I need sleeeeeeeeeeep

[rachelute]

I sit here in my office wondering where the sleep went.

I've been trying out a new medication for my sleep issues because my doctor down here won't prescribe me what I as taking in Michigan...or what I started taking when I first moved down here.  Because they're benzos.

She says [and I know] that with the problems I've had in the past, I have

Comments

[grrl_next_door]

*huge huge huge hugs*!!!!!

I have insomnia issues and I know how TERRIBLE it is to be sleep deprived.

My insomnia is related to anxiety/OCD (I get obsessed with trying to fall asleep, and then I don't, ironically). I've been treated with anti-depressants (for anxiety/OCD) for mine and it's worked pretty well, but my issues could just be different. Just consider if your frustration with not being able to fall asleep contributes to it?

I've taken Zopiclone/Imovane (I think this is Canadian) and Temazepan for sleeping pills. I liked the latter better.

That's good that you don't let yourself take them all the time, because they do start becoming less effective. I try not to take them at all. Sometimes a Tylenol 3 knocks me out pretty good because I just have headaches from sleep deprivation.

I've heard of a couple people going on antipsychotics for insomnia and having good results... I think "antipsychotic" is highly stigmatized and it doesn't actually mean you are psychotic.

I hope you have better luck with the doc's and they get to the bottom of this. <3

[rachelute]

The second benzo I was on was Temazapam [restoril] - the first was Lorazepam [ativan]. Those 2 are the only things that have helped thus far...but I have to take a benadryl with the temazepam for it to keep me asleep for some reason. I was at the lowest dosage available for both.

I don't worry about sleep much at all - I fall asleep great, but never stay sleeping more than 2-4 hours. It's been that way since I was a kid, sadly.

It's not that I think lowly of antipsychotics - I've been on antipsychotics before, but would like to stay away from them - especially newer ones - because of side effects - and the fact that I'd have to take them daily for it to work [if it did]. Taking things every day makes me a bit nervous for reasons I mentioned in my post.

I DO have psychotic tendencies w/ my bipolar, but I highly doubt that this new med is going to do any good [abilify]. I know that seroquel and other atypical antipsychotics have been used for sleep - since they cause sleepiness...but in reading about abilify and from those I know who have taken it...I've never read/heard of anyone being sleepy from it - just the opposite.

I'm just not looking forward to jumping around on random medications again trying to find something that works - when I already know of 2 drugs that will work great and that I don't have to use daily.

Thanks for the luck, I'm going to need it.

[grrl_next_door]

will they not give you the two meds that worked? that's silly... dr's can be stupid

[rachelute]

That's exactly why I'm so frustrated.

[grrl_next_door]

can you see a different dr or would it be a pain to have to explain everything?

[rachelute]

I have to see a psychiatrist because I
ve been diagnosed before - doctor's won't treat a lot of things if you have a diagnosis...

I've been to another psychiatrist, and talked to others - most don't want to work with me because I'm seeing a homeopath... most doctors believe that you have to be on medications for the rest of your life... so even though I've been fairly stable taking care of my illness through natural means [and under the care of my psychiatrist from Michigan] for the last 2.5 years, it doesn't matter to them.

This doctor is the most understanding one I've talked to...