Sleeping Pills

[oxydolfan1]

I didn't want to use the "d-word", because us depressives are forever being accused of projecting our issues on others, but since it's been invoked here....

Even if you have temporary situational mood-related symptoms, it helps to really take a hard look at what's at the root of your sleeplessness. Lack of a consistent sleep pattern over any length of time can actually TRIGGER any latent symptoms of a mood disorder or anxiety....as can the sleeping medications.

For what it's worth, I know of not ONE person living with bipolar or chronic unipolar person that hasn't had significant sleep issues at one point or another. Even worse, folks without actual mood disorders are being prescribed inappropriate and dangerous meds to treat conditions they don't even have, just because the symptoms happen to match, the doctors are in bed with the drug companies, and it's easier for them to write you up a script than to actually ANALYZE the problem....

If it takes a lot of perserverance and demanding to get to the root of the problem rather than just a quick fix, it's worth it.

 

[~sudsshane]

I have a glass of red wine about an hour prior to hitting the sack. It really helps me fall asleep and stay asleep.
I've tried melatonin and I had headaches in the am. AmbienCR is awesome and I take it once in the while.
Zip~ can I ask what milligram you take? is it pill or liquid form?

Thanks
SudsShane

 

[exploder3211]

I have had 4 sleep studies (the first one sucked). I used to have sleep apniea but it got solved by having a sinus operation and other things (not a CPAP machince)... What i still have is RLS (or Restless Leg Syndrome). Its a very terrible thing. I can not sit or stand for long periods of time, i kick violantly in my sleep and i have lots of muscle pain and tenderness. I take something commenly perscribed to treat parkinsins amongst other things , called Carbidopa/Levo (or Sinemet). I take it twice a day and i take 25/100 CR (contorlled relese). It works wonders. It helps build and maintain muscle control.. I can not find a website that lists its other treatments, but I know this has helped me five fold. I was originaly on that medicine that's advertised on TV for RLS (don't recall it's name) and it made me very groggy and irritable.. But this works...

http://www.drugs.com/cons/Sinemet_CR.html

 

[bigbubbacain]

Ambien works...at a severe cost

I've a wide array of side effects from it that are similar to what others have said. I've gotten the most consistent results from the combination of 2 things:

1.) a "white noise" machine. I use one made by Homedics that I bought from Bed Bath & Beyond. It replicates few different sounds.

2). a homeopathic sleep product called 'Quietude' that I bought from a health food store. Homeopathics do require an open mind because they work differently from other herbal remedies.

Hope this helps

 

[launderess]

Seconal, Nembutal, Quaaludes, Valium

Along with any other barbituate "sleeping" pills are either banned or simply no longer given out by doctors, with the result being more modern pills which often do not measure up.

You may wish to see an analyst or "talk" to someone because not being able to fall and or stay asleep can be caused by psyche problems. Not saying you are crackers, but there is truth in the old saying things we surpress during the day come back at night to haunt.

You might also start keeping a log as to when you feel sleepy and awake. That is if you feel like going to bed at 8PM and wake up at say 4AM, wide awake, then you may wish to look into bio-feedback to "reset" your internal clock so you can fall asleep later.

As we age, our need for sleep actually is less than our youth, so you may not *need* 8 hours of sleep. What is important is the amount of sleep that allows you to awake feeling rested and refreshed. It may also be that you are a "night person", that is someone who for some reason simply does better staying up nights and sleeping during the day.

Long term use of any sleep aid, be it over the counter or perscripton is not a good thing, look what it did to Judy Garland and countless others. If you are having long term problems falling asleep, it is best to seek out professional help. If one doctor/treatment does not help/take you seriously, do not be afraid to seek out another. One doctor does not know everything.

L.

 

[mixfinder]

Chronic Pain

I have lived with a degenerative bone disease for the past 20 years. The constant ache and stiffness prevented me from uninterupted sleep. In working with the Pain Clinic, I learned chronic sleep depravation can cause pain in an otherwise healthy body. My doctor prescribed Ambien. I used it for 30 days. You could set the clock with it's response. 15 minutes after taking it, I would fall sound asleep and sleep for 8 uninterupted hours. I awoke refreshed with no sleep hangover. I was also able to get up in the night, if the phone rang or for a loud noise. I never needed to take it again, after re-establishing sleep patterns.

My doctor suggested to me, in 2004, that I take an anti depressant. I thought he was nuts! I was the most active, outgoing and driven person I knew. My assumption was that depressed people stayed in bed all day. Forms of depression can be manifested as aggression. I used Effexor for 18 months, in conjunction with cognitive therapy. In that period of time, I quit drinking, came out, and separated from my wife. The anti depressant provided me with the illusive "peace" I had sought for so long. In the peace place, I was able to go deeper and begin the process of life long healing.
It all began with a doctor who cared enough.
Kelly

 

[andyelectrolux]

Wow

Thanks for all the responses. Lot's of options to think about.

When I was a child, my parents dragged me to a psychologist to make the vacuum thing "go away". Obviously that didn't work, but I did continue to see her on my own accord throughout my high school years. I came out at 14 so she was helpful during that process. I called her up and booked an appointment yesterday simply because she is familiar with my childhood history and may be able to offer some insight into this.

 

[danemodsandy]

Andy:

Best of luck. BTW, have you considered using a 1205 as a white noise machine? That's the soothingest sound on the planet, as you know. ;-)

 

[andyelectrolux]

Well.....

Maybe next to the G, it is. ;-)

Actually I have an IQAir air purifier in my room (I sell them at my vacuum store) and it's wonderful. The white noise blocks out anything else going on in the house and I don't wake up with a stuffy nose like I always used to. If any of you are looking into air purifiers, these are great.

 

[danemodsandy]

Andy: 1205 Part?

Andy:

Do you by ANY chance have a parts machine in a 1205? I have one that is otherwise minty mint, but it has a broken sled (a.k.a. caster guard)- the part that the front swivel caster fits into. Mine's so broken that it fell completely off the machine. These are riveted to the body, so it would take a machine with a good body that I could take the housing from, maybe a machine with a bad motor. I'd be interested in locating such a machine, if you know where one is. ANY info or help would be appreciated. My 1205 is a late machine, maybe a '72 or '73, with the brush clip.

 

[pturo]

How well do you sleep away from home? In a hotel or a motel or on vacation? Sometimes the distractions of our own surroundings cause restless pressure. I found myself sleeping great on business trips and vacations, but lousy at home. So I knew I could fall asleep, but what was waiting at home when I was there to be done was always considerable and seemed to trump the sleep trigger. How is your home enviroment? Take the computer out of the bedroom, and all things stressful. Do a fung shue on your bedroom, cool restful and uncluttered. I had to make mine look like a spare and upscale Japanese hotel room, very depersonalized.

 

[zipdang]

Zip~ can I ask what milligram you take? is it pill or liquid

I take 3mg in pill form, although I've heard there's no difference between taking 2mg or 3mg. Both dosages have about the same effect.

 

[appnut]

Lawrence, I have the same prescription, but I take 200mg nightly!!