Insomnia

[basten]

I have tried everything even sleeping tablets but still wake up and when I try stopping them I can't now even get off to sleep. It's driving me nuts. The doctor said when I stop them I'll have 5 nights with no sleep but I've always had insomnia before this. Does anyone have any help to give.Please

[Hidden]

I’m an insomniac. In fact seeing a new sleep doctor today. My other one threw a potentially harmful medication called Seroquel at me to sleep after doing a sleep study. My sleep study revealed no apnea, rls, etc. I just have numerous spontaneous awakings in my sleep with terminal sleep wakings up to 12 times a night.

Before my first sleep doctor I took tradazone for 3 years for sleep, it stopped working and withdrawal from it has been horrendous. Rebound insomnia came on like a vengeance and was worse, hang in there regarding stopping medications for sleep, anxiety, etc.

I need to know what is causing it not medications that are potentially going to kill me as much as my sleep deprivation will.

So, in my experience getting to the root cause rather that is physical, mental or emotional and learning to break any new or old habits that we have adopted along the way. Our brains learn so quickly from our habits, even the timing of food, how much sun light we get, physical activity and lack thereof etc.

I don’t have the answers, been looking for them myself, I do not want to be medicated to sleep, I will eventually sleep in fact I have the capability of sleeping several times a day if I tuned in my crazy wired brain. Sleeping thru the night would and is a welcoming thing in my life, maybe for you look for root cause, habits, sleep hygiene, outside sources and maybe even dietary changes and getting in some exercise, even just some walking can help. For me going to bed exhausted when I need to sleep and I don’t mean just tired, exhausted.

I’ve used theanine for relaxing and sleep, yogi tea, eating foods that help with melatonin, trypohhan in the body, etc. Melatonin supplements do more harm to my sleep cycle and cause headaches. You can look into amino acids and vitamins like b6, b12, magnesium, etc. none these helped me but might be worth looking into along side your diet. Best of luck

[basten in reply to Hidden]

So you're suggesting I should stop sleeping meds and go through withdrawals and no sleep for nights I guess. Just one thing.....do you get some sleep now at all? Good luck with the sleep doctor I wish I could see one. Did sleep eventually start to return to normal at all for you. I'm just scared of stopping meds but like you I was recently put on one called Quitiapine. I slept but ended up having horrendous anxiety and panic attacks all day so had to stop it. I take clonazepam risperidone an anti depressant and 2 Zopiclone but still wake up. I've even added Phenergan so I'm in a right mess. I suffer from terrible pain and sleep is my only respite. I also suffer depression on top. Thank you so much for replying.

[Hidden in reply to basten]

No I would never suggest anyone stopping medically supervised medications without consulting with their doctor. This is irresponsible of me to have written my post in a way that suggested that. So sorry about that.

I have the ability to get sleep at night in blocks. Asleep for an hour or so, most times I am awake for 10 minutes at a time and go back to sleep and sometimes and especially after 2 my sleep is terminating meaning wakefulness is too powerful and my sleepiness is gone. Part of my sleep disorder, complicated it know.

Please contact you doctor about this, i will add double check all you medications, vitamins and supplements that might have insomnia or sleeplessness as a side effect. For me even aspirin is a cause also something as simple as Omega3 can as well. Cross check all your medications for interactions the may have when combining them, sometimes doctors are unaware of or know all meds we take. I have dialed in my diet to where I am counting my calories and paying attention to my vitamins through food so I don’t need any supplements unless my doctor approves.

Based on my research, seroquel is one of the nastiest medications to take, I am sure those with bipolar disorder or other disorders this treats is life saving, but for me I am not bipolar, suffer depression, so putting me on a med that causes diabetes, high cholesterol aka heart disease, weigh gain through metabolic slow down and lessening hormones like leptin, irreversible Parkinson symptoms even when drug stopped. I got my prescription it’s still in the cabinet. I am 51 as well I am looking for better health not the opposite. Haha.

[basten in reply to Hidden]

Hi oh no need to apologise that's fine. Maybe I read it wrong ha ha. I remember before I went on these drugs I did used to some times get off to sleep ok but like you wake up in chunks and wide awake by 3 a.m. I avoid caffeine and one pain killer patch did prevent me from sleeping. I'm tempted to try and stop all meds like one gp said but I tried and couldn't even get off to sleep and lay there in pain which made matters worse but I'm cross I ever started meds really . Seriquel is what I had recently.....Quitiapine I think is another name . I slept but as I said had horrendous panic attacks and thought I was going mad. Anyway I only take one supplement it takes an awful lot to knock me out at night. I tried Tamazepam and it did nothing at all. Well I dread tonight as usual but will take the meds for now until I can gather courage to try and stop. Good luck at the sleep clinic.

[Hidden in reply to basten]

I'm wishing you much success with sleep tonight and of course every night there after. Sleep is such a wonderful thing, too bad we can't buy it in a jar.

Thanks for the good luck I'm holding my breath on this appointment, I see this as yet another doctor that may run me through an assembly line of questions and send me on my way with no real solutions.. My husband said if this doctor wont attempt to address my questions and needs, this will be the last one. So tired of being tired and this consuming my life, you know?

Take care😊

[basten in reply to Hidden]

Thankyou. I know what you mean....tired of being passed around . I'm never tired even in the day!! When I'm in pain in the day I just lay in the bed and pray to have 49 winks ...but no !! I'm in a right mess. I'm speaking to a doctor next week about my antidepressant and hopefully sleep issues. I'm lucky they let me have Zopiclone on repeat as most GPS won't prescribe them. !!! Yes I wish we could buy sleep in a bottle. I've even tried Melatonin but that made no difference. What a life eh. I wish I had a partner but I live on my own and am 70. Good luck again. I would be interested to hear how you get on .

[Want2BHappy3 in reply to Hidden]

I've tried Trazdone, did nothing for me, I stopped on my own, No withdrawals. I had been diagnosed with sleep apnea, stopped using the machine, kept me awake. My doctor new doctor is afraid to prescribe meds because of possible withdrawals? I will try another sleep study the end of the year. My medicare will kick in. Don't want to rely on Medication. What Does Help, is swimming. I can't do this everyday, I do it on a day before I have an event to attend to.

[basten in reply to Hidden]

How did it go with your new sleep doctor. Would like to know if he helped. Best wishes

[Hidden in reply to basten]

Thanks so much for asking.

This doctor is in pulmonary medicine specializing in sleep disorders. He was not much help, He reviewed my sleep study I did 3weeks ago and basically said my altered sleep did not seem that out of the ordinary. Funny thing about that my original sleep doctor said in order for me to sleep I needed to be medicated to get sleep (he was not flex in finding me different meds other than the seroquel hense looking for 2nd opinion.)

This new doctor does not believe in meds for insomnia so I left there with a suggestion to take 5 mg melatonin. It appears that unless you have respiratory issues like apnea, etc. he was not interested in helping me find the root cause. It’s okay though, no more doctors for me. Btw melatonin comes with side effects too, headaches, daytime grogginess and hung over feeling, I might as well drink at night to get that. 😉

Wishing you the best of luck with this, hopefully you find 100% resolution between you and your doctor(s).

[basten in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for letting me know. That seemed a waste of time for you and I know the feeling!!! Thanks for your best wishes. A friend of mine is on 25mg of Amitryptiline and sleeps like a log. I was given 10 mg yesterday and slept a bit better so will stay on them and pray they continue to help!! All the very best to you for the future sleep issue. I know it sucks not sleeping x

[Mike-tyson in reply to Hidden]

If getting problems with MelAtonin try reducing the dose.

[Want2BHappy3]

I have insomnia also, which is also driving me nuts. I'll be looking into getting a sleep study done. Maybe that's something you should look into?

[basten in reply to Want2BHappy3]

Thankyou

[Want2BHappy3]

Oh, by the way what has helped with sleep is going swimming, though I can't do this every day, I make a effort to swim the day before I have an important event... works Great Everytime. My doctor's afraid to prescribe me sleeping pills that I might get addicted?

[basten in reply to Want2BHappy3]

Ok thankyou. Yes they are addictive . Glad swimming helps you Thank you

[Want2BHappy3]

Oh, my doctor was careful to give me Medication that wasn't addictive. I tried Trazdone twice. I guess everyone reacts differently to Medication?

[benmaise]

What medication did he give you, please ? The one that is not addictive.

[basten]

They are all addictive except Melatonin which a GP can prescribe more natural but it didn't work for me. I'm now on 4 meds and Amitryptiline has just been added and I slept better. My friend has 25mg of Amitryptiline only and it knocks her out all night so maybe that's worth asking about. Good luck. It's awful not sleeping

[nakedphil]

"Melatonin which a GP can prescribe" not in the UK according to my GP must come from secondary care.

[Mike-tyson in reply to nakedphil]

It has now been authorised by the NHS there are advice on some U.K. hospital on line on dosage and when to prescribe it. Just put into Google NHS Melatonin. There is advice on useagr on there

[basten]

Oh ok....my friend gets it from her GP on the NHS.

[Mike-tyson]

I have come off the sleeping tablets my doc gave me as felt so rough and tired the next day. But I am trying Melatonin gummy’s which I bought from EBay which are American. It’s a natural product that your body produces when it goes dark and you are ready for sleep. They are none addictive and can be got from the NHS now if you are over 55. If not you can get them from EBay. Start on low does one gummy which is 1.5mg. Every thigh the bottle says take two and you won’t get much in side effects if you take a low dose. They get me to sleep but I still wake early due to Amerodian I was given at Stoke Hospital for A/F. which can have horrible side effects. I am off it now but can take two months to get out of your system. ? ?

[basten in reply to Mike-tyson]

Thankyou

[Mike-tyson]

If you have taken any Z drugs for sleep for over a month I understand they can be addictive and you would be best reducing the dose to get your natural rhythm back. My Dr said just to stop taking them. Tried that but was still awake at 2am. So started taking 3.75mg Zopiclone again. But they make me feel so lifeless during the next day have decided to half my dose tonight. To see how that goes

Regards.

Mike Tyson

[basten in reply to Mike-tyson]

Thanks. Good luck...I never feel tired in the morning on them. Never tired in the day on anything. I'm gonna have to go through withdrawals coming off all meds after two weeks time....dread it

[basten in reply to Mike-tyson]

Let me know how your sleep is once your off them. I'd like to know

[Mike-tyson in reply to basten]

Ok Will do. How much Zopiclone are you taking each night ? I’m on 3.75 mg

Mike

[basten in reply to Mike-tyson]

7 5 .

[Mike-tyson in reply to basten]

My Dr has just agreed to wean me off Zopiclone 3.75 per day as felt like a zombie on it. She has suggested taking Circadin 2mg which is slow release Melatonin. She is happy for me to reduce Zopiclone to half a 3.75mg tablet. Or take a full one every other night. Has anyone had experience of the slow release Melatonin which is now supplied and authorised by the NHS. Any advice would be much appreciated. As I did as she said but still woke up at 4am. Know this is going to be hard so would appreciate any advice.