Update on insomnia
Question:
Personally, I wouldn’t recommend benzo’s such as Xanax or Ativan. They are addictive and lose their effectiveness over time without raising the dose higher and higher. For sleep, the best thing for me is being next to a warm body. Since then, I haven’t needed trazodone. If you don’t have a partner, maybe a friendly cat would help? Exercise during the day (not a few hours < sleep). Herbal Tea (Chamomille). Trazodone is still effective for me whenever I need it, although the next morning I feel groggy and don’t want to get out of bed (esp. since I am depressed now). I don’t know much about Ambien. It may be a benzo too. SIanon – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – So I slept so-so on Wednesday with the Ativan. Maybe 4 hours of actual sleep, but I was in and out the entire night. Last night I was having trouble sleeping again, even though I felt relaxed, I was distracted and everything seemed a little better. I just couldn’t fall asleep. So I went to the ER at 3, not wanting to experience my 4th night of insomnia in 5 days and was given Xanex. That worked at putting me to sleep from 4 until 8, although my body popped right up at 8 as if everything was normal. I hate that. Anyway, not sure what to do now. I’m seeing my doctor today, but I can’t understand why this is happening. Hopefully the Xanex works again tonight. Has anyone ever had to use that for insomnia? How long were you on it? I don’t want to be addicted. And what about the ativan they had me taking earlier? Should I be able to drop it tonight or will I have to taper even though I only took it for 4 days (only 1 day in which it actually did any good really)? Don’t worry, I’m going to be asking my doctor these same questions today, but I thought I’d seek opinions while waiting. Preston
Response:
For sleep, the best thing for me is being next to a warm body. Since then, I haven’t needed trazodone. If you don’t have a partner, maybe a friendly cat would help? Exercise during the day (not a few hours < sleep). Herbal Tea (Chamomille).
Chamomile tea is not a good idea if you have pollen allergies though. From the website: http://www.medformation.com/mf/stayhealthy.nsf/article/5504 Does ragweed season find you in a state of sneezy, stuffy, teary-eyed misery? Then watch your reaction to bananas, melons, sunflower seeds, and even that soothing cup of chamomile tea. Pollen allergies sensitize some people to specific foods-a phenomenon called cross-reactivity (also known as oral allergy syndrome). The foods in question contain a substance that your body mistakes for allergens in pollen. Typical symptoms include itching or swelling of the lips, tongue, throat, or roof of the mouth. People who are allergic to ragweed pollen may be allergic to bananas, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, chamomile tea, and sunflower seeds. People who are allergic to birch pollen may cross-react with apples, carrots, hazelnuts, or potatoes. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – So I slept so-so on Wednesday with the Ativan. Maybe 4 hours of actual sleep, but I was in and out the entire night. Last night I was having trouble sleeping again, even though I felt relaxed, I was distracted and everything seemed a little better. I just couldn’t fall asleep. So I went to the ER at 3, not wanting to experience my 4th night of insomnia in 5 days and was given Xanex. That worked at putting me to sleep from 4 until 8, although my body popped right up at 8 as if everything was normal. I hate that. Anyway, not sure what to do now. I’m seeing my doctor today, but I can’t understand why this is happening. Hopefully the Xanex works again tonight. Has anyone ever had to use that for insomnia? How long were you on it? I don’t want to be addicted. And what about the ativan they had me taking earlier? Should I be able to drop it tonight or will I have to taper even though I only took it for 4 days (only 1 day in which it actually did any good really)? Don’t worry, I’m going to be asking my doctor these same questions today, but I thought I’d seek opinions while waiting. Preston
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – So I slept so-so on Wednesday with the Ativan. Maybe 4 hours of actual sleep, but I was in and out the entire night. Last night I was having trouble sleeping again, even though I felt relaxed, I was distracted and everything seemed a little better. I just couldn’t fall asleep. So I went to the ER at 3, not wanting to experience my 4th night of insomnia in 5 days and was given Xanex. That worked at putting me to sleep from 4 until 8, although my body popped right up at 8 as if everything was normal. I hate that. Anyway, not sure what to do now. I’m seeing my doctor today, but I can’t understand why this is happening. Hopefully the Xanex works again tonight. Has anyone ever had to use that for insomnia? How long were you on it? I don’t want to be addicted. And what about the ativan they had me taking earlier? Should I be able to drop it tonight or will I have to taper even though I only took it for 4 days (only 1 day in which it actually did any good really)? Don’t worry, I’m going to be asking my doctor these same questions today, but I thought I’d seek opinions while waiting. Preston
Preston, I’ve had long term terminal insomnia (no it hasn’t killed me:-), that’s waking up early and not going to sleep again. It’s become a way of life since I’ve been unemployed and I find that benzos do help, but have undesirable side-effects especially Valium which causes irritability. Xanax is the best I’ve had when Doxepin (Sinequan) has not been good enough. After a lifetime of sleep problems, I found eventually we desensitise to some extent to it. As a councillor told me once "Lack of sleep never killed anybody". Trying to place insomnia in perspective will help no-end, and a therapist can accelerate this process rather than working it out for ourselves. If you are working, insomnia becomes a little less problematic as we are men tally and physically tired enough to improve our sleep. As to addiction, there is a method I use to stop dependence on benzos for sleep ie I break one in half occasionally (when feeling better), and even go without any. The result is you do not fall apart. If benzos form a part of your daily Anxiety and /or Depression medication regime, then dependence becomes less of an issue. Best wishes,..Jason
