Too many drugs

[basten]

I'm on a cocktail of drugs but never feel hungover or tired in the morning. For pain and sleep.and depression. Does anyone else take 5 or more drugs like mine. I'm on Trazadone, amitryptiline, clonazepam, Zopiclone, dispersion. They have made me so constipated that despite laxatives I rarely go to toilet and it's worrying me as my psychiatrist said your on quite a cocktail of meds. But if I don't take the Zopiclone I get bad panic attacks. Thankyou

[Mike-tyson]

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

[basten in reply to Mike-tyson]

Hi even on 7.5 mg of Zopiclone I still woke up but never drowsy zombified in day. Now I'm on a mixture of meds which are supposed to help me sleep I STILL wake up at 3.30 and just lie there as can't sleep. I have tried Melatonin before but it never helped. It didn't help my friend much either but if you stick with it it may help you. My other friend is on 25mg of Amitryptiline and sleeps right through but that never worked for me either. Sleep is a big issue for me as I'm in a lot of pain by bed time and at least my meds knock me out. I just can't understand why I STILL wake up so early. I get so frustrated and it upsets me a lot. Good luck with the Melatonin

[Mike-tyson in reply to basten]

I feel exactly the same as in my 78 years I have never had a sleep problem. So find it difficult to know what to do with myself from 5am. I am on the slow release version called Circadin 2mg which is now approved and provided by the NHS in the U.K. Took it and half of the 3.75mg Zopiclone as instructions say one hour before going to bed. But going to take them as I get into bed tonight as the problem again is still waking early. At 5am I took a 1.5mg gummies I got from Amazon which helped me get back to sleep for another couple of hours. My doctor says I not depressed but just getting myself churned up about waking so early ? Which is probably true as don’t know what to ndo with myself as never had a sleep problem before 😈 👿. So Think I need to just get on with what she says but still struggling with waking up so early. Regards. Mike

[basten in reply to Mike-tyson]

Hi yes I know how you feel. I have had sleep issues before in the past but looking back to 2016 I went off to sleep ok despite the pain only to get up couple times in the night for a pre then back to sleep ok until about 6.30. I don't remember when it all started going horribly wrong

....like you I wake so early and don't know what to do with myself and can't go in the lounge as my dog is sleeping. It's awful as I live on my own and the days are so long. As you know I'm on a lot of meds the new ones still not letting me sleep. I pray each please please let me sleep till at least 6.30..but no. The Zopiclone never made me feel drowsy. In fact I never feel tired. I hope you have better luck tonight. I've tried taking my tablets separately or all together makes no difference except for the awful anxiety and panic attacks when I have to just go and lay on the bed. I'm 70. I think when my psychiatrist comes back the week after next I'm gonna have to come off them all and go back on my old antidepressant but I dread it as I know I won't even get to sleep my GP said you'll be awake for days. Yet my friend just takes a lower dose of the Amitryptiline I'm on and she sleeps right through the night. I don't understand it. Last night I was in pain and went to bed at 9 and was wide awake at 12 and sooo hungry. Slept again till about 3 then just laid there. I do feel for you especially as you've always been a good sleeper. Waking at 4 or 5 is horrible when you know all your neighbours are still asleep.

[Mike-tyson in reply to basten]

My Doctor gave me the Circadin 2mg and after questioning me she said I was not depressed. Just being to concerned about not sleeping and I was sleep deprived ? But she did not have to put up with being awake so early and not being able to get back to sleep. She has said I could have my normal dose of Zopiclone not the half tablet she had said take if I felt I needed a good

Nights sleep. Which I did

Last night but paying for it today. Just glad the Cricket was good to watch today.

[Mike-tyson in reply to basten]

Understand coming off Zopiclone without tapering off can be very dangerous. That’s the reason I went to doctors this week was to get help coming off them. She said to half my dose and start taking the Circadin 2mg which is slow release so should help with my biggest problem of waking up so early. Going to do exactly what she said tonight to see how I go as don’t want another day feeling like I did today.

[basten in reply to Mike-tyson]

What do you mean gummies?? What are they called?

[Mike-tyson in reply to basten]

They are American called Vitafusion Sleep Well. Each Gummy is 1.5mg Melatonin. The advice on the bottle is to take two before going to Bed. And is quick release so effects don’t last long. And are not controlled in the US like the Circadin 2mg are here by the NHS. Which are 2mg and prolonged release tablets which are supposed to work for 8hrs. Which you can get from the doctors as I did. I had a good night last night and slept until 8am. But have paid for it today as took Zopiclone 3.75 plus another half one in the night. Was good to sleep to my old wake up time but have paid for it today as also went for a pint to get me out of the house which I don’t think you should do on Circadin, as instructions say do not drink alcohol only had pint and a half but felt rough when I got home. Wanted to sleep in my chair but could not without feeling queer ?

[basten in reply to Mike-tyson]

Well at least you slept till 8 which was good and I don't blame you going out for a pint but sorry it made you feel rough. I've got 2ng melatonin from GP but still wake up so early and that's even including taking my other tablets which knock most people out for the night. Plus now as I said I'm getting awful panic attacks on waking and all day. Nothing at all knocks me out all night and I do get very anxious about it and now these panic attacks aren't nice so I'm gonna have to come off everything I think. But I tried not taking the Zopiclone and couldn't even get off to sleep and just lay there till 2.30 and got so upset it is awful. I hope the Melatonin works for you. As I said I never feel groggy the next day and can't even take a nap in the day. I just sit watching TV mostly after doing housework walking the dog and dinner. Tv is my companion and I hate weekends as there's nothing on. It's ok if you like sport or crime series which I don't. Most things are repeats. Well I'm off to bed now will take my tablets which do get me off to sleep ok usually but dread waking up so early unable to get back to sleep. I just don't feel tired. I'm gonna have to come off these meds I think as I never had panic and anxiety before I started them. Good luck and it's nice to talk to someone who has sleep problems

[Mike-tyson in reply to basten]

Took full zopiclone last night as it does help with anxiety which I am starting to get. Slept quite well unti 6. But don’t feel very lively yet. So must bit the bullet and take just what the Doc says and try and put up the not sleeping. Have even considered stopping the lot of medications but understand it’s dangerous. Going to try and cut my hedge for some fresh air and exercise before the cricket starts. As screws me up watching to much tv. As you say it’s nice to talk to someone with similar problems. Take care. Mike.

[basten in reply to Mike-tyson]

Glad you slept till 6. I can take 2 Zopiclone and still be wide awake. Had a bad night as took ages getting off to sleep then woke up at 3.30 again and took a Melatonin and slept half awake hall asleep till 6 30. I just can't understand why I never feel tired and why drugs that give people good don't me. Well at least it's dry to cut your hedge. Yes watching too much TV gets boring but it's company for me. I've cut the grass and dog walker. Been to the shops now home and wondering what else to do. !!

[basten in reply to Mike-tyson]

By the way I've woken up in the night before and took a Zopiclone but still couldn't sleep.

[Mike-tyson in reply to basten]

It always seems to knock me out. But then I suffer next day with feeling tired and rough.

[basten in reply to Mike-tyson]

Wished it would knock me out!! I'm having a terrible time sleeping and the tablets the GP trying on they don't even work. Just can't understand it. 🤔🤔🤔

[Mike-tyson in reply to basten]

Would your GP not refer you to a sleep specialist ?

[Mike-tyson in reply to basten]

When you say panic attacks do you get weird sensations in your head if you try and sleep during the day for an hour. I get half asleep then get shocked awake with weird sensations in my head. Which I do not get after taking my meds when I go to bed usually about 11. I go to sleep in about 15 min. But then wake up about 3 or 4 am and without a top up of something can not get off to sleep again. Which then means I can still feel rough during the next day as took medication to late ? I certainly a difficult problem to deal with the worst I have ever had health wise. Regards. Mike

[basten in reply to Mike-tyson]

No hard to explain. It's like waves of completely anxiety just hits me but it's not the Zopiclone as I never got them on that. They all affect our brain and nervous system. I used to get off to sleep ok but lately can't. Then like you I was awake in the night and just lie there feeling wide awake and unable to get back to sleep. There is a sleep clinic I believe but it's too far away for me to travel. A friend of mine has just been referred there. I doubt if the GP would refer me anyway as they'll just say it's my depression but I know it's not. I used to take 2 x 7.5 Zopiclone an anti depressant, clonazepam and 2 Phenergan and slept until 5 with no hang over but the GP said that was dangerous . A friend of mine in Texas could never sleep. He tried 1 tamazepam....no good. Took 2...no good. Added lorazepam and now gets 6 hrs sleep. He's 73 and doesn't care that they're addictive at our age as he's grateful to get sleep every night. I once tried Tamazepam and it didn't do anything. An elderly lady I know of 94 was given it, takes it regularly and sleeps well now. The doctors don't like prescribing them really. Regards Linda

[Mike-tyson in reply to basten]

Does not taking Zop in the night make you feel rough next day as the meds are still in your system ? I certainly does me I get dizzy at times and feel generally tired and rough. But find it difficult to have an hour during the day to hopefully make me feel better.

[basten in reply to Mike-tyson]

Hello no they don't. I've woken up in the night early and took one and still wide awake!! Have no hang over and I can't even nap in the day when I'd like to cos in pain. All the meds I'm on don't zonk me out. My psychiatrist said I'm on quite a concoction but I'm gonna have to come off them soon as they're, as I said, giving panic attacks in the day and I'm still not sleeping. So when I come off them it's gonna be a nightmare for me. I had desperately hoped they had helped with sleep which they're supposed to do. I just can't understand it. Hope you managed to cut your hedge. Going to bed soon but dread it etc.

[basten in reply to Mike-tyson]

Hello was re reading old posts and just wondered how you are and if you are still on the Zopiclone and sleeping better with no drowsiness funny head next day??