I have just had a Total Hip Replacement and I am in great pain. My insurance covers only so much for me and this mind you is my second procedure. I am not getting that much sleep and I am very tired catering to this pain. I just want to get a good night or days rest for a change.

I think one of the best sleep aids is Melatonin. You can also pick up some Passionflower tea which helps to relax you. Some of the sleep aids are so harsh on the body. You can go to a health food store and get some Valerian Root which is wonderful for relaxing you.

Fibromyalgia is known as a disease which mostly manifests with widespread muscle pains and tender spots. People describe the muscle pain in different ways: some can feel burnings, radiating, others gnawing, sore, stiff, and aching. Patients say that the pain is always present but with different intensities depending on the activity they perform or on the weather, the stress level and the sleep patterns. Fibromyalgia pains can even be resembled with the muscle pains from flu. Also the tiredness and fatigue present in flu are met in fibromyalgia too.

Some patients complain about the fact that they are tired even after sleeping for the whole night. Others say that they wake up during the night more frequent than they did before the disease had installed. Doctors say that an interruption during the deep sleep can cause the tiredness patients complain of.

The fatigue most people feel quite alike with that encountered in the chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Those who suffer of CFS can also have symptoms of fibromyalgia like the tender spots.

Diagnosing fibromyalgia is made after eliminating other diseases that can manifest alike and after inquiring about the tender spots and their location. There are known 18 tender spots that can be painful in fibromyalgia and most are situated around the neck, shoulders, shoulder blades, lower back, elbows and knees.

Some of the patients can feel depressed and develop mood changes, other patients complain about anxiety and difficulty in concentration along with sensitivity to light and temperature.

It seems that these people have been suffering before of depression or anxiety and some of them have been also been abused or neglected during their life. It is important to discuss about these things with the doctor because an improvement in the symptoms might be registered after and the patient will cope with the illness much easier after having such a discussion.

Another problem that appears once fibromyalgia installed is that patients complain that they can not perform simple mental tasks any more. Some say that they can not concentrate as well as before. The doctors say that all these matters are as a result of sleeping disturbances given by fibromyalgia.

General symptoms of fibromyalgia are: muscle pain that lasts more than three months, tenderness in the 18 points, sleeping problems, fatigue, headaches, abdominal pain associated with diarrhea or constipation and bloating. Also, paresthesia or tingling in hands, arms, feet, legs or face can be present. Because these symptoms are found in other neuromuscular diseases, like carpal tunnel syndrome, neuritis, or even multiple sclerosis, tests for fibromyalgia can be ordered.

For more resources on fibromyalgia and espcially about fibromyalgia diet please visit this link http://www.fibromyalgia-info-center.com/fibromyalgia-diet.htm

Groshan Fabiola
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/how-does-fibromyalgia-manifest-99597.html

Antihistamines used as sleep aids (e.g. diphenhydramine) can have some effects on people with health problems such as epilepsy, asthma, glaucoma, cardiac arrhythmia, or an enlarged prostate.

Diphenhydramine should not have negative impact on liver or kidney, however may cause some urinary problems including bladder obstruction.

Every single medication including over the counter and even herbs have different side effects, so you just have to look them up individually.

Anyway, you should not be using this sleep meds for prolonged time without consulting your doctor. These drugs are intended for occasional sleeping difficulties. Your doctor knows better your health condition and will be able to help you with the best treatment option.
I hope this will help you.

Check also this link:
http://www.the-sleep-zone.com/overthecountersleepaids.html

The side effects from steroids can be very serious and even fatal. But from the information we gathered in the past few years, it seems to me the side effects are not as serious as the media makes them out to be. Because of the media over exaggerating the side effects, this has turned many people way from steroids. There will only be short descriptions for the side effects now, and in the future we will add more to the side effects when we have time.

Water Retention:

This is most common from using steroids. It is a “puffiness” or swelling in the neck and facial areas. It is rather notable mainly if you know the person is on steroids. For example, we know someone that took steroids but we did not know it at the time. After we found out, if we looked his face we would wonder how we couldn’t notice he was on roids before. It can be mild swelling or very serious, obvious swelling.

Acne:

Everyone knows about acne, and is one of the side effects we worry about the most for us. It is also a very common side effect, it can give acne to someone who has never had acne, and it can make acne worse for others. It can also appear in new places for a person, such as, the back and neck. There have been several users that have not received acne on the other hand.

Gynecomastia:

It may not sound familiar but most people have heard about it. It is the formation of breasts, or abnormally large glands. The first signs are lumps under the nipples, then will gradually grow to fatty tissue and increase in size.

Aggression:

Aggression, also know as “roid rages”. Surprisingly, several athletes feel this is a positive effect. They often find they lift more, and are more intense during workouts. On the negative side, users find themselves fighting with family, friends, and co-workers with an uptight behaviour.

Hypertension:

High blood pressure is also a chance when taking steroids. Most athletes would not know if they had high blood pressure so it is suggested to get tests regularly. High blood pressure can lead to many more serious diseases.

Cardiovascular Disease:

Studies have shown that steroid use is a risk factor for heart disease. This is because steroids affect the cholesterol levels. Over a period of time the cholesterol builds up and clogs the arteries.

Palpitations:

Heart palpitations have been reported by a number of athletes on steroids. These may indicate an excited or elevated level of the central nervous system.

Impotence:

Impotence occurs when a user goes on and off steroids. When steroids are first used sexual interest increases because of the heightened frequency and duration of the erections. But eventually the opposite happens and no erections can be produced.

Jaundice:

A serious liver disease, which is found by an enlarged painful liver, yellowing of the eyes and skin, and flu like symptoms. This happens when athletes use high dosages of steroids.

Here are some more possible side effects from:

Irritation of the stomach lining. Steroids can increase the production of stomach acid and lower the production of protective stomach mucus. This can irritate the lining of the stomach and may cause or aggravate a stomach ulcer. To reduce this side effect the tablets should be taken with meals or milk. Tell your doctor if you have indigestion, stomach pains or abdominal discomfort.

The levels of sugar in your blood may change temporarily. This may happen if you have high-dose or long-term treatment. While you are having your steroid therapy your blood sugar levels will be checked regularly by blood tests. You may be asked to test your urine for sugar. You will be shown how to do this. Tell your doctor if you get very thirsty or if you are passing more urine

than usual.

Fluid retention due to changed salt and water balance. You may notice that your ankles and/or fingers swell. Some people have a bloated feeling in the abdomen. This is usually only a problem with long-term treatment.

Increased appetite. You may notice that you feel hungrier than usual while taking steroids, and this can make you want to eat more than usual. If you are concerned about weight gain speak to your doctor or contact Cancer BACUPs information service.

Increased chance of infection and delayed healing of injuries. This happens mainly with high-dose or long-term treatment. Tell your doctor if you notice signs of infection (inflammation, redness, soreness or a temperature) or if cuts take longer than usual to heal. It is important to maintain good personal hygiene to prevent infection.

Menstrual changes. Women may find that their periods become irregular or stop.

Behavioural changes. You may notice mood swings, difficulty in sleeping and perhaps anxiety or irritability. These happen mainly with high-dose or long-term treatment and will stop when the steroid therapy ends. Tell your doctor about any behavioural changes which are worrying you. Difficulty in sleeping may be reduced by taking the steroids in the early part of the day, but discuss this with your doctor first.

Less common side effects

Eye changes. With long-term use of steroids, cataracts or glaucoma may develop. There is also an increased risk of eye infections. Tell your doctor if you notice any eye problems.

Cushings syndrome. This is usually caused only by long-term use of steroids.

It can cause acne, puffiness of the face, dark marks on the skin and facial hair in women. Cushings syndrome can be partially reduced by taking the steroids early in the morning, by taking them on alternate days instead of every day, or by reducing the dose, but discuss this with your doctor first.

Muscle wasting. With very long-term use of steroids, wasting of leg muscles may occur. This can cause weakness. When the steroids are stopped some people experience muscle cramps for a short time.

Osteoporosis. With very long-term use of steroids, calcium may be lost from the bones. This can result in pain (especially in the lower back), an increased susceptibility to fractures and loss of height.

Other side effects include: enlarged prostate, premature hair loss, sterility, shortness, and head and stomach aches.

Mark Henry
http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/what-are-the-side-effect-of-steroids-86572.html

i need something to help me fall asleep and stay asleep. benadryl doesn’t cut it. suphedrine keeps me up. i’m pretty bad insomniac. alcohol doesn’t keep me asleep. i usually take trazadone and does pretty good but it’s not over the counter and i don’t have health insurance to go get refills. i’ve heard rite aid sleep aid tablets work, but i have not tried them yet. anyone have any suggestions?

I take 2 melatonin pills before bed, it is a nautrally occuring hormone in the human body which helps you sleep and keeps your circadian rhythms normal.

If you start to feel tired late at night so you can’t go to bed earlier, try taking this at the same time every night and going to bed at the same time. You can work your rhythm to whatever time you want yourself to be tired at.

Sleep apnea is recognized as a common condition among overweight children. If your child has sleep apnea, he stops breathing for a period of 10 to 20 seconds during sleep. The interruption of breathing may extend up to 2 minutes. This episode may occur hundreds of times in a single night.

Sleep apnea can be caused by complete obstruction of airway or partial obstruction. Therefore obstructive sleep apnea is defined as obstruction of airway during sleep. Due to the obstruction of airway, your child’s sleep gets interrupted. As the sleep is interrupted, your child may feel drowsy during the daytime. This also results in tiredness, headaches, loss of memory, lack of energy and depression.

If your child is a normal weight child, he may have tonsils and adenoids which can be cured with surgery. If you child is overweight, the excess fat may narrow the airway. Excess body fat on the neck and chest constricts the air-passageways and sometimes the lungs.

Obesity, mainly abdominal and upper body obesity, is the most significant risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea. Thus morbid or malignant obesity carries a greater risk.

If your child lies down, the throat muscles relax, the tongue falls back and the airway gets obstructed. Due to the obstructed airway, the oxygen cannot be pumped to various parts of the body. Therefore oxygen levels drop, and your child arouses from sleep to breathe and the cycle begins again. Your child might experience snoring which is the result of sleep apnea.

Snoring results from the vibration of excess tissue - whether it’s fat, large natural anatomy or both - as the child breathes in.

Here are the signs and symptoms so that you can identify that your child is suffering from sleep apnea.

1. Interruption of breathing during sleep. Your child may gasp for breathing when breathing is interrupted.

2. Loud snoring or noisy breathing during sleep. As a parent of your child, you can find if they snore; your child may make all types of strange noises when he is sleeping. But snoring is less common in children.

3. Your child may be having a restless sleep. If your child is having sleep apnea, he is not going to get a good night sleep, as may not be able to breath properly while sleeping.

4. Breathing through the mouth, rather than through the nose.

5. Excessive tiredness or daytime sleepiness during the day.

6. With the inability to breath properly, your child may have difficulty in paying attention and difficulty in concentrating.

7. Your child may be having tonsils and adenoids.

Your child may sleep with his mouth open. You can see his chest retract as he gasps for air, and he sometimes sleep in strange positions. Your child may show signs of depression or outward signs of confusion because he may be generally tired, from lack of sleep. Your child may also show signs of behavior changes as he is not getting the sleep needed.

Due to the presence of some, or indeed many, of these signs does not necessarily mean that your child is suffering from sleep apnea, but it would be better to consult a specialist if he is facing with any of these symptoms.

Today, sleep apnea is being widely recognized as a common disorder amongst children of all ages, and particularly amongst children between the ages of about three and six. Estimates vary, but in the United States alone, the number of children suffering from sleep apnea is put at between one and a half and two million.

Nishanth Reddy
http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/sleep-apnea-effects-in-overweight-children-99508.html

Since becoming pregnant, I have suffered from terrrible insomnia!! Is it safe for me to take something to help me sleep??

Do NOT take any type of medication, vitamin, or herb without first talking to your doctor or nurse!

You never know what kind of effect it may have on the baby or the pregnancy.

There are a lot of medications that will go to the baby through the placenta and you wouldn't want the sleep medication to go to the baby and put it to sleep (it may be too much for it, but the right dose for you).

Never be afraid to call your doc and ask questions. That's what they are there for and what you pay them for!

Try taking a warm shower/bath before getting ready for bed. Don't drink anything with caffeine.

What I used to do was take a wash cloth and wet it and put it in the freezer during the day. When I was ready for bed, I'd take it out and lay it across my eyes (I'd put another wash cloth under it so it wouldn't be freezing my eyes) and I just found it so relaxing.

I also bought some spray that had eucalyptus or lilac in it and lightly spray my pillow and sheets. Very soothing. When it was summer and I was very hot, I bought a osculating fan and put it on my dresser and put that on low and let it just go back and forth (head to toe)..kept me cool and put me to sleep too!

Good luck and give the doc a call before tying that!

Studies revealed that is possible for systemic lupus erythematosus to affect the nervous system. Patients with lupus may experience confusion, difficulty with concentrating, headaches, fatigue, strokes or other signs that show nervous system involvement.

Studies suggested that the nerve tissue may be damaged when antibodies attack nerve cells or blood vessels. It is known that the nervous system requires an uninterrupted flow of blood, that is needed to supply with oxygen and nutrients its tissues. When this flow of blood is slowed or interrupted, the nervous cells are unable to function normally, and there appear symptoms. The symptoms vary, depending where the tissue injury is situated.It is good to know that the nervous system contains three parts. The central nervous system comprises the brain and spinal cord, the peripheral nervous system nerve fibers that have the role to provide the skin and muscles the power needed for sensation and movement, and the third part is the autonomic nervous system that has the role to regulate spinal, peripheral nerves and to innervate the internal organs.

An inflammation of the blood vessels of the brain that appears to 10% of all lupus patients is called the central nervous system vasculitis.This disease usually requires hospitalization and high doses of corticosteroids. Some of the symptoms that appear are high fevers, seizures, psychosis and meningitis-like stiffness of the neck. If it is not aggressively managed, the central nervous system vasculitis rapidly progresses to stupor and coma.

People with mild to moderated systemic lupus erythematosus can experience the cognitive dysfunction. That is a group of symptoms that appear at about 50% of these patients, and we can mention here fatigue, memory impairment, feelings of confusion, and difficulty to express the thoughts. By taking a neuropsychological test or a test called the positron emission tomography, these symptoms can be clearly documented.It is known that cognitive dysfunction may come and go on its own, but no optimal therapy is available. Also, it is not known which is the reason for the symptoms that appear. Dealing with a cognitive dysfunction is frustrating, and often counseling a person in developing coping skills may be helpful.

About 20% of the patients having systemic lupus erythematosus experience the lupus headache. This manifests by severe headaches, is similar to migraine and can be often seen in persons who have also Raynaud’s phenomenon. As a treatment, it is useful the same one used in tension headaches or migraine, and sometimes corticosteroids.

It is known that about a third of the patients having lupus can have a false positive syphilis test, a positive anticardiolipin antibody, or a prolonged clotting time test.This is known under the name of the lupus anticoagulant or the antiphospholipid antibody. About 1/9 of the patients having lupus will develop blood clots in various parts of the body, which is called the antiphospholipid syndrome.If blood clots appear in the nervous system, they can cause a stroke, and symptoms of a stroke include the painless onset of neurologic deficits without any signs of active lupus.If a stroke appears, there must be taken blood-thinning medications. We can mention here low-dose aspirin, coumadin or heparin.

Among patients having systemic lupus erythematosus there is a percentage of 20% that have fibromyalgia syndrome as well. These patients experience increased pain in the soft tissues, tender points, and, in addition cognitive dysfunction, decreased ability to concentrate, lack of stamina and difficulty sleeping. As a treatment, we can mention anti-depressants, counseling, and physical therapy if needed.

It was discovered that medications used to treat systemic lupus erythematosus can develop symptoms like those of the central nervous system lupus.Psychosis can appear due to anti-malarials in very high doses; headache, dizziness, and in rare situations meningitis-like symptoms can be provoked by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Also if a patient uses corticosteroids, there can appear moods swings, psychosis, depression, agitation, confusion, if there are taken high doses can appear seizures, and anti-hypertensive medications may be associated with depression or loss of libido.

A study discovered that people that have both lupus and Sjogren’s syndrome may be predisposed to develop vasculitis or cognitive dysfunction. Sometimes, circulating proteins in the blood can lead to cryoglobulinemia or hyperviscosity syndrome.Plasmapheresis or filtering the blood can ease these complications.Sometimes, pronounced decreases in platelet counts may be associated with bleeding.People with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura or who lack Protein S or Protein C may clot, and those with lupus, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and kidney failure may bleed.

In peripheral nervous system lupus, involvement of the cranial nerves can cause visual disturbances, drooping of the eyelid(s), ringing in the ear(s), facial pain and dizziness.Symptoms of numbness or tingling in the arms or legs can appear if there is an inflammation of the blood vessels supplying the peripheral nerves. There can also appear symptoms due to other conditions than lupus and electromyogram and nerve conduction tests are usually helpful to determine if symptoms are due to some other cause. Corticosteroids are used to treat inflammation of the peripheral nerves.

It is important for your doctor to know if you experience nervous system symptoms. It is possible that these symptoms to appear due to lupus, due to a medication or a particular aspect of your life. The doctor will ask you about the symptoms you experience, he will perform a physical examination and a laboratory evaluation including a blood chemistry panel, complete blood count and urinalysis. Also, diagnostic tests like sedimentation rate, ANA, anti-DNA, anti-ribosomal P antibodies and complement may be useful in order to determine nervous system involvement.There are neurodiagnostic tests, that include CT and MRI brain scans, brain waves or electroencephalogram and spinal taps.In a few hospitals, there can also be performed PET scans.The spinal fluid may be examined for cells, protein components and antineuronal antibodies. In patients with cognitive dysfunction, neuropsychologic tests may be helpful.

The treatment for nervous system lupus depends upon its source, and can include immunosuppressants, blood thinners, antibiotics, steroids, anti-depressants, counseling or surgery. If there are evident diagnostic difficulties, a rheumatologist and/or neurologist should be involved in your care. It was seen that for many people with lupus, nervous system involvement is completely reversible.

For more resources about symptoms of lupus please review this http://www.lupus-guide.com/systemic-lupus.htm or even http://www.lupus-guide.com/lupus-rash.htm

Groshan Fabiola
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/lupus-and-the-symptoms-of-nervous-system-involvement-112383.html

A lot of us know what happened to Heath Ledger. Lots of people say that he mixed prescription sedatives or anti-anxiety meds with over the counter sleep aids. Even if the person didn't have the intention of attemting suicide, it is obvious that is dangerous. What are exactly the dangers of mixing prescription meds with over the counter sleep aids? How come the person ends up overdosing by accident? Is there something in the over the counter sleep aids that by mixing them with prescription drugs produces this overdose? How so? If over the counter pills seem so much less dangerous than the prescription ones?

Both anti anxiety medications and sleeping pills effect your central nervous system(CNS). This is what controls all your functions, organs EVERYTHING

Both types of pills are what are called depressants, which means they slow down the activity of the CNS. When you take both together, the functions are doubly slowed. Even if you take a dose of each drug that is high but "safe", the effects are multiplied, because the combined dosage is too high.

The CNS functions slow to the point where the heart stops beating, or the person stops breathing. Causing cardiac arrest or esphixiation.

Over the counter meds can be just as deadly of perscription drugs when taken in excess, especially when mixed or combine with perscrition drugs

Asbestos is an extremely dangerous substance when the proper precautions are not taken to safeguard against the inhalation or ingestion of dangerous levels of the substance. When these precautions are not taken, several potential medical conditions can arise. The bulk of these are serious cancers. The most common illness associated with asbestos is mesothelioma, a rare and deadly cancer caused by asbestos exposure. Another potentially deadly condition caused by asbestos exposure is asbestosis. While these conditions are entirely different, they share a common cause.

Asbestosis is a build up of scar tissue on the lungs that impedes the expansion and contraction of the lungs. It is considered to be a severe lung disease. Asbestosis is often misdiagnosed as asthma because many of the symptoms are similar, and physicians see a lot more cases of asthma than asbestosis. The first sign of the illness is a shortness of breath that occurs after physical exertion. Eventually, the shortness of breath occurs even at times of rest. Other symptoms of asbestosis are chest pain and coughing.

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that affects the mesothelium of certain internal organs. The mesothelium consists of two layers of mesothelial cells. Most commonly, it is the lungs that are attacked by cancer; however, other organs such as the stomach, heart and kidneys, may be affected. Symptoms of mesothelioma are similar to that of asbestosis. The lungs have difficulty expanding due to tumors on the lung membrane. Other symptoms include coughing, chest pain, difficulty sleeping due to the difficulty breathing, weight loss and fluid in the chest. The difference in asbestosis and Mesothelioma is that cancerous cells are causing these symptoms; asbestosis is not a form of cancer.

There are major differences in the treatment of asbestosis and mesothelioma. Asbestosis has no treatment as does mesothelioma. Treatments for asbestosis focus on keeping the condition from progressing as well as easing the symptoms associated with the illness. Mesothelioma has treatment options available based on the stage the cancer has reached. If it is caught early, then there is the possibility of removing cancerous tumors or killing the abnormal cells through radiation or chemotherapy. Later stages of cancer can be treated, but the cancer may have progressed to other parts of the body and may be more difficult to treat. Regardless of treatment, both of these conditions have a very poor prognosis.

Asbestosis and mesothelioma present themselves in similar fashion, sharing many of the same symptoms. They also share a common cause. This makes it imperative to see a physician as soon as symptoms appear. Getting a proper diagnosis can prolong life and can also provide valuable information to be used in any potential lawsuits. Once you have been properly diagnosed and have begun treatment, it is strongly advised that you seek the services of an attorney who specializes in these cases. You may be entitled to a monetary award for you medical expenses and pain and suffering. Your attorney will guide you through the process of seeking financial relief for your asbestos-related illness.

Nick Johnson
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/differences-between-mesothelioma-and-asbestosis-98728.html