HomeAnswersNeurologysleep deprivationI have been having sleepless nights for the past year despite taking medications. Why so?

What could be the reason for the sleepless nights despite taking medication?

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The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

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Published At March 28, 2023
Reviewed AtApril 11, 2023

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

I am a 41-year-old female. Last year I suddenly was not able to sleep anymore. I would lay in bed until 10 o'clock in the morning without sleeping at all. I did not feel tired. I took Zolpidem 3 tablets every night for a month. I would sleep two to three hours a night and I would wake up completely rested. After I stopped taking Zolpidem I continued sleeping only two hours a night feeling completely rested. Six months ago I started sleeping only half an hour in the morning or not at all. I do not hallucinate, I do not feel dizzy, and I can concentrate. During that half an hour of sleep, I dream. I feel like my brain does not need sleep to function. I do not have anxiety or depression or stress. I feel fine in every way. The medication I am talking about is Mezavant for ulcerative colitis and medication for subclinical thyroiditis discovered 5 weeks ago. I also took Risperidone for a psychotic episode I had 2 years ago. I stopped taking Risperidone 8 months ago because of considerable weight gain. My physician ordered liver and kidney function tests which are normal. Blood tests also show thyroiditis and infection in the body although I did not have a cold when I did the blood tests. Even though I do not feel tired I am worried I might die. Almost no sleep for the last six months.

Kindly help.

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Thank you for your query.

I understand your concern. If you do not have a history of psychosis and the history of thyroiditis, I would reassure you that your problem is "short sleep duration disorder", and simply your brain does not need to sleep. Nevertheless, the above-mentioned problems complicate the situation. Thyroiditis can cause excessive thyroid hormone release and it can cause a severely decreased need to sleep. On the other hand, the combination of a psychotic event in the past and the current decreased need to sleep suggests the possibility of a "bipolar disorder" and its "mania" phase. Accordingly, I suggest you to consult an endocrinologist to adjust your thyroid function, and meanwhile, consult with a psychiatrist for evaluation of the presence of a bipolar disorder that needs special medical therapy.

I hope this has helped you. Thank you.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Seyedaidin Sajedi
Dr. Seyedaidin Sajedi

Neurology

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