring her eeg report for a second opinion. Meanwhile try these tips. although if the md takes her off the meds when you come off these sleep medication you must gradually cut the dosage for example cut 1/4 off the pill and stay on that dosage for 7-10 days, then cut another 1/4 etc.. However note when you come off these meds the insomnia returns worse until the meds get out of your system. I would get a second opinion regarding the electrical impulse on the eeg. Dont stop meds unless md knows. You might consider visiting a sleep center for a second consultation . Your local hospital can refer you. feel free to email again karel
