I was wondering if there is anyone who suffers with anxiety/insomnia and has found something useful to treat it. It is really getting me down. Will be seeing the endo in the beginning of May but until then I would really appreciate a response.
Thanks
I found supplementing with magnesium citrate at night helped with both the anxiety and the insomnia. Meditating also helps. I also sleep better since getting my thyroid mediation sorted out. Insomnia is horrid. I suffered with it for years and am very glad I only have the occasional bad night now. I hope you find something that works!
Carolyn x
Yes I am currently in the process of getting my medication sorted out and I believe that this is the source of my problem.
I use CD's for relaxation and anxiety and also insomnia. However, if I'm in a really bad way they don't always work and I find myself playing them over and over again. I can fall asleep but wake as soon as the CD comes to an end and so I sleep with the earpiece in my ear during the night so if I wake I just press replay. This can occur several times during the night. However, I am persevering. I won't give up.
I've also found a local Tai Chi class and yoga class. So I'm going to book myself some weekly classes and see how that goes.
Thanks for getting back to me, Carolyn.
Well done mischa for trying so hard to manage your anxiety. If you keep trying, hopefully it will improve soon.
With regard to listening to meditation CD's, etc, I found it really important to equate the music to a good situation/environment where feel good chemicals were released in the brain. ie listening to a certain peice of music whilst sunbathing in a sunny garden.
I only have to step on my yoga mat to feel instant calm and mindfulness. Practice makes perfect although I too still struggle with the odd anxious night.
Namaste.
5-HTP and magnesium citrate work for me.
5-HTP cannot be mixed with anti-depressants. It is available without prescription in supplement shops and online. Read the reviews on Amazon. 5-HTP doesn't act like a sleeping tablet, it slowly boosts your own production of serotonin and melatonin. It could take a week or two or even three to help with insomnia, but the effect on anxiety should be quicker. I buy 5-HTP in 50mg tablets and I usually only use one a day, taken about an hour before bed. I've been taking it without any problems for several years now.
For the nights when nothing works I use supplemental melatonin. This cannot be bought over the counter in the UK but it can be imported. I bought 3mg tablets and I break them into quarters. One quarter is all I need, and I use it as rarely as possible.
Benadryl works for me for occasional sleeplessness.
Also warm milk and magnesium capsules.
But eventually, after my symptoms dissipate, my sleep returns to normal.
I am sad to read some of the comments you make about yourself and that you feel.
Speaking for myself I felt very down and depressed and everyone in the world was dark and doom and gloom. Therefore I can appreciate how well how you could be feeling.
For myself, I realised that I could not cope with this all by mysel, so I got myself to see a counsellor, and thank the Good Lord I am now starting to feel better than I was.
As friendly advice may I suggest that you do the same.
I wish you well.
Richard
Thank you all so much for your help and advice, it is really appreciated. I do have some 5 HTP and magnesium so I will give it a go.
I have recently began attending a CBT group once a week for anxiety and have been given some very useful advice and exercises to do but it needs to be practiced over and over again in order to break the habit/cycle of anxiety and it can be difficult. I am determined and I daresay I will get there eventually.
Some days are better than others and some are horrendous particularly the nights.
Once again thank you all.
Richard..i went to a Psychiatrist and they spent the whole time trying to tell me it was all mental. I was put on anti depressants, benzo's and a mood stabilizer, which caused me diabetes. I finally left her and was finally diagnosed with Hashimotos, which makes you hyper thyroid, then hypothyroid..horrible symptoms and a damaged Pituitary. A similar incident happened with my young son..they were trying to convince me that he had emotional problems, that caused him to miss so much school, that he wasn't really sick. They said they would give him some meds to help his insomnia and anxiety. .. I never took him back. He was then diagnosed with food allergies/sensitivities and is better after we cleaned up his diet, but i had to home school him. He was on antibiotics 9 months out of the year. Now he is well. The damage they could have done convincing him that his symptoms were mental, would have been terrible and drugs too!!!
I wish you well.
All the very best
Richard
thank you and you too.
I get anxiety attacks and my Dr put me on citrapam not sure of spelling. was on 10mg but all it did was make me a little tired so she upped the dosage and told me to take it at night. 20 mg and zonked me out but still I stayed on them till January , Then I tried beta-blockers no good, Since not taken any the anxiety is not as often as it was.
Thank you for your response. I'm trying to stay away from antidepressants at the moment. I'm trying to see if I can deal with it another way.
There not antidepressants as far as I know .
How are your adrenals? Have you had them tested? Struggling adrenals, that only manage to make their quota of cortisol at bedtime can cause sleeping problems. And for me, low cortisol was the reason for my anxiety.
I was originally diagnosed with anxiety and then depression in 1996. This was well before I started having any thyroid symptoms. I am an American living in the UK, so started off with USA docs. I've tried numerous ant-d's over the years. Wellbutrin (American brand name) worked really well, but gave me tics so eventually stopped it. I'm currently on Cymbalta, which I've used for over 9 years. I have no libido with it, but other than that it works well for me.
By about 2000 I started feeling exhausted all the time no matter how much sleep I got. My sleep then became very disturbed, was unable to fall asleep or stay asleep. The doc put me on Trazadone, which is another anti-d but it also makes you feel very drowsy. I have been on that for 15 years. It is non addictive and works wonders for me. I am able to get good sleep where I'm able to function during the day. I was diagnosed with fibro from 2001 - 2009 when I was finally properly diagnosed with an under active thyroid here in the UK. I started taking NDT in December of last year and am up to 3 grains now....it has made me feel Really well, so much I've started exercising again!
Good luck with your journey, no matter what course you choose to take!
Sharon
Magnesium Citrate has certainly helped me to sleep better, I would also recommend some therapy to off load any issues you may be carrying around and Mindfulness Meditation has proved to be very helpful too, check to see if any local Psychological Health Centres are running courses or check with the organisation MIND as they run Mindfulness courses too. Give up sugar in any form as it not only creates inflammation in the body but is also stimulating and your body needs to calm down. As already suggested checking you are on the correct medication and calming the adrenals is very important to.
I have just begun CBT therapy for anxiety. Yes, I understand about sugar and also tea and coffee which I avoid. I do think my medication needs changing and will be seeing the endo in a week's time. I really want to know what my blood results will be and see what happens from there. Joyia, thank you for replying.
Thank you so much for your response. My D3 and iron are good but my B12 and folate have not been checked. That's something I should do.
I use Rhodiola rosea for anxiety and melatonin if I am having trouble sleeping. I think you are right to be unsure of taking antidepressants. Hope you manage to find your optimal thyroid med level.
Could be underfunctioning (Tired) Adrenals. Every site I have read says that lots of Vitamin B5 is good for the adrenals. All B vitamins should be taken with Vitamin B complex. You could also take vitamin B12 too as many people with Thyroid issues are deficient. Magnesium is also beneficial for adrenals and insomnia. I have the same problem and have foud the above supplements help considerably
Have you tested your cortisol? I had really really high nighttime cortisol and used Seriphos to treat. 1-3 capsules 4-6 hrs before bed. If you are like me this has gone on for years. No sleep for days at a time. It was terrible. I am now off the Seriphos. It took a year to get my cortisol down. Some people respond quicker, like weeks. Also, I take GABA chewable tablets (500mg total-no more as it can have opposite effect) from Now. Two of them 30 mins. before bed. In addition to the GABA I also drink 2 bags SleepyTime Tea Extra. try one and see how you do along with the GABA. On top of that I take Melatonin and an Ambien. And now I sleep most nights. I am working getting off Ambien. It's a process.
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