When Is Enough Enough, Or Too Much?

[Deleted member 6617]

I'm talking meds of course. Had an appointment with my psychiatrist today and we talked about all the meds he has been having me try to help me sleep. NONE of them have done anything to help. Still only getting 3 to 5 hours of broken sleep on a good night. Less on a bad night. Today he prescribed yet another drug to try. God I hate this. I didn't pick it up from the pharmacy. It scares the shit out of me. He knows I tried to overdose three weeks ago and the majority of the drugs I took were all the "trials" that he prescribed that didn't help me sleep. So when do I say screw this and just accept that I can't sleep right now?

I am seriously thinking of asking my MD about weed for sleep. I know it helps me sleep, but I only use it when I am so desperate and just can't function anymore. I also know myself well enough to know I have an addictive personality and that I don't want that to be a problem. How do you balance it all out...the pro's and con's that is. Got bad stoned the night before I tried to commit suicide. Wonder how much the crash from that had to do with it. I don't ever want to smoke that much again. One or two hits to get some sleep is all I want. Sound like I am argueing with myself....I think I am.

So when is enough enough with "try this, try this, try this"? I feel like a lab rat. What is it doing to my body? Course what is lack of sleep doing to it? I am a crazy person. I just want some sleep. Like a week or two to catch up and then 6 to 8 hours a night....straight. Too much? Too high of expectations? I just know I am dragging ass and can't seem to clear my foggy brain. Tired is an understatement. Man this really sucks!

 

[cusco01810]

Iwas having this coservation yesterday withn someone. We couldn't understand the governments stance on weed with all of its medicenal purposes but you can get prescriptions for opiates and other hard core derivatives. I'm for quality of life. I would smoke unless you get piss tests at work. I actually the its much better for toy than liquor also.

 

[cusco01810]

Iwould ask for weed. Remember when you get so low the only way to go is up. I think everyone has thought of suicide once or twice in there life, but that means they win and I lose. I won't let them beet me nor give them the satisfaction.

 

[LSNP]

I understand how you feel. Last night I finally slept through the night after months and months of 3-5 hours of broken sleep. I DID have nightmares, but at least I slept.

I have no idea HOW and don't know if I will again tonight (pretty please?) but I took two Tylenol PM and drank three beers (which I do NOT normally drink). I think it was a fluke.

I wish you well. I HAVE heard that sometimes sleep meds can make sleeping worse over time. ? Maybe there have been too many for you for too long. I wish I had the answers for you... and me.

 

[anni]

Someone who knows chemistry can probably blow this out of the water ( oh-married to a chemist so perhaps it would be wise to ask him ) but I've often thought that since pot is soo very, very helpful for so many genuine conditions, why the devil hasn't anyone done something-or-other which puts those elements in some nice, white, non-offensive ( to the raving, foaming at the mouth, for God's sake don't legalize pot lobbyists out there ) pill. Obviously it's got some immensly helpful element- ( THC? As a teen in the 70's I only knew that if you smoked the Hawaiin Maui-Wow-Wowi you saw things which were not there. Must have been, er-sprinkled with additives somewhere-didn't stop to define the elements ) or elements, less addicitve and more effective than other pharmaceuticals for an absolute plethora of body and brain dysfunctions. having to sort of sneak around the proverbial back-alley, perhaps of illegality to obtain relief precludes many from a source of relief that is surely genuine. here in PA, USA, you can womp the stuffing out of your wife and wander around free on bond-most likely eventuall free across the board but boy, catch someone with a wrinkled old bag and a few green seeds in the bottom and you're away for aWHILE, no questions asked! At any rate, stripped of it's extreme illegality, it also becomes stripped of it's guilt and hesitation on the part of various sufferers to resort to whatever relief it might provide. In some states, one can actually ask for a medical script, so I do hope you do that, PH. Sleep is sleep, and since it would be overseen by a medical professional you can be sure your MD will be keeping a good eye on the whole addiciton thing for you, you know? Others will certainly correct me here if I'm wrong, but surely it's not addicitve in the same way as a narcotic, benzo, or an awful lot of the legal med they so freely prescibe, right?

Sleep is sleep. I'm looking for an answer here, also but am precluded from this since smoke actually sets off the headache, as does alcohol. A pill would not.

Sorry so long, PH- I just think you deserve sleep and healing, my dear.

 

[Deleted member 5760]

This is just my personal opinion -

I have smoked weed in the past and maybe for some people it helps. For me - NO. It makes me paranoid. I don't go near it. It simply does not agree with me.

I take St John's Wort. I didn't realise how much it was helping until I stopped. Well, I soon started taking it again. Everybody's different and so is their chemical makeup. For me it just takes the edge off without any of the side effects of stronger chemical substances (which also don't agree with me - I've tried anti depressants and for me the side effects were worse than the condition). But as I say everyone is different.

I'd also like to add - for anyone about to start swallowing St John's Wort - please discuss this with your pharmacist first as if you are on other medication it may not be a smart idea, etc. Always ask your pharmacist before combining medications.

 

[Deleted member 6617]

Okay...here is the latest best guess of what will work for me to, one: Get emotionally stable, two: sleep, three: reduce anxiety. I am now on Celexa 40mg, Ambilify 5mg, and seroquel 25 - 50mg at night. God I hope this works. I am so tired of changing things up because I don't respond to meds well. Going on 10 weeks with the celexa, 3 with ambilify, and last night was first with 50mg seroquel. Slept for 6 straight hours. That is amazing for me. Maybe we have a good combo for now. Get me stable and functioning again. Man I want to function again. The lack of sleep has made everything so much worse. 6 hours...that is exciting. Hope for another 6 tonight. We'll see, keeping my fingers and toes crossed!

 

[Deleted member 6617]

Oh ya...I take xanax as needed for anxiety. Been pretty heavy on that lately. Hope to taper of it as things come together.

 

[curiouser]

From what I've personally experienced, I don't think there are many physical conditions that aren't in some way tied to an emotional issue. Find and resolve the emotional issue (using EFT, EMDR, talk therapy etc.) and often the physical condition subsides.

Some questions to ask yourself that might help to find an emotional cause behind your sleep issues, if there is one.

What prevents me from falling asleep?​

What will happen when I fall asleep?​

What’s bad about falling asleep?​

What’s good about staying awake?​

What beliefs do I have about sleep and getting enough rest?​

If my insomnia could talk, what would it say to me?​

What is my insomnia trying to teach me?​

Hope you get some decent rest soon.

 

[LSNP]

I have had three nights of sleep in a row and I simply cannot express how much stronger I feel. The ticket seems to be for me (albeit, perhaps temporarily) a couple three beers and a few Tylenol PM. Not good for the liver, but for now... I'll take it. I CANNOT EXPRESS how much better I feel just sleeping. No nightmares last night. That in and of itself is a Godsend. Woot!

 

[Deleted member 6617]

Good for you LSNP. Wish I could drink a few beers, but I can't drink. I am so glad you are getting sleep. I am convinced it is a lot of my issues right now. New meds working better than any so far. Sweet Dreams!

 

[LSNP]

Thank you so much, PH! Seriously, I only hope it lasts....... I wake up and am SO delighted. I noticed today I was even sharper at work, which meant a lot because I was asked a lot of questions that required logic and NO TEARS, for God's Sake.

I have been running on empty (no sleep or half-in and out of sleep, which is almost worse) for months and the sleep I DO get is filled with ickiness. The last three days have been a Gift. I hope so much that you can get a few of these yourself. Soon. I know how worn out and fragile one can feel when deprived of a mental shut-down. Best Wishes, Honey.