[Gaijin]

It's about 2:30 am, and I can't sleep. Feeling restless, a bit agitated and irritable, ready to be hypomanic but more in mixed state. Took an Ambien two hours ago, and still not sleepy.

All the books I've read on managing BP say that keeping a regular sleep schedule helps manage the illness. The best intentions to keep a schedule do nothing when Morpheus deserts me.

do you mean morpheus in like, take the red pill or take the blue pill..??

Okay, Gaijin, and hello.

You may be restless, irritable, and unable to sleep because of several things, but most importantly, it may be related to acidic residue of the fluids and tissues of your system from medications. (They all leave an acidic residue.)

To counteract that, in mid-to- late afternoon, squeeze 2 lemons into an 8oz glass of water. Drink it. If, after 4 hours, you're not better, repeat the process. By bedtime, you should be very calm and relaxed. (The little lemon, while it tastes very acidic, is one of the most alkaline foods we can eat and it leaves an alkaline ash which counteracts the effects of the residue of meds.)

Secondly, cut way back on your ingestion of wheat. The most recent information pertaining to wheat is that it is really not good for us. Please read Dr. David Williams' new book called "The Wheat Belly". It really is enlightening about all the things wheat can do to our systems. It's the gluten that is so difficult for us.

I would suggest that you limit your amount of wheat intake as much as you can.

In addition, if you have a sensitivity to caffeine, please stop using it in any form.
See http://www.Doctoryourself.com Go down the left-hand side of the index
and look for an article called "Caffeine Allergy" by Ruth Whalen. That also is
enlightening.

Those two references will guide you in how to correct a very common cause of
insomnia, as well as helping you to reduce much of the problems you have with
restlessness and irritability.

Good wishes and good health to you.

I ate a lemon the other day and had to think of you Genetic! it put a smile on my face.

What a nice thing to say, Dan. Thanks.

[hamster-bamster]

The best things I have found are Elavil, an old tricyclic AD but the dose is so low that it acts as a muscle relaxant. Or, if legally available, medicinal cannabis, also very very little of. Not habit forming, effective, without side effects, perky by morning. I have never taken ambien, but from what I have heard of it, I like what I take much much better.