Bert's Fight Continues!

Sunday night I took ¼ Lunesta and was out by 10:30. Woke up at 3am and couldn't go back to sleep. Pretty standard stuff. Blah. Blah. Blah. Gonna try and cut down to less than ¼ a pill tonight. I didn't get a nap in today so it SHOULD be easier to fall asleep. The fight goes on but I'm starting to feel more relaxed about it.

A One-Legged Swimmer from Alabama Showed Me What Life Is All About

First, I know many Bert Show listeners were following my progress when it came to my Track & Field training for the 2008 Transplant Games. One of the reasons I make the pilgrimage to the Transplant Games every two years is to remind me of how far I've come since my kidney transplant in 2002.But it's about more than my physical transformation from that hospital bed at Piedmont Hospital here in Atlanta to the track at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. It's the emotional part as well, and the attitude toward life these athletes and donors try to take with them when they go back to their trying lives.

Read more HERE....

I DID IT!

Friday night. No Lunesta. I went out to dinner at Chima and for drinks at the W. Got home around 1:30. Was beat by 1:45. You can't take sleeping pills if you've been drinking. I crashed pretty easily. But I was up every few hours tossing and turning. It wasn't a sound night of sleep. But it was some sleep. Can't tell if I felt crappy 'cause I had a few drinks or because I didn't sleep well. I didn't drink that much so it's probably a combination of both. But it was one night.

Saturday was all about family. We went to the aquarium. And by the time we got home it was time to put Hollis down for the night. The rest of the night was hanging with Hayden. Stacey and I went to bed around 11. No Lunesta. I couldn't sleep at all! I stared at the ceiling 'til about 1:30. Then I got up and took ¼ a pill. No real effect. I think I did go to sleep. But it was one of those sleeps where you're really not sleeping at all, ya know? So I'm pretty cranky today. The good news is I didn't have that heart-racing thing I always have. I didn't feel awake. Just couldn't sleep.

Not sure how to handle tonight. My alarm goes off at 3:20am so my Sunday/Monday sleep patterns are all jacked up. I'll probably concede and do another ¼ tonight with the goal of being off it entirely by the end of the week.

GETTING CLOSER

It looked as though last night had to be the night. I was going to an event at Door 44 and wouldn't be home 'til after 9pm. The usual time I take the Lunesta. Rather than stick the Lunesta in my pocket and take it at the event, then drive home in time for it to kick in, I wasn't going to bring it at all. And I didn't! Stacey and I went to the event. We then met some friends out. We got home about 10:30. Way too lat to take a Lunesta before bed. But, again, I gave in. I will give myself a little credit. I only took ¼ a pill. So I've weened down from ¾ to ¼ in one week. But I had a Lunesta hangover all day today. I took the pill too late. When you do that you have a headache and you think slowly most of the next day. That was sure me this morning. So, going into the weekend I'd like to set the goal of ¼ a Lunesta each night. Then next week we can be done.

My wife Stacey had a talk with me that really made sense. First, she corrected me. I haven't been taking Lunesta for 2 ½ years. I've been taking it for about FOUR. She reminded me that I started to sleep poorly right after our first son was born. But she told the that it's not like I don't know how to sleep. I slept fine for most of my life. I've just freaked myself out. I have to change my mentality and just realize that I don't need this for my body to be tired. She made it sound so easy. And I think she's right. By the end of next week I'll be off this sh^%!

The Guy Least Likely To Have Sex...

Here is the video that we played on the air. Bert came across this video online and thought this guys is possibly the least likely guy to ever get sex! What a total dork! (WARNING - contains adult language!!!) Check it out!

Bert's Magic Potion...

Last night I took a bed time cocktail that consisted of three phosphatidylserine's, one magnesium pill and slightly less than 1 Lunesta. I took Darren's advice and kept most of the light's off for an hour before I went to bed. I slept REALLY well. REALLY well. 51/2 hours straight through without getting up. That's HUGE for me. Uninterrupted sleep? Unheard of.

In the morning I'm now drinking a protein drink to go along with about half a cup of oatmeal. I have to tell you. This drink gave me so much energy 'til about 1:30 that I'm thinking about losing coffee once I'm done with the Lunesta war. The protein drink consists of:
8oz. waterA shot of Acai 100 (it's a fruit that has higher detoxing qualities than blueberries)
1 Tablespoon of Flax Seed
A whole Banana
Handful of strawberries
Quick squirt of Organic Blue Agave
1 Scoop of Nitrogreens
2 scoop of Living Fuel's Living Protein

I was focused, sharp and, as I said, energetic 'til about 1:30pm. The thing I like about all of this is that ALL OF IT IS NATURAL outside of the Lunesta. Tonight's goal is a little less Lunesta.

Bert Couldn't Do It!

Damn it. I couldn't do it. My intention was to go cold turkey on the Lunesta last night. I wussed out and took some. I guess I started stressing out about it around 7pm. By the time 9:30 rolled around the thought of getting zero sleep was overwhelming. So, instead of taking my usual ¾ I decided I'd ween myself off the medicine. I took only half a pill. I sort of thought my body wouldn't react. That it needed more. But it didn't. I went out pretty well. Maybe a good idea to ween? Maybe not? I've received a bunch of emails supporting both sides really.

I saw Darren, the "health coach," today. Here was his advice:
-the weening can't hurt. Might even help.
-take tryptophan and magnesium before bed
-Use only low level light the final hours of the night.
-DO NOT watch tv before going to sleep. He thinks the images and light are stimulating from some and wants to create an atmosphere of calm.
-Delegate more work to avoid stress -Make a list of the items in my life I actually have control of. He thinks seeing the amount of stuff that you DON'T have control of gives some peace of mind.
-Exercise every day
-Try and get a little sunshine every day
-More sex (Doctors orders!)

I usually take a short nap in the daytime. Around 12:30 I'll fall asleep. For five minutes. Never more than 10 minutes. My body won't let me sleep any longer or I would. But today I couldn't fall asleep. So, maybe I'll be tired tonight and will take only ¼.

It's 8pm. My eyes are tired but my body is awake, damn it. I'll check in with ya tomorrow.