Insomnia is destroying my life

Thought I was getting back on track with this sleep bull***, then last night I took a Lunesta, trying to change it up from my usual Xanax so I don't become dependent on it.. lay half asleep / half awake in bed for three hours til I finally gave up at 7am and took 1mg of Xanax. Now I feel like a zombie. I can't socialize today because I'm too out of it.

This has been my life for the past year, and it's been getting steadily worse.

Before you give me tips on how to sleep.. I've tried them all. Bananas, exercise (not too close to bedtime), magnesium, melatonin, talk therapy.. EVERYTHING. Nothing works.

Short of jumping off my roof I don't know what to do anymore. I just don't see a way out of this. I can't life my life because I'm always so zonked out of my mind, between lack of sleep and hangover from meds. I don't know how much longer I can go on like this.

Is anyone else out there experiencing a decline in quality of life because of this?? I feel like I'm all alone here. Everyone I know has experienced insomnia at some point, but they somehow overcome it.. I seem to be cursed.

Insomnia can be a killer. It's wise to treat it as a serious issue.

1. See one of my earlier posts.

2. Any possibility you could get a formal sleep study? Usually the focus of sleep studies is to identify sleep apnea, but they can also grant insight into your sleep "architecture." Something else may be going on that prevents you from getting restorative sleep.

I have an appointment scheduled with a sleep specialist next Tuesday, in fact. I'll definitely be posting updates. I'm sure I won't get anything accomplished right away but it's a first step, at least.

I'm skeptical about sleep studies because you never know what type of doctor or diagnosis you're going to get. Most doctors seem unwilling to really investigate further than possible sleep apnea and it's hard to talk to them initially because they rush you in and out and you never feel like you can really explain to them what's going on and make them fully understand the scope of the problem. Also, I'm not really sure if I have a breathing problem. Not necessarily apnea, but maybe something involving breathing at night, since I'm always congested. I just had sinus surgery and nothing has improved, my sinuses are always swollen and it's impossible to breathe through my nose.. allergy testing turned up nothing.

I've tried to find a doctor whose focus is "sleep architecture" and it's like they don't exist.. most just study apnea.

I'm just so frickin frustrated at the moment.. I'm sitting at home by myself just being depressed because I can barely form a coherent sentence so I don't want to go out.. but I'm lonely and bored.. omg this sucks so much!!

I also have a terrible time with insomnia due to chronic pain. The pain keeps me awake all the time. BUT something that DOES work for me is the package of the "White Noise" CD's --- there are ocean sounds, rain forest, thunder, rain, birds, etc. There's all kinds of "light" sounds that just lull you to sleep. The one that works best for me is the ocean tide -- that one really does it. Before long, I'm sound asleep. I keep those CD's close by incase I have a rough time sleeping! You can find those anywhere they sell CD's.

It's worth trying. I hope you find somethng that helps you. Best of luck and God bless. Hugs, Lee

Yes, I suffer from insomnia and have to take sleep med to get my rest. Hoping to get a call from the doctor regarding the specialist's appt if there is going to be one. Side effects from a sleep med caused the void in my life so work is up in the air as when to return to work.
I can understand your situation.

Are you on any other meds? Just wondering because when I was taking Wellbutrin, I didn't sleep for six months. Some meds can be alerting. Just a thought.......

No other meds. I just drink coffee to stay alert and concentrate during the day.. but I'm always in a fog. In fact I've even tried to cut down on my caffeine intake to see if it helps.. so far it hasn't done much difference.

Hi, I had a sleep study done and found out I stopped breathing 233 times in about 5 hours. Also have restless leg syndrom. I have the machine now, have problems makeing myself use it. Even after this was addressed still had problem sleeping and it got worse. I ended up off work for a while. I dumped the phyciatrist I was seeing, He was trying to address sleep only. I'm on trazadone now, has helped some took alittle time.

Unfortunately, that's my experience, too. For information on my sleep architecture I've had to push and prod.

I wish you success with the appointment and with whatever comes from it. Even just ruling out something brings you closer to other possible answers.

You could ask your Dr about trying a small dose of Remeron 15mg. Helped me when i was having sleep issues. Good Luck i know how much it sucks.

i aint slept in 6 years, as you can tell by my picture..
seriously, my meds keep me awake.
I lay there for hours awake, sometimes till its time to get up.
believe me, i know where you're at.
I've noticed my VERTIGO pills make me more drowsy to sleep.
So, ive been using them to help me sleep.
but, i always have and prbly always will have some sleep problems.
i get so drowsy all day ifn i take anything else for sleeping pills.
of course the doc doesn't want to give me them w/ my depression and OD suicide attempts.
hope you find some cure to the INSOMNIA demon.

I just bought one of those CD's that LEED mentioned.
gets me to sleep, and also wakes me up..

Thanks. I have tried Remeron.. like everything else, the effects wear off after a couple of days.

As much as I don't want to be, I am once again on antidepressants. I asked my physician for an Rx for Celexa, since it has worked in the past. Obviously my PCP isn't a psychiatrist, so I made an appointment with a psychiatrist for Wednesday. The past few days have been a blur.. I took a bunch of Trazodone the night before last because I want to get off the Xanax.. ended up at work in a total haze, barely able to function, hiding out in the bathroom for two hours before I gave in and requested to go home early. I'm taking today off too.. last night I lay down at 8pm after I got home and just started taking Xanax until I fell asleep.. slept on and off today until almost 1pm.

Seeing a sleep specialist tomorrow.. had a phone session with my psychotherapist today.. we'll see what happens.

Had to take an extra dose of Xanax last night because I'm supposed to have a new roommate move in on September first, and she texted me that her dad died yesterday. So now everything is up in the air.

Can't sleep, can't work, can't function.. I can't even go grocery shopping. I'm hungry but I don't want to eat. I just want to lie down and die. I'm 32 years old and I'm so over all of this.. 32 years is too long to live in misery.. there's no end in sight. My life is in shambles. I am so done with all of this.

I hear you on the insomnia. I've struggled with it since I was a kid and so far I haven't found any legit answers. First they told me it was the depression and that treatment would help me. Not exactly. In addition to getting the depression treated, I've tried benzos, zolpidem, trazodone, melatonin, antihistamines, mirtazepine, Rozarem, CBT, soothing sounds, sleep hygiene adjustments, etc, etc, etc. The only thing that ever helped was Seroquel, and even that just reduces the number of times I wake up from every two hours to, say, every four. I've gotten in trouble more times than I care to remember for being late to school or work because I just couldn't drag myself out of bed. I don't have the typical risk factors for OSA but I'm finally considering caving in to the repeated urgings of my doctors and colleagues (I am myself a psychiatrist) and finally going in for a sleep study. I'm sick of living my life nocturnally.