The cool insomnia club #2

Hello! Haven't slept since I've stopped taking Abilify. Doc put me on Seroquel. Worked liked a charm for four days and now nothing.

I'm crying and generally tired. I'm terrified of the night as well (meaning, I get anxious when it gets dark because I know I'm not sleeping). I could use some words of encouragement. But, I'm grateful to have a place to chat.

Welcome. I have loads of pillows and fluffy throws and tea always brewing in hopes it will help lull us to sleep..

years ago I tried the " I dont care if i sleep or now" mentality .. If i can go to bed and sleep YAY , If I go to bed and just lie there letting my physically body at least rest then FINE .. Of course after 4-5 days of no actualy sleep I start to lose rational thought..

What else has your Doctor tried ???

Welcome again, Hope you find comfort here knowing you are not alone

Well I didnt flip and flop like the night before, thankfully.

I did doze off for a littel while..

I let my hair go natural almost 4 years ago. Last night I dreamed I colored it i jumped awake and grabbed my hair to double check ,,, allllllll relief it was infact a dream. Its nearly to my butt now, I would hate myself forever if I ruined what has taken me so long to grow out.

Tonight I took 5mg of Ambein only because Steve had a Doctor appt early AM

I really hope to get back to my painting tomorrow , if Fibro will cooperate that is

Sleepy happy dream hugs

Quote:

Originally Posted by Living in LaLa Land Hello! Haven't slept since I've stopped taking Abilify. Doc put me on Seroquel. Worked liked a charm for four days and now nothing. I'm crying and generally tired. I'm terrified of the night as well (meaning, I get anxious when it gets dark because I know I'm not sleeping). I could use some words of encouragement. But, I'm grateful to have a place to chat.

Hi LaLa, I just want to welcome you to this board, and (unfortunately) to this thread.

What dosage was your Seroquel?

Welcome LaLa. Glad to hear the past few nights were sound for you. I know what you mean about getting anxious as the night grows darker and I find myself still awake.

Last few months my sleep has been disturbed. Before that I was doing great. Preparing for sleep 😴 was a huge part of my nightly routine but now I’ve made myself so busy I can’t find time to relax my mind and I actually also feel pressure from thoughts that are out of my own control that add fear and anxiety to my life. I’m not sure how to proceed and if I should postponed my projects or accept discomfort with a grain of salt. Ya know, knowing full well these thoughts are also just in my head and I can overcome them if I keep positive thinking. Feeling accomplished through the day is nice but I’d rather be able to count on a good nights rest every night, even if that means moving a Monday task to Tuesday morning.

In the meantime I will just need to find tasks to keep me busy when I wake me up in the middle of the night. This will hopefully help me avoid lucid dreams of spiders invading my thought processes and dreams.

Not sure what to do about the presence of negative energy that is out of my control other than to ignore it. I missed my last phone appointment with my doctor and really can not wait for his office to re-open so I may have a more private session. Of course all I really need to do is work on my scheduling and actually schedule an appointment when I know I will be available.

So far nothing else. He's on vacation for the week and I'll see him next Wednesday. I'm on my own until then.

I had a good solid sleep(more than five hours of sleep but less than 8) last night after a hot bath and falling asleep to a peaceful sleep playlist on Spotify. Hopefully, I can get some tonight.

Originally 100 mg. Then after the sedative effects wore off after two days (Can you believe it?) and the insomnia returned, I went back to my doc and he prescribed 400 mg.

What followed was a stuffy nose where I felt like someone was on laying on my nostrils and terrible dry mouth, I decided I didn't like Seroquel. The sedative effects, once again, left after two days, despite the upper dosage.

I am weaning myself off with 100 mg (I've only been on for a month). I don't want to be on it after reading up on its side effects. Since it doesn't knock me out, what's the point? Beside, Diabetes runs in my family and I cannot take the chance. I wish I never learned of this drug.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Living in LaLa Land Originally 100 mg. Then after the sedative effects wore off after two days (Can you believe it?) and the insomnia returned, I went back to my doc and he prescribed 400 mg. What followed was a stuffy nose where I felt like someone was on laying on my nostrils and terrible dry mouth, I decided I didn't like Seroquel. The sedative effects, once again, left after two days, despite the upper dosage. I am weaning myself off with 100 mg (I've only been on for a month). I don't want to be on it after reading up on its side effects. Since it doesn't knock me out, what's the point? Beside, Diabetes runs in my family and I cannot take the chance. I wish I never learned of this drug.

I despise Seroquel- except for its sedative effect.

Here's the thing. You can google it or ask about it on the Bipolar Treatment board. Seroquel is most useful for sleep at a very low dose. It's strange like that. Low dose, meaning 12.5mg or 25,g. No higher.

For example, a few years ago I was on somewhere around 300mg of Seroquel, it did not help me in any way. It was horrible; the only effect it had was to cause me to gain weight.

But if I take only 25mg I sleep very well. I take it 1 hour before bedtime. I've never had any med that worked so well for sleep.

So the 100 mg is completely useless. Ugh. I cannot wait to get off this mess.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Living in LaLa Land So the 100 mg is completely useless. Ugh. I cannot wait to get off this mess.

In my experience, yes. Since you've been on it for only a month it shouldn't be difficult to lower the dose and stop. When you get down to 25mg though, it would be interesting to notice how your sleep is.

Welp, it is 1630 and I am about to take my 4th nap today. Wiped out. Is it possible I cld still be sleep deprived from last wk when I only got like 10 hrs' sleep over 90ish hours? Thnx, guys.

Are you on the XR or straight Seroquel? There is a huge difference

Seroquel made me restless and made my heart race.........but I was on it for a long time before doctor realized it. I feel better but my sleep has gone south since I stopped taking it.

Hugs all around.

In all honesty, I'm sure. My pharmacy slip doesn't say anything, but I remember the clerk saying I can eat food with it, so I'm assuming straight Seroquel. I'll call the pharmacy to make sure.

ETA: Just checked. It's a round tablet with 100 on it, so straight Seroquel (Generic)

Most people do well for it with sleep at 25-50 mg.. It never helped me, but I know many people its a miracle..

Hope your able to sleep tonight

Thanks, Christina!

It's 1:12 a.m. where I am and so far nothing. Heavyish eyes, but nothing more. The funny thing is that my mind's pretty blank. The racing thoughts aren't bugging me. I simply cannot close my eyes.

LaLa, Do you think you can drop your Seroquel down to 50mg yet? I'm thinking of it helping you to sleep. I've found that I don't even need 50, though...25 works well...but at least 50 might help you, without so many of the Seroquel side effects.

I'm ready to drop to 50. But, I have to wait to see my pdoc next week, or can I cut it myself? I have to use a special pill cutter, right?

ETA: Bought a pill splitter/cutter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Living in LaLa Land I'm ready to drop to 50. But, I have to wait to see my pdoc next week, or can I cut it myself? I have to use a special pill cutter, right? ETA: Bought a pill splitter/cutter.

Well, I can't tell you what to do, but...you sure need to sleep

Well I got a few hours last night, Im going to try to hold off another 5mg Ambein for a few days ... I must saying when I took it for a week and actually got sleep each night ...Ooooooooohhhhhh wow .. I felt much better.

I talked to my T yesterday and we discussed it my Pdoc and T work for the same company, The company policy for Ambien is only 15 10 mg a month I am very tempted to talk to my Pdoc about doing that for a month or so.. I know I will build up a tolerance quickly if I were to take it nightly or even every 3-4 nights .. But WOW as a person with life long insomnia as in started at about age 6 ... Sleep is a beautiful thing.. My husband lays down and 98% of the time sleep all night long... I'm happy for him , but I'm JEALOUS !

Anyway ! Hope everyone gets at least some sleep tonight

Bought a cutter and cut the 100mg down to 50 mg. Here's to good sleep (hopefully) to all. Thank you!

4-5 hours of sleep. It's better than nothing.

Hey all ! I hope sleep found you even if it was just a short while

Yesterday and today my Fibro is so horrible I skipped my Lyrica for Gabapentin 600mg twice a day and I dont know if it helped but I felt kinda buzzed, so for about 4 hours I was able to literally catch my breath. I slept 5 hours broken but as the day moved on OUCH it has started all over again, so again I took 600mg 3 time a day this time, No real buzz but I feel a tiny bit less pain. FIbro is horrible

If I go to bed and feel like its going to be a flip flop night I am going to break a 10mg Ambien in half and hopefully it will help I have to get in front of this pain.

Good luck everyone for sleep tonight

Some sleep , but lots of time laying in bed curled in a ball from Pain earlier in the day.. I am taking 1/4 of a Ambien tonight

Nammu any cool dreams ??????

I did have a cool dream last night. Was going to a old fashioned university, all wooden floors , walls, desks and gas lamps. Very steam punk. I needed a sign language terp but could only find British sign terp. I needed a cape and found myself in a Black Friday sale hurricane but there was a scrap of fabric left and I embroidered it. Someone had left a pearl bead and a large needle in the fabric. Then I was on third floor by a wooden banister when some woman came and took my cape, she was down the stairs before she said goodbye.