Trouble sleeping

[Maxey666]

Hi all

Firstly apologies as I'm sure this has been covered before but can anybody recommend a non prescription remedy to help me sleep? My GP wont prescribe any as he said that they all contain opiates and also advised me to avoid herbal remedies. He said for me to spray lavender oil on myself and pillow at bedtime. This must be a bloody placebo as all it's managed is making my bedroom smell like an old people's home!

[Mama41]

Have you tried piriton or benadryl? They can be bought over the counter and usually work quite quickly.

Not good for long time use but may be helpful once in a while..

Hope you get some sleep soon.

[Maxey666 in reply to Mama41]

Thanks

I'll check with him if he thinks these are ok to take.

[Shakyamuni12]

I have long term sleep issues...currently my doc is prescribing Tenazepam......still does not shut down my brain.....my GP stated it is directly liver related

[Countrywalks]

Hi just read about histamine blockers and light therapy. For liver related sleep issues . Do you sleep in the day much if you avoid day naps should make you more sleepy maybe . Or you could try a walk before bed and some darker curtains . Its a difficult one really .i think its something in the brain that does it like a sleep reversal thing .its just part of this horrible disease .you cant risk taking anything unless its cleared by the dr first . A lot of tablets that cause sleep carry the risk of hepatic encepalothapy so please be careful .plenty of fresh air might help .x

[Maxey666 in reply to Countrywalks]

Thanks. I know for a fact I don't take enough exercise.

Catch up soon x

[Hidden in reply to Maxey666]

I agree with taking exercise, not close to bedtime though as it will wake up your metabolism at the time you need to be relaxing. So early evening followed later by a soak in a warm bath in some baby bubble bath and drinking a mug of warm milk may all help and your bedroom will smell like a nursery instead of an old folks home !!

All the best

Laura 😴

[Maxey666 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Luara. I've abandoned the placebo that is lavender oil.

[Hidden in reply to Maxey666]

Its probably a bit too much of a girly smell for you but lavender really does help

[Maxey666 in reply to Hidden]

Just doesn't seem to work for however my GP said many of his patients swear by it. Oh.. and it is a bit of a girly smell.

[Hidden]

Hi Maxey

Sorry but don’t know your status, i.e. pre or post TP? Or not yet on THE List?

Makes a difference because if post TP you will be on things like steroids and others that don’t help you sleep, may make you sweat at night etc etc. I was basically told by Consultants so be it - at least you’re here - and you can’t argue with that. Of course they said it in a much more PC way than that 😁.

I didn’t sleep more than 2 or 3 hours for about 4 months post TP but can now do 4 hours at a stretch - 8 months post TP.

Hope you succeed though 👍.

Miles

[Maxey666 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Miles, glad to read you are progressing well. I am pre TP and have told by Kings consultant that it is more than likely but not set in stone. Currently having many different tests at the moment. I have end stage ALD

Cheers

[Hidden in reply to Maxey666]

Aha - thank you - well good luck then for the future 👍. I think a lot of us have had to have lots of tests even before the Assessment. And even at the Assessment you may have to have extra tests afterwards! They were worried my heart might not be up to it so that caused a 4 month delay while I had one extra test. Fortunately 👍.

Pre TP I just had to put up with sleepless nights. I did try sleeping tablets once and I felt so ill the next day it was definitely never again!

Hope yours tests will all also be 👍👍.

Miles

[davianne]

Hi Maxey, I was prescribed Amitriptyline for both sleep and pain relief, and it works for sleep, but not as good for pain. It has no opiates, so your doc should let you have them.

David

[Maxey666 in reply to davianne]

Thanks David. I will ask.

[JimmyJackson in reply to Maxey666]

Be careful with amyltriptaline, it’s not the panacea for everything that it’s made out to be.

I took it for 12 years for insomnia/ depression & it left me with several side effects that it’s taken some years to get over.

It could also perhaps have some bearing on my cirrhosis, the cause of which is undiagnosed

[Maxey666 in reply to JimmyJackson]

Hi Jimmy.

I'm going to try Melatonin and see how I get on.

[JimmyJackson in reply to Maxey666]

It didn’t seem to help me, it may be co incidence but I have been meditating daily( 40 min a day)now for about 12 months & the problem seems a bit better but wouldn’t put any money on it in the long term

[LAJ123]

Hi,

Referring to the reply by Countrywalks, one suggested remedy is to wear blue light blocking sunglasses from around 5pm. Specific blue light blocking sunglasses are available quite readily and cheaply from most online sources,

Its the blue light spectrum of light that signals to the brain that you should be awake, so blocking these rays out will encourage you to be tired and ready to sleep by your normal bedtime.

Remember that computer, mobile phones and television all produce blue light, so avoid all of these when you are trying to settle for the night.

There seem to be little evidence that it actually works but might be worth a try.

Hope this helps,

Jim

[CarpeDiem11]

Firstly, there is a community called "Healthunlocked Latest" , they posted a post called" World Sleep Day". This post has lots of ideas as to how to cope with getting better sleep.

There is also a community called "Sleep Support " . I haven't used it, but it is just for sleep ideas, so could be useful.

Good luck

[Val2005]

Hi Maxey

If you Google Meditation for Sleep you will find lots of links for guided meditations to help you nod off without taking anything in the way of drugs.

Good luck and sleep well!

[Darsmum100 in reply to Val2005]

Yes, I meditate for about 20 minutes before bedtime and it does work for me. Before you start meditating you need to have completed all the pre-bedtime ablutions, so that by the time you actually get into bed you're still in the meditative frame of mind.

[jazzjam]

I read that the body cools down when it is ready for sleep. So I wear very light clothes in bed and have a very light duvet/cover. Camomile tea is supposed to help before bed, I do put lavender essential oil (not a spray) on my pillow every night, (against what we read) I put my iPad screen on night mode to change the colour so it’s not intense and watch something on Netflix with my earphones in, the screen makes me feel really tired but if that doesn’t work I have sleep meditation music and white music on my phone to listen to through earphones. At some point something works 👍

[anon_username]

Melatonin has worked great for me. Find it anywhere vitamins are sold.