Question:
If I have to take Theo-dur too late at night it keeps me awake.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was wondering if anyone has insomnia from their asthma medications. I’m taking Flovent 2x a day 2 puffs. AJ
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I was wondering if anyone has insomnia from their asthma medications. I’m taking Flovent 2x a day 2 puffs. AJ
Response:
I have experienced insomnia and I am on the same amount of Flovent. The doctor says that it would not cause it but I don’t know. I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone. *smile* Shannon
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was wondering if anyone has insomnia from their asthma medications. I’m taking Flovent 2x a day 2 puffs. AJ
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Hello! Absolutely…I’ve not enjoyed more than 4 hours (undisturbed) sleep since I began taking Flovent and Serevent last year. Patrice – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was wondering if anyone has insomnia from their asthma medications. I’m taking Flovent 2x a day 2 puffs. AJ
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Is Flovent a newer inhaled steroid? Is it better than Flunisolide (brand name of Aerobid in US)? Is it more effective than Aerobid? I didn’t think inhaled steroids were that notorious for causing sleep problems, but I could be wrong. Is Serevent a Beta Antagonist (sp?)? That could be very well be your problem. Albuterol (Salbuterol), a Beta Antagonist, Theophylline, and the older family of bronchodilators (Metaproterenol Sulfate being one) are notorious for causing sleep problems. By the way, I’m curious to find out if anybody is still using Metaproterenol Sulfate (Metaprel) and/or Isoproterenol(Isoprel) as one their main medicines to control their asthma anymore and if so why? I remember having really bad side effects from Metaprel, but that was once one of the main stay asthma medicines 20 years ago. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello! Absolutely…I’ve not enjoyed more than 4 hours (undisturbed) sleep since I began taking Flovent and Serevent last year. Patrice
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Does anyone have any ideas on trying to get some sleep when you can’t. I’ve tried everything I can think of. I don’t know if it’s my meds or what. I just need sleep. I’m too hyper to sleep, too sleepy to do a lot of things (hyper-running around house and playing w/ daughter , etc. I will do to some extent when supposed to be asleep). I’ve ran out of ideas (literally). please help. I’m going on 2 hours sleep for the past 2 days combined and I have still 1 more 12 hour night shift left before I am off and need some sleep.
Response:
what are you taking? jen * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!
Response:
Seroquel balances my sleep/wake schedule, otherwise I decline to a near annihilating dose of barbituates. Gabriel * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!
Response:
I’ve been taking trazodone at bedtime for a few months, and it’s great. Fall right to sleep and stay that way all night. If you’re taking stimulating ADs like Wellbutrin, don’t take them near bedtime.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Does anyone have any ideas on trying to get some sleep when you can’t. I’ve tried everything I can think of. I don’t know if it’s my meds or what. I just need sleep. I’m too hyper to sleep, too sleepy to do a lot of things (hyper-running around house and playing w/ daughter , etc. I will do to some extent when supposed to be asleep). I’ve ran out of ideas (literally). please help. I’m going on 2 hours sleep for the past 2 days combined and I have still 1 more 12 hour night shift left before I am off and need some sleep.
Response:
Put a fan or something in your room that makes a noise loud enough to drown out small noises. Focus your attention on your breathing…until it becomes regular…as you do let your awareness go to different parts of your body. Any where you find tension…try to relax the muscles in that area, continue to go around your body until you’ve completely relaxed it…and your breathing is deep and regular. If your mind is not still and that is keeping you awake,..try repeating a phrase. The one I use is "I will develope and use my positive potentials thus becomeing a fully actualized and intergrated self." This should work, ..antother thing that works for me is to pretend it’s 100 years in the future and that I’m dead…nothing matters…no thoughts…no tension….just eternity….sometimes that works…even in very tense situations. It’s like surrender. Drink some milk before bed, or take trytophan. Go to bed the same time each night. Don’t drink before bed. Don’t do anything physical for a few hours before bed. That being said, If your getting that little sleep, you might want to get some meds for it. Antihistimines that don’t have a decongestant can help if you don’t have anything else. Try ASH Alternatives to Suicide Homepage http://members.home.net/askash/index.html – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Does anyone have any ideas on trying to get some sleep when you can’t. I’ve tried everything I can think of. I don’t know if it’s my meds or what. I just need sleep. I’m too hyper to sleep, too sleepy to do a lot of things (hyper-running around house and playing w/ daughter , etc. I will do to some extent when supposed to be asleep). I’ve ran out of ideas (literally). please help. I’m going on 2 hours sleep for the past 2 days combined and I have still 1 more 12 hour night shift left before I am off and need some sleep.
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I am currently taking 40 mg of Prozac (20/20 am/pm), 100 mg Luvox (between 5 & 10 pm), and 1 mg of Lorazapan (Ativan) every 4 – 8 hrs. I have even tried taking my lorazapan, but I go into a light (very light) sleep, more of a rest than anything. I sleep with a fan on. I also sleep during the day and work all night. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – what are you taking? jen * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!
Response:
go to bed with a good book and TRY to stay awake. a lot of us are what a pdoc of mine called contra-suggestible aka bloody-minded. Isabel
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Does anyone have any ideas on trying to get some sleep when you can’t. I’ve tried everything I can think of. I don’t know if it’s my meds or what. I just need sleep. I’m too hyper to sleep, too sleepy to do a lot of things (hyper-running around house and playing w/ daughter , etc. I will do to some extent when supposed to be asleep). I’ve ran out of ideas (literally). please help. I’m going on 2 hours sleep for the past 2 days combined and I have still 1 more 12 hour night shift left before I am off and need some sleep.
Response:
Talk to your doctor about dropping the Prozac and starting on a mood stabilizer. Antidepressants are notorious for triggering mania in a bipolar person. Insomnia as you describe is a classic sign of mania. Also ask about Klonopin – it is a good med to take for bipolar insomnia. Before I was dx’ed I tried all the usual home remedies (warm milk, meditation, OTC sleeping pills) to no effect. My GP put me on Ambien (a prescrip sleeping med) but even at doses high enough to knock out a horse, I still couldn’t sleep. That’s what tipped him off that I might be bipolar. At one point in my treatment I was on nothing but Prozac (had dropped lithium in state of denial/rebellion), and it flipped me into the worst insomnia ever – went 9 days without a wink of sleep at one point. You need your sleep – please seek medical attention. jen * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!
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I was wondering how many people have noted vision changes as a result of chronic seroquel use. I was also wondering if seroquel increased the level of your creativity or your sense of being in touch with the afterlife or "grand scheme" of things in whatever sense you consider those things. Thumper – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Put a fan or something in your room that makes a noise loud enough to drown out small noises. Focus your attention on your breathing…until it becomes regular…as you do let your awareness go to different parts of your body. Any where you find tension…try to relax the muscles in that area, continue to go around your body until you’ve completely relaxed it…and your breathing is deep and regular. If your mind is not still and that is keeping you awake,..try repeating a phrase. The one I use is "I will develope and use my positive potentials thus becomeing a fully actualized and intergrated self." This should work, ..antother thing that works for me is to pretend it’s 100 years in the future and that I’m dead…nothing matters…no thoughts…no tension….just eternity….sometimes that works…even in very tense situations. It’s like surrender. Drink some milk before bed, or take trytophan. Go to bed the same time each night. Don’t drink before bed. Don’t do anything physical for a few hours before bed. That being said, If your getting that little sleep, you might want to get some meds for it. Antihistimines that don’t have a decongestant can help if you don’t have anything else. Try ASH Alternatives to Suicide Homepage http://members.home.net/askash/index.html Does anyone have any ideas on trying to get some sleep when you can’t. I’ve tried everything I can think of. I don’t know if it’s my meds or what. I just need sleep. I’m too hyper to sleep, too sleepy to do a lot of things (hyper-running around house and playing w/ daughter , etc. I will do to some extent when supposed to be asleep). I’ve ran out of ideas (literally). please help. I’m going on 2 hours sleep for the past 2 days combined and I have still 1 more 12 hour night shift left before I am off and need some sleep.
Response:
Hi Tammy- You got some really good responses–so I’ll only add to them. Inositol–a b-vitamin will help–250 mg at bed time Instead of milk, try a carbohydrate. Dry corn flakes was suggested–I tend to eat macaroons. LOL it works! Calm’s Forte is available at GNC stores–and it is great–you can take it with any med–it is basically minerals. Isotonic minerals and calcium work wonders for me. Tryptohpan is a script. So, try 5htp–its precursor and OTC. But check any possible reactions with your meds. You should not take 5htp or tryptophan if you are taking SSRIs. That should give you lots of things to try to see what works for you. Trazadone does not keep me asleep. I take it at bedtime and when I wake up at around 4AM, I take another dose. And finally, I’m ramping up on Neurontin–but so far it has definately helped me sleep better–but nothing esle yet–too low a dose. HTH, Nancy – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Does anyone have any ideas on trying to get some sleep when you can’t. I’ve tried everything I can think of. I don’t know if it’s my meds or what. I just need sleep. I’m too hyper to sleep, too sleepy to do a lot of things (hyper-running around house and playing w/ daughter , etc. I will do to some extent when supposed to be asleep). I’ve ran out of ideas (literally). please help. I’m going on 2 hours sleep for the past 2 days combined and I have still 1 more 12 hour night shift left before I am off and need some sleep.
Response:
Hi Tammy, Does anyone have any ideas on trying to get some sleep when you can’t. I’ve tried everything I can think of. I don’t know if it’s my meds or what. I just need sleep. I’m too hyper to sleep, too sleepy to do a lot of things (hyper-running around house and playing w/ daughter , etc. I will do to some extent when supposed to be asleep). I’ve ran out of ideas (literally). please help. I’m going on 2 hours sleep for the past 2 days combined and I have still 1 more 12 hour night shift left before I am off and need some sleep.
What meds are you now taking? Is your doctor away of your lack of sleep? For me, the sleep disorder specialist prescribed Melatonin 3 mg daily.Also, nocaffeine has helped as well. I can empathazie with you as I only was getting 2-3 hours of sleep anight and then had to nap during the daytime. Peace, Lynda
Response:
I was wondering how many people have noted vision changes as a result of chronic seroquel use.
My doctor says that although the likelyhood is very low, there is a chance seroquel can cause cataracts. She wanted me to have my eyes checked after a month of being on a low dose of it and wrote me a referal to an eye doctor. I haven’t seen any changes in my vision, but if you’re experiencing any, I’d recommend a routine eye exam. Sincerely, Little Girl "Lead paint : Delicious, but deadly."
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Hi Thumper, What sort of vision changes? I don’t know anything about Seroquel, but I have had some weird vision problems coinciding with onset of bipolar symptoms. These are characterized mostly by double vision/blurring. It occurs on and off – i.e., fine for weeks then I’ll get a full week in which I just can’t seem to focus. It is bad enough that I will have trouble reading those big green signs of the freeway. I’ve also had halos and floaters, but not as often. All of this is in one eye only. Had my vision thoroughly checked out, nothing wrong there. Had a cursory neurological exam by my GP, nothing wrong there. Tried going off my lithium for awhile, but still had problems. Was finally told it must be related to my migraines – perhaps a prodomal type thing. But sometimes I’m not so sure…. I wonder if the blurred vision gets so bad, it gives me a headache? Oh well…. thought I’d jump in and whine a little. 
jen * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!
Response:
I have found that seroquel has made me more creative, or lucid; whereas other anti-psychotics tend to make me become zombee-like. As for ‘increased spirituality,’ . . . If this is a referance to myself, I wasn’t referring to the anti-psychotics as causing me to become more spiritual, and am not going to divulge my experience here so. . . Gabriel * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!
Response:
Thank you to everyone who had written back or thought about it. Received a lot of good feedback. I did try a lot of them, including calling the Dr. He has changed my meds around again. I’m still taking everything, the only 2 exceptions are the I now take the Luvox in the morning before I go to bed and he cut my Prozac in 1/2 and take just 20 mg in the morning as well. I immediately could see the difference in the fact I became more irritable, still insomniac to a point, still nauseated, and started back smoking again after quitting a couple of months ago. I eat less now and am loding more weight. I can handle everything but the irritability. I am irritable at everyone around me without realizing it until later, then I feel guilty. I try to not be irritable and apologize. I don’t like this part of me and no one else does either and tell me. I don’t like feeling like this at all. Some times I hate myself because of it, even though I know it will be better. My family asks me if I took my meds. when they begin to see me cycle through either being real irritable or real hyper. They keep me in check some seeing my moods change, sometimes quickly. I will call my doc Monday morning to tell him what is still going on. I will be taking some copies of the suggestions with me at my next visit. I’m sorry if I am writing on, I will try not to go this long next time, just had as lot on my mind. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Does anyone have any ideas on trying to get some sleep when you can’t. I’ve tried everything I can think of. I don’t know if it’s my meds or what. I just need sleep. I’m too hyper to sleep, too sleepy to do a lot of things (hyper-running around house and playing w/ daughter , etc. I will do to some extent when supposed to be asleep). I’ve ran out of ideas (literally). please help. I’m going on 2 hours sleep for the past 2 days combined and I have still 1 more 12 hour night shift left before I am off and need some sleep.
Response:
Hi Tammy, – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Thank you to everyone who had written back or thought about it. Received a lot of good feedback. I did try a lot of them, including calling the Dr. He has changed my meds around again. I’m still taking everything, the only 2 exceptions are the I now take the Luvox in the morning before I go to bed and he cut my Prozac in 1/2 and take just 20 mg in the morning as well. I immediately could see the difference in the fact I became more irritable, still insomniac to a point, still nauseated, and started back smoking again after quitting a couple of months ago. I eat less now and am loding more weight. I can handle everything but the irritability. I am irritable at everyone around me without realizing it until later, then I feel guilty. I try to not be irritable and apologize. I don’t like this part of me and no one else does either and tell me. I don’t like feeling like this at all. Some times I hate myself because of it, even though I know it will be better. My family asks me if I took my meds. when they begin to see me cycle through either being real irritable or real hyper. They keep me in check some seeing my moods change, sometimes quickly. I will call my doc Monday morning to tell him what is still going on. I will be taking some copies of the suggestions with me at my next visit. I’m sorry if I am writing on, I will try not to go this long next time, just had as lot on my mind.
Are you taking a mood stabilizer Tammy? If not then the irritability could be dysphoria triggered by taking an AD without the coverage of a MS. If you are taking a MS then another look at the ADS may be in order as well as perhaps adding an adjunct MS to the med combo. I hope you feel better soon. Please keep us posted. Peace, Lynda
Response:
Funny how you mentioned your family asking you if you have taken your meds. My wife has started the same regular line "have you taken you tablet today" since we both found out I was a manic depreccant sufferer. Interesting point you’ve made there. Opened my eyes. Darrell
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi Tammy, Thank you to everyone who had written back or thought about it. Received a lot of good feedback. I did try a lot of them, including calling the Dr. He has changed my meds around again. I’m still taking everything, the only 2 exceptions are the I now take the Luvox in the morning before I go to bed and he cut my Prozac in 1/2 and take just 20 mg in the morning as well. I immediately could see the difference in the fact I became more irritable, still insomniac to a point, still nauseated, and started back smoking again after quitting a couple of months ago. I eat less now and am loding more weight. I can handle everything but the irritability. I am irritable at everyone around me without realizing it until later, then I feel guilty. I try to not be irritable and apologize. I don’t like this part of me and no one else does either and tell me. I don’t like feeling like this at all. Some times I hate myself because of it, even though I know it will be better. My family asks me if I took my meds. when they begin to see me cycle through either being real irritable or real hyper. They keep me in check some seeing my moods change, sometimes quickly. I will call my doc Monday morning to tell him what is still going on. I will be taking some copies of the suggestions with me at my next visit. I’m sorry if I am writing on, I will try not to go this long next time, just had as lot on my mind. Are you taking a mood stabilizer Tammy? If not then the irritability could be dysphoria triggered by taking an AD without the coverage of a MS. If you are taking a MS then another look at the ADS may be in order as well as perhaps adding an adjunct MS to the med combo. I hope you feel better soon. Please keep us posted. Peace, Lynda
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi! I’m looking for help from anyone out there who may have experienced symptoms similiar to mine. I have had a depression followed by a mild manic episode which has possibly caused 8 months of insomnia (ie early morning waking, and very light sleep). I have been told that I probably have manic depression but that the sleeping pattern I have (ie extended insomnia) is unusual. I’m on trycyclic anti-depressants but they have been no help. Has anyone reading this had the same long-term sleeping problems? I would like to know what helped you! I’m using a friends e-mail at the moment, so , if you have any information for me would you be able to write to- Emma. C. Buninyong VIC 3357 Australia If you cannot rwrite you could reply by e-mail but please put EMMA as the subject. Thankyou! Emma, I haven’t been good and high in about 10 years, but in the past the most usual sign was insomnia, 3-5 days of it usually meant I was well on my way to a full blown episode. Lithium and wellbutrin (and time) have ended this pattern. -Doug Hang in there, the sleep problems sound all to familiar. I used klonopin at first but it is addictive, then Desyrl(sp?) which is a modern form of tricyclic that may have a serotonin effect as well and it helped tremendously….it will make some of us light headed and disoriented but it is a good sleep inducer. I have found that sleep is the main area that changes regardless of whether i am high or low….it is tough. i did try trcyclics at first and they helped. we are all different i think, but there is a combination of meds that will kick in for you. Ad you are not alone by a long shot, bpd, is simiply not publicized alot and when it is only he most extreme cases are mentioned. those of us living a
‘normal’ Let’s start out setting the record straight. Bipolar disorder, manic depression, uni-polor clinical depression on a good day or night for that fact, is a major pain in the ass! The med merry-go-round gets so old; so very old. I have started to feel like they’re I’m the brass ring everyone reaches for while reading the merry-go-rounds. Sleep? Who sleeps? What is a normal sleep pattern? Sometimes all I do is sleep 20 – 22 hours per day. Others I sleep 2-3 hours and am wide awake for several days. I must add I am extremely cranky when going through this. Will be glad to answer any other questions you may have. The Wild Woman (Claire)
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: Hi! : I’m looking for help from anyone out there who may have experienced symptoms similiar : to mine. I have had a depression followed by a mild manic episode which has snip : I’m using a friends e-mail at the moment, so , if you have any : information for me would you be able to write to- : Emma. C. : Buninyong : VIC 3357 : Australia Emma, I am in Melbourne. I realise Buninyong isn’t very large but will "Emma C." be sufficient to find you at the P.O. there? I’ve got Bipolar disorder too, I’ve got a very good PsyDr at Royal Melbourne Hospital who my GP ("Dr Feelgood" from the radio show Pillowtalk – yep, shes a real GP!) referred me to. I’ll email an innocuous reply to your friend with subject line "emma" as instructed, look forward to hearing from you? — Graham. B’Doing!
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Sleep management has been number one in stabilizing my whole cycle. I targeted sleep as a major issue to get under control with meds. Ativan has consistently performed for me in this area. Some persons note a hangover with this med. I blooming well welcomed this, as reaching for a coffee in the morning had meaning again. It works for me in combination with Tegretol challenges as required
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi! I’m looking for help from anyone out there who may have experienced symptoms similiar to mine. I have had a depression followed by a mild manic episode which has possibly caused 8 months of insomnia (ie early morning waking, and very light sleep). I have been told that I probably have manic depression but that the sleeping pattern I have (ie extended insomnia) is unusual. I’m on trycyclic anti-depressants but they have been no help. Has anyone reading this had the same long-term sleeping problems? I would like to know what helped you! I’m using a friends e-mail at the moment, so , if you have any information for me would you be able to write to- Emma. C. Buninyong VIC 3357 Australia If you cannot rwrite you could reply by e-mail but please put EMMA as the subject. Thankyou! Emma, I haven’t been good and high in about 10 years, but in the past the most usual sign was insomnia, 3-5 days of it usually meant I was well on my way to a full blown episode. Lithium and wellbutrin (and time) have ended this pattern. -Doug
Hang in there, the sleep problems sound all to familiar. I used klonopin at first but it is addictive, then Desyrl(sp?) which is a modern form of tricyclic that may have a serotonin effect as well and it helped tremendously….it will make some of us light headed and disoriented but it is a good sleep inducer. I have found that sleep is the main area that changes regardless of whether i am high or low….it is tough. i did try trcyclics at first and they helped. we are all different i think, but there is a combination of meds that will kick in for you. Ad you are not alone by a long shot, bpd, is simiply not publicized alot and when it is only he most extreme cases are mentioned. those of us living a ‘normal’ life with it are just a silent group i guess, busy dealing with it. regards Ernie ising
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Hi! I’m looking for help from anyone out there who may have experienced symptoms similiar to mine. I have had a depression followed by a mild manic episode which has possibly caused 8 months of insomnia (ie early morning waking, and very light sleep). I have been told that I probably have manic depression but that the sleeping pattern I have (ie extended insomnia) is unusual. I’m on trycyclic anti-depressants but they have been no help. Has anyone reading this had the same long-term sleeping problems? I would like to know what helped you! I’m using a friends e-mail at the moment, so , if you have any information for me would you be able to write to- Emma. C. Buninyong VIC 3357 Australia If you cannot rwrite you could reply by e-mail but please put EMMA as the subject. Thankyou!
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi! I’m looking for help from anyone out there who may have experienced symptoms similiar to mine. I have had a depression followed by a mild manic episode which has possibly caused 8 months of insomnia (ie early morning waking, and very light sleep). I have been told that I probably have manic depression but that the sleeping pattern I have (ie extended insomnia) is unusual. I’m on trycyclic anti-depressants but they have been no help. Has anyone reading this had the same long-term sleeping problems? I would like to know what helped you! I’m using a friends e-mail at the moment, so , if you have any information for me would you be able to write to- Emma. C. Buninyong VIC 3357 Australia If you cannot rwrite you could reply by e-mail but please put EMMA as the subject. Thankyou!
Emma, I haven’t been good and high in about 10 years, but in the past the most usual sign was insomnia, 3-5 days of it usually meant I was well on my way to a full blown episode. Lithium and wellbutrin (and time) have ended this pattern. -Doug
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I have had insomnia for as long as I can remember. I have taken trazadone, klonipin, ativan, xanax, restorial, and I usually always get perscribed Ambien because it works. I am on Depakote, Topamax, Seroquel, and Effexor XR so you think that would make me fall asleep but it doesn’t. Betsy Ach – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – jack and lisa" I have been annoyed by it for 3 years. But, I now have a p doc who will give me prescrip. for Clonipin, telling me to only take 1/2 pill when possible, instead of whole one. Last year, I used to lay my head down for half hour at a time, never sleeping all night, finally get dressed at 5:30 AM, go to diner, to keep house quiet for husband, trying to sleep.He has no trouble sleeping, unless I am roaming around. the clonipin can give a side affect or 2, but when I need it, which is usually the case, I take it. GGOODD luck. Dot
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jack and lisa" I have been annoyed by it for 3 years. But, I now have a p doc who will give me prescrip. for Clonipin, telling me to only take 1/2 pill when possible, instead of whole one. Last year, I used to lay my head down for half hour at a time, never sleeping all night, finally get dressed at 5:30 AM, go to diner, to keep house quiet for husband, trying to sleep.He has no trouble sleeping, unless I am roaming around. the clonipin can give a side affect or 2, but when I need it, which is usually the case, I take it. GGOODD luck. Dot
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I have suffered from insomnia off and on all my life, well all my life that I can remember, even as a young girl like age 9 and upwords.. Tonight I am having insomnia and I know why..it is called alarm clock anxiety..When I have to wake up to an alarm clock I either can not sleep or I sleep restlessly.. So far I have not been able to fall asleep tonigh..it is almost 5:30am now and my alarm will go off at 11:30am..I have an appt to go to at 1:15pm.. In my early 20’s I was under a lot of stress because of bad relationships with my mother and my boyfriend so my anxiety would last for a week at a time..finally I had to go to the Dr. to get some Xanax..this knocked the shit out of me and I could sleep for days on that stuff.. I take 1mg of Klonopin twice a day but it doesn’t make me tired.. Now when I don’t have to get up to an alarm clock I usually fall asleep by 4:30am and sleep till about 3:30pm..I don’t work right now so that if why I have these crazy hours for sleeping..I am a night owl by nature.. MELISSA
HAPPY NEWYEAR–2000!!
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Melissa, You sound alot like me, I’m a night owl too. I can remember not being able to sleep as young as 9 or 10 too. I usually try and go to bed before 2am, but not always successful. Getting to sleep isn’t usually that hard but staying asleep is my real problem. Waking up over and over and not being able to fall back asleep is really difficult to cope with. If I know that I’m going to have to get up via alarm clock I have a hard time sleeping too. It is almost unimaginable at the slightest things that can keep my brain awake and unable to drift off. It literally drives me nuts until one night I will finally just crash and sleep all night. Lisa – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have suffered from insomnia off and on all my life, well all my life that I can remember, even as a young girl like age 9 and upwords.. Tonight I am having insomnia and I know why..it is called alarm clock anxiety..When I have to wake up to an alarm clock I either can not sleep or I sleep restlessly.. So far I have not been able to fall asleep tonigh..it is almost 5:30am now and my alarm will go off at 11:30am..I have an appt to go to at 1:15pm.. In my early 20’s I was under a lot of stress because of bad relationships with my mother and my boyfriend so my anxiety would last for a week at a time..finally I had to go to the Dr. to get some Xanax..this knocked the shit out of me and I could sleep for days on that stuff.. I take 1mg of Klonopin twice a day but it doesn’t make me tired.. Now when I don’t have to get up to an alarm clock I usually fall asleep by 4:30am and sleep till about 3:30pm..I don’t work right now so that if why I have these crazy hours for sleeping..I am a night owl by nature.. MELISSA HAPPY NEW YEAR–2000!!
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I have had insomnia almost as long as I can remember back into my childhood. I’m Bipolar II and continue to be VERY annoyed by it. I was wondering how many bipolars out there have this constant insomnia thing too? So raise your hand and speak up! Lisa
Can I ever sympathize with that! My mom tells me that I was prescribed sleeping meds even as a toddler 
However I find that whatever I get now tends to work for about a week and then loses its effectiveness sharply after that. My problem is falling asleep — sleeping in the morning wouldn’t be a problem, if it weren’t for that pesky job I have to go to Usually I end up sleeping about 5 hours a night, except when I get totally exhausted. Cheers, TAE
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20 years of insomnia. Lamactil and trazodone for me did the trick so far. Too soon to tell for sure. Tried it all before. Good luck. Not sleeping and bipolar are a bad mix. TW – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have had insomnia almost as long as I can remember back into my childhood. I’m Bipolar II and continue to be VERY annoyed by it. I was wondering how many bipolars out there have this constant insomnia thing too? So raise your hand and speak up! Lisa
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20 years of insomnia. Lamactil and trazodone for me did the trick so far. Too soon to tell for sure. Tried it all before. Good luck. Not sleeping and bipolar are a bad mix. TW
My problem isn’t so much getting to sleep, but getting "good sleep". I usually wake up two or three times a night. Then even when I do sleep, I wake up the next day more tired than when I went to bed. My PDoc has siad it might be anxiety or maybe sleep apnea. My theory is that I am half asleep when I am awake, so I’m half awake when I am asleep. Ralph
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Hi Lisa, I have had insomnia almost as long as I can remember back into my childhood. I’m Bipolar II and continue to be VERY annoyed by it. I was wondering how many bipolars out there have this constant insomnia thing too? So raise your hand and speak up!
I have aninterrupted sleep cycle and was evaluated at the sleep disorders lab at UNC here in Chapel Hill. I was told the following: 1. Go to bed the same time nightty…30 min. leeway here 2. Get up the same time daily even if I didn’t sleep 3. Go outside and saty there for about 3o min, to receive the morning light (which is the strongest) 4. Take 3 mg of Melatonin nightly to reset my circadian Rhythm which can take weeks to months. 5. Stop taking any sleeping medication 6. NO caffeine 7. NO exercise at night So, perhaps a consultation with a sleep disorders specialist would be a prudent thing to do. I do not recommend that you take any OTC drugs including Melatonin without your doc’s approval. My sleep cycle has been awry for over 10 years but it is improving with the suggestions I was given. Best of luck to you. Peace, Lynda
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Hi Lisa: My hand is up. I’m also BPII and have had insomnia most of my life. I take 100 mg. of trazodone at bedtime and it normally keeps me asleep most of the night. Toni – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have had insomnia almost as long as I can remember back into my childhood. I’m Bipolar II and continue to be VERY annoyed by it. I was wondering how many bipolars out there have this constant insomnia thing too? So raise your hand and speak up! Lisa
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I have had insomnia almost as long as I can remember back into my childhood. I’m Bipolar II and continue to be VERY annoyed by it. I was wondering how many bipolars out there have this constant insomnia thing too? So raise your hand and speak up! Lisa
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I have had insomnia almost as long as I can remember back into my childhood. I’m Bipolar II and continue to be VERY annoyed by it. I was wondering how many bipolars out there have this constant insomnia thing too? So raise your hand and speak up! Lisa
I’ve had insomnia problems all my life, its now under control through medications used to treat my bipolar disorder. I take risperdol, depakote, xanax, and remeron at bed time. Quite a lot of drugs, but my sleep pattern is much improved since I started taking this mix. Hammer on you doctor, tell him that you’ve had these troubles all your life. I complained about it over several appointments over a few months and finally he listened. Web Page at: http://www.robertpo.com
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My 24 year old girlfriend can’t get to sleep and stay asleep. Often she gets only two hours of sleep a night. Any suggestions? Please reply direct to me. Thanks. Randy
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My 24 year old girlfriend can’t get to sleep and stay asleep. Often she gets only two hours of sleep a night. Any suggestions? Please reply direct to me. Thanks. Randy
Your girlfriend should try Reishi. I used to have insomnia but since I started taking Reishi daily over a year ago, I have no more sleeping problem. Furthermore, I wake up fresh in the morning without relying on an alarm clock and can start working almost immediately. I know over 200 friends who are on Reishi daily. They report the same experience with Reishi. Dosage is important. We take 4 capsules of 370 mg each of a 100% pure mycelium extract of Ganoderma Lucidum before going to bed. The concentration of polysaccharides is over 40%. 500-1,000mg of Vitamin C should also be taken daily (after meals) to help the absorption of Reishi polysaccharides. Good health! Gilbert Ng, Ph.D.
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I occasionally have bouts of insomnia and had a couple of questions which may or may not have answers. 1)During a cycle of insomnia which may last several days or longer, why will I wake up at amost the same time in the wee hours, say 3:45 a.m. every time? This is regardless of what time I went to bed, or got up the previous morning, whether I fell immediately asleep or not, what I did during the day, etc. 2)Why, when I wake up suddenly in the middle of the night will I be unable to return to sleep until perhaps 20 or 30 minutes before I have to get up, after laying awake for perhaps two hours or more? Many people told me they have had the same experience. When I do fall asleep in that short time before having to rise, it always seem to be a very deep sleep and when the alarm goes off, I usually feel even more exhausted than when I was lying awake trying to falling asleep. 3)Finally, are there any known natural remedies for insomnia? I have never taken anything like Sominex or other over the counter (or prescription drugs) for insomnia? I was once told these drugs don’t really cause you to sleep, but rather put you in a "drugged state" and rather than asleep you are rather more unconscious, and what you get is not really as restful and healthful as "real sleep." Thanks. Deborah
I recently started taking a product made by Twin Labs called GABA Plus to see if it would help with insomnia. Each capsule contains 100 mg. GABA, 600 mg. inositol, and 200 mg. niacinamide. I take 4-5 capsules at bedtime. I have been sleeping much better and in deeper stages of sleep. I have tried many natural products that are supposed to help sleep, but this seems to have helped me the most. Hope you find benefit also. Also, I have read that if one wakes up at 3:00 in the morning, it may indicate a lack of calcium and magnesium. Try taking some before bed. Another thing I think is helping me is to engage in aerobic exercise 3-4 times a week (the kind where you get your heart rate in the correct zone for you and keep it there for 15-20 minutes). Let me know how it goes. I know how frustrating it can be to have insomnia. I’m with you–natural remedies are the best.–ms
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What you describe are known in homeopathy as modalities. Modalities are the things that make a particular health problem worse or better. As my doctor, Peter Hinderberger said, "Homeopathy lives in the modalities." They’re the most important clue to the selection of the proper remedy. The particular modalities you describe (wakes up at 3 AM, has trouble falling back asleep, and wakes up feeling wretched) are well known modalities of the homeopathic medicine Nux Vomica. While I can’t conclude on the basis of your post that Nux Vomica is the correct medicine for you, you may want to consult a homeopathic book on self-care such as "Everybody’s Guide to Homeopathic Medicine" for the proper use of homeopathic medicines against insomnia. — Bernie Simon Confucius said, "It is after the coldest weather that
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my aunt is tryiong out a ayurvedic formula commercially available as "Trimax" and she sais it is helping her with uneasy sleep… maybe it’ll help with insomnia… an herb known as valerian puts me right out but i heard it shouldnt be used continually… tryptophan is supposed to be very effective but the us government outlawed it for who-knows-why… it is present in milk… used to be able to find a food supplement for horses that contained 20% tryptophan but now i cant even find that… itxs the war on medicine i guess… GABA is upposed to help with sleep also, i believe you can still get that… …x
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Finally, are there any known natural remedies for insomnia? A music teacher of mine from South India used to drink warm milk with saffron and honey before retiring. While I can’t vouch for it as a remedy for insomnia, I must say it certainly is delicious. JB.
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I occasionally have bouts of insomnia and had a couple of questions which may or may not have answers. 1)During a cycle of insomnia which may last several days or longer, why will I wake up at amost the same time in the wee hours, say 3:45 a.m. every time? This is regardless of what time I went to bed, or got up the previous morning, whether I fell immediately asleep or not, what I did during the day, etc. 2)Why, when I wake up suddenly in the middle of the night will I be unable to return to sleep until perhaps 20 or 30 minutes before I have to get up, after laying awake for perhaps two hours or more? Many people told me they have had the same experience. When I do fall asleep in that short time before having to rise, it always seem to be a very deep sleep and when the alarm goes off, I usually feel even more exhausted than when I was lying awake trying to falling asleep. 3)Finally, are there any known natural remedies for insomnia? I have never taken anything like Sominex or other over the counter (or prescription drugs) for insomnia? I was once told these drugs don’t really cause you to sleep, but rather put you in a "drugged state" and rather than asleep you are rather more unconscious, and what you get is not really as restful and healthful as "real sleep." Thanks. Deborah
There is a homeopathic remedy, Nux Vomica, that fits your symptoms pretty well. A quote from Boericke’s Materica Medica: Sleep–*Cannot sleep after 3 a.m. until early towards; early morning; awakes feeling wretchedly* Drowsy after meals, and in early evening. Dreams full of bustle and hurry. *Better after a short sleep,* unless aroused. Your symptoms don’t have to fit this description exactly, and if you fit just the emphasized portions you should definitely try it. Nux is for people who suffer from mental strain due to overwork and seek relief from stimulants, tobacco, wine, sex, or over-indulging in food. It is the "hangover remedy" and will definitely help when you have a hangover, but you should use it only rarely for this. I took Nux 200c for sleep problems (prescribed by my doctor), but maybe you should start with 30c and if it helps but the effect isn’t long lasting then try 200c. BTW you should get a book on homeopathy if you decide to try this and read up on how to use homeopathic remedies safely. Karen Allen
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I occasionally have bouts of insomnia and had a couple of questions which may or may not have answers. 1)During a cycle of insomnia which may last several days or longer, why will I wake up at amost the same time in the wee hours, say 3:45 a.m. every time? This is regardless of what time I went to bed, or got up the previous morning, whether I fell immediately asleep or not, what I did during the day, etc. 2)Why, when I wake up suddenly in the middle of the night will I be unable to return to sleep until perhaps 20 or 30 minutes before I have to get up, after laying awake for perhaps two hours or more? Many people told me they have had the same experience. When I do fall asleep in that short time before having to rise, it always seem to be a very deep sleep and when the alarm goes off, I usually feel even more exhausted than when I was lying awake trying to falling asleep. 3)Finally, are there any known natural remedies for insomnia? I have never taken anything like Sominex or other over the counter (or prescription drugs) for insomnia? I was once told these drugs don’t really cause you to sleep, but rather put you in a "drugged state" and rather than asleep you are rather more unconscious, and what you get is not really as restful and healthful as "real sleep." Thanks. Deborah
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Bill try it with hypnosis Guenther – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Dear readers: My wife has serious problems with insomnia (she’s also deeply suspicious about the Internet which is why I’m writing.) She’s tried valerian which gives her headaches and makes her dizzy; she’s tried chamomile which has no effect whatsoever. Doctors have prescribed Dalmane (addictive), Xanax (addictive and effective only in large doses), Restoril (bad side effects.) I used to have troubles sleeping (I’d wake at 3am and be wide awake for 2 hours) until a friend asked me how much coffee I drank. I said 3 cups…two in the morning and one at 3pm. He told me to completely stop. Well, I love coffee so I decided to just stop at the 2 cups in the morning. The next night I slept clear through the night. Caffiene does really weird things to sleep patterns… Something else that really helps is a hot mug of Ovaltine before bed. The regular cocoa flavor, not the darker chocolate…too much sugar… Also, you ever notice how hard it is to stay awake when you’re tired and you’re trying to watch something like the news on TV? A radio station here used to play the old Suspense shows at 11pm. I’d get into bed and hit the sleep button on the clock radio so I could listen to it and the radio would shut off in an hour. I never made it through a show. Books on tape do the same thing! I hope these suggestions help. Nothing is worse than insomnia. Good Luck Bill
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Alcohol interferes with stage four sleep. If you are using it for insomnia, you are just compounding the problem. As always, all opinions are purely those of the author, who accepts full responsibility for their ability to upset people. Michael P.Acord, MD
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I have had good experience with Nikken magnetic relaxation products. I was waking up in the night and having a hard time getting back to sleep. After four days with the mattress I now sleep completely through the night and wake up feeling more refreshed and withless stiffness. I would be happy to share this information. Clive Scullion Bodywork Central http://www.bodyworkcentral.com
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Steven, I have known quite a few people to have been helped by certain herbs and supplements. I have some information if you would like some. E-mail me your address and I will mail you off some information if you would like.
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Dear readers: My wife has serious problems with insomnia (she’s also deeply
My recommendation is that she try massage therapy. This is a great method for helping a person to relax. There are techniques that can assist with insomnia. Check your local yellow pages under massage therapy. A therapist who is a member of the AMTA should be a good one. Also, you can check out the NCTMB web page for more info on how to select a massage therapist. Sincerely, Ann
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I had the same problem all my life. Then someone recommended this to me & it really worked! Plus it has other benificial qualities, especially for women. Calcium!!!! It’s a natural calming agent. Try taking a supplement of 500mg’s one with breakfast one with dinner (this equals the RDA too). Get a supplement that also contains magnesium as this is needed for the body to absorbe calcium. [The body can only absorbe 500mg's of calcium at a time (hence the morning & nite dose).] It takes about 2 weeks to have effect. It has been bliss!!! If you do a search for calcium on the web, you can confirm these facts. Best. Love, Elizabeth Fiend ‘;’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’ ; slide guitar player in the psycho-thrash band ; ; http://philae.sas.upenn.edu/music/rock/morefiends/ ; ‘ 215-551-1945 ‘ ‘;’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’
: Dear readers: : : My wife has serious problems with insomnia (she’s also deeply : suspicious about the Internet which is why I’m writing.) She’s tried : valerian which gives her headaches and makes her dizzy; she’s tried : chamomile which has no effect whatsoever. Doctors have prescribed : Dalmane (addictive), Xanax (addictive and effective only in large : doses), Restoril (bad side effects.) : : The one remedy which really worked was L-tryptophane which the FDA : took off the market after a contaminated batch from Japan made various : people very sick, and now they refuse to allow it to be reintroduced : to the American market. : : Her symptoms include: inability to get to sleep until 2-3 a.m. : Irritability and anxiety if not rested. Severe sleep : deprivation–which occurs usually without the intervention of one of : the above drugs–causes wild mood swings. ANy help would be : appreciated. : I had the same problem. All the traditional herbal cures either did : not work or only worked for a short period. L-tryptophan worked on me : but I became a bit worried about taking it after all the adverse : publicity it got a few years ago. All the prescription drugs that I : have tried either stop working after a few weeks or they carry on : working until about half way through the following day. I have tried a : bit of diet "tuning" over the last few months and the best thing I : have found to get a good nights sleep is a generous glass of red wine : just before going to bed. The second best is a double Irish whiskey : with chilled water. So, it’s alcohol for me every night. : Steve : Stephen Wolstenholme: Author of Neural Network Shareware : web: http://www.tropheus.demon.co.uk
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Dear readers: My wife has serious problems with insomnia (she’s also deeply suspicious about the Internet which is why I’m writing.) She’s tried valerian which gives her headaches and makes her dizzy; she’s tried chamomile which has no effect whatsoever. Doctors have prescribed Dalmane (addictive), Xanax (addictive and effective only in large doses), Restoril (bad side effects.)
I used to have troubles sleeping (I’d wake at 3am and be wide awake for 2 hours) until a friend asked me how much coffee I drank. I said 3 cups…two in the morning and one at 3pm. He told me to completely stop. Well, I love coffee so I decided to just stop at the 2 cups in the morning. The next night I slept clear through the night. Caffiene does really weird things to sleep patterns… Something else that really helps is a hot mug of Ovaltine before bed. The regular cocoa flavor, not the darker chocolate…too much sugar… Also, you ever notice how hard it is to stay awake when you’re tired and you’re trying to watch something like the news on TV? A radio station here used to play the old Suspense shows at 11pm. I’d get into bed and hit the sleep button on the clock radio so I could listen to it and the radio would shut off in an hour. I never made it through a show. Books on tape do the same thing! I hope these suggestions help. Nothing is worse than insomnia. Good Luck Bill
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Dear readers: My wife has serious problems with insomnia (she’s also deeply suspicious about the Internet which is why I’m writing.) She’s tried valerian which gives her headaches and makes her dizzy; she’s tried chamomile which has no effect whatsoever. Doctors have prescribed Dalmane (addictive), Xanax (addictive and effective only in large doses), Restoril (bad side effects.) The one remedy which really worked was L-tryptophane which the FDA took off the market after a contaminated batch from Japan made various people very sick, and now they refuse to allow it to be reintroduced to the American market. Her symptoms include: inability to get to sleep until 2-3 a.m. Irritability and anxiety if not rested. Severe sleep deprivation–which occurs usually without the intervention of one of the above drugs–causes wild mood swings. ANy help would be appreciated.
I had the same problem. All the traditional herbal cures either did not work or only worked for a short period. L-tryptophan worked on me but I became a bit worried about taking it after all the adverse publicity it got a few years ago. All the prescription drugs that I have tried either stop working after a few weeks or they carry on working until about half way through the following day. I have tried a bit of diet "tuning" over the last few months and the best thing I have found to get a good nights sleep is a generous glass of red wine just before going to bed. The second best is a double Irish whiskey with chilled water. So, it’s alcohol for me every night. Steve Stephen Wolstenholme: Author of Neural Network Shareware web: http://www.tropheus.demon.co.uk
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Dear readers: My wife has serious problems with insomnia (she’s also deeply suspicious about the Internet which is why I’m writing.) She’s tried valerian which gives her headaches and makes her dizzy; she’s tried chamomile which has no effect whatsoever. Doctors have prescribed Dalmane (addictive), Xanax (addictive and effective only in large doses), Restoril (bad side effects.) The one remedy which really worked was L-tryptophane which the FDA took off the market after a contaminated batch from Japan made various people very sick, and now they refuse to allow it to be reintroduced to the American market. Her symptoms include: inability to get to sleep until 2-3 a.m. Irritability and anxiety if not rested. Severe sleep deprivation–which occurs usually without the intervention of one of the above drugs–causes wild mood swings. ANy help would be appreciated.
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AMBIEN is the brand name for zolpidem which is a short acting drug used only for short term relief of insomnia. It is the best drug for sleep inducing for lupus patients and sleep is very important in the treatment of the syndrome. j.mills,dph
Hmmmm… Is that the same as Zopiclon. (Imovane)? If not, this stuff isn’t available in Norway… — Best regards, Visit my homepage: Med vennlig hilsen, <URL:http://home.newmedia.no/flaker/ _Aase Marit_ ))))))
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Could you please tell me what the active ingredient in Ambien is? (Had to dig through claim forms…) Sorry; my receipt just calls it "ambien". My MD said it was new (this was Fall of ‘95) and the "base
How did Ambien get started in the Arthritis newsgroup? Just wondering… I work for the R&D department of the company that makes it… For more info, you may wish to check out www.searlehealthnet.com. I’m not sure what the active ingredient is (I’m a graphic artist) but I’m sure you can find out through the web site.
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How did Ambien get started in the Arthritis newsgroup? Just wondering… I
How did a graphic artist come to join an RA newsgroup? (G) work for the R&D department of the company that makes it… For more info, you may wish to check out www.searlehealthnet.com. I’m not sure what the active ingredient is (I’m a graphic artist) but I’m sure you can find out through the web site.
My DR prescribed Ambien for my sleeping problems resulting from my RA in my neck (and other locations). I’ve found that 5mg about 30 min before bedtime works great most of the time. On a few occasions, I’ve need to take another 5mg an hour or so later. The benefits of a rest-filled night of sleep, vis-a-vis my RA, cannot be overstated. I’m just sorry that I refused to take sleeping pills for so long. Jima Adams
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You have to have great insurance to take Ambien around $2 a pill.
Hmmm… more like $.33 each for me. My receipt says 30 tabs for $9.99 at Fay’s Drugs. Maybe I have great insurance. Beth
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Ambien is zolpidem tartrate, a non benozodiazepine (hence not related to valium, ativan etc) hypnotic of the imiazopyridine class. It is an effective sleep inducing agent for some people; I use it in fibromyalgia a lot. However, some people have no effect or feel quite drugged. Regards, Susan Hoch, M.D. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, Beth! Could you please tell me what the active ingredient in Ambien is? — Best regards, Visit my homepage: Med vennlig hilsen, <URL:http://home.newmedia.no/flaker/ _Aase Marit_ )))))) I hope you can help me. I’m at my wits end. I have never been the best sleeper, but now I find I’m up all night – (snip) He says its the lesser of two evils – I suffer more if I don’t sleep, than if I get hooked. Any suggestions? I hate to add more drugs to the list – You might want to ask your doctor about Ambien. It is the best sleeping aid I have ever used. (snip) I don’t know how it would interact with the Tylenol3. Perhaps if you could sleep you wouldn’t need the Tylenol3? I want to heartily second the Ambien! I am extremely sensitive to OTC sleep aids (take 1/2 dose and still fuzzy the next day) but I wasn’t getting my deep sleep. My MD gave me the Ambien and it worked wonders! He told me there is no problem taking it with anything else I am on – which is Tylenol 3, anti-histamine/decongestant, a muscle relaxant, and Daypro (no, not all at once! Each "as needed"). It truly is a "miracle drug" for me. MD expressed a little concern about addiction to the Ambien though, and so he is rather stingy on prescribing it and I save it for "special occasions". But as Laura/Sarah suggested, when I get the sleep I require, I don’t need so much in the line of pain meds. Good luck to you – Beth Floro
Susan Hoch
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He told me there is no problem taking it with anything else I am on – which is Tylenol 3, anti-histamine/decongestant, a muscle relaxant, and Daypro (no, not all at once! Each "as needed").
You have to have great insurance to take Ambien around $2 a pill. Kathi
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I take felxeril and it also doesn’t make me sleepy so much as it keeps in the deeper stges of sleep so I do not wake up every hour on the hour. Fortunatley, I have not had to take it much lately, but I had no problems with it when I was. and at the time I was also on prenisone, relafin, and sulfasalizine. Take Care. Nan – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I hope you can help me. I’m at my wits end. I have never been the best sleeper, but now I find I’m up all night – (snip) He says its the lesser of two evils – I suffer more if I don’t sleep, than if I get hooked. Any suggestions? I hate to add more drugs to the list –
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all, I hope you can help me. I’m at my wits end. I have never been the best sleeper, but now I find I’m up all night – I finally doze from about six am to 9:30 or ten and thats it. My rd gave me 30 mgms of seraz (serax), but it only helped if I took 2 at a time. Which is definately too many. She gave up and sent me to my family doctor with this one. He first gave me trypto something that didn’t help at all, and now he gives me immovane, which is only margianlly better, plus its addictive. He says its the lesser of two evils – I suffer more if I don’t sleep, than if I ge hooked. Any suggestions? I hate to add more drugs to the list – -methotrexate -cyclosporine -plaquenil tylenol #3 -paxil -immovane I feel like a toxic waste site. I’ve tried a couple of herbal remedies, but no luck at all there. HELP PLEASE. Thanks, Aline
I tried some guaifenesin for fibromyalgia and low energy, and found out that it helped me sleep better, and dream a lot. I don’t take it AT bedtime, just 400mg 2 or 3 times during the day. The only problem with this is you can’t take any salicylates, that means no NSAIDS, no aspirin, etc. Guaifenesin is an OTC medicine, $8.49 for 100 from a company on the ‘net. It is not a prescription drug. — Shari Soza
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Hi, Beth! Could you please tell me what the active ingredient in Ambien is? — Best regards, Visit my homepage: Med vennlig hilsen, <URL:http://home.newmedia.no/flaker/ _Aase Marit_ )))))) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I hope you can help me. I’m at my wits end. I have never been the best sleeper, but now I find I’m up all night – (snip) He says its the lesser of two evils – I suffer more if I don’t sleep, than if I get hooked. Any suggestions? I hate to add more drugs to the list – You might want to ask your doctor about Ambien. It is the best sleeping aid I have ever used. (snip) I don’t know how it would interact with the Tylenol3. Perhaps if you could sleep you wouldn’t need the Tylenol3? I want to heartily second the Ambien! I am extremely sensitive to OTC sleep aids (take 1/2 dose and still fuzzy the next day) but I wasn’t getting my deep sleep. My MD gave me the Ambien and it worked wonders! He told me there is no problem taking it with anything else I am on – which is Tylenol 3, anti-histamine/decongestant, a muscle relaxant, and Daypro (no, not all at once! Each "as needed"). It truly is a "miracle drug" for me. MD expressed a little concern about addiction to the Ambien though, and so he is rather stingy on prescribing it and I save it for "special occasions". But as Laura/Sarah suggested, when I get the sleep I require, I don’t need so much in the line of pain meds. Good luck to you – Beth Floro
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Hi all, I hope you can help me. I’m at my wits end. I have never been the best sleeper, but now I find I’m up all night – I finally doze from about six am to 9:30 or ten and thats it. My rd gave me 30 mgms of seraz (serax), but it only helped if I took 2 at a time. Which is definately too many. She gave up and sent me to my family doctor with this one. He first gave me trypto something that didn’t help at all, and now he gives me immovane, which is only margianlly better, plus its addictive. He says its the lesser of two evils – I suffer more if I don’t sleep, than if I ge hooked. Any suggestions? I hate to add more drugs to the list – -methotrexate -cyclosporine -plaquenil tylenol #3 -paxil -immovane I feel like a toxic waste site. I’ve tried a couple of herbal remedies, but no luck at all there. HELP PLEASE. Thanks, Aline
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all, I hope you can help me. I’m at my wits end. I have never been the best sleeper, but now I find I’m up all night – I finally doze from about six am to 9:30 or ten and thats it. My rd gave me 30 mgms of seraz (serax), but it only helped if I took 2 at a time. Which is definately too many. She gave up and sent me to my family doctor with this one. He first gave me trypto something that didn’t help at all, and now he gives me immovane, which is only margianlly better, plus its addictive. He says its the lesser of two evils – I suffer more if I don’t sleep, than if I ge hooked. Any suggestions? I hate to add more drugs to the list – -methotrexate -cyclosporine -plaquenil tylenol #3 -paxil -immovane I feel like a toxic waste site. I’ve tried a couple of herbal remedies, but no luck at all there. HELP PLEASE. Thanks, Aline
Aline, You might want to ask your doctor about Ambien. It is the best sleeping aid I have ever used. I think I may even be approaching a normal sleep schedule–something I’ve never had before–since I am now finding myself getting sleepy around 10 pm and able to nod off at least half the time without any medication at all. I don’t know how it would interact with the Tylenol3. Perhaps if you could sleep you wouldn’t need the Tylenol3? Good luck getting some shut-eye. Laura
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all, I hope you can help me. I’m at my wits end. I have never been the best sleeper, but now I find I’m up all night – Any suggestions? I hate to add more drugs to the list – -methotrexate -cyclosporine -plaquenil tylenol #3 -paxil -immovane I feel like a toxic waste site. I’ve tried a couple of herbal remedies, but no luck at all there. HELP PLEASE. Thanks, Aline
Aline- I take or have taken most of the medications you’re on and I can relate to the insomnia problem. I’m wondering if you noticed an increased problem with sleep after starting the Paxil. I take Zoloft which is chemically related to Paxil and Prozac and even though I take it in the morning it causes sleep problems for me and for a lot of other people. My doctor ordered doxepin to take at bedtime which has helped alot. My psychiatrist said that taking one of the more sedating tricyclic antidepressants at bedtime can help offset the insomnia of the Zoloft/Paxil/Prozac.(I’ve tried all 3). Unlike sleeping pills, the anti-depressants are not addicting. Deb
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I hope you can help me. I’m at my wits end. I have never been the best sleeper, but now I find I’m up all night – (snip) He says its the lesser of two evils – I suffer more if I don’t sleep, than if I get hooked. Any suggestions? I hate to add more drugs to the list – You might want to ask your doctor about Ambien. It is the best sleeping aid I have ever used. (snip) I don’t know how it would interact with the Tylenol3. Perhaps if you could sleep you wouldn’t need the Tylenol3?
I want to heartily second the Ambien! I am extremely sensitive to OTC sleep aids (take 1/2 dose and still fuzzy the next day) but I wasn’t getting my deep sleep. My MD gave me the Ambien and it worked wonders! He told me there is no problem taking it with anything else I am on – which is Tylenol 3, anti-histamine/decongestant, a muscle relaxant, and Daypro (no, not all at once! Each "as needed"). It truly is a "miracle drug" for me. MD expressed a little concern about addiction to the Ambien though, and so he is rather stingy on prescribing it and I save it for "special occasions". But as Laura/Sarah suggested, when I get the sleep I require, I don’t need so much in the line of pain meds. Good luck to you – Beth Floro
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My 24 year old girlfriend can’t get to sleep and stay asleep. Often she gets only two hours of sleep a night. Any suggestions? Please reply direct to me. Thanks. Randy
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My 24 year old girlfriend can’t get to sleep and stay asleep. Often she gets only two hours of sleep a night. Any suggestions? Please reply direct to me. Thanks. Randy
Your girlfriend should try Reishi. I used to have insomnia but since I started taking Reishi daily over a year ago, I have no more sleeping problem. Furthermore, I wake up fresh in the morning without relying on an alarm clock and can start working almost immediately. I know over 200 friends who are on Reishi daily. They report the same experience with Reishi. Dosage is important. We take 4 capsules of 370 mg each of a 100% pure mycelium extract of Ganoderma Lucidum before going to bed. The concentration of polysaccharides is over 40%. 500-1,000mg of Vitamin C should also be taken daily (after meals) to help the absorption of Reishi polysaccharides. Good health! Gilbert Ng, Ph.D.
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I occasionally have bouts of insomnia and had a couple of questions which may or may not have answers. 1)During a cycle of insomnia which may last several days or longer, why will I wake up at amost the same time in the wee hours, say 3:45 a.m. every time? This is regardless of what time I went to bed, or got up the previous morning, whether I fell immediately asleep or not, what I did during the day, etc. 2)Why, when I wake up suddenly in the middle of the night will I be unable to return to sleep until perhaps 20 or 30 minutes before I have to get up, after laying awake for perhaps two hours or more? Many people told me they have had the same experience. When I do fall asleep in that short time before having to rise, it always seem to be a very deep sleep and when the alarm goes off, I usually feel even more exhausted than when I was lying awake trying to falling asleep. 3)Finally, are there any known natural remedies for insomnia? I have never taken anything like Sominex or other over the counter (or prescription drugs) for insomnia? I was once told these drugs don’t really cause you to sleep, but rather put you in a "drugged state" and rather than asleep you are rather more unconscious, and what you get is not really as restful and healthful as "real sleep." Thanks. Deborah
I recently started taking a product made by Twin Labs called GABA Plus to see if it would help with insomnia. Each capsule contains 100 mg. GABA, 600 mg. inositol, and 200 mg. niacinamide. I take 4-5 capsules at bedtime. I have been sleeping much better and in deeper stages of sleep. I have tried many natural products that are supposed to help sleep, but this seems to have helped me the most. Hope you find benefit also. Also, I have read that if one wakes up at 3:00 in the morning, it may indicate a lack of calcium and magnesium. Try taking some before bed. Another thing I think is helping me is to engage in aerobic exercise 3-4 times a week (the kind where you get your heart rate in the correct zone for you and keep it there for 15-20 minutes). Let me know how it goes. I know how frustrating it can be to have insomnia. I’m with you–natural remedies are the best.–ms
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What you describe are known in homeopathy as modalities. Modalities are the things that make a particular health problem worse or better. As my doctor, Peter Hinderberger said, "Homeopathy lives in the modalities." They’re the most important clue to the selection of the proper remedy. The particular modalities you describe (wakes up at 3 AM, has trouble falling back asleep, and wakes up feeling wretched) are well known modalities of the homeopathic medicine Nux Vomica. While I can’t conclude on the basis of your post that Nux Vomica is the correct medicine for you, you may want to consult a homeopathic book on self-care such as "Everybody’s Guide to Homeopathic Medicine" for the proper use of homeopathic medicines against insomnia. — Bernie Simon Confucius said, "It is after the coldest weather that
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my aunt is tryiong out a ayurvedic formula commercially available as "Trimax" and she sais it is helping her with uneasy sleep… maybe it’ll help with insomnia… an herb known as valerian puts me right out but i heard it shouldnt be used continually… tryptophan is supposed to be very effective but the us government outlawed it for who-knows-why… it is present in milk… used to be able to find a food supplement for horses that contained 20% tryptophan but now i cant even find that… itxs the war on medicine i guess… GABA is upposed to help with sleep also, i believe you can still get that… …x
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Finally, are there any known natural remedies for insomnia? A music teacher of mine from South India used to drink warm milk with saffron and honey before retiring. While I can’t vouch for it as a remedy for insomnia, I must say it certainly is delicious. JB.
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I occasionally have bouts of insomnia and had a couple of questions which may or may not have answers. 1)During a cycle of insomnia which may last several days or longer, why will I wake up at amost the same time in the wee hours, say 3:45 a.m. every time? This is regardless of what time I went to bed, or got up the previous morning, whether I fell immediately asleep or not, what I did during the day, etc. 2)Why, when I wake up suddenly in the middle of the night will I be unable to return to sleep until perhaps 20 or 30 minutes before I have to get up, after laying awake for perhaps two hours or more? Many people told me they have had the same experience. When I do fall asleep in that short time before having to rise, it always seem to be a very deep sleep and when the alarm goes off, I usually feel even more exhausted than when I was lying awake trying to falling asleep. 3)Finally, are there any known natural remedies for insomnia? I have never taken anything like Sominex or other over the counter (or prescription drugs) for insomnia? I was once told these drugs don’t really cause you to sleep, but rather put you in a "drugged state" and rather than asleep you are rather more unconscious, and what you get is not really as restful and healthful as "real sleep." Thanks. Deborah
There is a homeopathic remedy, Nux Vomica, that fits your symptoms pretty well. A quote from Boericke’s Materica Medica: Sleep–*Cannot sleep after 3 a.m. until early towards; early morning; awakes feeling wretchedly* Drowsy after meals, and in early evening. Dreams full of bustle and hurry. *Better after a short sleep,* unless aroused. Your symptoms don’t have to fit this description exactly, and if you fit just the emphasized portions you should definitely try it. Nux is for people who suffer from mental strain due to overwork and seek relief from stimulants, tobacco, wine, sex, or over-indulging in food. It is the "hangover remedy" and will definitely help when you have a hangover, but you should use it only rarely for this. I took Nux 200c for sleep problems (prescribed by my doctor), but maybe you should start with 30c and if it helps but the effect isn’t long lasting then try 200c. BTW you should get a book on homeopathy if you decide to try this and read up on how to use homeopathic remedies safely. Karen Allen
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I occasionally have bouts of insomnia and had a couple of questions which may or may not have answers. 1)During a cycle of insomnia which may last several days or longer, why will I wake up at amost the same time in the wee hours, say 3:45 a.m. every time? This is regardless of what time I went to bed, or got up the previous morning, whether I fell immediately asleep or not, what I did during the day, etc. 2)Why, when I wake up suddenly in the middle of the night will I be unable to return to sleep until perhaps 20 or 30 minutes before I have to get up, after laying awake for perhaps two hours or more? Many people told me they have had the same experience. When I do fall asleep in that short time before having to rise, it always seem to be a very deep sleep and when the alarm goes off, I usually feel even more exhausted than when I was lying awake trying to falling asleep. 3)Finally, are there any known natural remedies for insomnia? I have never taken anything like Sominex or other over the counter (or prescription drugs) for insomnia? I was once told these drugs don’t really cause you to sleep, but rather put you in a "drugged state" and rather than asleep you are rather more unconscious, and what you get is not really as restful and healthful as "real sleep." Thanks. Deborah
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Bill try it with hypnosis Guenther – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Dear readers: My wife has serious problems with insomnia (she’s also deeply suspicious about the Internet which is why I’m writing.) She’s tried valerian which gives her headaches and makes her dizzy; she’s tried chamomile which has no effect whatsoever. Doctors have prescribed Dalmane (addictive), Xanax (addictive and effective only in large doses), Restoril (bad side effects.) I used to have troubles sleeping (I’d wake at 3am and be wide awake for 2 hours) until a friend asked me how much coffee I drank. I said 3 cups…two in the morning and one at 3pm. He told me to completely stop. Well, I love coffee so I decided to just stop at the 2 cups in the morning. The next night I slept clear through the night. Caffiene does really weird things to sleep patterns… Something else that really helps is a hot mug of Ovaltine before bed. The regular cocoa flavor, not the darker chocolate…too much sugar… Also, you ever notice how hard it is to stay awake when you’re tired and you’re trying to watch something like the news on TV? A radio station here used to play the old Suspense shows at 11pm. I’d get into bed and hit the sleep button on the clock radio so I could listen to it and the radio would shut off in an hour. I never made it through a show. Books on tape do the same thing! I hope these suggestions help. Nothing is worse than insomnia. Good Luck Bill
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Alcohol interferes with stage four sleep. If you are using it for insomnia, you are just compounding the problem. As always, all opinions are purely those of the author, who accepts full responsibility for their ability to upset people. Michael P.Acord, MD
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I have had good experience with Nikken magnetic relaxation products. I was waking up in the night and having a hard time getting back to sleep. After four days with the mattress I now sleep completely through the night and wake up feeling more refreshed and withless stiffness. I would be happy to share this information. Clive Scullion Bodywork Central http://www.bodyworkcentral.com
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Steven, I have known quite a few people to have been helped by certain herbs and supplements. I have some information if you would like some. E-mail me your address and I will mail you off some information if you would like.
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Dear readers: My wife has serious problems with insomnia (she’s also deeply
My recommendation is that she try massage therapy. This is a great method for helping a person to relax. There are techniques that can assist with insomnia. Check your local yellow pages under massage therapy. A therapist who is a member of the AMTA should be a good one. Also, you can check out the NCTMB web page for more info on how to select a massage therapist. Sincerely, Ann
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I had the same problem all my life. Then someone recommended this to me & it really worked! Plus it has other benificial qualities, especially for women. Calcium!!!! It’s a natural calming agent. Try taking a supplement of 500mg’s one with breakfast one with dinner (this equals the RDA too). Get a supplement that also contains magnesium as this is needed for the body to absorbe calcium. [The body can only absorbe 500mg's of calcium at a time (hence the morning & nite dose).] It takes about 2 weeks to have effect. It has been bliss!!! If you do a search for calcium on the web, you can confirm these facts. Best. Love, Elizabeth Fiend ‘;’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’ ; slide guitar player in the psycho-thrash band ; ; http://philae.sas.upenn.edu/music/rock/morefiends/ ; ‘ 215-551-1945 ‘ ‘;’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’;';’
: Dear readers: : : My wife has serious problems with insomnia (she’s also deeply : suspicious about the Internet which is why I’m writing.) She’s tried : valerian which gives her headaches and makes her dizzy; she’s tried : chamomile which has no effect whatsoever. Doctors have prescribed : Dalmane (addictive), Xanax (addictive and effective only in large : doses), Restoril (bad side effects.) : : The one remedy which really worked was L-tryptophane which the FDA : took off the market after a contaminated batch from Japan made various : people very sick, and now they refuse to allow it to be reintroduced : to the American market. : : Her symptoms include: inability to get to sleep until 2-3 a.m. : Irritability and anxiety if not rested. Severe sleep : deprivation–which occurs usually without the intervention of one of : the above drugs–causes wild mood swings. ANy help would be : appreciated. : I had the same problem. All the traditional herbal cures either did : not work or only worked for a short period. L-tryptophan worked on me : but I became a bit worried about taking it after all the adverse : publicity it got a few years ago. All the prescription drugs that I : have tried either stop working after a few weeks or they carry on : working until about half way through the following day. I have tried a : bit of diet "tuning" over the last few months and the best thing I : have found to get a good nights sleep is a generous glass of red wine : just before going to bed. The second best is a double Irish whiskey : with chilled water. So, it’s alcohol for me every night. : Steve : Stephen Wolstenholme: Author of Neural Network Shareware : web: http://www.tropheus.demon.co.uk
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Dear readers: My wife has serious problems with insomnia (she’s also deeply suspicious about the Internet which is why I’m writing.) She’s tried valerian which gives her headaches and makes her dizzy; she’s tried chamomile which has no effect whatsoever. Doctors have prescribed Dalmane (addictive), Xanax (addictive and effective only in large doses), Restoril (bad side effects.)
I used to have troubles sleeping (I’d wake at 3am and be wide awake for 2 hours) until a friend asked me how much coffee I drank. I said 3 cups…two in the morning and one at 3pm. He told me to completely stop. Well, I love coffee so I decided to just stop at the 2 cups in the morning. The next night I slept clear through the night. Caffiene does really weird things to sleep patterns… Something else that really helps is a hot mug of Ovaltine before bed. The regular cocoa flavor, not the darker chocolate…too much sugar… Also, you ever notice how hard it is to stay awake when you’re tired and you’re trying to watch something like the news on TV? A radio station here used to play the old Suspense shows at 11pm. I’d get into bed and hit the sleep button on the clock radio so I could listen to it and the radio would shut off in an hour. I never made it through a show. Books on tape do the same thing! I hope these suggestions help. Nothing is worse than insomnia. Good Luck Bill
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Dear readers: My wife has serious problems with insomnia (she’s also deeply suspicious about the Internet which is why I’m writing.) She’s tried valerian which gives her headaches and makes her dizzy; she’s tried chamomile which has no effect whatsoever. Doctors have prescribed Dalmane (addictive), Xanax (addictive and effective only in large doses), Restoril (bad side effects.) The one remedy which really worked was L-tryptophane which the FDA took off the market after a contaminated batch from Japan made various people very sick, and now they refuse to allow it to be reintroduced to the American market. Her symptoms include: inability to get to sleep until 2-3 a.m. Irritability and anxiety if not rested. Severe sleep deprivation–which occurs usually without the intervention of one of the above drugs–causes wild mood swings. ANy help would be appreciated.
I had the same problem. All the traditional herbal cures either did not work or only worked for a short period. L-tryptophan worked on me but I became a bit worried about taking it after all the adverse publicity it got a few years ago. All the prescription drugs that I have tried either stop working after a few weeks or they carry on working until about half way through the following day. I have tried a bit of diet "tuning" over the last few months and the best thing I have found to get a good nights sleep is a generous glass of red wine just before going to bed. The second best is a double Irish whiskey with chilled water. So, it’s alcohol for me every night. Steve Stephen Wolstenholme: Author of Neural Network Shareware web: http://www.tropheus.demon.co.uk
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Dear readers: My wife has serious problems with insomnia (she’s also deeply suspicious about the Internet which is why I’m writing.) She’s tried valerian which gives her headaches and makes her dizzy; she’s tried chamomile which has no effect whatsoever. Doctors have prescribed Dalmane (addictive), Xanax (addictive and effective only in large doses), Restoril (bad side effects.) The one remedy which really worked was L-tryptophane which the FDA took off the market after a contaminated batch from Japan made various people very sick, and now they refuse to allow it to be reintroduced to the American market. Her symptoms include: inability to get to sleep until 2-3 a.m. Irritability and anxiety if not rested. Severe sleep deprivation–which occurs usually without the intervention of one of the above drugs–causes wild mood swings. ANy help would be appreciated.
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AMBIEN is the brand name for zolpidem which is a short acting drug used only for short term relief of insomnia. It is the best drug for sleep inducing for lupus patients and sleep is very important in the treatment of the syndrome. j.mills,dph
Hmmmm… Is that the same as Zopiclon. (Imovane)? If not, this stuff isn’t available in Norway… — Best regards, Visit my homepage: Med vennlig hilsen, <URL:http://home.newmedia.no/flaker/ _Aase Marit_ ))))))
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Could you please tell me what the active ingredient in Ambien is? (Had to dig through claim forms…) Sorry; my receipt just calls it "ambien". My MD said it was new (this was Fall of ‘95) and the "base
How did Ambien get started in the Arthritis newsgroup? Just wondering… I work for the R&D department of the company that makes it… For more info, you may wish to check out www.searlehealthnet.com. I’m not sure what the active ingredient is (I’m a graphic artist) but I’m sure you can find out through the web site.
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How did Ambien get started in the Arthritis newsgroup? Just wondering… I
How did a graphic artist come to join an RA newsgroup? (G) work for the R&D department of the company that makes it… For more info, you may wish to check out www.searlehealthnet.com. I’m not sure what the active ingredient is (I’m a graphic artist) but I’m sure you can find out through the web site.
My DR prescribed Ambien for my sleeping problems resulting from my RA in my neck (and other locations). I’ve found that 5mg about 30 min before bedtime works great most of the time. On a few occasions, I’ve need to take another 5mg an hour or so later. The benefits of a rest-filled night of sleep, vis-a-vis my RA, cannot be overstated. I’m just sorry that I refused to take sleeping pills for so long. Jima Adams
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You have to have great insurance to take Ambien around $2 a pill.
Hmmm… more like $.33 each for me. My receipt says 30 tabs for $9.99 at Fay’s Drugs. Maybe I have great insurance. Beth
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Ambien is zolpidem tartrate, a non benozodiazepine (hence not related to valium, ativan etc) hypnotic of the imiazopyridine class. It is an effective sleep inducing agent for some people; I use it in fibromyalgia a lot. However, some people have no effect or feel quite drugged. Regards, Susan Hoch, M.D. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, Beth! Could you please tell me what the active ingredient in Ambien is? — Best regards, Visit my homepage: Med vennlig hilsen, <URL:http://home.newmedia.no/flaker/ _Aase Marit_ )))))) I hope you can help me. I’m at my wits end. I have never been the best sleeper, but now I find I’m up all night – (snip) He says its the lesser of two evils – I suffer more if I don’t sleep, than if I get hooked. Any suggestions? I hate to add more drugs to the list – You might want to ask your doctor about Ambien. It is the best sleeping aid I have ever used. (snip) I don’t know how it would interact with the Tylenol3. Perhaps if you could sleep you wouldn’t need the Tylenol3? I want to heartily second the Ambien! I am extremely sensitive to OTC sleep aids (take 1/2 dose and still fuzzy the next day) but I wasn’t getting my deep sleep. My MD gave me the Ambien and it worked wonders! He told me there is no problem taking it with anything else I am on – which is Tylenol 3, anti-histamine/decongestant, a muscle relaxant, and Daypro (no, not all at once! Each "as needed"). It truly is a "miracle drug" for me. MD expressed a little concern about addiction to the Ambien though, and so he is rather stingy on prescribing it and I save it for "special occasions". But as Laura/Sarah suggested, when I get the sleep I require, I don’t need so much in the line of pain meds. Good luck to you – Beth Floro
Susan Hoch
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He told me there is no problem taking it with anything else I am on – which is Tylenol 3, anti-histamine/decongestant, a muscle relaxant, and Daypro (no, not all at once! Each "as needed").
You have to have great insurance to take Ambien around $2 a pill. Kathi
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I take felxeril and it also doesn’t make me sleepy so much as it keeps in the deeper stges of sleep so I do not wake up every hour on the hour. Fortunatley, I have not had to take it much lately, but I had no problems with it when I was. and at the time I was also on prenisone, relafin, and sulfasalizine. Take Care. Nan – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I hope you can help me. I’m at my wits end. I have never been the best sleeper, but now I find I’m up all night – (snip) He says its the lesser of two evils – I suffer more if I don’t sleep, than if I get hooked. Any suggestions? I hate to add more drugs to the list –
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all, I hope you can help me. I’m at my wits end. I have never been the best sleeper, but now I find I’m up all night – I finally doze from about six am to 9:30 or ten and thats it. My rd gave me 30 mgms of seraz (serax), but it only helped if I took 2 at a time. Which is definately too many. She gave up and sent me to my family doctor with this one. He first gave me trypto something that didn’t help at all, and now he gives me immovane, which is only margianlly better, plus its addictive. He says its the lesser of two evils – I suffer more if I don’t sleep, than if I ge hooked. Any suggestions? I hate to add more drugs to the list – -methotrexate -cyclosporine -plaquenil tylenol #3 -paxil -immovane I feel like a toxic waste site. I’ve tried a couple of herbal remedies, but no luck at all there. HELP PLEASE. Thanks, Aline
I tried some guaifenesin for fibromyalgia and low energy, and found out that it helped me sleep better, and dream a lot. I don’t take it AT bedtime, just 400mg 2 or 3 times during the day. The only problem with this is you can’t take any salicylates, that means no NSAIDS, no aspirin, etc. Guaifenesin is an OTC medicine, $8.49 for 100 from a company on the ‘net. It is not a prescription drug. — Shari Soza
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Hi, Beth! Could you please tell me what the active ingredient in Ambien is? — Best regards, Visit my homepage: Med vennlig hilsen, <URL:http://home.newmedia.no/flaker/ _Aase Marit_ )))))) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I hope you can help me. I’m at my wits end. I have never been the best sleeper, but now I find I’m up all night – (snip) He says its the lesser of two evils – I suffer more if I don’t sleep, than if I get hooked. Any suggestions? I hate to add more drugs to the list – You might want to ask your doctor about Ambien. It is the best sleeping aid I have ever used. (snip) I don’t know how it would interact with the Tylenol3. Perhaps if you could sleep you wouldn’t need the Tylenol3? I want to heartily second the Ambien! I am extremely sensitive to OTC sleep aids (take 1/2 dose and still fuzzy the next day) but I wasn’t getting my deep sleep. My MD gave me the Ambien and it worked wonders! He told me there is no problem taking it with anything else I am on – which is Tylenol 3, anti-histamine/decongestant, a muscle relaxant, and Daypro (no, not all at once! Each "as needed"). It truly is a "miracle drug" for me. MD expressed a little concern about addiction to the Ambien though, and so he is rather stingy on prescribing it and I save it for "special occasions". But as Laura/Sarah suggested, when I get the sleep I require, I don’t need so much in the line of pain meds. Good luck to you – Beth Floro
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Hi all, I hope you can help me. I’m at my wits end. I have never been the best sleeper, but now I find I’m up all night – I finally doze from about six am to 9:30 or ten and thats it. My rd gave me 30 mgms of seraz (serax), but it only helped if I took 2 at a time. Which is definately too many. She gave up and sent me to my family doctor with this one. He first gave me trypto something that didn’t help at all, and now he gives me immovane, which is only margianlly better, plus its addictive. He says its the lesser of two evils – I suffer more if I don’t sleep, than if I ge hooked. Any suggestions? I hate to add more drugs to the list – -methotrexate -cyclosporine -plaquenil tylenol #3 -paxil -immovane I feel like a toxic waste site. I’ve tried a couple of herbal remedies, but no luck at all there. HELP PLEASE. Thanks, Aline
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all, I hope you can help me. I’m at my wits end. I have never been the best sleeper, but now I find I’m up all night – I finally doze from about six am to 9:30 or ten and thats it. My rd gave me 30 mgms of seraz (serax), but it only helped if I took 2 at a time. Which is definately too many. She gave up and sent me to my family doctor with this one. He first gave me trypto something that didn’t help at all, and now he gives me immovane, which is only margianlly better, plus its addictive. He says its the lesser of two evils – I suffer more if I don’t sleep, than if I ge hooked. Any suggestions? I hate to add more drugs to the list – -methotrexate -cyclosporine -plaquenil tylenol #3 -paxil -immovane I feel like a toxic waste site. I’ve tried a couple of herbal remedies, but no luck at all there. HELP PLEASE. Thanks, Aline
Aline, You might want to ask your doctor about Ambien. It is the best sleeping aid I have ever used. I think I may even be approaching a normal sleep schedule–something I’ve never had before–since I am now finding myself getting sleepy around 10 pm and able to nod off at least half the time without any medication at all. I don’t know how it would interact with the Tylenol3. Perhaps if you could sleep you wouldn’t need the Tylenol3? Good luck getting some shut-eye. Laura
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all, I hope you can help me. I’m at my wits end. I have never been the best sleeper, but now I find I’m up all night – Any suggestions? I hate to add more drugs to the list – -methotrexate -cyclosporine -plaquenil tylenol #3 -paxil -immovane I feel like a toxic waste site. I’ve tried a couple of herbal remedies, but no luck at all there. HELP PLEASE. Thanks, Aline
Aline- I take or have taken most of the medications you’re on and I can relate to the insomnia problem. I’m wondering if you noticed an increased problem with sleep after starting the Paxil. I take Zoloft which is chemically related to Paxil and Prozac and even though I take it in the morning it causes sleep problems for me and for a lot of other people. My doctor ordered doxepin to take at bedtime which has helped alot. My psychiatrist said that taking one of the more sedating tricyclic antidepressants at bedtime can help offset the insomnia of the Zoloft/Paxil/Prozac.(I’ve tried all 3). Unlike sleeping pills, the anti-depressants are not addicting. Deb
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I hope you can help me. I’m at my wits end. I have never been the best sleeper, but now I find I’m up all night – (snip) He says its the lesser of two evils – I suffer more if I don’t sleep, than if I get hooked. Any suggestions? I hate to add more drugs to the list – You might want to ask your doctor about Ambien. It is the best sleeping aid I have ever used. (snip) I don’t know how it would interact with the Tylenol3. Perhaps if you could sleep you wouldn’t need the Tylenol3?
I want to heartily second the Ambien! I am extremely sensitive to OTC sleep aids (take 1/2 dose and still fuzzy the next day) but I wasn’t getting my deep sleep. My MD gave me the Ambien and it worked wonders! He told me there is no problem taking it with anything else I am on – which is Tylenol 3, anti-histamine/decongestant, a muscle relaxant, and Daypro (no, not all at once! Each "as needed"). It truly is a "miracle drug" for me. MD expressed a little concern about addiction to the Ambien though, and so he is rather stingy on prescribing it and I save it for "special occasions". But as Laura/Sarah suggested, when I get the sleep I require, I don’t need so much in the line of pain meds. Good luck to you – Beth Floro
)-) that I would have gladly taken them anyway. I would have done anything to escape that awful panic/nervousness I was racked with. And they did the trick. After a year we moved back to the big city. I became close to a neighbor whos husband had eerily similar symptoms as mine (back and anxiety) and she recommended a doc that was supposedly the finest in his field so I called. I was desperate by then with my back pain and the panic escalated accordingly. I was told he was not taking new patients and I quite literally would not hang up, and I cried on the phone basically begging for an appt. until they set me up for 3mos later. So, I had something to look forward to finally! This was the time that I thought I could wean off of the xanax (I had learned more about the dependance issue by this time) and I weaned very slowly-or so I thought but I was hit with a series of PA’s almost exactly like the ones a year earlier. A quick call to the doc in the little town on the prairie got me scolded for going off of them with no direction or support and I was back on them but this time at .5mgs 3/day to get the GAD back under control. I have since (stupidly) tried to stop them again, but I always had other things going on and the GAD was always present so I don’t know what I was thinking except that I wanted to know that I was in control of my own body (I don’t even want to go there). IOW, it was always a huge mistake. In the year since I started seeing this back specialist (he found 3 buldging dics in my back–two in my neck and one in my upper back. He showed me the MRI I had taken in the little town and even I could see them. So, I have endured about 10 cortisone/lidocaine injections either epidural or facet joint injections and have regained full range of motion in my neck and back but the "knife in the back" pain was still there, as painful as ever. When it was clear the injections had done all they could, I was sent on to PT. BTW, this doc is very particular and insists on specific specialists when he refers me, and I go because he obviously knows what he is doing. I have been seeing a PT doc for about 2mos now and she is marvelous! (So was the shot guy TTTT) My back has been getting better…so much so that I no longer fear some terminal illness the way I constantly used to. Between the three of these specialists I was finally finding answers to the pain in the back and even relief! Now, keep in mind, and you might remember I went on Wellbutrin to quit smoking (when hubby had pneumonia in July) and though I did quit smoking (HOORAY FOR ME!!!) the Wellbutrin just about did me in. I was a screaming, sweaty, panicky mess–24hrs a day for about 9wks I think. To be fair, for those of you who are new to this group, I was warned by some of our veterans about Wellbutrin and that it would not be a good choice for someone already suffering anxiety. But for a few reasons, I took it anyway, quit smoking and proved our experts to be experts. I reacted word for word the way I was warned I would. It was awful but YMMV when it comes to meds. It just wasn’t right for me. I was then put on Zoloft 50mgs daily and was still getting better in the back pain department. I had no bad side effects from the Zoloft (some sweating and a little irritablity at first but was immediately better when I put down the Wellbutrin so it’s difficult to say whether it was getting off the W and on the Z or both. Anyway, out of the blue during PT, it was discovered I have an internal impingement on my right shoulder. Off to another specialist who says no more PT until he fixes my shoulder either with cortisone injections or simple surgery. H gave me a shot in the bursa? and my elbow was stuck to my waistline for a week. Right arm too….bummer. The problem is that while I am away from ‘hands on’ PT, my back muscles go back into spasms and my neck tightens up and all of the progress I’ve made is fading quickly. I am having a bit more difficulty getting in touch with the shoulder doc so no MRI has been scheduled yet and I’m hanging in limbo. My PT is frustrated for obvious reasons–things were going so well. Let me be clear on something here: when I say my back got so much better, it is to say that the pain went from unbearable to bearable and I was able to move again and because of that progress, I was mentally more at ease (and I always believed the pain caused the anxiety since I could think of nothing else). Anyway, during the Wellbutrin phase, I was up to the max xanax dose for me 2.5-3mgs daily. It was awful. With the Zoloft, so far 5-6wks? I am down to .25mgs 3/day. But I can feel the urge to take more while I go through the return of the back pain and watching all that progress go down the drain. I may need to go up another .25 each day–either that or chew my lips off, grit my teeth (Oh yeah, I had 3 crowns done last month-I consider dental work a setback just for existing!) or get angry all the time, etc. See, I was so looking forward to the AD taking over for the xanax–I just knew that Zoloft was the answer. I feel sorta good on it; I am cautiously optimistic. Now I don’t know what to expect or how I should proceed. I know I have bored you silly—-I don’t know why my posts are always so long. I guess I don’t want to miss anything and then I read your posts that are so clear and concise and to the point……But I had so many points <BG I look forward to your observations regarding the Zoloft, how much better do you think I should expect to get. How do I know if it’s the right one for me, and isn’t it a bitch that just when I might be able to pull everything together, half of it falls apart. I’m not going to know if the Zoloft helps my anxiety until I have a normal, calm, regular period of time in my life to evaluate it. What I mean is, the thought of the back pain returning in it’s original form is enough to scare the crap out of me. And then there’s the holidays….OMG, don’t know if I am going to make it. Thanks everyone who took the time to read this in it’s entirety. I look forward to any responses at all. little bear–who