Does anyone have sleep anxiety?

Posted , 3 users are following.

Hi, I have suffered from sleep anxiety since having postnatal depression. I was on Clomipramine for 10 years to help with this but my GPtook me off it as she said it wasnt good for a long term use.

She put me on 50mg Sertaline and I have takent this for 2 weeks.I worry constanlty about going to sleep, I have panic attacks every night and have been taking sleeping pills which i dont like taking.

MY GP increased the dose to 100mg yesterday but I still feel really anxiuos and cant sleep at night without sleeping pills.

Has anyone esle suffered from what im going through,  I hate being like this and just want to feel better and get my life back

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Amanda, I have had insomnia & stayed up nights with worries, feeling so tired & useless the next day. Then a friend explained to me that our brains make & use Melatonin which allows us to sleep. So I bought some Melatonin at a local pharmacy, a low dosage & a brand that was as natural as possible. I researched the average dosage, & bought the lowest. That way I could take more than one if needed but wasn't over doing it & still being tired & useless the next day. 

    This worked for me. I hope this information helps you. Good luck :-) 

    • Posted

      Hi, I have heard of Melatonin and will try to get some.  On a good note, I feel slighty better today so maybe the setraline are kicking in smile Thanks x
    • Posted

      That's good to hear, Amanda :-) Yes, meds do take time to kick in. I had an after thought when I wrote to you...there is also Valerian that relaxes & helps us sleep. Several relaxing herbs are also found in tea. Sipping a cup before bedtime can help us fall asleep, too. 

      But I wanted to mostly add...check with your doctor before taking any OTC sleep aids, no matter how 'natural' they claim to be. Ok? 

      Take good care of yourself. I hope you continue to feel better. :-) 

    • Posted

      I have tried the over the counter stuff like Nytol but what bothers me most about not sleeping in the huge anxiety that I feel,  I can cry for days on end and it takes over my life.  The only thing which has ever helped me to overcome this was anti depressants which is why i have just gone onto sertraline. Hopefully they are kicking in now and i will continue to feel better smile

      .

  • Posted

    Dont worry you are not alone!! I have been suffering from sleep anxiety for the past 4 years. It all started a few years back when i first started taking sleeping pills. After being on them for a couple of years and then i decided to wean myself off them. It wasnt easy but i did it. But thats when i started having the night time anxiety. I guess my body was just so use to taking something for sleep that i started having major anxiety. Thats why i am taking a low dose of remeron as a sleep aid. I only take about 3.5 mg as needed. I try to avoid using it every night because i do t want to get hooked on that.
    • Posted

      Hi Johan, I am so relieved to hear that there is someone else like me!  Thanks for your comments they have made me feel much better. smile

       

    • Posted

      Your welcome. Like i said before dont worry you are not alone. There are plenty of people out there like us. 
    • Posted

      Hi Johan, I like the nice encouragement that you gave Amanda, that she is 'not alone'. That is so important! 

      Joining these forums recently is the first time I've felt like I wasn't alone anymore in my struggles with meds, depression, & anxiety. 

      Thank you, Johan :-) 

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.