HELP!! What do you all use to get some SLEEP???

Any ideas helpful.

I use Ambien and Tme Release Malatonin.

saxmar

KeepHope said...
Any ideas helpful.
I have tried so many prescriptions with all sorts of strange side affects and natural things do not help at all to get me or keep me sleeping.
THis sucks.
FRUSTRATED

KeepHope, I would urge you to seriously consider NOT using any drugs to sleep, either OTC or prescription. (I was addicted to doxylamine succinate for the first two years of my LD). Our poor brain chemistry is already experiencing such a dreadful imbalance from the various neurological infections that adding chemical dependence to the mix will make a bad situation much worse. Remember too that drug induced sleep does not really duplicate the truly restful sleep we can get naturally.

I've found two natural supps work indirectly to help me sleep better, but they have to be taken every day. I use 2-4 grams of chlorella on an empty stomach 3 times daily. Chlorella is known to be very good at binding ammonia, which we have way too much of due to our infections. Also, a good quality oral magnesium helps to restore the levels of mag in the brain that the Borrelia (Lyme) is consuming. Taking mag sulfate (Epson Salt) transdermally via a warm bath is a great way to get a lot of it into your brain quickly.

I notice that if I go even one day without the chlorella and/or mag I start waking up a lot during the night and even wake up too early and cant get back to sleep. I can only vouch for the Yamaeyama Chorella at Vitacost since that's the only brand I've ever used. Give it about 5-7 days to pull your levels down enough to show some benefit, then stay on it. Lastly, no caffeine at all honey. NONE. Borrelia excites the central, peripheral, and parasympathetic nervous symptoms, and the last thing you need is to add anything at all to jack it up more.

Post Edited (Sulma) : 10/30/2008 4:47:38 PM (GMT-6)

i use .5 to 1 mg clonopin and either lunesta or simply sleep

I hated it, but the only thing that hepled my severe insomnia last year was Trazadone and Ativan together. It took a visit to the ER to find this out. Before that I was on Trazadone only. I had only slept 2 hours a night for 3 weeks, so I was in a very bad place.
I was able to wean off after only a few months.

I started sleeping well when I cleaned up my diet when I thought I had M.S.

I eliminated milk products, caffeine, refined sugar, white flour, and table salt (I use a little sea salt now). Now I sleep like a log unless I have something I'm thinking/worrying about that I can't shake off easily or I have to wake up really early the next morning and I keep watching the clock.

I too have the same problem with adrenals too active at night/not active enough in the morning, but my blood test wasn't abnormal enough for the doctors to do anything about it. One thing I do notice, however, is that if I am on the computer in the evening, I have a more difficult time getting to sleep that night. Probably something to do with EMF sensitivity, or over-stimulation of my brain (because before I stopped working, my job was computer-related)...

I have had supplements prevent me from sleeping. Specifically, B Vitamins, Potassium, and Vitamin D.

Adrenal glands need Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) and Vitamin C. You might try taking this combination early in the day and see if it helps.

Also, Nutmeg essential oil is supposed to balance adrenal hormones, so that may help too. I'm sure there are other herbs/etc. that balance adrenal hormones too. The biggest thing to remember though is that none of these treatments will start working immediately - it takes time for the hormones to balance, and for the influence of that balance to affect other parts of the body (such as the sleep/wake cycle). Don't try something for one or two days and give up, persist with the trial for a few weeks before deciding something is or isn't working.

Take care,

Make sure the room you are sleeping is as uncluttered as possible.

This can at least make the sleeping quarters relaxing and inviting. ALSO: No television in the bedroom. I banished my dogs from my bedroom too. That helped me too. But that's just me. Fewer distractions and just sleep only is allowed in my bedroom. It helped me -- a lot.

Something to try along with the suggestions above.