Medication Suggestions For Sleep

[falling_wave]

I am hoping to get some suggestions for sleep medications. I have tried ambien and lunesta with no effect whatsoever even at the max dose. I have also tried trazadone at large amounts and the dry mouth and grogginess were terrible but still I couldn't sleep. My.main problem with sleep is I can't get to sleep in the first place. I have nightmares but am not looking for a medication for that. I just got off my antidepressant and so far I feel better than I have in a long time. The only problem is that xanax is the only way I can fall asleep. It really works incredibly well but my doctor won't prescribe it unless I'm also on an antidepressant due to the addiction risk. She may prescribe a few at a time for panic attacks but not enough to spare any for sleep. I am looking for experiences with sleep meds and info about different options keeping in mind the hypnotic don't work and seeing as xanax is the only thing that helps it's probably anxiety causing me to stay awake.

 

[Queen Boudica]

My son uses melatonin made by a compounding chemist, that helps him. He also has a self hypnosis, relaxation tape made by my psychologist, that also helps relax him whilst lying in bed. So that might help, you calm down enough for the melatonin to work. Hot milk contains tryptophan, plus I believe that is sold as a natural sleeping aid.

 

[Deleted member 28986]

I also recommend melatonin. Here in the US you can find it at any major drug store. I'm skeptical of natural treatments, but melatonin really works for me, and I have had insomnia for as long as I can remember.

The sublingual kind (that dissolves under your tongue) is the way to go. There's also an extended-release form in case you have trouble staying asleep. The dosages that work for people vary wildly. A common dose is 5 mg, but it's fine to take as much as 20 mg. (10 is what works for me.) Some people try a puny 3 mg dose and conclude that melatonin doesn't work for them. Don't do that! :-)

Since anxiety is a big concern, an anti-anxiety medicine other than Xanax might be helpful. I just started gabapentin and we upped my dose, and now I'm starting to see some anti-anxiety and anti-anger effects, which are much needed. I hear some people have good luck with beta blockers or prazosin, too.

A natural anti-anxiety remedy is kava (also known as "kava kava"). You can get it as a tea or in pill form. You can check whole-food stores or vitamin-and-supplement stores, or just order online. I hear that the product quality can vary dramatically between brands (a downside of the unregulated supplement market). Again, I would tend to roll my eyes at the notion that a tea would reduce anxiety, but it is truly a psychotropic substance. Kava's effects could be compared to benzodiazepines, though there are substantial differences.

The last thing I almost hate to mention because everyone says it and nobody wants to do it... exercise! Physical activity during the day is a really important part of sleep regulation.

That is all.

 

[Deleted member 28403]

I have been on diazephams but it has been awful at me... It basically kills me after this amount of time, and I don't suggest it it any way for long term. Was a blessing for first week or so, but after that, during the day I'm in worse and worse state and I have weakened from it.

I suggest seeing if herbal medicine works. Also, bad thing I used to do was throwing myself unconcious.

Well, good luck and sending :hug:s if you accept

 

[Javagoat]

I have had the most success with muscle relaxers that were prescribed for my fibromyalgia. Flexeril is good but can make me a little foggy the next day. Zanaflex is shorter acting so it helps me get to sleep without making me feel weird the next day. Antihistamines like the one in Zquil can help a lot to but lasts a while so I ending sleeping for a long time but sometimes it is a good thing. That is available OTC. If you have access to an herb store you can make a pretty hefty tea with valerian, kava, skullcap, catnip, and hops with some lemongrass to help with the bitterness of the root herbs. I know people who have had a lot of success with melatonin but I haven't really tried it myself.

 

[joeylittle]

Ask your doc about prazosin. It's a blood pressure med that has a secondary application as a PTSD drug. After trying trazadone, seoquel, flexeril, melatonin, and benadryl - I can say it's been the only one that has worked for me reliably.

But many people have success with Melatonin.

A product named Dream Water has been highly recommended by another member here.

You can also give this a shot: Delta Sleep System

I'm not sure if it's worked for me because it's just soothing, or because of the science behind it. You need to listen to it with speakers either placed on either side of your head, or one at your head and one at your feet, or headphones - the stereo effect is part of how it works.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Sleep doctor?

Why can't you sleep?

 

[falling_wave]

@Solara I'm not sure. I think it's anxiety and hypervigalence but if I knew for sure I would probably have an answer. I feel like those issues are much better now but probably are habit ingrained in my mind by now.

@The One Who Knocks @joeylittle I've never heard of prazosin. Does it work right away for anxiety and how are the side effects? I would consider going on something just for anxiety as long as I'm not tired in the day.

Thanks everyone for the responses. I'm trying some of the natural stuff too.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

A sleep doctor can help you get into a better routine for sleep. My sleep doctor told me NO more meds. Good, b/c I didn't want meds, I wanted a FIX! Fortunately, she was able to get me to a much better place.

She does allow me to take natural stuff though like melatonin. I prefer the liquid stuff. Its not cheap, but you can't put a price on sleep. I don't use it all the time b/c the efficacy wears off.

Neurofeedback helped to slow down my hypervigilant mind. All those darn 'beta' waves....sigh.

Certain meds help better with certain things. I think if you have racing thoughts or an overactive mind, then certain things just make PTSD worse. I know I can't take Benadryl/unisom as it will make me feel drunk but won't put me to sleep. Talk about feeling UNsafe! But, other meds may help your mind calm down. I think this is why antipsychotics are prescribed off label for sleep, as they really can slow down the mind and work in a different way than most sleep meds. I know that Geodon is not a sleep med per se, but it calms my mind down so that I can sleep. I know others take Seroquel, but I'm not sure the method of action in that drug or if it calms the mind in the same way.

 

[joeylittle]

The only problem is that xanax is the only way I can fall asleep. It really works incredibly well but my doctor won't prescribe it unless I'm also on an antidepressant due to the addiction risk. She may prescribe a few at a time for panic attacks but not enough to spare any for sleep.

Did you titrate down off the xanax for sleep, or just go cold turkey? I ask because there is a thing called rebound syndrome - it sucks, but it's basically a specific withdrawal effect in which your originating symptoms re-appear but stronger than they were at first. 70% of people who are getting off a benzo end up with rebound. And unfortunately, that breaks down into rebound anxiety and rebound insomnia.

How is all your other sleep hygiene? I'd make sure that you are supporting yourself through that (just google "sleep hygiene" or search it on this site). Prazosin doesn't deal with anxiety, only blood pressure. It's effective for sleep. But I think you might want to try letting the xanax clear your system, especially if you were using it daily before and now you are down to just once in awhile..

Does your Dr. want to get you off xanax entirely?

 

[falling_wave]

@joeylittle They did not give me a plan to wean off xanax just kept warning me about the addiction risk. They also said they don't feel comfortable prescribing much anymore because if I'm not on an everyday maintenance drug I may be tempted to use it more and that increases the risk. I usually go in cycles. When I'm having a harder time or need to be up early I'll get into the routine of taking it daily so I fall asleep fast. Then someone will warn me about it and I'll stop for a while except here and there but I tend to get back to needing it. Right now I'm just taking it once in a while. I think they might let me keep doing that. The thing is I feel like my lexapro made my symptoms a lot worse because the more I decreased the more I felt better and I'm off now and happy. I haven't had a panic attack since starting the decrease. The only thing that's not getting better is sleep. Im really encouraged that I think all the hard work in therapy was actually working this whole time but it was masked by drugs. I want to get rid of my psychiatrist and stick with my gp for occasional xanax. Im crossing my fingers that things will stay good but hopeful. It's like all the triggers effect me but I can recognize and say hey that felt bad but I know what's going on here and I refuse to let it overtake me or use up a good day. I never used to have that control. I go sleep around the same tine, shower before bed, use essential oils, and do sleep hypnosis recording. I've tried all the internet stuff but haven't found that routine helps me. I did take nerve tonic last night and was able to fall asleep by the time I was really tired so that was a step.

 

[joeylittle]

The thing is I feel like my lexapro made my symptoms a lot worse because the more I decreased the more I felt better and I'm off now and happy. I haven't had a panic attack since starting the decrease. The only thing that's not getting better is sleep. Im really encouraged that I think all the hard work in therapy was actually working this whole time but it was masked by drugs.

Just keep holding onto this, even when it's hard. It sounds like you are kind of going through withdrawal/use/withdrawal/use. Your body needs a chance to get off the xanax. Keep using all the skills you have. And that's great about the nerve tonic! It really sounds like you are doing great work, and if you can move yourself off the xanax and onto something non-addictive and more homeopathic, that's where you'd like to be.

One thing that would probably help too - make sure you are off the computer, phone, whatever 2 hours before bed (that's the recommended time, sometimes one hour works). And if you spend a great deal of the day on a computer, look into a blue light filter. It's all just an extra part of sleep hygiene, but every bit helps, and as you said - sometimes it's hard to find the right routine.