Just wondering if any one has found meds that they are allowed to take routinely that actually work. I was on zopiclone which worked but they took me off it after a few weeks. Given zolpidem but you can only take it for a few nights. Also tried phenergan but it says you can only take it for 7days so wondering if there are any longer term solutions?
Even with the sleep meds I sometimes only manage 3/4 hours sleep I'm sooooo tired and it really doesn't help my mood.
I found no meds that truly relieved how I felt .. I discovered that if I changed my thoughts I changed my life using positive affirmations
hello satsuma haven't seen you on here for a while hope you are ok
Hi Sarah1111111 I am well thank you and I do hope this finds you the same
Hi Sarah,
Sleep is one of the most precious commodities there is, refreshing body body and mind.
Venlafaxine taken at night for it's sedative affect works for me. I have another antidepressant in the morning so I cover all bases. I have been taking this combination for approx. 10 years.
When I am really wound up, 2-3 consecutive nights of little sleep, I have a back up of a sleeping tablet Temazepam @ Restoril. Temazepam increases my total sleep time. It is in the benzodiazepine class of drugs so you can become dependant on it. I take it 30 minutes before bedtime and only for max of 3 nights then stop.
The FDA approved temazepam in February 1981 and it's still in use 35 years later - amazing!
Thank you for replying. I take the slow release venlafaxine so take it in the morning so as far as I know (hope!) doesn't cause drowsiness. Maybe I should ask about taking it in the evening to see.
It's good to know what other meds can be taken with venlafaxine. I want to go with some suggestions to my GP becaus I know he doesn't like prescribing sleep meds. It must be fairly safe then if it's been approved that long - which is always good to know 😄
hi I'm new on here and just wandered if any one else takes the same medication as me, I'm on venefaxaline 300 gr at night, lithium 600 gr at night, I am just going through a depressive episode at the moment and feeling very anxious, and now they want to put me on a pyscotic medication, no one will explain why I'm also 52 and could be starting the menopause, but what I cant get my head round is why I have to take another tablet with out an explanation
They put me in an sti psychotic meds I took myself off them after a month as my eye sight was going funny and I had put on loads of weight. (Taking me from size 8 to overweight on a month) . I think they just try anything. Don't take it unless they are able to explain what you need it, how it will help you and whether you should be on all three meds or whether it might be worth tapering off another and introducing the new meds as a replacement. Personally I didn't want to be on more than one meds. They are strong and I wasn't too sure about having all that in my system. Trouble is there isn't the social and therapeutic support we need so they have no alternative treatments to meds at the moment.
Hi Sarah, I am on 15mg Mirtazapine (anti-dep), taken 30 mins before sleep. This works well with 300 mg/mcg Venlafaxine.
I think it is difficult finding a sleep medication that is effective long term and not addictive.
Not being able to get good quality sleep or finding it difficult to get to sleep will affect your mood adversely. Have you tried listening to guided relaxation/meditation as you get to sleep (see youtube mindfulness meditation). It is a practised skill so you may need to try over several days/nights. Give it a go.
Wishing you well in your search for sleep.
Lottie
Hi lottie, I might ask about mirtazapine and see if that's a possibility. Does it have any odd side effects?!
I have tried meditations but even the longer ones for an hour didn't seem to do the trick. Maybe I just need to persevere and see if I can find dfifferent ones that work better. Are there any you recommend?
Hi Sarah, it is really important that you find a recording with a voice you can relax to. I found relaxation/meditation by The Honest Guys very helpful. Listen to a few different ones. You can listen to meditations in the day if you are at home. It is best if you can lie down (keep warm), perhaps put a rolled up towel underneath your knees. It, does take practice, I would suggest you listen to 30 minute one to start with. An hour may be too long.
The Mirtazapine is an ant-depressant with sedative properties. Probably best used in addition to your present anti-dep. Your GP will check it does not clash with your present anti-dep. There are side effects as there are with all anti deps. However, the only side effect I have had is a dry mouth - I carry a bottle of water everywhere. A small price to pay for sleeping at night. Good luck and I hope you get on ok.
Lottie x
Hi Sarah 1111111, it is so difficult to manage with such little sleep. Have you discussed with your GP what other help may be available, such as cognitive behavioural therapy for sleep problems? Also, nhs.uk/livewell/insomnia may be helpful [also keeping a sleep diary]. Sleep clinics are also available in the UK [some are NHS]. Please ask your GP for advice and let us know how you get on. Best wishes.
So far I've just been given sleeping tablets by my GP but I think everyone's been more worried about my depression rather than sleep. I do think they are linked though and if I can increase my sleep my mood would get even better. I was looking into cbt for sleep. Is it effective do you know?
I'll look up the NHS page thank you for sending the link through.
CBT can really help you review and alter negative thoughts. It can take a while to get. It needs work and practice but a valuable tool.
Melatonin for sleep? My daughter used it as autistic and so sleep an issue. It's a hormone but long term use may mean body gets used to it so could just forestall situation. It's an idea.
I did think about melatonin. I know someone who buys it on the internet but not totally sure about that!
I got prescriptions from GP for kid but also had bought online before that. My view it's safe - I had looked into it before - usually the US stuff is perfectly fine and reliable.
If the GP doesn't come up with any other suggestions I'll give it a go and see if it works. Thank you
Also check out foods that help with sleep - do anything that helps good luck
Hi I know I'm a bit late commentin but I can't find the answet I seek anywhere. Basically iv been using zopiclone for years on and off but today iv had such a bad headache no pills will working so I took a zopi and went to sleep for 5hrs woke up for (3hrs) woth my head not so bad at frist but getting worse so i thought id take another! Soo...(5hrssleep+4awake)=(9) hours since last tablet so I took the other 7.5mg. I was then sick 15mins later and clearly tasted the tablet when I brought it all up so my question is will the tablet be in my system within those 15mins it took for me to be sick? If Its not fully in my system I need to take another...but can't find the info anywhere.
Many thanks guys
XX
I take clonazepam .. i take it half an hour before bed works well with me i have REM sleep behavior disorder.. these are a benzodiazepine work a treat no more bashing the hubby through the night .
That sounds good, bet the hubby's pleased! Is that one you can take every night?
Yes hhah he is happy no more slaps in the face now.. yeah i take one every night .
I am prescribed Zopiclone as well. Sometimes I buy over the counter sleeping tablets. Obviously I space them all out as I am careful about what I take and when, however I am just like you and still only get 3-4 hours a sleep before waking up. It's so tiring. I wish I could sleep a solid 8 hours OMG, I'd be celebrating lol.
8hours would be amazing wouldn't it!
Yes even 6
Like you I'm lucky if I get 3 hours sleep at night sometimes none at all. I have discs crumbling in my spine and neck so I thought that was cause ov my depression it is a small part ov it. At 6 I was put in an aproved boarding school in Devon miles from home. I was raped at 6 by deputy head this happened 6 times and also sexually abused made to sit in corridors naked all day we were made to do all sorts ov degrading things.the man responsible has just got 21 years for historical abuse and rapeing loads ov innocent boys I can't deal with it its destroying me I've had anxiety attacks since 7 years old not realizing what they were till recently when I searched out for help
Gosh it sounds like you had a horrific time at school. I'm glad that they have given him a sentence so that no one else can be at risk. Reaching out for help is a good step, but I'm guessing it may take a while to work through what has happened to you. I think it's only when we do that our sleep will improve. In the meantime I'll keep trying to find sleep meds that work! I hope eventually you will be able to sleep better too.
You are so brave to share that I wanted to cry I can't even talk about what happened trauma after shock after trauma I have PTSD and ADHD yes 53yrs old got every diagnosis over the years many hospitals no mental health in area no f:::::: one .every year worry if I have to do another impact statement 11yrs and still I'm in the prison in my head sorry went right into one then
Hi Sarah
I've never found any effective medication for sleep - I always experience the hangover effect the next day so I prefer to steer clear, plus I'm paranoid about getting addicted.
However, lack of sleep is one of the more horrible aspects of depression as tiredness lowers your mood so it becomes a vicious circle. My personal coping strategy is to have an hour's sleep in the afternoon (easy for me as I'm self employed so no boss!) which tops me up. Plus I love the Honest Guys on YouTube - shedloads of meditation and relaxation videos.
Apparently exercise helps sleep but I'm not convinced that it helps much when the depression is really bad.
Liz
Exercise is something I need to do more of as I've heard before that it helps. Meant to help mood as well so should definitely be on my to do list. It's getting started that's the problem!
I'm going to look up the honest guys a couple of people have mentioned them now.
I'd prefer to find something natural that works because like you I think you take meds too much you lose any ability to sleep by yourself.
hi do you have to pay for this this meditation and videos on honest guys?
No. Theres shedloads of videos and they are free!!! Amazing.
I was on trazadone 100mg for a few years. I had trouble falling asleep so the large dosage really helped me in that way.
Mirtazipine seems to help lots of patients get to sleep. Look up 'Sleep hygiene' on the internet. It's evidence-based and shown to work. A brisk walk before bed, nice crisp sheets, hot bath with candles, cool room, black-out curtains, cut down on caffeine. No TV, Facebooking or gaming (bedroom is for sleeping and sex only), no napping during the day ... and if you wake-up during the night and still awake after 20 minutes, get up, don't do anything too stimulating, maybe have a hot cup of milk and try again ...
I try and do the sleep hygiene bits and I think they do help at some level. Never do the bath and candles though I can't stand baths! Have tried showering as an alternative although I'm guessing it's not quite as relaxing. Thank you for sharing though because I think many people don't know about sleep hygiene.
thanks for reply sarah, I'm the same just wish I could take I tablet, I really don't want to take more than that, and just this morning I feel so much calmer, just having taken a beta blocker, so I'm gonna see how the day goes.
I take trazadone, works well for me.
Hi! My boyfriend is on zopiclone and (I know it isn't adviced to share meds) but he has been giving me one now and again as I have bad sleep problems but my doctor seems against them. They have done massive wonders for me. Apart from one day when we woke up to find a tub of ice cream taken out of the freezer, 6 perfectly good mini pizzas shoved in the bin and a fork and spoon in the freezer??? Haha. I don't really know a lot about any other pills which could help though...sorry xx
Sorry, also just wanted to ask how you manage to get over the counter sleeping pills? I'm in Scotland and never known such a thing unless it's herbal?
I use trazadone they're for insomnia amongst other things,
Thank you sorry so long for the reply I've been offline for a bit.
Not a problem take care .
My doctor gave me mirtazipan to help sleep but I got head aces ant felt all buzzy any in steady on my feet the next morning and didn't help me sleep long enough I only had the 1 b4 bed never again so I went back next day he gave me zopiclone and they don't work for me nither I mean the get me to sleep but don't keep me asleep any ideas what I should do as cannot carry on like this I feel so down an tired
I'm battling with this site so going to pose my Zopiclone problem here. I used to take Dormonoct over many years but the price has gone thru the roof. Spoke to my doctor and he suggested changing to Zopiclone and the change over took 7 days. I have been on them for 3 months but I don't feel at all well. From get go my head started spinning the morning after and has never left. My brain feels foggy all the time, dizziness plagues me, my voice echos when I talk and my ears feel blocked. I cannot function like this. My doctor was no help whatsoever and told me to persevere until my body got used to the sleeping pill. I'm on my 4th box already and my body is fine, but not my brain, or should I say my head - something is very wrong. This means I have to go back to the doctor and go back onto Dormonoct. Now I'm worried that I may already be addicted to Zopiclone and left it too long. Any ideas???
Promethazine a antihistamine tablet works for sleep sedation. Start on a low dose so your body's doesnt get depended on that one dose and just go up as you need. Over counter medication. I'm on zopiclone now 1 year and imune to it
Do you take the zopiclone every night ?
I recently began taking Trazodone for inability to sleep through the night. My experience has been wonderful. I was able to control my sleeping problems after just four days. I can fall asleep quickly and easily and my mood has been greatly improved. Personally I think that Trazadone is great for treating sleeping problems and hopefully I will see even better results the longer I take it for.
generic-meds-store.com is the site I purchased my Trazodone pills from. No complaints!
I have had insomnia since 2009, the zopicone work well right?, but a few years ago they demonised them, there’s nothing they prescribe that u can take forever , they say stuff like clean living and stuff helps, that all depends on why u can’t sleep, I don’t get sleepy any more , I get tired but I can make it 5 days , I used to have a good job then i couldn’t cope and would get upset over nothing, they make me take one pill every other day regardless , but that’s still 50% of the month I don’t sleep, 9 years now, If im honest I dunno how long I will cope , hopefully I will find a way 😔
They say they don't want you to take sleeping tablets because they can be addictive, so they swap them with other meds that you become physically and mentally dependant on, makes sense right ? Or should I say makes more profit
I had phenergan it didn't work for me, I ended up going full circle round the clock with no sleep and feeling more awake than ever, I have had zopiclone that works for me, although I only take it if I'm absolutely desperate. I was on it for months through a bad period of depression, then once that shifted Ilearned to only ask for it if I need to kick my sleep cycle back into routine. Although the last time I asked for it, all hell broke loose,I joined a new docs, I was given 14 days worth of 3.5mg which I had to double up on because 3.5 was not helping me to sleep, then when I went back and asked for more I was point blank refused, because I was on propranolol it made my insomnia so much worse, but to top it off I was also prescribed fluoxetine, which sent me into a paranoid wreck. I still don't know if it was the lack of sleep or the fluoxetine, but it made me nuts.
Depression and Sleep
Medication change???
unable to sleep
