The Sleeping Meds Odyssey
Posted , 10 users are following.
I recently went through about a 40-day stretch of only sleeping maybe an hour a night, sometimes not at all. I became completely dysfunctional, couldn't work, couldn't drive, and it directly contributed to my not being able to complete two out of three classes last semester. I felt like I was dying, and was having some very serious health issues related to sleep deprivation. I had four major stressors to deal with with at the end of last month and it sent me over the edge as far as being able to sleep.
People who haven't experienced true insomnia have no idea what it's about, that's why I don't bother trying to explain it to bosses, instructors, even family (although sometimes that cannot be avoided).
Sleep deprivation has made me suicidal, absolutely. Who wants to live feeling like they'll never sleep again? It's a living hell.
I have been on every sleeping med you can imagine. Ambien doesn't work for me anymore.
My problems are way beyond a hot bath and magnesium supplements.
I hate anti-psychotics, was on Zyprexa (basically, against my will) for a couple of years, quit that and swore I would never take an anti-psychotic again.
I can say though, with Seroquel, I am finally getting a few solid hours of sleep a night. Enough to dream, which makes me feel like I've had enough sleep to be healthy. I've also been prescribed Atarax, which is a strong antihistimine, which seems to help as well. Seroquel is notorious for weight gain. Oh joy. I guess I'd rather risk gaining weight than dying of sleep deprivation, which, by the way, I believe is possible.
I also got a new bed - a memory foam. Didn't realize how much my old bed was contributing to my insomnia. These factors together are helping me string a few hours of sleep together...
0 likes, 16 replies
PatientMod-B laura21869
Posted
Hi Laura21869
We note from a recent post which you have made to our forum that you may be experiencing thoughts around self-harm. If we have misinterpreted your comments then we apologies for contacting you directly. But if you are having such thoughts then please note that you are not alone in this, and there are people out there that can help.
If you are having these suicidal thoughts then we strongly recommend you speak to someone who may be able to help. The Samaritans offer a safe space where you can talk openly about what you are going through. They can help you explore your options, understand your problems better, or just be there to listen.
Their contact details are on our patient information leaflet here: https://patient.info/health/dealing-with-suicidal-thoughts, which also offers lots of other advice on how you can access the help you may need.
If you are having such thoughts then please do reach out to the team at the Samaritans (or the other people detailed in our leaflet) who will understand what you're going through and will be able to help.
Kindest regards
Patient
angela55814 laura21869
Posted
HI,
Your right Laura its useless trying to explain insomnia to people who have not experienced it. Very well meaning advice on hot baths, lavender pillows,deep breathing etc etc etc just dont work for me. Oh the joy when you have a few hours sleep makes you feel so much better. Good to know other people out there just like me.
Guest laura21869
Posted
your not alone. I am tapering of klonopin . Was on 3 mg and I have tapered to 1mg. Going to taper to 1/2 in a couple weeks. i have had insomnia a year and a 1/2 and work full time. Dont know how I do it.
laura21869 Guest
Posted
Nobody was ever willing to prescribe me klonopin, although I wanted to try it. Just a bunch of goddamn anti-seizure medication and anti-psychotics (although, isnt klonopin an anti-psychotic?). And then ultimately I had sleeping meds like Ambien, but we won't go there, please...I need to go back to work full time soon (I work part time) ,and I need to have this sleep thing under control, it's all dependent on that...funny how debilitating insomnia is...but not really
Guest laura21869
Posted
be glad u didnt start on klonopin. it never made be sleep well anyway. i also took Ambien and slept solid for about 3 hours. That was it. I never did anything weird on it. I am trying to go drug free with the sleeping stuff. It is hell. It is an anti psychotic benzo drug. Hard to get off of but I guess they all are. Hang in there, you are not alone. I work full time. You can do it.
laura21869 Guest
Posted
i've done s**t on Ambien, Ambien + alcohol = bad mix
lily65668 laura21869
Posted
Laura - Klonopin is an anti-seizure medication. It's not an antipsychotic, it's one of the benzo group, therefore highly addictive (though useful for people who really need it for its anti-seizure properties). It's definitely not a sleep med.
I fully understand how exhausting insomnia can be. I suffered from it myself for many years. I was always a poor sleeper, even as a child, but the real problems started in my mid-20s, after a year or so of working an impossible experimental shift system (as a nurse).
That messed up my sleep patterns for the next 40 years. It was only after retiring from paid employment at age 66 that I started to sleep normally - though I realise that information won't be of much help to you right now.
All I can say is that lack of sleep didn't impact on my health, even though it often left me feeling exhausted. Now, at age 74, I'm at least as fit and healthy as my contemporaries.
One last thought: you might want to try googling sleep state misperception, if you haven't already. I'm not suggesting for a moment that you're really getting a good night's sleep every single night. I certainly wasn't. However, when I was your age I'd sometimes complain in the morning of not having slept at all, only to be told by partners or roommates that I'd actually slept - and even snored loudly - for several periods during the night.
Guest lily65668
Posted
glad to know its not a antipsychotic as i thought it was which makes me happy. Has done nothing for anxiety or insomnia. Real crap as far as I am concerned. Tapering slowly. Thanks
alpine laura21869
Posted
Hello Laura
I can sympathize with you. My advice is to read at bedtime till you can't keep your eyes open. It works for me, should have tried it years ago. Getting into bed, lying down and closing my eyes rarely does the trick. Some friends swear by a glass of red wine at bedtime. I stopped drinking almost four years ago, don't think I could manage the one
glass of wine a day. Do you get any exercise in the evening ? Do you go to a gym ?
Do you go to aqua fit or yoga ? What about walking or cycling ?
alpine
Gareth51625 laura21869
Posted
Totally agree Laura. I've had chronic insomnia for 15 months. I really don't know how I'm still functioning. Ignore some people on here who say lack of sleep doesn't have any health consequences, because it really does both physically and mentally. Since my insomnia I have developed high blood pressure and depression. I just feel irritable most of the time & walk around light headed in a daze like I've had an alcoholic drink. Adequate sleep is one of the most important things humans can do. It recharges you just like an electronic device.
Without proper rest we are running on empty and risks of accidents and health problems increase. I wish I had the answer as like most on here who have truly suffered severe insomnia every night and not just a bit of trouble once or twice a week I have tried herbs, sleeping pills etc. Doctor's are mostly unsympathetic and treat you like a drug addict if you ask (or should that be beg?) for a few sleeping pills. Not sure what happened but from September 2017 I suddenly stopped sleeping properly overnight. Now I can be completely awake for 2 nights and days even if I'm relaxed then get sleep on the 3rd night then the cycle starts again so I only sleep about 3 nights a week. This is my new 'normal'.
laura21869 Gareth51625
Posted
Hi Gareth
Thank you. I know you understand. The worst part is when you never sleep enough to dream, because you are never processing your subconscious thoughts or releasing the toxins from your brain - the toxin overload makes us sick. No medication is effective with you? Or doctors aren't willing to prescribe something that helps? I go to the ER and also "harass" my practitioners enough to give me something, even if it's only an antihistamine, I'm fighting for my life, I don't care...you have to be persistent
Felis laura21869
Posted
is ATARAX safe to take for long periods of time. SOUNDS like a good option,but probably need to investigate further.
laura21869 Felis
Posted
Yes Atarax is safe for long term usage, and non-addictive, which is why doctors are more willing to prescribe it...lots of info on the net about it
Felis laura21869
Posted
Thanks LAURA for replying much appreciated.i have written it down and made a note of it.I WILL talk to my GP WHEN I next speak to him.
i am currently taking ASHWAHGANDRA a herbal supplement and i am amazed that after only taking one tablet per week its working well! I have now stopped taking anti histamines,so good news!
Felis
Posted
SORRY, meant one tablet per night for a week!
lily65668 laura21869
Posted
Just a word of caution to Laura, Felis and any others thinking of taking Atarax.
It is indeed true that it's safe and non-addictive. However, like all antihistamines (and it is an antihistamine) you can quite quickly develop tolerance to its sedative properties, which means that you have to increase the dose over time to get the same effect. There's also the issue of psychological dependence, which isn't the same as physical addiction. This can have the effect that you become so convinced only Atarax will make you sleep, that you'll be back to square one if ever you have to stop taking it for any reason.
I actually used the antihistamine promethazine (brand name Phenergan in Europe) throughout my 40-year struggle with insomnia. However, I never took it every night, precisely to avoid problems with tolerance and dependence. I would take a small dose on a maximum of three consecutive nights to get some decent sleep (and reassure myself I still could) then tough it out for the next week or so until starting the cycle again. After a while, I found that the good nights I had when taking the medication boosted my confidence in my ability to sleep, and I'd carry on sleeping well for a few nights after stopping... before reverting to type, of course. By doing it this way, I never developed tolerance to the drug, and never had to increase the dose. I can't say I got a good night's sleep every night of my life during those 40 years but this clearly never did me any harm. There's a lot of hype around the supposed dangers of not sleeping well.
If anyone is looking for Atarax outside of the US, it may have a different brand name. The chemical name of the active ingredient is hydroxyzine, so that's what you need to look for. I've a feeling it isn't available over the counter but if your doctor won't prescribe it, any over-the-counter antihistamine will have the same effect. Just ask your pharmacist. There's nothing magic about Atarax, it's just another antihistamine. And don't be tempted to buy Atarax on the street or at dubious on-line pharmacies that don't require a scrip. It'll cost you a lot more than buying an OTC antihistamine in a pharmacy and there's no guarantee as to what you're getting.
Just remember that no antihistamine should be taken every night without interruption if you want it to continue working as a sleep med without constantly increasing the dose.