[Gabyunbound]

I'm still having an enormous amount of trouble sleeping on 25mg of Seroquel, which I've been taking for sleep for a couple of years now. It used to pretty much make me pass out after a while, and now it's hardly working at all (50mg works but gives me the hangover from hell). Not sleeping much is beginning to really affect my mood. I was revved up for some days and now I'm feeling very down and irritable (which may or may not be BP-related, maybe it's just a normal reaction to not sleeping?).

I'm going to call my pdoc soon, but before I do, I'd love some suggestions on sleep meds that are NOT AP's. Abilify (along with Lamictal) has kept me stable for so long, I don't want to shake the boat and add another psych med. So I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on what regular sleep meds work and if any have affected your mood. I mean, I say I don't want to rock the boat, but maybe even a regular sleep med would put me off-kilter. I just don't know. I'm lost here...

Thanks!

[Gabyunbound]

I meant 'rock the boat' not 'shake the boat.' Jeez, I'm really not thinking clearly...

[Guiness187055]

I used to take temazepam it worked well for a while.

[Leia78]

The magic and wonderful combination I recently was given - 2 mgs Ativan and gabapentin at bedtime helps me fall asleep and I stay asleep all night until about 7am. This morning I woke up at 8, which I consider sleeping late!

[bizi]

what about plain old benadryl?

[Victoria'smom]

Ambein helps a lot but it leaves me dizzy in the morning for a little.

[Moreta]

I was on ambien for a long time. It worked well, but it pooped out on me. Sometimes I take a benzo if I can't sleep but I wake up disoriented in the morning.

[99fairies]

I agree with Bizi... Benadryl.

[tecomsin]

50 mg of lyrica will put me to sleep for the night if i don't take it regularly.

[Carmina]

Or Promethazine

[TRNRMOM]

Originally Posted by Gabyunbound

I'm still having an enormous amount of trouble sleeping on 25mg of Seroquel, which I've been taking for sleep for a couple of years now. It used to pretty much make me pass out after a while, and now it's hardly working at all (50mg works but gives me the hangover from hell). Not sleeping much is beginning to really affect my mood. I was revved up for some days and now I'm feeling very down and irritable (which may or may not be BP-related, maybe it's just a normal reaction to not sleeping?).

I'm going to call my pdoc soon, but before I do, I'd love some suggestions on sleep meds that are NOT AP's. Abilify (along with Lamictal) has kept me stable for so long, I don't want to shake the boat and add another psych med. So I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on what regular sleep meds work and if any have affected your mood. I mean, I say I don't want to rock the boat, but maybe even a regular sleep med would put me off-kilter. I just don't know. I'm lost here...

i'm in the same insomniac boat as you; most times 1/2 of 25mg seroquel works like a charm, sometimes i need to take 25mg of it or 37-1/2 mg. seroquel but fear the weight gain tho i exercise hard 5x a week; i'm always mixing and matching; zzzquill i think helped when i tried it severall times; now always add 5mg melatonin to whatever i take for sleep; 10mg ambien does almost nothing for me and it seems that seroquel poops out on me after several weeks so i'll try to use something else and now have added and use and so far, so good: 1/2 25mg. seroquel+5 mg melatonin, 15mg. temazapem....i'm female, 71, never had sleep issues up until about a year ago and i wish there were some magic pill(s) that work each and every time; i don't mind the hangover as i'm retired and have no rush to go anywhere in the morning other than to the health club to work out. let me know if you find the magic pills(s)

Thanks!

i'm in the same insomniac boat as you; most times 1/2 of 25mg seroquel works like a charm, sometimes i need to take 25mg of it or 37-1/2 mg. seroquel but fear the weight gain tho i exercise hard 5x a week; i'm always mixing and matching; zzzquill i think helped when i tried it severall times; now always add 5mg melatonin to whatever i take for sleep; 10mg ambien does almost nothing for me and it seems that seroquel poops out on me after several weeks so i'll try to use something else and now have added and use and so far, so good: 1/2 25mg. seroquel+5 mg melatonin, 15mg. temazapem....i'm female, 71, never had sleep issues up until about a year ago and i wish there were some magic pill(s) that work each and every time; i don't mind the hangover as i'm retired and have no rush to go anywhere in the morning other than to the health club to work out. let me know if you find the magic pills(s)

[~Christina]

If you can handle it Doxi-pin worked great for me.

Zzzzzz Quil and melatonin

[Wild Coyote]

I have found 15-30 mg. temazepam very helpful for sleep.

FWIW: My pdoc claims Benadryl does not give the same quality of sleep as does temazepam.

I hope you find something helpful... asap.


WC

[Unrigged64072835]

I take Lunesta for sleep. It helps me get to sleep but not so much staying asleep. If I need to I'll take Vistaril to go back to sleep.

My pnurse has given me a script for prescription-strength melatonin to replace Lunesta. Didn't know there was such a thing, but there is. I didn't fall asleep on OTC-strength melatonin, but will give this a shot. It's non-formulary so it'll be another goat rope with insurance.

Otherwise I work on non-med things like clearing my mind and not focusing on any thoughts. Sometimes that works too.

[seoultous]

Clonazepam works well for me. No hangover the next morning.

[HALLIEBETH87]

Vistaril and melatonin for me

[Disorder7]

Benadryl. It’s also approved off-label for anxiety

Thank you for this thread. I have the hangover from hell today for taking two 25 mg of quetiapine myself because one didn’t work. It ruined my day I’m so tired, and I went back to sleep this afternoon.

[boogiesmash]

Ambien works great for me.

[Gabyunbound]

Thanks so much, guys! I'm going to bring in a list of these meds to my pdoc and see which she suggests.

Last night I took 1 and a half 25 mg Seroquel's and I passed out. I slept for 10 hours. I used to get to sleep (pass out) on 25 mg of Seroquel at around 6-7pm. I would take it VERY early and go to bed very early. I have no life, except watching some TV, on weekdays because I need so much sleep on Seroquel (previously 25 mg) I go to bed super early because I need to get up for work.

So I will take 1.5 pills tonight VERY early and hope to not have too much trouble getting up in the morning, nor have a terrible hangover. Who knows, maybe 1.5 is now my previous 1? We shall see. I'm hoping it will work out.

You guys have given me great suggestions, and as I said, I'll bring them to the attention of my pdoc, but I'm SO scared of adding (replacing, really) a new med as I'm afraid I'll go off kilter. I can't stand that thought. Work (and life in general) has been going relatively well because I've been stable and I don't want to jeopardize that.

This kind of fear sucks. Really sucks. The fear that the slightest thing could send me off the deep end (not sleeping in and of itself, changing meds...). I just hope it works out, whether on 1.5 or taking a new med.

[BipolaRNurse]

I use Trazodone and occasionally Klonopin for sleep. I've also been on Ambien for the past couple of weeks but it doesn't do much for me; I still wake up in the middle of the night and am anxious in the morning. My pdoc gave me only two weeks worth and told me to call him with the results afterwards. Guess I don't have much to report. LOL