Insomnia...any fellow sufferers?

[ems_mom]

I have had insomnia since I was in elementary school. I have tried everything under the sun. Exercise, strict waking and sleeping schedules, "life-style" changes, like no TV in the bedroom, and drugs like ambien.

Ambien worked great..., for two nights.

I have been known to read whole novels in a single night. I do feel like crap during the day, but for the most part stay awake. But if I sit down for more than 5 minutes...

Anyone else a sufferer? Suggestions?

 

[cornflake]

Are you sure it's insomnia?

 

[ems_mom]

Umm...yes.

Do you have another diagnosis with a successful treatment? I'll take that!

 

[mrsdon]

I used to suffer a lot
But I has a hysto and also found I had an under active thyroid
Now it is only an occasional problem

 

[kellyg403]

Since I am now perimenopausal, yes...insomnia is one of my friends. It comes and goes and it is the biggest pain. Like you, I read books, I don't turn on the TV, I try to do boring things so I will go back to sleep. Not happening.

I work a different schedule each day. So, the day shifts...by the time I get home I have to force myself not to sit down or take a nap. Once I do that the cycle is definitely not over anytime soon. If it is a night shift, i am good to go, I have almost become nocturnal!

I tried Ambien as well. I felt worse. I felt so sluggish in the daytime. Buuut, benedryl has been my friend for the last couple weeks. It really is so much better and I don't feel sluggsish in the day time.

Kelly

 

[tiggerlover]

I would recomend having a sleep study done, then you will know for sure what your sleep patterns are and how best to handle it. Sometimes there are underlying problems you aren't even aware of that they can treat you for. Depending on your insurance, your out of pocket expense for this should be minimal.

Good luck, I have chronic insomnia so I understand.

 

[powellrj]

I have had insomnia since I was in elementary school. I have tried everything under the sun. Exercise, strict waking and sleeping schedules, "life-style" changes, like no TV in the bedroom, and drugs like ambien.

Ambien worked great..., for two nights.

I have been known to read whole novels in a single night. I do feel like crap during the day, but for the most part stay awake. But if I sit down for more than 5 minutes...

Anyone else a sufferer? Suggestions?

This is me. I have had 4 sleep studies, been on every medication known to mankind, nothing helped. We are talking over a 40 year problem. Just recently for whatever reason I started sleeping. It has really shanken my family up because I NEVER slept and now I am sleeping for hours on end.

I have no idea why, but I am enjoying it.

The only advice I can give you is to go with it. Accept it for what it is. Every doctor I have ever seen has ordered a sleep study and a sleep aid and pretty much said thats all there is. I even saw a neurologist at one point and even he was no help.

Sorry I was no help, but I understand what you are going through.

 

[Tangled4Rapunzel]

I had insomnia for 5 years, during which I was given combined prescriptions of antidepressants, painkillers and knockout sleeping tablets. I only stopped these prescribed cocktails during my 1st year of uni as my housemates said I scared them at night. I would knock myself out to sleep whilst my friends went clubbing and apparently when they returned I would be awake and talking to them in a manner different to my usual self. I have no recollection of these instances and my sister reported the same behaviour when I was at home. The daytime constantly felt like I should be sleeping still due to the strength of the medication which made life feel an endless night. I went to a new doctor for a checkup last year and he was horrified at what I was prescribed and the length I was given them for. He was surprised I even managed to get off these alone (my parents aren't helpful at all) as I flushed them and began rigorous exercise each day and resumed counselling again, whilst sleep is still an issue to this day I am more on the mend than ever. I hope it works out for you too

 

[saremca]

Oh yes. Since I was a kid. I also have never been able to nap until recently. For whatever reason, since I turned 40 my insomnia has gotten much better (hormones, maybe?). Whatever it is, I'll take it. Chronic insomnia is a b****.

 

[Music City Mama]

I have had insomnia since I was in elementary school. I have tried everything under the sun. Exercise, strict waking and sleeping schedules, "life-style" changes, like no TV in the bedroom, and drugs like ambien.

Ambien worked great..., for two nights.

I have been known to read whole novels in a single night. I do feel like crap during the day, but for the most part stay awake. But if I sit down for more than 5 minutes...

Anyone else a sufferer? Suggestions?

I suffered from insomnia for about 6 months before I went to the doctor (this was a couple of years ago). It was strange because nothing had changed in my life -- no added stress at work or at home, was still going to sleep at the same time every nigh (as always), etc. I didn't want to take an Ambien kind of drug because I had read that it can make your dreams more intense and I already dream A LOT (and they're vivid), so that's the last thing I needed.

I had remembered that about 10-15 years prior that I had taken clonazepam (Klonopin) for stress and I had never slept better in my life. Although I didn't feel stressed about anything when I started having insomnia (unless you count not being able to sleep!), I thought it was worth a shot to ask the sleep medicine specialist about taking a really low dose. He was all for it and it worked like a charm!

I'm convinced it was hormonal (i.e., perimenopausal), but it really worked for me. Another good thing about is that the generic version of it is SUPER CHEAP!! Like $3.00 for 30 pills.

I tried everything before going this route -- OTC sleep aids actually wired me (yes, I'm one of those people that Benadryl and other things that are supposed to make you sleepy actually have the opposite effect); I have always exercised, so it's not like that was something I could have added, I tried Melatnonin, etc. Oh, here is one thing that kind of worked for me, too . . . I forget the medical term now, but it's kind of like reverse psychology . . . instead of trying to fall asleep, tell yourself that you have to stay awake and TRY to make yourself keep your eyes open -- sounds weird, but it actually worked for me and did make me tired, so that's something to try, too.

Good luck -- having chronic insomnia is awful.

 

[136368]

Green leaf salads are soporific - remember Peter Rabbit? Have a Caesar with your evening meal and you should feel more relaxed!

Also, try eating a bit of chocolate just before bed. Chocolate - especially dark chocolate - is an antidepressant and should help you unwind, making sleep easier.

 

[cornflake]

Umm...yes.

Do you have another diagnosis with a successful treatment? I'll take that!

Heh, no I was just wondering because of the way you talked about it. Like, if you can sleep fine if left to your own devices, just you can't fall asleep until a very late hour, that may not be insomnia, but something like Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder - for which there's no treatment either but it might help to know what it is.

 

[dis-happy]

I had to give up all caffeine due to an irregular heartbeat and the side effect was sleeping like a baby every night. Everyone I know who is my age has problems sleeping except for me. I wasn't even drinking that much caffeine before (a cup of coffee in the morning) but going completely free made a difference (it did take a week or two to get completely out of my system though).

Worth a try if you haven't gone that route yet....

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

Ambien didn't work too great for me because I would get up in the middle of the night and eat or get on the computer and order stuff on Ebay and Amazon. I called it my Ambien amnesia. I had my doctor switch me over to Lunesta and it works beautifully with no side effects and I feel awake in the morning when I get up. No grogginess. I have been unable to sleep almost my whole life and usually just stayed tired all the time but I take my Lunesta now at 8 pm and by 9 pm I am ready for bed. I can make myself stay awake once I have taken it if I need to but it does relax you and makes you feel like you are ready to go to bed.

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

Heh, no I was just wondering because of the way you talked about it. Like, if you can sleep fine if left to your own devices, just you can't fall asleep until a very late hour, that may not be insomnia, but something like Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder - for which there's no treatment either but it might help to know what it is.

I think this is more of what I have as opposed to insomnia. Because I can fall asleep. I just don't get sleepy until 3 or 4 in the morning. It doesn't matter what time I get up. My body will not get sleepy until the wee hours. But whatever it is I have, the Lunesta works. It's obviously not cheap because I have to pay a $25 co-pay on my insurance to get this one month's supply but it is worth it.

 

[meggiebeth]

I also struggle with these problems. For two years or so I have had difficulty getting to sleep- and the problem keeps deteriorating. I have been on some medication, but this has made my sleep even worse! It really affects my daily life, I feel very sluggish during the day, and find it easy to nap in daylight hours, yet when it comes to night time I can't get to sleep till 2 or 3am. I'm really relieved that other people feel like this. Hope yours gets better

 

[cornflake]

I think this is more of what I have as opposed to insomnia. Because I can fall asleep. I just don't get sleepy until 3 or 4 in the morning. It doesn't matter what time I get up. My body will not get sleepy until the wee hours. But whatever it is I have, the Lunesta works. It's obviously not cheap because I have to pay a $25 co-pay on my insurance to get this one month's supply but it is worth it.

That does sound like it. People think it's insomnia, for obvious reasons, but it's not. Not that it particularly helps in the treatment of it - though glad something worked for you! - but I think people look at insomnia like a problem that needs treating to resolve and DSPD is just your makeup. Good to know, regardless, I think, even if it just stops someone from futilely looking for insomnia remedies that aren't going to (in general) work.

 

[Micheme]

I have struggled with insomnia for over 15 years. I've done all the "sleep" steps but still nothing.

I take Trazadone every night to help me sleep. It is an antidepressant but its off shelf use is for insomnia.

Usually smaller doses work perfect.

I sympathize with you, talk to your doctor and find what works for you

 

[Micheme]

Ahh Ambien...

such a funny drug. My wackiest experience was having a dream one of my cats puked on the rug and I was trying to clean it up but I kept having horrible tunnel vision. Like the rug turned into a tunnel. It was bizarre.

Turns out I actually walked downstairs and was scrubbing and scrubbing at the clean rug for like 20 mins beofre sleep walking back upstairs.

I also sleep ate with that drug. I would find food out the next morning.

Any other crazy ambien stories....we got to laugh at this stuff

 

[busyshrew]

I had terrible insomnia that started during pregnancy (my DD is now 8) - but mine was a completely different variety from the descriptions I am reading here.

I can / could fall asleep easily and quickly. No problems there. BUT, I wake up at 4 am. And then I'm unable to get back to sleep for at least two or three hours, even though I know I am tired and need more rest (I go to bed at about 11 every night).

The best cure for me was dropping caffeine, like a previous poster mentioned. I used to drink 1 cup of coffee a day, but switched that to decaf. And exercise makes a big difference as well. I try to get 4 to 5 workouts in each week, and make myself good and tired so that I go to sleep and STAY asleep.

But I've come to accept that this is a lifetime problem for me - it always surfaces during times of illness, stress or poor lifestyle behaviours. So I just get up, go lie down on my couch and channel-surf until the sun comes up.

I have found that sometimes it is better to give up and get on with my day - peculiarly enough, if I do fall back asleep after being up for 2 or 3 hours, I am in a much worse state (groggy and grouchy) and it takes me longer to get going!