What helps you the most with sleep?

clozapine combined with gabapentin and clonazepam. Mostly it's the clozapine but I need the other 2 as well. Someday the goal is to get off clonazepam but I have to stay stable first.

I don't have a problem going to sleep; I have a problem staying asleep.

Seroquel used to knock me on my @ss and I never woke up once during the night, but I'm not taking that med anymore. (Too sedating and it affected my health.) So if I want a night where I don't wake up midway, I take a Klonopin. Well, that's assuming my grandma isn't psychotic and trying to break down my door in the middle of the night.

50mg of atenolol, 1mg of klonopin, 200mg of seroquel, 2 benadryl

I take a klonopin, then meditate, then try to read a chapter or two of a self help book, then turn out the lights and put on a rainfall sound machine.

Was it difficult for you to come off Seroquel? Did you switch to another AP? I don't always like the way Seroquel makes me feel....sometimes at night, it feels like my blood pressure drops, but I fear withdrawal. I literally feel horrible and can't sleep at all without it, if I even miss one dose at night. I am hoping that my body can adjust without it someday. I am on Klonopin too with the Seroquel currently.

Meds wise, I think my gabapentin and Latuda help a lot.

I've found my sleep improved a lot when I gave myself a set bed time. I go to bed at like 9pm every night. I don't allow myself to get up and get involved in something either. No TV or anything. If I get involved into something, then I catch a 2nd wind and am up at least half the night. Took awhile to get into the routine, but it was the best thing I ever did sleep wise. Now I find I can still get 6 hours of sleep even while in an episode.

Zolpidem. Cant sleep without it.

I should attempt to do that. My bedtimes vary, & when I get up in the middle of the night I get online...like now. They say bright screens wake the brain up. Congrats on finding a schedule that works for you.

I take 2mg of klonopin & 30mg of temazepam, but still can't keep a regular sleep schedule due to my episodes. Sometimes I get 2 hours sleep, & others I get 12 hours. It's f*cked up.

Basic sleep hygiene includes a regular bedtime and wake-up time.
It becomes a habit eventually. (In most cases.)

WC

I went cold turkey off Seroquel XR without my pdoc knowing. Felt dizzy, had loss of balance, developed severe depression, couldn't sleep, and vomited a bunch of times. I had to go back on it immediately (which was hard because I was vomiting).

I told my pdoc about this and we developed a taper plan. I didn't like his taper plan, though. One of his steps was going directly from 250mg to 50mg overnight. Well, I vomited again doing that too. So instead, I went down by 50mg every week and was fine.

It wasn't ideal to go down by 50mg every week (because it took foreverrrr), and my pdoc said I didn't have to go that slow, but it prevented me from vomiting, so I was ok with that.

The insomnia was only there for about 2 weeks after stopping it, but I guess it depends on how long you've been on it. I was only on it for like 6 months.

Melatonin

15mg of Temazepan when going to bed. Helps me fall asleep and keeps me asleep until 7-8am. However, I suspect it adds to my miserable mornings.

Others, like Lunesta, make me get up and do things I don't remember later.

Wow. 250 mg to just 50 mg is a big jump down. I can see a lot of people having bad withdrawal with those instructions. It sounds really bad. At least the insomnia went away after 2 weeks...it must have been really hard, but it's good that you were able to adjust after that.

Klonopin.

If I don't drink caffeine I am ok. With caffeine, I am wired and have trouble sleeping. Also, if I don't eat, I can't sleep either so I must have something to eat at night to sleep.

Yeah, 250 down to 50, I learned that the hard way!

I think you'll be ok. I don't know how fast or how slow you want to taper down, but I always think it's better to be safe than sorry. Go as slow as you feel comfortable.

I remember reading this PsychCentral article.

Thank you. I see my pdoc soon. I will ask her about that. I have no idea what her suggestions will be in terms of a new AP. A while ago, she mentioned the possibility of Risperdal. I'm kind of nervous about it. Not sure what she would recommend for sleep on top of that. I've been on Seroquel for so long. It's possible she might want me to take only half a pill, then take the rest before bed. I slept really crappy last night.

Thank you everyone for all the responses. That's very helpful.

I'm prescribed xanax PRN for panic attacks, but I also take it when I'm having trouble sleeping. It usually does the trick. If not, I take NyQuil.

———-3 tabs of tegretol instead of 2 has banished my constant sleep probs since not working. Not sleeping causes too many problems. Major exercising wasn’t solving it tho it gives great mood elevation.

I never knew Tegretol helps with sleep...thanks for sharing.

I'm not sure which of my nighttime meds seals the deal, but with Zyprexa, Geodon and Trazodone on board I usually sleep like a baby. I also have Klonopin but rarely use it unless I'm really anxious.

Have you been using it for a long time? I am just wondering, because I would like to explore the option of Zolpidem, but wonder if the dose keeps having to be raised in order for it to remain effective?

I take 10 mg melatonin and 25mg vistaril to sleep

Melatonin seems to help get me to sleep, doesn't always sustain it though but better than nothing. Promethazine is stronger but I am reluctant to become too dependent on it and hate to think of the damage it would be doing to my brain if I took it for any length of time.

when I started taking more magnesium my sleep got better. I've been on sleep aids, but I seem to get a fast/quick tolerance to it. also, ear plugs helps :x