Insomnia help

[Ruggerhead]

I have had the year from hell, I was put on a medication I should not have been even at low dose, came off it, had a spike in anxiety and was put on SSRI's and Mirtazapine, 50 mg Zooloft, 15 mg Mirt. I wanted to come off after about 2 months and I did but have suffered insomnia ever since ie 6 months ago. I use magnesium supplements and until recently Metatolin (just 3mg) I have been trying CBT sleep training and doing everything. I was a great sleeper previously, and would love that feeling. My nights are now, 11 to bed, asleep for 1 hr, then awake, back to sleep another couple of hours, in total about 4-5 hours average sleep. I have IBS but im not sure that keeps me up. I just dont seem to feel tired at all any more, at any time? I dont want to get reliant on Metalolin either? What about something like Amintripyline low dose, are any of these sleep aids ok to take for years. Yes im probably suffering sleep anxiety I get that, as you are always waking up wondering or go to bed wondering. Has anyone else experienced insomnia out of the blue and struggled to get the old patterns back?

[Diazepam_survival]

Hi Ruggerhead, I'm pretty much in a similar situation to you, am currently taking mirtazapine and melatonin along with the occasional dose of magnesium L-Threonate to help me sleep. I am at the stage where I am completely reliant on mirtazapine and melatonin, I can just about manage to sleep with just taking mirtazapine but it's a struggle.This all originated from my use of Diazepam and other benzodiazepines over the course of a year or so and I'm still paying for it now.

I did take a week off mirtazapine and melatonin but it was sheer hell, it was impossible to fall asleep.

Sorry I can't offer you any advice as I'm at a loss on how to get back to natural sleep but it would be great to hear if you come up with a solution.

All the best

Darren

[Teapot62]

Hi Ruggerhead, sorry to hear about your struggles with insomnia & anxiety. I have had anxiety since the start of COVID & not being abke to work. I have tried sertraline which did nothing for me & also Zopiclone sleeping tablets which only worked for a few hours at a time. I have been on Mirtazapine for the last four months & they have helped with my anxiety & also helped with sleeping. I still have trouble sleeping at times when I’m worried about something. I find it helps to get some exercise & going out for a walk helps. Talking to someone about your anxieties also helps. Hope this helps you in any way. You are not the only one who is suffering by any means. You are not going mad! It’s just all the strife out there at present. I have a therapist who says to do some relaxation yoga which I am going to try myself. Take care of yourself.x

[Jenny3267]

Sorry to hear that. Metronidazole totally ruined my sleeping and made my IBS worse. I also have SIBO. Drs want me to try mirtazapine but I don’t want to become reliant on it.

[Ruggerhead in reply to Jenny3267]

Hi flowers just like me, how many hours sleep do you get, are you in constant pain with the IBS and SIBO, do you think SIBO could cause sleep problems, my sleep is getting worse.

[Jenny3267 in reply to Ruggerhead]

Replied by private message

[Jenny3267]

Thank you. Which herbals and tinctures did you try. It’s difficult to know which are hood supplement brands and safe to take as this area is unregulated.

[Joecal]

Which herbal teas and tinctures worked for you?

[Joecal]

Which herbal remedies worked?

[Eleanor47]

Hi, Ruggerhead. I’m so sorry to hear how much you’re struggling. A resource that’s helped me with CBTI is Insomnia Coach, a free app developed by the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Also, I’ve found it really helpful to see a therapist who specializes in anxiety management.

[Janina37]

Im sorry for your situation. Ive had insomnia and I've had moderate success with treating it. I bought a new pillow that's meant to ease you to sleep and it hasn't done much. I also got blackout curtains and I think they have helped me stay asleep after sunrise. But the thing that's helped me the most is taking melatonin. I read up on it and you don't really get 'reliant' on melatonin. It just regulates your cicardian rhythm. Once you stop taking it, melatonin will stop working but it'll take a while for your cicardian rhythm to adjust to its previous state. Take melatonin from a trustworthy source.