[poptardqueen]

I just feel the need to babble since I am in incurable insomniac, so here it goes. I have been having so much trouble sleeping lately. I've always had trouble sleeping throughout my entire life, but its to the point now where I stay up all night and get overwhelmingly aggitated. I get so mad at myself because I cant sleep that I cry and often it leads to self-destructive behaviors. I've told my doctor about this. I was on ambien for 4 or 5 months or so, and it worked like a charm in getting me to sleep, but I couldnt always STAY asleep. Now, after od-ing on it several times, he is pretty resistant to rx me anything to help me sleep. He just keeps upping the dosage of my abilify, in hopes that it will mute the racing thoughts and insomnia. It doesn't. Though I understand his reasons behind not giving me any more ambien, there has to be something surely that can help me sleep and stay asleep. Has anyone had any experience with this? and if so, did anything work? I'm to the point where I get absolutely desperate for sleep, and the fact that I've occasionally been taking some seconol I have around isn't exactly a turn for the good (since I know what a potentially lethal drug it is, and of course I know this is a bad thing to do and my doc would be livid with me, but after staying up for two days you will do anything). There has to be something else, any suggestions? I've tried all I know, warm bath, no caffeine, OTC sleeping pills, benadryl, hot tea etc. etc. etc. What I wouldn't give for some REAL sleep right now as opposed to my anxiety-ridden, stop and go sleep that I get now.
But I'll stop babbling now and go lay back down and stare at the ceiling. Thanks in advance

[Rapunzel]

Ask your doctor if it would be ok for you to try an herbal tea with chamamile and valerian. It works for me (The brand name I use is Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Extra). But check and make sure it isn't going to have bad interactions with your other meds first. Valerian in particular is a pretty powerful herb.

<font color=orange>There is an easy answer to your problem that is neat, plausible, and wrong.

</font color=orange>

[poptardqueen]

Thanks! I've tried valerian root and melatonin both before in pill form. It helped a little, but I'll look for that tea and give it another try. I'll try anything at this point :P

*hugs*
kelly

[Starbuck]

Hi Queen,

Hard to answer all of your specific questions, but overall I'd tell you this: Try to find a physician who takes the time to know you and that can understand the right med. you need.

But you have to live-and to sleep, by then.

I think that the more you worry about being sleepless, the more you're becoming so.

We call it in French : a «cercle vicieux».

So in the meantime, maybe yoga or slow respiration would help you.

In anyway, just try to relax, ok ?

Sincerely,

Starbuck

Born in 1963 of French mom and Canadian dad. Studied and worked (Majors in History, Theology. M.A. in Sociology).

[texdave]

Hey Popt. Are you taking any depression medication? I also have the sleep problem you are describing, but discovered early on that one of the older medications, trazadone (Desyrel), was very effective with that. It's a side affect of the medication that it helps me sleep. I tried just about everything else with the exception of the tea, and the traz is the one that has the least amount of undesirable affects. In fact for me it has no bad affects, if I take the right amount at the right time. In addition, it has the added benefit of helping my other medication with the depression. If you haven't tried it you might ask your doctor about it. Like every other med. it doesn't work exactly the same for everyone. I know the desparation and frustration you are experiencing, lack of sleep affects every mental and physical process of the body. Good luck, and God bless. Dave.