Bipolar with Insomnia

I am bipolar at 29 and was diagnosed years ago.  Spent these years experimenting with different "cocktails".  I am now on Wellbutrin and Neurontin.  I have tried Trazodone, Ambien, Lunesta and Dalmane for sleep.  All have worked for awhile, then I become tolerant and back to Insomnia.  When I don't sleep I start to cycle very fast.  My doc, which I am not fond of says I need to reset my internal clock.  What a joke, that clock hasn't been set my whole life.  I am currently looking for a new doc, but you know how it goes, not taking new patients etc. etc. I guess I just want to know if anyone has similar problems or advice.  Since being on no sleeping pills I get Valium or Xanax from people I know have them to at least relax.

bluejude

i, too, have been diagnosed as bi polar and have trouble sleeping.  i try not taking sleeping pills bacause, as you say, you become tollerant.  ambian didn't work for me at all.  i am also in chronic debilitating pain, so one night i took a few lortab and darvocet.  my doc was not amused.  but i slept and didn't have any pain.  now, however, i use temazepam 30 mg if i just can't sleep and start panicing about it.  better than the narcodic drugs

hopethis helps.  my gp rxed  the temazepam.  maybe yours can do it for you.

Blue,

I hope your insomnia is getting better.  My insomnia was terrible at times too.  I used to go on little to no sleep and then would crash at the end of the week.  I felt like I was dying, plus that could be bad for my BP symptoms.  Like you all the sleep aid did not work.  I now take Trazadone (which works for the most part, even though not all the time) which did not work for you.  I have also taken benzos, but they did not work all the time.  The only other things left would be benzo like ativan, valium...  The only thing about benzos is that they are for short term treatment, no more than 2 weeks.  Because they can be habit forming, and their withdrawl syptoms can be pretty unpleasant.  Good luck on finding the best med that helps you sleep.

Yes, I too suffer from insomnia with my BP.  I take Melatonin or benedryl. I switch back and forth so I don't get tolerant to them. 

I was having a lot of problems with insomnia. I would go to bed and then my mind would just keep on going and going even though my body was so tired. My doctor put me on Seroquel which I take in the morning and at bedtime. She said if I feel like I really can't fall asleep, take an extra pill at bedtime. It has really worked. After just a short time of having to take both bedtime pills, I feel like I really sleep well every night just on the regular dosage.