Advice About Medications For Falling And Staying Asleep?

[Sammie]

What drugs have people found work best for both falling and staying asleep. I been on trials of many when insomnia is a problem; but would really like to be taking something I don't HAVE to take every night.

When I have a lot of trouble falling asleep, I tend to wake up a lot as well. My psychopharm person hasn't been as helpful with my insomnia as she has with other symptom management.

Right now, I'm on Prozac and two benzodiazapines (Klonopin daily and Ativan as needed); but I'm also on a muscle relaxer (Zanaflex) to help with problems sleeping due to migraines and cluster headaches.

Still, when I'm stressed out, I have a lot of trouble sleeping, especially at night.

Any thoughts?

 

[cherryblossom]

I take Zolpidem for sleep. I have taken it off and on for years. I used to take it just a couple of times a week, in order to get a couple of decent nights of sleep every week. This could work for you, but you'd have to check it's ok to take with your other medications. Often doctors will prescribe it just for 2 weeks to get your body into a routine of sleeping. It is also important to only sleep/ try to sleep for a certain amount of time. For me that's going to bed at the same time, getting up at the same time every day, and not napping during the day, no matter now little sleep you get.

However, I have now got to the stage where I have to take Zolpidem in order to sleep. Once things are a little more stable, I intend to reduce the dose, and take it every other night etc. Obviously, I don't like the fact that I am now dependant on them, but it doesn't have to get to that stage for you. My insomnia was very bad, and was affecting my mental health very badly, so for me it is worth it.

 

[Sammie]

Thanks CB, I tried about that one for a while but when I'm REALLY stressed or triggered it only works for 2 hours. We discussed Rozerem, which is a similar med, but you take it every day for a few weeks to get your sleep cycle back on track, then can take it only when needed. I may try this one as it works for both trouble falling asleep AND staying asleep, which are both problems for me.

Especially when I'm triggered, I wake often during the night. I don't remember the nightmares, but the first thing I do is sit up in bed, and when my BR door is open I can see the apt door and always look to see that it's locked. The majority of my childhood trauma happened at night, and I would pretend to be asleep and then often dissociate during the abuse, so nighttime and bed is often difficult for me. I really only feel safe in my own apt, which makes it really hard to visit people. I have an amazing niece who lives just two hours away, but between my headaches, driving and making sure I have EVERYTHING I need to feel safe with me, visiting is hard. I usually go for 2-3 days every few months, but I haven't seen her since early Feb and it's really hard.

I will get to see her for the day in a couple weeks, but my Mom will be there too and our relationship is very difficult. Hopefully, it will go well, and I'm hoping to get my small one-BR together enough so that my niece can stay with me a few times over the summer when she's not in camp.