Posted by Simcha on July 24, 2003, at 1:24:41
In reply to Chronic Insomnia, posted by Guy on July 23, 2003, at 13:14:51
Guy,
I have had chronic insomnia for my entire life. I feel the pain, man. Here is what I'm trying for now.
I'm still experimenting with supplements to help with sleep. I have found a source (that I cannot mention on this board) for valium. It works but I can only use it on Friday and Saturday night because it leaves me too groggy in the am to drive to work.
Valerian works too but it also leaves me entirely too groggy in the am so I have to be careful with it too. Only 400mg of the Nature's Source brand will make me sleep soundly yet, unfortunately, it can leave me groggy in the am.
I use this supplement every evening and it seems to calm me somewhat. It's called "Sleep Tight Factors" and it's by Country Life. They are hypoallergenic and vegetarian and they are certified kosher. All of this is important to me. Well the formula is as follows. I take two tabs and this is what 2 tabs gives you:
Niacin (as niacinamide) 100mg
Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine HCL) 10mg
Calcium (as citrate, carbonate, glycinate & taurinate) 100mg
Magnesium (as citrate, oxide, glycinate & taurinate) 200mg
Potassium (as citrate, glycinate & taurinate) 99mgInositol 500mg
Glycine 400mg
Taurine (tree form) 300mg
Hops Extract 4:1 (fruit) 25mg
Passion Flower Extract 4:1 (leaf/stem) 25mg
Scullcap Extract 4:1 (aerial) 25mg
Valerian Extract 4:1 (root) 25mgSometimes I've tryed Benedryl. This is a double edged-sword for me. It can help me sleep at 25mg only sometimes. If I cannot sleep with 25mg and I use 50mg then I will sleepwalk, turn off my alarm (when it goes off), and return to bed without realizing that I had turned off othe alarm. This is not good for work, for obvious reasons.
I called my gp who has said that he will give me ambien if the benedryl does not work. I'm scared of ambien for some reason so I'm trying all the alternatives before I go to get the ambien. I suspect that I will end up with an ambien prescription in the next couple of months if the combination of alternatives that I been trying do not work.
See the pdoc took the Klonopin away because he thought that it was interrupting my normal sleep cycle. For a while Neurontin helped me sleep just fine. Then it did not anymore.
I'm not going back to that pdoc because I think he is benzophobic and the Klonopin worked beautifully for my insomnia, the bruxism, and the RLS. That was all on 1mg per night for a year. I never had to take more.
My gp is much more willing to give me meds that I have researched and I believe might work. We have a great relationship.
I hope it gets better for you,
Simcha> I've been suffering from chronic insomnia for about 7 years and this has greatly exacerbated my anxiety disorder. I always awaken in the middle of the night and start to worry about not going back to sleep. This has unfortunately developed into a phobia. Sometimes I panic, and that really sets me up for a terrible day...like I'm having a nervous breakdown, complete with horrible pain and suicidal thoughts. I have been on many meds, but most do not make me feel better--just make me fat, lazy and impotent. Currently, I take 15 mg of Remeron before bed and then 1 mg of clonazepam when I wake up at around 2 am. Usually, the clonazepam is enough to get me back to sleep. I never feel really good though, even when I get enough sleep...the anxiety is never totally eliminated. I do lots of exercise, but still have adull headache all day and a "buzzing" nervous system. I'm 49 now Is this what it's going to be like for the rest of my life? Pdoc wants me to go on 100 mg of Seroquel but I'm afraid of serious side effects, such as cataracts, especially since I am already blind in one eye. Sorry for long, sad story. Just wanted to share.
poster:Simcha
thread:244545
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030723/msgs/244758.html