How long can a woman stay awake before she hallucinates or faints?

I think you must see a doctor and get some sedation. You can’t function or think straight without sleep.

If you haven’t slept at all in four days I’d see a doctor now.

I have been awake for 55 hours . The first 2 nights I slept 5 hrs. each.
Should I be scared? I AM scared! I think the doctor would say, “well, go home and sleep then.” But I can’t. He will be convinced I’m doctor hopping or whatever.

Would a benadryl do it for you. How about 2?

@Aster why do you think your doctor will think that? Do you have a history of drug abuse or “doctor hopping?”
If I went to my doctor and told him I hadn’t slept in 4 days, he would write me a script and tell me to drive carefully.

As to your question, I’m sure it varies by person. I have started to hallucinate in as little as 24–30 hours with no sleep. Other times I’ve gone much longer and had no such thing happen. See your doctor.

I have a whole bottle of benedryl , WGuy.
@TheOnlyNeffie He only has seen me once. He doesn’t know me that well. When I was in there last I was in really bad shape due to personal problems so he must think I’m a nutcase. OH, God.

I would see a doctor and I wouldn’t drive

What should I say?: Hi , I haven’t slept in 4 days. What can you do for me?
No; I would never drive.

You need real sedation and some research into why you can’t sleep.

@faye so you think benedryl would work? Melatonin won’t.

“Hi , I haven’t slept in 4 days and I feel like shit. Help me.” is probably a good way to start the conversation.

@Lightlyseared almost laughed but don’t have the energy. No , I couldn’t say that. He’s very dignified and sort of important. LOL

Benadryl is certainly sedating but I’m sure there’s something better by prescription. If you can’t get to a doctor today, I would take one for sure. Melatonin wakes me up, makes me jittery.

Definitely see a doctor. Just tell him what’s going on. Tell him what you have tried already so he knows what hasn’t worked so far.

OK so maybe tone down the “feel like shit” but even so that is what you need to say.

wow; you guys are great at hand-holding. thank you so much.

If you can’t get in to see your doctor right away I would go to one of those “urgent care” places. They can generally see you pretty quickly. And if you’re not tired enough to sleep after 4 days there’s something going on that I don’t think benedryl is going to fix. As others have mentioned you need to to get a prescription from the doctor for some sort of sedative to take care of the immediate issue, which is that you haven’t slept in 96 hours. You can’t go much longer without it. And you can talk to the doctor about what might be wrong and how to proceed. Take care of yourself!

thank you. Two days; this is now 2½ days i mean. I actually might enjoy hallucinating . hmmmm

I’m not sure if it is intentional, but you seem reluctant to see a physician. I suffer from chronic insomnia, and I have for most of my life. I truly believe you should see a doctor as soon as possible.

OK: Neffie; I will. I just can’t imagine getting all spruced up to go to that clinic thingy. I’m too tired and tomorrow? I hate to think of tomorrow . It is a very nice, huge clinic six miles up .

Why do you have to get spruced up to go to the doctor? If you’re sick, nobody expects you to look like a million bucks. Just make sure you have all the naughty bits covered.

Not a million bucks. Just nice. Hair fixed, showered, teeth brushed, lipstick….......omg…......

I don’t get it . . . You’ve been awake for 55 hours, but for the first two nights you slept 5 hours/night?

5 hours a night is just fine . . . And I’ve been up for 3 days straight a few times in college. It’ll be ok, just don’t drive or operate heavy machinery. When you fall asleep you’ll sleep for a day or so to “make up.”

Once you start going 4–5-6 days without ANY sleep (read not 5 hours at a time) then worry . .

I’ve only gone 2½ days without any sleep at all, before that I slept 5 hrs each of the first 2 nights and I am used to getting 8+ hrs. No way I can go on 5 or less, can’t do it .

I really hope that I don’t sound rude… but, just put on your shoes and jacket and go to the clinic already. It isn’t helping you sleep to sit here and talk to us. If anything the light from your monitor is making it worse.

No; I cannot go in this condition. I look like the worst , nastiest hag imaginable. I’d scare him.

For crying out loud, just go. Nobody cares what you look like. NOBODY CARES. They are medical professionals.

I don’t understand why you’re finding reasons to avoid doing the one thing you need to do. There are no sleep pixies who will come to your house and fix your situation.

No; I cannot go looking like this. I have a corn dog in the oven anyway. thanks, though.

I promise you can make it on 5 hours a night. Many many people do it every day.

I’m sorry to say, but by @Aster recent replies. . . seems like someone’s trolling. “I have a corndog in the oven”??? (and that’s more important than addressing a medical issue that one is complaining about effecting them how) I’ll stop feeding the troll now.

Excuse me? Just because I’m starved doesn’t mean I’m not in bad shape too.

Fine. Hovering over the keyboard is not going to help, but you’re not interested in being helped. So zei gezunt, insha’Allah, good luck with that. Unfollowing.

I very much appreciate the advice and, because of it, I will go to the doc tomorrow a.m. !! I am not ungrateful. I needed that push.

I literally haven’t eaten in 2 days. I literally went 2 days without sleeping, however I slept last night and broke that 50 hour stretch.

If I had still not slept by now, eating would be the last thing on my mind. Your reluctance to go to the doctor and fear that you might be taken as someone looking for drugs is really a concern to me. I think you should just bite the bullet.

I really am just trying to be helpful, as I believe many of the other responders are, but I feel like you aren’t very receptive?

Neffie, I am receptive. I am going tomorrow . I ate half a tv dinner 2 hrs ago and a sandwich at 3am. I did not sleep even 2 min last night. I read , I thought, I groaned, I ’[putered.

You seem to be looking for attention and found it. Your comment about your doctor (who you say you have only seen once) were, well, dumb sounding. Your doctor being dignified and an important person is no reason to not see him and be honest. If you’ve been up four days, perhaps you are on speed. Check the bottle from the last pill you took.

Take a shot of Nyquil to get to sleep tonight (I think it’s around 12% alcohol) and go to the doctor tomorrow. Your doctor could care less what you look like.

I hope you get some Zzzzzzzzzz’s woman!

Yes, drink some alcohol, see your doctor for future bouts and a sleep aide if necessary. Good luck!

Maybe the corn dog will make you drowsy. lol

Why are you trying to please your doctor? I doubt that he cares if you look awful. If he really is important, he is probably a good doctor and understands patients and their problems. Don’t worry about what he thinks of you—get the help you need.

Your doctor’s job is to make you feel better. He can’t do that if you don’t tell him the problem.

See your doctor, tell him the truth, don’t worry what you look like. You think the people cut out of cars look good when they get to the hospital?

I’ll also point out, from personal experience, that I have seen people on their death bed worried about how they look. Literally.

I think I speak for 99.9% of the medical community when I say: WE DON’T CARE.

No; I cannot go looking like this. I have a corn dog in the oven anyway. thanks, though.

I can’t stop laughing.

Really @Aster, the sleep deprivation may be affecting your judgement. Doctors deal with people covered with blood, with open sores, head lice, parasitic infections, gangrene, abscesses, bed sores, mucus pouring out of their noses, rashes, fungal infections, incontinence, etc.; there’s really almost no end to the amount of basic human ickiness they deal with on a daily basis. It’s not going to bother them if you haven’t had a shower today and you haven’t done your hair and makeup. Really, it’s not going to bother them. They don’t think things like “I can’t believe someone would come in here all covered with blood like that. The least they could have done was shower first.”

@FutureMemory you made me laugh. lol I am still laughing. It was fairly tasty. I actually enjoyed the mustard more than the corny dog.
He has gone home. I looked at my fridge magnet and it said 8–5pm today. I just had a,, er, I’m clean now anyway. I won’t do my hair; I’ll let it look like a tornado hit it which it will for sure by morning. I won’t do makeup base; I’ll look very pale and that’s ok.

On the other hand, if you are up all night, you could be doing your hair, your nails, your makeup… j/k.

I really need to bug the programmers to increase the size of our profiles – I’ve run out of room to add more funny quotes.

@FutureMemory and @Aster: I really liked that one too. So much that I think now that people can learn the sex of their unborn child that the phrase “She’s got a bun in the oven” should be reserved for women pregnant with girls and “She’s got a corn dog in the oven” should be used when the baby is a boy.:-)

I’ll also point out, from personal experience, that I have seen people on their death bed worried about how they look. Literally.
Hey! That sounds like how I’ll be. Oh, brother.

I understand the appearance thing. I put some makeup on when I was in labor and would have washed my hair if it needed it. Try the benadryl and a nice hot bath, crawl into yor bed and rest at least.

@FutureMemory I’ll sign the petition for that one. I love your list of user quotes.

CHOOSE which one will make me sleep contest:
a Vicodin or 2 benedryls. I have no idea but I have both.

Sounds like you have some serious worry going on in your head and heart. You need to first just relax. You will sleep even if you feel like you can’t right now. The body will shut itself off when it has had enough.
I would recommend seeing a doctor after you have slept. I would also recommend that you park your ass in bed, free from distraction and ride it out until you do finally fall asleep.
Melatonin will help but I would stay away from drugs. Use your regular doctor to recommend a sleep specialist and go see them.
What you are experiencing is not as uncommon as you think it is. There are a number of factors that add up to what you are going through right now. I am willing to bet that you can fix most of this by changing somethings around in your life. Best of luck to you. Remember not to worry or be fearful, that will keep you awake even longer and STAY AWAY FROM DRUGS at this point. Your body will not hold out much longer with no sleep. You can relax soon. Call a friend up or have someone come over and pet your head or back, I bet you fall right off in to dream land.

@faye You would have washed your hair. Now, that is one hilarious comment. LOL!! Note: my husband does Not Believe Me that I was up all night. I am not mad or sad; I think it’s interesting.
(hefting 5lb weight)

Might I also add to stay out of the bath right now as well. You could fall asleep at anytime and the last thing you need to do is fall asleep in the bath.

@judochop too late. I already did the deed. How? I have no idea. I’m a grandmom!

I really think you should stay in bed until you go to the doctor. I’ve fallen asleep in some very dangerous places when I’ve gone 40+ hours without sleep.

OK I“m in a reclining office chair now. I have not done a thing to the house for days . It looks like we were robbed, then they ate, then they made off with the goods.

Seriously, does your husband help at all? You alone are not responsible for your house being clean. Maybe worrying about that stuff is part of your sleep problem.

No; he doesn’t help at all. Those young guys do but not him. He will go to the store, which he did, and bring me back fruit juice I asked for but if you mean laundry or kitchen work? No Way! Zip!
He will counsel me until he’s hoarse, he always has, he’s my best friend ,he’s taking me to the doctor but he never does any kind of housework. Nada. He did my veggie garden; he hates vegs.
I worry a lot about family members and lots of serious matters. I think that’s why I love fluther; it makes me laugh and takes my brain off everyone.

I have to ask @Aster….. How can anything or anyone take your brain off of “Doctors deal with people covered with blood, with open sores, head lice, parasitic infections, gangrene, abscesses, bed sores, mucus pouring out of their noses, rashes, fungal infections, incontinence, etc”~Thanks to Lilly you’ll NEVER get any sleep tonight! Neither will I…

Yep, I don’t think much else was missed , what else is there..bad breath?
Don’t forget to floss Aster! lol

@Coloma May I remind you this question is in the General Section. Off topic comments will be deleted.

But, OP, since you opened the question…there is…yes, Bad Breath, Body Odor, Pistalance, Unexpected Leakage, Underacted Leakage, Reacted Leakage, Redacted Leakage, Specifcally [deleted by Fluther Moderators]…. They’ve seen it all. (I’m going to get RareBear.) Go to the doctors and appearance be damned! I mean darned!!! Sorry Mods

@Dutchess_III

Well jeez…I think flossing after a corndog is helpful info. and still on topic. lol

@Aster and @Dutchess_III Sorry about that one. I may have overstated my case just a bit. And now, even if @Aster can get to sleep, she’ll probably have nightmares.

Hi, I took one benedryl and conked out at 9 for 8 hrs. I’m still tired, though. I needed to turn out the lite at 8pm but I didn’t. TV was too good. I hate it when that happens.
@Dutchess_III good to hear from you again!

@Aster Glad to hear you got some sleep! AND thanks for missing me! I’ve missed you guys.

@lillycoyote Well, I for one, had nightmares! THANKS a LOT!

@Aster

Yes, glad you got some sleep, the memory foams calling me now…—goodnight…zzzzzz—-

For me,it lasts about 37 hours before i faints,no sleep,no food,just a little water.I was suffering a lot from it.