Can't keep my eyes closed for sleep.

Everyday living
1

Oh dear. I don’t know if anyone else is awake but I’m so frightened. Just by writing this down is helping a little.

I’ve had to come downstairs as the burning numbness is now in my head when I lay back on my pillow and for some reason I cannot keep my eyes closed.

I’ve taken 400mg Gabapentin about an hour ago to see if this helps as the right side of my body feels as if it is on fire … But this inability to keep my eyes shut is terrifying. It’s like when I have my restless legs but now with my eyes.

It would almost sound funny if it wasn’t that I’m now so scared. How on earth am I going to sleep?

I’m now propped up on our sofa and I just hope that, eventually, out of sheer exhaustion I drop off. I see the neurologist on Saturday so cannot bother my gp about this. I’m hoping the Gabapentin might help?

Thank you for ‘listening’.

2

hi cathy

i had bell’s palsy when i was 17.

the worse thing was that my eyes wouldn’t close.

i had to close them with my hands.

you need something to help send you off.

sleeping pills? i find that amitriptyline makes me sleep.

artificial tears from your pharmacy will stop your eyes from drying out.

you can and should see your gp. it is what he/she is there for.

torture being unable to sleep.

carole x

3

Hi,. I don’t think it’s funny, as I know how upsetting sleepness nights can be. At those unearthly hours, you feel as if you are the only one in the world.

It may not have the same cause, but a trick I taught myself in the small hours, is not to look at the clock. Looking at the clock only makes those hours drag even more!

So I’m glad you’re seeing your neuro this week, so hopefully you’ll be advised and helped with the problem.

I think if I were you, I would wait for the neuro appointment, rather than see the GP about it, because the neuro should have a better idea as to how to tackle the problem than the GP.

If you see both, you may get conflicting ideas as to what to do.

In the meantime, as Carole suggests, getting some eye drops from the chemist shouldn’t do any harm.

Let us know how you go on.

Pollsx