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10 Bright Stars
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| Posted: March 31 2009 at 12:26pm | IP Logged
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I have been having sleep troubles every since the last month of my pregnancy with the twins which was over 3 years ago!!!  Lately, it has gotten much worse and often I will be up till 3...4....5 a.m. and the panic starts to set in that I most likely will NOT sleep at all that night. I tend to feel tired around 10ish. If not interrupted, I could potentially stay asleep I think from that point on. The problem is partly my very lovely, yet spoiled daughter Gabbi. (although I don't use that term in a negative way since I am the one who trained her to need me to sleep etc. by allowing to still sleep with me at 18 months and still nurse whenever she wants to etc.)
So, I am awakened each evening by Gabbi who I start out in the crib in my room. Then, I try to put her back and she seems to wake up constantly to nurse. She will scream and scream until I just give in. Once all of this has occured, there is no way for me to get to sleep again, and I just lay there, trying to think about nothing, trying to relax, but I usually just end up worrying about life etc.
I also feel as if a natural time I could fall asleep is every day at 2 p.m. Obviously, I cannot sleep at that time due to having to care for so many. Does anyone else struggle with sleep issues and if so, what did you do that helped? Last night, Gabbi had a fever and a cough etc. She woke up all night and I finally just took her down to the family room to try to sleep with me in the rocking chair (so as not to wake the twins who were in my room AND my husband who has to get up really early) and I sat there, wide awake till 530 a.m when my husband came down for work and said, "Gee, you're up early." To which I replied, "I've been up all night!" (Since I had never slept from 10 p.m. to 2a.m. when I finally went downstairs, either!!! So, today I am really running on fumes and it is a little scary to think it will all just happen again this evening since Gabbi is still sick. There must be some way to get some sleep in a big family. (Oh, and the twins often find their way into my room. Last night they both dreamt about "buggies" crawling on them, something they seem to do if they ate something artificial the night before.
Anyway, excuse this rambling mess, but I am TIRED!!  Thanks for any tips (and prayers!!) you can offer. I just wondered if I broke a "sleep switch" when the twins were little and I got so little sleep back then? It seems like such a silly problem, but I assume that it is not healthy to go along in life without proper sleep over long periods of time, and I have put on a lot of weight partly due to lack of proper sleep I think. (Since I gained 30 pounds AFTER giving birth to the twins in less than 6 months!!!!!!!!!!!!!  )
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Kim married to Bob (22y)
Mom of 11 blessings:
Bobby 19, David 17, Noah 14,
Mary 12, Gracie 10,
Isabelle and Sophia 8,
Gabrielle 6,
William Anthony 4, Joseph 3 and Luisa Marie - born in M
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: March 31 2009 at 12:28pm | IP Logged
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I've heard that lack of magnesium can contribute to inability to sleep.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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Martha in VA
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| Posted: March 31 2009 at 12:48pm | IP Logged
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Just wanted to add that I, too, have heard of Magnesium supplements being successfully used as a sleep aid.
Martha in VA
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4dds,miracle son 4/09, 2 in heaven
My Conversion Blog
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stellamaris
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| Posted: March 31 2009 at 1:11pm | IP Logged
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I had twins and then eighteen months later another child. Both were C-section deliveries, and I also had surgery in between for another issue. The stress on my body from the surgeries, the lack of sleep, the constant efforts to care for/educate my older children caused my adrenals to begin to fail. My symptoms were bizarre sleep patterns (adrenals regulate the circadian rhythm), waking up exhausted, feeling overwhelmed by the smallest things, and aching all over my body. I was tested for adrenal fatigue by Dr. John Bruchalski, who practices at the Tepeyac Family Center in Northern Virginia. If you think this might be the issue, I'd contact him. Also, this book gives complete symptoms and lots more info. It does cost about $100 to run the test for adrenal fatigue and it is not covered by insurance. However, I was desperate.
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Caroline
Wife to  dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
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10 Bright Stars
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| Posted: March 31 2009 at 1:59pm | IP Logged
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All very interesting. I don't take my vitamins reguarly, so maybe I am low in magnesium. I wonder what foods are high in magnesium or can it only be improved by supplments? I wouldn't know how many to take. I can look into that.
The adrenal fatigue sounds interesting. I wouldn't doubt it since I tend to try to burn the candle at both ends and don't take very good care of myself.
Thanks for this info.!
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Kim married to Bob (22y)
Mom of 11 blessings:
Bobby 19, David 17, Noah 14,
Mary 12, Gracie 10,
Isabelle and Sophia 8,
Gabrielle 6,
William Anthony 4, Joseph 3 and Luisa Marie - born in M
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10 Bright Stars
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| Posted: March 31 2009 at 2:00pm | IP Logged
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Also Caroline, if you DO test positive for adrenal fatigue, what do you do to fix it???
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Kim married to Bob (22y)
Mom of 11 blessings:
Bobby 19, David 17, Noah 14,
Mary 12, Gracie 10,
Isabelle and Sophia 8,
Gabrielle 6,
William Anthony 4, Joseph 3 and Luisa Marie - born in M
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10 Bright Stars
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| Posted: March 31 2009 at 2:18pm | IP Logged
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WOW! Just a quick read of the symptoms of Mg deficiency was quite eye opening!! I have a lot of trouble breathing all time. I often am so winded after walking a flight of stairs that I have to actually stop to catch my breath! I always feel as if I am sort of breathing through a tube and not getting deep breaths. I have heart palpitations all the time, and I have ALWAYS been bothered in recent years by joint problems and sore muscles, cramping muscles, problems with things healing. Weird!! (Plus a whole lot of other things they mentioned like the TMJ. My jaw is always popping out of place lately when I yawn etc. ) Thank you all so much for bringing this to my attention!!!! I feel way to old to be 39!!! I also have thryoid problems (I am "weird"..and my numbers "don't make any sense" according to my thyroid "expert", so they are just not treating it in anyway whereas I used to be on synthroid. Also, I am usually always pregnant by now and I am NOT so that I thought was odd too. So very eye opening!! I have the anxiety and nervousness etc.
Also, about 6 months ago, I had very strange heart pains. They wre so bad that I would actually stand there and hold my chest and wondered if it was angina etc. Also, last year I wrote into this list concerning large muscles spasming in my legs. It looked like they were just moving on their own, much like eye twitches, but much more pronounced. Hopefully, I haven't damaged my heart or something not realizing this for so long. I guess I should probably make an appointment for a check-up. Something I have put off with all the wee ones etc. I will also often feel as if a large bubble or something weird is moving through my heart, sort of like a palpitation, but it makes me feel light-headed for a few seconds. Do you think this all could be due to a Mg deficiency?? Did you all have these sorts of symptoms?? Now I feel sort of stupid for not getting it all checked out sooner.
Also, it seems as if you can take too much Mg and it can become toxic. What are the best ways to ingest this in supplement form without problems?
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Kim married to Bob (22y)
Mom of 11 blessings:
Bobby 19, David 17, Noah 14,
Mary 12, Gracie 10,
Isabelle and Sophia 8,
Gabrielle 6,
William Anthony 4, Joseph 3 and Luisa Marie - born in M
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stellamaris
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| Posted: March 31 2009 at 3:21pm | IP Logged
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As far as treating adrenal fatigue, I was on a prescription medicine that replaced the natural hydrocortisol that my body couldn't make. It is called Cortef. It can also be treated naturally with licorice (real licorice, I think). You really need a doctor to monitor the treatment, and it sounds like you really need to see a doctor anyway. You should get a complete check-up as soon as possible. Write down all your symptoms so you don't forget any, and don't try to self-diagnose. Take care of yourself so you can take care of your family!
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In Christ,
Caroline
Wife to dh 30+ yrs,ds's 83,85,89,dd's 91,95,ds's 01,01,02,grammy to 4
Flowing Streams
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: March 31 2009 at 3:23pm | IP Logged
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mag doesn't have a prefered form like calcium does so that shouldn't be a problem. People I know who have problems with low mag. say that it works better for them to get equal amounts of calcium and magnesium.. bringing the mag. up to the level of the calcium.
I haven't done a great deal of research on that myself. So it's just what I've heard.
the book "Prescription for Nutritional Healing" by Balch lists the amount of Calcium at 1500-2000mg and magnesium at 750-1000mg a day.
It also says for your body to assimilate magnesium you also need calcium, phosphorus, potassium, vit. B6, vit. C., and vit. D
as always, typos are mine  also the bold but you mentioned testing and I didn't want you to miss that.
Quote:
| Possible manifestations of magnesium deficiency include confusion, insomnia, irritability, poor digestion, rapid heartbeat, seizures and tantrums; often, a magnesium deficiency can be synonomous with diabetes. Magnesium deficiences are at the root of many cardiovascular problems. Magnesuym deficiency may be a major cause of fatal cardiac arrhythmia, hypertension, and sudden cardiac arrest, as well as asthma, chronice fatigue, chronic pan syndromes, depression, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome and pulmonary disorders. Research has also chown that magnesium deficiency may contribute to the formation of kidney stones. To test for magnesium deficiency, a procedure called an intracellular (mononuclear cell) magnesium screen should be performed. This is a more sensitive test than the typical serum magnesium screen, and can detect a deficiency with more accuracy. Magnesium screening should be a routine test, as a low magnesium level makes nearly every disease worse. It is particularly important for individulas who have, or who are considered at risk for developing cardiovascular disease. |
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Food sources:
found in most foods especially dairy products, fish , meat and seafood.
other rich sources include
apples
apricots
avocados
bananas
blackstrap molasses
brewer's yeast
brown rice
cantalope
dulse
figs
garlic
grapefruit
green leafy vegetables
kelp
lemons
lima beans
millet
nuts
peaches
black-eyed peas
salmon
sesame seeds
soybeans
tofu
torula yeast
watercress
wheat
and whole grains
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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Anneof 5
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| Posted: March 31 2009 at 4:05pm | IP Logged
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Magnesium glycinate is probably the most easily absorbed form. Other types will go right through you, KWIM! I have taken it for several years now especially in the evening. Up to 400mg at night can help sleep. It will cost more than other forms but it is well worth it.
Good luck!
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KrisZ
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| Posted: March 31 2009 at 4:12pm | IP Logged
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I've had similar symptoms. Heart palpitations, muscle twitches, tingling sensations etc. I started taking Peter Gillham's Natural Calm Plus Calcium and I hardly ever have those problems anymore. I take 2 teaspoons in the morning and 2 t. before bed. I dissolve the powder in hot water and drink like tea. It helps prevent constipation too!
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Kris
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Mom to Joshua, Eli, Noah, Isaiah, Caleb, Daniel, Gemma, Jacinta, (Francis, Aaron & Macrina with God), & Baby due in December!
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Sarah
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| Posted: March 31 2009 at 10:45pm | IP Logged
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Hugs Kim. I didn't read everyone's responses. I just wanted to say I never sleep. And my 20 old is a night nurser and I don't know what to do about it. Weaning is not really what I want but sleep would be nice.
Hugs. No solutions. Just know you are not alone.
I have also decided that I cannot ponder deep things about life right now while getting no sleep because I get very down. For example, if I have had no sleep and I start to think to myself why am I homeschooling? I start to plan to put the kids in school and think I can't do anything well. Its really irrational. I'm going to try auto pilot for a while and not ponder the deepen things right now.
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10 Bright Stars
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| Posted: April 01 2009 at 5:57am | IP Logged
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Thanks for all the sage advice. I thought about my post last night, listing all my physical symptoms, and thought I must seem like a real trainwreck to people reading it! I do have all those things though, and listing them all together probably indicates needing to get a check-up! I hadn't really put them all together in my mind and was just sort of putting up with symptoms of what I figured was "getting old" and living life too hard due to the needs of a large family/homeschooling etc.
Anyway, prayers for you to sleep too, Sarah. I was able to sleep last night as my husband took poor, sick Gabbi down with him on the couch. I THOUGHT she slept through the night since I went to check on her once and they were both soundly sleeping, but apparantly I was the deep sleeper last night as he said she had quite a restless evening. God bless him for letting me sleep though! I went to bed early, had taken my pre-natal vitamin earlier in the day, and I tried to eat some magnesium rich foods in the afternoon after reading the earlier posts. (I don't know if it can be absorbed rapidly that way, but I figured I should at least make an attempt to make sure I eat foods that are rich in magnesium for the time being!!!)
Thank you for the advice and prayers. I will start looking into all of this and probably go to the doc. asap.
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Kim married to Bob (22y)
Mom of 11 blessings:
Bobby 19, David 17, Noah 14,
Mary 12, Gracie 10,
Isabelle and Sophia 8,
Gabrielle 6,
William Anthony 4, Joseph 3 and Luisa Marie - born in M
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Topic: Anyone else struggling to sleep???
