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Insomnia-an some question about sleep meds


MightyMouse

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Hi all, I've been having issues with difficulty falling asleep, and then sometime in the middle of the night, waking and having difficulty falling back to sleep. I believe some if this is pain related in that it's usually what wakes me, but I don't think I am allowed to take much more in the way of pain meds :angry: , so...

I have my neuro appointment this week, FINALLY. I plan on asking him to address my sleep problems.

What meds have you tried that help you fall asleep and/or stay alseep. Anyone try the new version of Ambien CR? Other meds? Again, while I'm interested in effectiveness, I'm just as interested in what side effects you may have experienced. I ask this because I've previously tried several different meds with varying effects on my ANS symptoms and/or sense of exhaustion and/or impaired/sluggish thinking the next day.

Personally, ambien works great for getting me to sleep by not staying asleep. The benefit of me sticking with regular Ambien is that at least I know I'll consistently fall asleep and not pay for it the next day. Sonata left me groggy the next day and didn't do that great a job for me in general. I also was on liquid...um...starts with a "d"... but I had the sleepies and dizzies the next day. :angry:

Thanks for any help you my have to offer...it's 2am and I'm now going to try falling back to sleep again. :D

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Guest tearose

I don't have any med suggestions but I sure wish they had monitored blood pressure while I did a sleep study two years ago! They documented the fact that I wake up and have many breaks in the sleep cycles which give you non restorative sleep.

I suggest you ask if you may be suffering from pooling while you sleep and if that is what makes you wake.

I'm sure you know all about trying to keep to a schedule for sleep and drinking something like warm tea or warm milk or eating a banana....those are the old fashioned treatments.

hope you got back to sleep!

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I have the same experience as tearose, I wake up with anxiety or start to get it when falling asleep at times. I have been able to get my pressure during several episodes and I find my pressure is dropping or has dropped often with a systolic in the 80s which is symptomatic for me. I have had one episode at Vanderbilt but my bp was normal, probably because I waited too long to call the nurse and had gotten up and moved around.

As far as sleep medicine, Lunesta helps once I am asleep but it does not put me to sleep. It did work for 2 days but after that no relief. Same with ambien.

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Hi,

I have tried all the sleep meds, they dont work for me after about a week. The long acting ambien leaves me drowsy in the morning. Lunesta was great for a week or so, I use Black Kohosh and sleep with my feet elevated on pillows. I manage to get about 6 hours of uninterupted sleep a few times a week.

If you find a magic sleeping pill that doesnt leave you groggy in the morning please share!

Peace

Janine

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There is a herb called Valerian that works wonders for me. Now with your meds you will have to make sure it will not interfere but the greatest thing is that you slowly fall into sleep and then stay asleep all night. If you do wake up it is to only roll over and the next day I have no after effects.

Ambien gave me halucinations it was really scary, I was on one other one that worked well but sorry am having a total blank on the the name...it started with a t...if I think of it I will come back on sorry!

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MM- just popped in for a quick peek at posts and had to add to this... when I saw Dr Grubb in Jan he prescribed Rozeram... it is very new. My doc had to look it up, but it's supposed to be OK long term. My own experiencw was that I slept, but I dreamt all night long and was drowsy.... but if Dr. Grubb is prescribing it, I'm guesssing he's had some positive experiences for some. Just an idea!

~Roselover

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goldicedance--I think that you must mean sonata? I tried looking up sonesta as an rx but couldn't find anything. I remembered the liquid's name: doxepin. Herbs--I've tried and didn't help me--we have a great little health food shop nearby that go to which carries a good variety and special orders anything I ask for that's not in stock. Wish they did help b/c I'd rather take a non-rx item as they're often cheaper for me (melatonin, valerian, etc.).

When I wake, i'm not anxious--It's usually spine or hip pain or spasms that wake me, and I'm typically WIDE awake b/c it really hurts. I then try all the "biofeedback" kind of stuff with systematic breathing, body tensing and relaxation techniques, meditation to deal with the spasms and pain--but I often end up getting out of bed after 45 min to an hour of attempting to cope with the pain and fall back to sleep.

I then get up for as long as it takes for me to feel sleepy again. It's usually too late to take any further sleep meds or muscle-relaxants b/c I would end up sleeping way past my morning alarm and be late for work.

Thanks for letting me pick your brain (s). I'm so exhausted--long few days--longer hours than I'm accostomed to working, and then sleeping at a hotel where I'm bound to not sleep as well as at home. Here's to a blissful slumber tonight! (for you all too!)

Nina

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Nina, sorry your having such a rough time right now. For me personally, Klonopin has been a great sleep aid. I have restless legs and would wake up from aching legs because my legs were so active at night- the Klonopin keeps me still. So, if something is aggravating your body and waking you it might be a good option for you. Hope you find some respite soon!

Carmen

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Nina,

I really hope you find something that helps -- Insomnia is sooo frustrating!

I took Lunesta for about 5 months - it worked well for me. I did have to keep increasing the dosage though. (From 1mg to 2 and then 3)

Last week my neurologist "out of the blue" suggested Ambien CR (12.5) -- I've been taking it this week and I fall asleep quickly and stay asleep.

I'm planning on switching back and forth from the 2 meds to keep them "new" to my system (I don't want to get used to them)

I would recommend either of these meds but I know everyone reacts differently so it may take some trial and error.

I hope you have sweet dreams soon! :blink:

Lisa

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Nina, this is a bit 'unconventional' but I thought I'd share it on the off chance this would help you or anyone else. I've tried several of the sleep meds, as well as herbs and I've not had success with anything (either because of side effects or they weren't effective for me).

At one time I would take 1/2 of the smallest dose of Klonopin and that did work well. I didn't have anxiety but it made me sleepy and it also calmed my stomach.

The other thing that worked for me for both HR, BP and sleep issues was a small dose of Clonodine. It is used in POTS for hr and bp but it does have the side effect of making people sleepy. For me, it knocked me out.

The other thing I used at one time on an occasional basis (ie...if I was needing sleep and had gone several nights without sleeping well) was Vistaril. It is an antihistamine (I think); I believe it's in the same family as benadryl and it helped with both my allergies and made me sleepy. Since I only used it occasionally it worked to help me sleep if I needed the 'boost'

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Dear MightyMouse;

I get insomnia all the time. I changed the times I take my meds so I don't get surges of medication at bedtime. Some meds I can take in the am, like my thyroid meds. But I changed my beta blocker to before bed time and it helps with sleep. My heart doesn't beat so fast and wake me up.

When I get insomnia really bad my doctor prescribed xanax, which works wonders for falling asleep.

OOH, I hope I don't offend Poohbear by saying this but I am not sure I would take anything without talking to my doctor first. Especially the off brand Benydryl. That messes with my tachycardia. Plus, with all of the medications POTS people take it seems dangerous to me to mix pills like that. Not a good suggestion. Sorry just an opinion.

I hope you find what works for you. And I hope you have pleasent dreams soon.

Millie

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If I have a half of a clonidine and 2mg Lunesta, I do well. I think the Ambien CR would be great for me, but my doc thinks Lunesta is better if I plan to stay on it long term.

If I'm really in bad shape, I will even add a benadryl, but I have to be ready to be a bit groggy the next day. Or, I will go up to 3mg Lunesta (which leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but at least I sleep!).

Sweet dreams!

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I'm already on 50 mg of benedryl in the pm, along with my other allergy meds. It doesn't really make me sleepy. I suppose a few years ago it did, but it's not helped my sleep for a while now--I take it more to deal with my allergic issues than for sleep.

Nina

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