I cannot sleep.

Hi there

I know exactly how you feel !!!!!!!!!!!!  You are absolutely correct it does contribute to your depression.  Lets see, Restoril, Remeron, Lunesta, Ambien, none of them worked.  I began seeing a therapist and she suggested journaling, I would lie in bed and my mind would race, I couldn't shut my brain off.  The jounaling gave me the opportunity to take all these thoughts out of my head and physically put them on paper. My family Dr. also recommened exercise, that has helped too.  I acutally have begun dreaming again, I hadn't had a dream in two months.  I hope this helps, don't give up on meds the Restoril did help for a while, it got me a couple of nights of sleep which made me feel like a new person.  I wish you luck = - )

Anna

Hi firstmate...I am so sorry you can't sleep and I feel your pain. I struggle with sleep too. A few tricks you might try that are all safe to combine with a sleep med:

1) take Magnesium before bed. I use a pure powder called "Natural Calm" that you dissolve in hot water. Take about 1 hour before bed. Buy at a health food type store or online.

 2) Be sure you are taking your B-Vitamins early in the day. If you don't take them ~start! The B's are critical for our bodies to manage stress. And since I started taking extra B-12, which helps with metabolism and sleep, I am sleeping without sleep meds. I like Jarrow brand best because they use a better absorbed form of B-12, look for the form that starts with Methyl~

3) Small dose of Melatonin, I use the one that melts under your tongue, so it kicks in quick. 2.5mg by Nature's Way. 

4) Turn off all TV, computers 2 hours before bed.

5) I second what Anna said about journal ling. Getting all the racing thoughts out on paper can help you let go enough to fall asleep ~.

All this is what my naturapath doctor recommended. There are lots of reasons why people can't sleep but they all add up to the same crappy result.  Be sure to see a doctor about this, it is serious.

Peace, healing and hopefully sweet dreams~

Tay

I'm sure everyone is different.  What often works for me is to use biofeedback (relaxation).  I thought I'd be the world's worst learner, because I'm dreadful at meditation.  I went to a cognitive psychologist, and learned how to relax, muscle group by muscle group. 

For me its more helpful than Benadryl, and even has worked better than Valium.

It has helped me become more aware of my body - noticing more when it is tense and when it is relaxed. (I have PTSD, or something close to that.)

I think exercise also helps (if its a while before you go to sleep).  I'm going to have to try that 'write yourself a dream' - sounds like an interesting technique.

I heard if you take melatonin, you want to make sure to have a completely dark room.  No light from the clock either, cover it up.

xoxo

I just had my bi-lateral mx the 2/3 and since then i can't sleep well either, I get so tired, I go to sleep easy, then every few minutes I wake up, then back to sleep, this goes on all night, till real early in the morning ( 5:15 a.m. this morning), and I just have to get up. I don't take naps during the day and I am still on some pain meds. Just don't know what's causing it. My surgery went real well, and I don't hardly have any pain, never have, so I am one of the lucky ones, just don't know what's bothering me. Well thanks for letting me vent. Hugs to all

First Mate - I have to agree, even with insurance, it was $40, and I may as well have been asking for crack cocaine for all I had to go through to get it!!

Maybe bio feedback would work if I could figure out how to concentrate for more than 2 minutes!

mzmiller99

LOL  crack cocaine !!!!  That was so true, how about the looks you get from the pharmacist when you pick up yet another new med for sleep or anxiety.  I went through so many different meds, my pain meds and anxiety meds also meds for sleep, god what they must have been thinking at the pharmacy.  I am a nurse and I know what is said,   I went in to drop off a script and the customary question is "have you ever filled a prescriptin here?"  she looked at my script and said " oh yes we have seen you many times haven't we ?"  no smile either.  I wanted to cringe, I have always been a very healthy person.  Thanks for the laugh.

Anna

Can relate to this post totally!!!t is goin on three weeks since surgery and have been on AmbienCR since the regular Ambien did wake me up around 1 or 2 AM for the night!!! This part is the hardest part of the journey.  I seem to be ok for the day time part, but night time,my anxiety gets worse and almost dread goin to sleep!!! I have been on Celexa for some time as i have always had general anixety but thru excericse and yoga it was ok.

Not knowing what is next, for me chemo, no regualr routine as i still have my surgical drains in .. all contribute to someone who was a Type A personality to someone with  very little in actiivity as healing is still occurring. I am not sure what happens staying on Ambien, but i need something and then when chemo hits., i am sure i am goin to look like a druggie to the pharmacist!!!!! I too  Anna   have been a healthy person, so i have my husband go so i don;t get the LOOK!!!lololol!!!  Thanks for the laugh cause sleep deprived not fun!!!

Good luck to you all and thanks for being here!!!!

Hi sisters, I am an old time depressive/anxiety attack veteran.  Waking up at 2 to 4am and having a terrible time returning to sleep is SOOOO COMMON, it is actually a marker for depression.

What to do?  I take one 5mg Valium.  My doc is fine with this, and I am back asleep in no time.  I have the Valium and water right by my bed, and sometimes, knowing I can take care of this, I sleep through.

So you might consider this, or Xanax.

Gentle hugs, Shirlann

I have had a terrible time with sleep well before bc.....in fact for years I have had to take a Temazepam tablet each night, just to get me off. I have to sign the poisons register just to get the damned tablets out of the pharmacy, and quite often I get a new pharmacist who has to bellow and ask me to 'come on over and sign the poisons register'....I have been known to hovver about pretending to look at things on the shelves, so I can dash up when a familiar pharmacist is at the counter !!  One tablet gives me about 2 hours sleep.

I found it helps to make the bedroom as warm and comfortable as you can. Like Wellwater, I have my radio on permanently, turned down low. We have a programe called The World Service, I know you can pick it up in USA, very interesting world current affairs programe....I am hooked, and nearly always when something comes on that is interesting, I fall asleep !

DH moved out years ago, he NEEDS his sleep, and isn't likely to get any in my bedroom! I read, knit, anything to stop me just laying there trying to fall asleep. I used to have tv and music on as well, but have given that up as I find it was keeping me awake more than letting me sleep. 

On an average night I will get about 4 hours. I suffer next day as I am a zombie until mid-day, ratty with everyone, don't like anyone to speak to me, and certainly won't speak to anyone on the 'phone, or answer the doorbell !

My father always used to go up for a nap at 2pm, when he retired, he slept 'til 4pm, and always said it was the only way he could catch up on his sleep. I have tried this, and it works fine for me, I can actually sleep, and feel better for it, but the moans and groans about being lazy, from DH , got to me, so I don't do this anymore now, only when he is out for the day !!

Isabella.

Hi everyone,

   I see some familar names and some new ones. Like all of you I have had a problem with sleep but usually if I took 2 meletonin I could sleep to at least 6:00 But now since I am on pain meds and they threw me into menapause I can't sleep. Like the rest of you they have tried the new ones but still no relief. I finally figured out one that worked Trazadone& 2 clonzapam's will do it. I actually got so sick from the bone pain and lack of sleep I was hospitalized for 2 days and they just let me sleep. And our small hospital in town is like a hotel so it was awsome!!!!!

Anna62- I noticed your from Maine also we are very close I live in Boothbay Harbor! Nice to meet you!

                                                  Bridget

P.S. Wishing everyone a Good-Night Sleep!!!!!! 

try Lunesta///i had to take that after Ambien stopped for me

Perhaps drs should put your diagnosis on your script so the Pharmacists and their assistants don't give you the raised eyebrows.  I had a script for Darvocet and you'd have thought I was asking for cocaine.  I finally said to the gal "look, I have cancer, I have pain, if this is too much for you, give me back the script and I'll go somewhere else".  She turned red and stumbled over her words but they seemed to stop glancing sideways.

Leaf, my friend has scleroderma and is conquering the disease - she had to turn to a holistic dr when traditional failed her and she is doing so well it's amazing.  Different things work for diferent people, I'm so happy that you are doing well with it also.

I also want to throw in a suggestion to keep your bedroom cool - that works best for me.  If it's warm, I keep waking up even before my usual 2am wake up!

A friend mentioned a new natural sleep aid but I need to talk to her again and get the correct name - she bought it at Walgreens and said it was very inexpensive and seems to be working better on her than other aids.  I'll post later in the day with that info.

Bridget

Hi there, my brother is a permanent fixture in Boothbay, he is a carpenter and when I am in Boothbay and I can't find him I just go to the East Boothbay General Store and ask them where's Muzzy today and sure enough they know where he is.  Don't you just love small towns?  St Andrew's is a nice hospital, what did they have three patients in the hospital while you were there ?  My husband actually worked in the ER there for a couple of summers, and........I was married at Wilson Memorial Chapel in Ocean Point !  Small world = ) 

Vivre What is the dosage of the Magnesium ????  I bougth that and some melatonin today please let me know , thanks.

Anna