Sleeping pills.

[badbackjonny]

Ok, really quick one for you all. Sleeping pills, yes or no? Straight answers please.

Thanks

J.

[Bananas5]

Yes short term to get you back to your routine.

x

[badbackjonny in reply to Bananas5]

Thanks.

[Frustated]

I would say depends on what you have been prescribed. I wasn't sleeping due to chronic pain, was given liquid Amitriptyline so I could work out the best does for me, not too much to know me out, but enough to enable me to settle. I think if your not sleeping well due to pain then yes, but look at other solutions first.

[badbackjonny]

I didn't have time this morning to put a full post. (so no, it wasn't a stupid question!) I have chronic pain. My GP has said she would give me a prescription for something to help me sleep. I don't know what she is thinking. It's not getting to sleep, it's staying asleep.

Thanks for most of the comments.

[carol1964 in reply to badbackjonny]

I find sleeping tabs great for falling asleep but pain usually wakes me up,if u take them too often they don't work as well,I take a sedative as well and that helps!

[Sewnsew]

Yes now and then but not on a regular basis.

[Chawner]

Yes would be a really nice thing so you could get some sleep and I have thought about that to but the correct answer would be NO !

Don't do it !

[Calceolaria]

It's common for chronic pain sufferers to fall asleep then wake. The best solution is to practice relaxation techniques but equally, best if these can be taught to you at a pain management programme. Avoid daytime naps.

[katieoxo60]

I would agree with others as a short term drug till your sleep pattern improves, most sleeping pills are addictive in the long term. It is about relieving the pain cycle which would help the sleep, good luck with what ever choice you make.

[Hartleyhare2]

After years of insomnia yes! I take Ambien sleeping tablet in UK. But I also have a nighttime routine of relaxing getting double pillow between ankles and knees to separate them and a bit to cuddle! Then my wife sorts out my neck pillows which I can't get right on my own. Then the most important thing earplugs into my iPad and tuned into a free internet sleep radio station, there are loads to choose from my personal favourites are Zen and 181 chilled FM. Just find what suits you I often don't take the tablet and would take the music over it any day. The tablets are good for getting a routine going. But if I'm not going to sleep for a couple of nights I have to accept it.

[johnsmith]

This is not a straight forward question. I have extended discs in the neck. I need the pain to wake me when I apply pressure to nerve roots. I know from experience the total lose of being able to do anything with my hand after a long term pressure on the nerve roots.

With lack of sleep comes partial lose of control of muscle behaviour together with emotional problems.

It is a balancing act.

Sleeping tablets could in the short term as well as the long term term make the pain situation much much worse. You tense and apply pressure to an area that should not take increased pressure. You need to know about it, so as to take remedial action. If you have taken a sleeping tablet you will not know about the increased pressure and cannot take the needed remedial action. The part receiving increased pressure is damaged and gets inflamed.

There again you need the sleep to prevent the negative effects of not getting enough sleep.

The other alternative is to increase the hours in bed. Try cutting down your social activities. Then look for a space in your schedule where you can grab an hour of lying down doing nothing so that you can cat nap. This will hopefully improve you pain situation. Remaining too long in bed at a time is probably not a good idea as we are designed for a sleep lying regime of about 8 hours or so,

It is also worth looking at how hard your mattress is. If the mattress is too soft you can be too tense and not notice it. A harder mattress would force you to relax in order to be more comfortable. More relaxed, more likely to have less pain providing you are not applying body weight to the area that is over tender.

You need to experiment and research yourself to determine what is right for you.

Hope this helps

[leagle81]

No

[Movingcloud]

If you are happy to consider things which are not drugs, then look into getting an "earthing" sheet, or a mat. And/Or read the book by Clinton Ober called "earthing", which says we need to be in contact with the earth more to help us electrically balance our bodies. (We can do this cost free by going outside in bare feet for at least 1/2 an hour a day.) Sounds odd, but I was recommended this by a forumite on another website, and immediately on using an earthing mat for a couple of hours in the evening, my sleep improved hugely. the folk who sold me the mat claim 80% of pain sufferers get improvement - that's an astonishingly positive number!

I wish you wellness and good sleep for the future!

[badbackjonny]

Wow! Where to start. Firstly, thank you everyone for your helpful advice!

For me, I have no trouble getting to sleep. It's staying asleep. I can get about 3 hours then I'm awake. No matter what I try. I have tried herbal things that helped to empty my wallet but nothing else.

I live the country side, so it's nice and dark, and it's lovely and quiet. I still use ear plugs and/or headphones.

I'm going to go back to my GP and get some more information like what pills she is thinking.

The only time I get full nights of sleep is when I'm in hospital on Ketamine. (and no, I'm not suggesting that as an answer, just info.)

I will take in to consideration what's been said. Thanks again.

J.

[kath_80]

Nope as now I've been kept on them for years and don't work. As you can see it's 4am and I'm still awake. This is zopiclone 7.5 x 1 or 2 at night. Temazepam help for short term use. The doctor likes to increase anti depressants for long period effect....Sorry no short answer

[joannie1964]

I've just managed to wean myself off Zolpidem after years of taking them . Yes great at getting me to sleep, but still woke up intermittently every night and was groggy in the morning. also my GP says there is now research linking long term use to dementia!! I also take amytryptaline at night for pain and this seems to help sleep.

Good luck

Jo x

[judy-brown91]

I take doxlamine and its great for sleep . A little pill that is 25 mg and you are on your way to the sandman.