Sleep Problems

[flagbabyds]

I have sleep apnea and i am only 13 so i was wondering if it is a genetic thng that more celiac familys have sleep related prooblems. i don't know if there is any connection but it is interesting because a lot people in my family have celiac disease and sleep apnea. just wondering!

mollly

[gf4life]

Hi Molly,

Two of my three kids have had sleep apnea. Both were caused by chronically enlarged tonsils. My son has been fine with his sleep since he had his tonsils out 2 1/2 years ago and my daughter will have her tonsils out next month. I am hoping this will help her. Have you had your tonsils looked at?

My middle son does not have sleep apnea, or the tonsil problem, but he has a hard time falling asleep. So do I. It takes both of us more than an hour to fall asleep and we both sleep very lightly. I wake up at least three times a night, sometimes not being able to fall back to sleep for an hour or more. I am sure this contributes to the ongoing fatigue I still am experiencing. If anyone knows what we need to do to help this (other than the Tylenol PM I take fairly often!) I would aprreciate any insight.

God bless,

Mariann

[LisaS]

Mariann,

Here is my formula for a good night sleep:

Exercise for 20 minutes early in the day

No caffeine

No alcohol

Have a generous portion of protein with dinner

Have a small potato with just butter 3 hours after dinner.

The potato thing is from Kathleen DesMaisons book "Potatoes not Prozac". It is a program that naturally boosts serotonin levels. Your serotonin levels may be low due to malabsorption of tryptophan which is what serotonin is made from. Melatonin, which is what makes you feel sleepy in the evening, is made from serotonin.

It may take a few days to work.

Lisa

[plantime]

Here I sit, 10 minutes to midnight. Sometimes I have insomnia, sometimes apnea. My sister talked to her doctor, and got help. I will be talking to my doctor June 3. I don't know if it's related to celiac disease. I still have my tonsils.

[flagbabyds]

i use CPAP but i have not gotten my tonsils out

[gf4life]

Sleep apnea is one of the few reasons for removing tonsils these days, chronic infection and diseased tonsils are the other reasons. See if you can get to an Ear, Nose & Throat specialist. A good ENT will be able to tell you if they think having your tonsils out might improve your apnea.

God bless,

Mariann

[plantime]

I have to get a referal(sp?) from my regular doctor, so I scheduled an appt with her June 3. I have had sinus drainage problems all my life, so I'm hoping to learn something besides "hay fever."

[flagbabyds]

I am gettting my tonsils out on thursday becuae my ENT siaaid becuase i have cconstant tonsilitis i need to have them out

[gf4life]

Hi Molly,

It is not fun having your tonsils out when you are a teenager. I had mine out when I was 15. I recommend you stock up on losts of soft gluten-free foods. It will be better for you to have them out though. Hopefully your apnea will improve or go completely away!

You will be in my prayers on Thursday.

God bless,

Mariann

[flagbabyds]

to correct the apnea they are going to do lower,, upper jaw and chin surgery next summer. myu lower jaw is so far back it blocks my airway. i just had my tonsils out and i am sleeping horribly. i wake up hurting and i also still have the apnea problems. they were going to do the jaw surgery this summer but my "teeth weren't ready" so they were going to do it in december but the recovery period is 2 months and i am starting 9th grade and can't miss finals that time of year. i have to use cpap for another year which SUCKS but whatever

[gf4life]

I'm sorry to here that Molly. I was wondering how you are doing finishing up 8th grade while at home. Do you get to participate in your graduation? That would be awful to miss the end of the year because you had to have your tonsils out and then miss two months of school next year!

I hope this next surgery does it for you and that will be the end of your apnea problem.

You are in my prayers.

God bless,

Mariann

[tammy]

Recommended reading: "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," by James F. Balch, M.D. and Phyllis A. Balch, C.N.C.

I agree with eating foods that encourage healthy brain function. Potatoes are high in starch which for some, can encourage increased blood sugar levels and candida growth.

The above mentioned book recommends calcium and magnesium for people with Celiac and Insomnia. In the evening eat turkey, bananas, figs, dates, yogurt, tuna or nut butter. For children the herbs catnip and chamomile "...are safe even for children if taken in tea form." -Prescription for Nutritional Healing by James F. Balch

Will you let me know if this is a help to anyone?

[celiac3270]

Just one thing about this poll: it might be hard to get an accurate reading of this because it is more likely that if you come to this section of the board that you have sleep problems than that you don't...therefore, you could be missing out on many "no" votes....of course, there's no way, of course, to prevent this from happening....

-celiac3270

[plantime]

Recommended reading: "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," by James F. Balch, M.D. and Phyllis A. Balch, C.N.C.

I also recommend the book Herbal Healing by the same author. When the doctor diagnoses something, I always look in those two books. I have found the nutritional and herbal guidelines to be a tremendous help.

[Carriefaith]

I have sleep problems but I think it might be because of the medication my GI doctor has me on to help prevent my permenant diarrhea.

I almost always feel like I took a handful of those non-drowsy over-the-counter medications that you can get for sinus problems, flu, colds......

I am so wide a wake at night I find it very hard to get a good nights sleep .

-Carrie

[traci]

I have gotten very selfish with my sleep. To my knowledge I do not have sleep apnea or any organic trouble, my father has night terrors... they are horrifying. But I often do have trouble sleeping, not so much since being gluten free for 2 weeks now or close to it...

I went out and got the best bed I could afford, I put memory foam mattress pad on it and I only buy the very best sheets, at least 400 thread count, you can get them cheap at overstock.com. My bedroom is my haven, my children know to leave me alone unless someone is bleeding. I keep it very clean, smelling wonderful and cool. If your bedroom is too warm, you wont sleep well. Too cold is far better than too warm.

I have a soft light for reading and a routine that I try very hard not to vary from. I will go without something else to have luxurious sheets.

I do not allow anyone to stimulate me with topics that I am excitable over such as my husband wanting to talk about the addition to the house or the truck payment after 7 PM. Also my husband and I have seperate beds. I love him and all that but its very hard for me to sleep with another person, epeicially if they snore, whistle, chomp or move a lot. Some mates will not like this, they take it personally but if you are like me, try explaining it gently and with love.... once my hubby understood it was not the end of our "intimate times" he was fine and when he realized the more rested I was, the happier I was... he is also more rested because he is not subconciously worried about waking me up.

I have a down comforter so I dont get weighed down in cover weight.

Sleep is so very important. If I dont get a good nights sleep, I am wiped out. When I was stuffing gluten in my face, I never got good sleep. I would wake up sore and tired. Now I fly out of bed, its great.

I kicked all my pets out too. I love my pets but they interferred with my sleep. They have adjusted well to their own beds.

I think if you get selfish about your sleep, your sleep space, do what you need to do to make your sleep space all it can be...its the place to pamper yourself. You should have a bed that when you slide into it you go AHHHH I LOVE THIS BED... it all helps at least it does me.

[LynnR]

Caffeine does it to me everytime. Last night I had a very small glass of Mountain Dew soda and I was wide awake until after 1 AM. Chocolate also - because of the caffeine.

[Maggie1956]

I know it's been awhile since this thread was used, but I really have a few sleep problems which drive me almost berserk!

Like you Traci, I have to sleep in a separate room from my hubby, otherwise I just can't sleep at all, and he doesn't either. I snore very loudly. Loud enough, that I often wake myself up with it.

I also think I have sleep apnea, although I've never been to a sleep clinic to be tested for it. I wake up sometimes with the sense that I've been struggling for breath.

I have really bad nighmares almost every night. Not just one, but they go from one to another all night some nights. I'm often trying to excape from my x..(the father of my two grown kids), who is doing all sorts of horrid things to me.

Another one is similar. I am trapped, and trying to call out for help and can't form the words. They are so aweful, I wake up crying in my sleep.

I already take meds for anxiety/depression and sodium valproate to try and stop them, but it isn't working.

I'm really exhausted most of the time because of it, and have to have an afternoon nap every day.

So, it goes on, and on, and on.....

Sorry to rave, but it is really getting hard to take.

Maggie

[cdford]

Well, here I am at 4am writing this post. Once again I am so tired I can hardly function, but neither can I sleep. My legs won't stay still and my mind won't slow down. Every little noise drives me nuts. At least my husband doesn't snore anymore since he has one of those machines for his sleep apnea. We are back in the same bed again...this time a king size version so that neither of us kicks the other when the leg spasms start up. We have to laugh at it or we would go crazy!

I haven't quite gotten to the point of taking a mag sulfate shot, but I will probably get there within the hour. I'd like for my Sunday to be somewhat normal and not be so exhausted. I know it will help, but I hate taking them.

You are not alone with the nightmares and feeling as though you can't quite breathe and can't quite wake up. Those are bad, but the dreams where every house you go into has 15 bathrooms and none of them work are even more strange.

[Maggie1956]

You are not alone with the nightmares and feeling as though you can't quite breathe and can't quite wake up. Those are bad, but the dreams where every house you go into has 15 bathrooms and none of them work are even more strange.

Now that would be bad!! lol

I sometimes dream that I've 'been' to the bathroom, but still need to go.

That's usually when I really DO need to get up and 'go' for real.

Thanks for that. It gave me a much needed chuckle.