Can This Be Fatal Familial Insomnia I Had Trouble Sleeping Until I Can Sleep At Around 11:30 PM?

Brief Answer:
Please see the detailed answer below.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thank you for the query on this platform. I can understand your concern. According to your description, you have been suffering from insomnia for few days.

Insomnia usually may result from some reasons like stress, anxiety or depression, consumption of alcohol, caffeine or cigarette smoking, shift work, lack of sufficient physical activities during daytime, lack of regular exercises, daytime sleeping, recreational drug abusing, watching television or using smartphones before going to bed, take heavy meals before sleeping and many more.

On the other hand, Fatal Familial Insomnia or FFI is an extremely rare disorder that may present initially as trouble sleeping or insomnia and worsen over time. Besides insomnia, it is also associated with some clinical features such as deteriorating cognitive function, impaired mental function, loss of memory, loss of balance or ataxia, excessive sweating, increased blood pressure, raised heart rate or tachycardia, difficulty in speaking or swallowing, muscle spasms, vivid dreams, unexplained weight loss, anorexia or loss of appetite, inability to maintain body temperature, fever etc.

Do you have the above mentioned clinical features along with insomnia? I think, reply will be no. Then, how can you suffer from FFI? Insomnia for few days, never confirm FFI. In patients with FFI will suffer from insomnia for few months to years continuously.

As Fatal Familial Insomnia is a rare type of disease, so investigations like MRI of Brain, Sleep study, PET Scan, genetic testing etc may help to diagnose. If you have still doubt about FFI, then you can undergo the above mentioned investigations.

Anxiolytic or sleeping pills may help to bring back your normal sleep cycle. Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,
Dr. Zubayer Alam, General And Family Physician,

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Brief Answer:
Please see the detailed answer below.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thank you for joining again. No, it doesn't mean that you are still diagnosed with Fatal Familial Insomnia.

As I have already mentioned that Fatal Familial Insomnia is rare condition and autosomal dominant disease which means patients can inherit this disease from his family members, so you may develop this if you have a positive family history.

Again, besides Insomnia this disease may present with above mentioned clinical features. A patient with Fatal Familial Insomnia may suffer from few months to years. Above mentioned investigations should be needed for confirming a case of Fatal Familial Insomnia.

So, from above discussion, it is clear that you are not suffering from Familial Fatal Insomnia.

Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,
Dr. Zubayer Alam, General And Family Physician,

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Brief Answer:
Please see the detailed answer below.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thank you for joining again. According to the studies, Melatonin is a safe medication when it is taken at recommended dose. Some studies suggest that 1-10 mg is relatively safe to take for 3 months. Some other studies also suggest that standard dose between 1-20 mg is safe and effective for 3 months use.

Melatonin is a natural hormone that is synthesized by pineal gland in the brain helps to induce sleep. It is secreted in response to darkness and is suppressed by light. It plays a vital role for inducing sleep.

According to the studies, it will be better for you, if you take dose between 1-10 mg at bed time. You should not use this drug for long term. Use it only for 3 months according to your doctor's advice.

Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,
Dr. Zubayer Alam, General And Family Physician,

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