[Rose3]

just asking for ideas about things that work for sleep

that which I was taking - and worked fine for a number of years - well this new doctor (he's old and has some of his own health problems that I did not need to hear about, and he has an attitude "pills won't solve problems")

well - I disagree with him - those pills helped me sleep at night, and then during the day I solve my own problems.
His unwanted meddling was "pray to god"
That might work for him but it isn't a solution to anything for me.

What else can a person use to help sleep? I have a list of items from About.com "Herb and Sleep" - black cohosh, camomile, kava kava, valerian, lemon balm, etc
I don't need to "relax" - I always am relaxed -- couldn't get much more relaxed. I don't need to relax - I already am relaxed.
It's a shame that for me to start trying these herbal products is to try items that are unstandardized in their ingredients or dosages, may not be pure, haven't be scientifically researched, etc. But I don't know what else to do? Benadryl?
There is no reason to deny me the item that I was using - why change something that works? Other doctors prescribed it for me (but one died, and the others are in another city).

[Christina86]

Hey Rose3,

If you disagree with your doctor - can you get a second opinion, or switch doctors?

I've used both Benadryl and valerian root to sleep. (Not together!). Basically valerian root worked on me like benadryl, just didn't make me as dizzy in the process. Neither one is supposed to be taken for a long period of time though...

Hope that helps some.

[Rose3]

thanks for the ideas
several people have mentioned Benadryl, so I'll probably try it.
I have a list of a bunch of herbal products to try - and it includes valerian (there are others like lemon balm, black cohosh, kava kava) - but my own studying about herbals indicates that products often are not standardized in terms of their dosages or purity (and there often isn't scientific research about them) so this is what makes them dangerous.

The doctor who I met with - is not my doctor. He is only a man who sits in an office and had my file (because the nice doctor who I had seen for years died). This substitute doctor is not for me. His interpersonal style stinks and I will not be going back to him. Leave it at that.

I will have to solve this myself.

melatonin works well. good luck, pat

[Cheri]

I use Klonopin and sometimes add Benedryl for sleep, but what really relaxes me is listening to nature CDs. The one I like best is an ordinary rain storm, what you might hear on your roof at night, and is essentially just white noise. We have another that is like the ocean, and the rush of waves is really nice, but every minute or so you're jarred by the sound of hungry seagulls. Makes me want to throw rocks at the CD player. (IOW if you try this, choose your CD carefully.)

[sunrise]

Some people swear by warm milk.

Have you tried eliminating caffeine from your diet?

I've also heard that taking tryptophan supplements (on an empty stomach) can help. Tryptophan-rich foods can sometimes also make one sleepy (e.g. turkey).

My trick for getting to sleep is staying up as late as I possibly can before going to bed. Being in the "falling asleep standing up" phase makes it fairly easy for me to fall asleep once I actually lie down in bed. I know this isn't a great solution, but it helped me eliminate those dreaded hours of lying awake not being able to fall asleep.

Are you having trouble with falling asleep when you first go to bed or staying asleep all night? Some medications can lengthen the amount of time it takes for you to fall asleep once you go to bed, so if you are taking any medications, you might try eliminating them one at a time to see if any of them are impeding your sleep.

Alcohol also makes me sleepy.

Good luck, Rose3.

[withit]

I use melatonin.

Sometimes I need to add ativan.

I think it's high night time cortisol that keeps me from falling asleep. this site gave me some info: stopthethyroidmadness dot com.

oddly enough, valerian root actually made me feel more anxious than before I took it. I dont know if this was just a psychological effect or an actual effect of the herb however.

[Christina86]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Rainbowzz said:
oddly enough, valerian root actually made me feel more anxious than before I took it. I dont know if this was just a psychological effect or an actual effect of the herb however.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

I've sometimes had that. Apparently it can cause you to be more awake and anxious ... the exact opposite of what it promised. Had to do research when I was awake for 6 hours after taking some and was more wired

[debbie_tabor]

Sometimes this works and switches your brain from waking mode to going to sleep mode:
Breathe in, then breathe out to the count of 4, and do it ten times.
It takes your mind off thinking (!) and helps you relax a bit.

[debbie_tabor]

Ooops, except you don't need to relax. Maybe it will help someone else....

Of course you are probably experiencing 'rebound effects' (aka 'withdrawal') from stopping taking your medication.

It might well be the case that in a couple weeks time your sleep cycle will return to normal and you will be sleeping okay medication free! (thats what happened for me).

In the meantime...

Limit caffine...
Exercise during the day...
Progressive muscle relaxation exercises...
Warm bath and warm caffene free drink just before bed...
MAKE yourself get up in the morning so it is easier to get to sleep at night...

[sassypants]

Hi! I use to have problems sleeping, until I found out I had
restless leg syndrome, so now I take Klonopin 5 mg . One
and a half pill at nightime, but I also noticed that since I have been on different depression med's that I need more. I have added LAVENDER SPRAY, which you can
get at bath & body works. They have a pillow mist spray
and spray that you put on yourself. I have also used
chammoille tea. If you are in pre-menopause,or menopause, they have a remedy which increase your
energy at daytime, and makes you sleep at nightime.
One more suggestion, I use the Bach Flower Remedies,
and they just came out with one for sleeping. You can get
that at a Healthfood Store, not GNC.

Well, I hope this helps,
Happy Dreams,