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Suggest Treatment For Shift Work Sleep Disorder
Question: In May of 2008 I had a sleep study done to rule out other sleep disorders since i had excess sleepyness. I am a shift worker but had had extreme fatigue even before I started working night shift. I was diagnosed with RLS and shift work sleep disorder. The doctor who saw me no longer comes to my clinic and I cannot get my family physician to prescribe the medication that I used to treat the fatigue. Getting meds for the RLS has not been an issue. it seems like doctors refuse to acknowledge that shift work sleep disorder is a real problem. What can I do?
Brief Answer:
Alternative medication.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for using HealthCareMagic.
In many shift workers, biological clock(circadian rhythm) is disturbed. This disturbance causes sleep disturbances, hormonal changes and secondary fatigue.
Generally our body works according to sunlight related system called circadian rhythm. According to which thyroid,steroid,testosterone and other hormone secretion occurs and body works normal. Due to shift changes, person has to adapt to sleep system.But in many workers this system cant adapt and cause sleep disturbance,hormonal dis-regulation and due to that extreme fatigue.
RLS(restless leg syndrome ) also can occur due to this stressful situation.
You were taking modafinil and methylphenidate for this. Yes, modafinil can help you to make you alert while you feel sleepy and methyphenidate is also stimulant and help to reduce your fatigue and may be helpful in RLS.
One medicine melatonin or agomelatine can help you to stabilize biological rhythm.You can take zolpidem or Eszopiclone on required basis when shift is changed to induce sleep.
For RLS you can take low dose antipsychotic like rispeidone or trihexyphenydyl.
Recently armodafinil has been lunched before 2 years, which is also helpful in SWSD.
Discuss all about these medications with your treating doctor.
Ultimately you have to adjust and take sufficient sleep for 6-8 hour per day to be fresh and healthy.
I would like to know," Which medicines are currently going on? Any other medicines have you taken other than you described?, Frequency of shift changes in a week or month? and detail about duty hours and work details?", to help you more specifically.
Regards,
Dr.Chintan Solanki.
Alternative medication.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for using HealthCareMagic.
In many shift workers, biological clock(circadian rhythm) is disturbed. This disturbance causes sleep disturbances, hormonal changes and secondary fatigue.
Generally our body works according to sunlight related system called circadian rhythm. According to which thyroid,steroid,testosterone and other hormone secretion occurs and body works normal. Due to shift changes, person has to adapt to sleep system.But in many workers this system cant adapt and cause sleep disturbance,hormonal dis-regulation and due to that extreme fatigue.
RLS(restless leg syndrome ) also can occur due to this stressful situation.
You were taking modafinil and methylphenidate for this. Yes, modafinil can help you to make you alert while you feel sleepy and methyphenidate is also stimulant and help to reduce your fatigue and may be helpful in RLS.
One medicine melatonin or agomelatine can help you to stabilize biological rhythm.You can take zolpidem or Eszopiclone on required basis when shift is changed to induce sleep.
For RLS you can take low dose antipsychotic like rispeidone or trihexyphenydyl.
Recently armodafinil has been lunched before 2 years, which is also helpful in SWSD.
Discuss all about these medications with your treating doctor.
Ultimately you have to adjust and take sufficient sleep for 6-8 hour per day to be fresh and healthy.
I would like to know," Which medicines are currently going on? Any other medicines have you taken other than you described?, Frequency of shift changes in a week or month? and detail about duty hours and work details?", to help you more specifically.
Regards,
Dr.Chintan Solanki.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
Answered by
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