Too scared to sleep,recent pain meds & sleeping meds,have made me sleepwalk & have falls when I get up.stopped the meds but still happening.

[mad_woman]

I am so scared to sleep,I keep sleep walking & having falls.Tried to go to sleep so tired but anxiety kicked in.Last night woke up on kitchen floor,fell backwards & hit my head.My knees & legs are covered in bruises & very swollen,can barely walk.Too scared to have a shower in case I fall,its in a bath,so not totally flat surface,its been a week now.

Havent had any sleep or pain meds for nearly a week now.

I am 57 female,first time ever taking stronger sleep meds & pain meds,originally for oesto pain,really bad side effects.I cant stand up for too long & house is a disaster,my anxiety is super high now.

[SammyB]

Hi there,

I’m sorry how frightening it has been for you to get to sleep while also managing heightened feelings of anxiety. As you’ve alluded to in your name, you must be feeling very distraught and I can imagine also overly exhausted from not getting a good night’s rest. It’s quite concerning that you have sustained some injuries from your fall last night. Is it possible to have a family member or friend assist you in seeing a health professional today? If you feel like you are in need of more immediate support, I strongly suggest you get in touch with emergency services. Hope to hear how you’re going whenever you feel like checking back in. You have a whole community here to help you through this.

Sammy

[mad_woman]

Thank you Sammy for your reply,my name is right atm,lol.I was taking too many painkillers hoping they would stop the pain in my legs but just made everything worse.I have been sleepwalking for a few weeks now & stopped meds,thinking the sleepwalking would stop too but it hasnt.It is scaring me so much,Im very uneasy on my feet after a dozen falls to the same leg & knee.I am too scared to have a shower,thinking I will fall & really injure myself.I have worked myself into a state atm.

[mad_woman]

Emergency services,do mean the ambulance?My kids have been to their dads house for 2 weeks,while this was going on,they are home now.I thought not being alone would help but anxiety is still very bad.

[SammyB]

Glad to hear back from you despite this being a very overwhelming time for you. If you are not sure about next steps, you can always get in touch with healthdirect via their helpline to receive support and expert health advice (1800 022 222 / https://about.healthdirect.gov.au/need-help-now ). Suddenly stopping your meds without consulting a health professional can be dangerous especially in combination with taking numerous painkillers, so I’d again encourage you to reach out to professional supports. In regards to emergency services I was referring ambulance services (000, triple zero)- this is if you feel that you require urgent medical attention and are unable to receive any assistance in visiting your doctor or local emergency department. Are your kids old enough to assist you? If it helps, keep checking back when you're ready. Hang in there,

Sammy