Cannot sleep, tried EVERYTHING

Hello,
Anyone have any ideas other than: motherwort, Ashwaghanda, valerian, passionflower, pasque flower, camomile, magnesium, GABA, 5HTP, Lavender SAP, melatonin, for sleep? I’ve tried all of these and nothing hits me... I am wide awake until 5am. If I can’t sleep I can’t heal so what do I do?

I know how crucial sleep is for detoxing and the whole body systems etc., but I literally am vibrating the second my head hits the pillow, eyes fluttering, thoughts racing, it’s awful and I never ever yawn at night yet I know I am so so very overtired.

I’ve tried Trazodone, am on all sedating anti histamines, don’t want to do benzos and so far the ONLY this that has helped is Zopiclone. I don’t want to get addicted but if I can’t sleep the next day is more horrific than the days I do get some. I’ve had to cut back all my herbals bc after 3 weeks of LOTS of treatment: ozone, IV’s, increasing Antimicrobials way too much, I’m seriously paying for it now in what feels like a constant herx. I’ve upped the detox but it’s making me feel awful.

Any advice/thoughts?

How about liposomal melatonin? Works much better than the normal one.

Emms said...
Hello,
Anyone have any ideas other than: motherwort, Ashwaghanda, valerian, passionflower, pasque flower, camomile, magnesium, GABA, 5HTP, Lavender SAP, melatonin, for sleep? I’ve tried all of these and nothing hits me... I am wide awake until 5am. If I can’t sleep I can’t heal so what do I do?

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=4114992

I've been having that insomnia you talk about too, after I took primaquine to wake up the dormant form of Babesia in the liver. Now after following up with Coartem, I couldn't sleep for 4-5 days straight, it was unbearable and stressful.

The thing that really helped me, was switching to antiparasitic herbs instead like Cryptolepsis, letting my body catch up by getting off all pharma meds, then detox in the bath. And the main thing, liposomal glutathione seem to help the most in detoxing all those herxing die off toxins in my head from taking Priamquine/Coartem.

Here's an article stressing how Babesia affects your brain.

Somebody said...
Insomnia is common as Babesia affects the sleep center in the brain.

https://www.prohealth.com/library/a-deep-look-at-the-symptoms-of-six-major-lyme-related-infections-41139

I never once had insomnia until I started to effectively target Babesia. However,it is possible that some other coinfection or even a strain of borrelia that goes to your brain, could be causing your neurological problems and insomnia, not to mention everybody's body chemistry is different.

You probably should try some antiparasitic meds and see if you respond to them: Flagyl, Alinia, Malarone, Coartem.... If you start herxing on these, get a burst of energy, etc... That tells you something right there. That was a sure sign of me that I had Babesia, but I always underestimated this confection from day one, as did my LLMDs. As it really didn't come out of hiding until I hit it with primaquine, then effectively began to target the parasite with effective antiparasitic meds. This how even borrelia acts, everyone who contracts borrelia will get super worse before they start getting better.

You should probably read that article and see if you have any of the other symptoms listed from Babesia. Air hunger, night sweats, racing of the mind, hard to pee/constipation, shaking, chills, hold and cold sensations, major fatigue, like a vice is wrapped around your wrists and angles at times. But for me, a lot of these symptoms weren't there until I took the primaquine/coartem protocol.

Emms said...

but I literally am vibrating the second my head hits the pillow, eyes fluttering, thoughts racing, it’s awful and I never ever yawn at night yet I know I am so so very overtired.

Considering what you said here, I think that could be a sure sign of Babesia. More fatigue then regular lyme patients is a sure sign. I didn't realize it, but I always thought when I relapsed after 1-3 days being off antibiotics, it was just lyme and some other mild coinfection. Come to find out, it was Babesia all along, after 9 years of treatment.

One of my LLMDs always suspected I had Babesia, but he only treated it for 3 months, then thought it was in remission. Chances are, as you treat this multisystemic disease throughout the years, you'll probably have to bounce around and treat the bacteria part of the infection and the parasitic infection as well.

And after reading the Yale study, it was very scary reading the fact that most antiparasitics didn't effectively kill Babesia.
https://news.yale.edu/2018/11/29/yale-scientists-develop-new-system-study-emerging-tickborne-disease

Emms said...


I’ve tried Trazodone, am on all sedating anti histamines, don’t want to do benzos and so far the ONLY this that has helped is Zopiclone. I don’t want to get addicted but if I can’t sleep the next day is more horrific than the days I do get some. I’ve had to cut back all my herbals bc after 3 weeks of LOTS of treatment: ozone, IV’s, increasing Antimicrobials way too much, I’m seriously paying for it now in what feels like a constant herx. I’ve upped the detox but it’s making me feel awful.

Any advice/thoughts?

I think as you keep up with effective treatment, successfully target whatever strain of borrelia and coinfections you have, these symptoms will go away. But the hardest part is finding out what's causing them.

And by the way, I tried melatonin, even some nightime cold pills. Nothing ever seem to work, other than bath detoxes and glutathione.

Working out, lifting weights, walking on the treadmill, sweating just a little bit. Wearing your body out, so it's read for sleep seem to help me as well.

Here's some tips from those that got floxed from fluoroquinolones, that may help patients with neuro lyme or babesia
https://floxiehope.com/2016/01/18/48-tips-for-overcoming-insomnia/

Exercise 4+ hours before bedtime.
Eliminate all sources of caffeine from your diet.
Sleep in a completely dark room–either black-out your windows or set up a cot in a closet.
Use ear-plugs.
Melatonin.
Visualize sleeping soundly in a peaceful place.
Eat a banana before bed.
EHT from Nerium.
Cannabis.
Eliminate alcohol from your diet.
Calm Spirit Pills (Chinese Medicine).
Meditation.
Epsom salt baths.
Borax baths.
Baking soda baths.
Prayer.
A few spritz of magnesium oil spray and a couple of drops of Frankincense oil on a piece of cloth under a pillowcase.
Kavinace PM.
Benadryl.
Tylenol PM.
Herbal/Supplement sleep aids
Honey with sea salt under the tongue.
Valerian root.
Low-dose naltrexone.
EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique).
Acupuncture.
Zinc monomethionine.
Magnesium.
Tart cherry juice.
Cut down on salt intake.
Hydrochloric Acid (HCL) supplement.
No screens (computer, phone, t.v.) before bed.
Gaia Sound Sleep.
Natural Calm Magnesium.
5HTP.
Emperor’s Tea Pills (Chinese Medicine).
Hypnotization (through an app).
Bioidentical progesterone.
Ambien.
Benzodiazepines.
Turn off wi-fi.
Avoid soy.
Sleep-restriction therapy.
Listen to the radio on a foreign station or a boring station.
Relaxing music.
Silva Meditation For Deep Relaxation.
Breathing Exercises.

Post Edited (Charlie55) : 4/18/2019 2:38:22 PM (GMT-6)

My first thought was maybe something else you are taking is revving you up. And possibly your cortisol is just wonky. The adaptogens can affect everyone differently, but eleuthero made me sleep all day (unheard of for me). I assume you don't use caffeine or sugar, or other stimulants?

You also mentioned antihistamines that are sedating. Are you on multiple antihistamines? Sometimes, odd as it sounds, a high enough dose of a sedative antihistamine can have the opposite effect, especially if your adrenal system is taxed, as is so often the case with Lyme. For some people, even normal doses of Benadryl can cause anxiety and amp people up. These paradoxical effects are well documented but still not something most people know about. Maybe experiment with some other antihistamines, or reduce dosages?

Sleep hygiene is always a good idea (use bed only for sleep, use blue light blockers on electronics or eschew electronics in the evening, keep consistent sleep-wake times, make your room totally dark, etc.). Other relaxation strategies at bedtime could be useful (breathing exercises, massage, guided visualization or meditation, ASMR, yoga specifically for sleep, etc.). I have found essential oils very helpful, but admittedly my sleep issues were not as dramatic as you describe when I used them.

A relative swears by Bach Rescue Sleep, but I have not tried it.

I hope that you find relief soon! I know insomnia is miserable and maddening!

Emms said...

I do have Babesia, Bartonella, Mycoplasma and EBV. Don’t have Lyme. Drops in a day to now not able to tolerate anything! I think I’m in a massive constant herx state bc I increased too fast too soon and now paying for it trying to get back to baseline.... but the lack of sleep is making it difficult for my body to recover from this and my head is the worst it’s ever been: severely depressed, anxiety, derealization, no concept of time/hours, racing thoughts, insomnia and night sweats are intensified- all my cognitive symptoms are so much intensified and I’m so scared to go back to the drops but I also feel horrific if I’m not taking anything. So I’m currently trying a selection of Buhners herbs in very low doses and sipping on it all day. The Beyond Balance was helping so much, i could feel things changing in my brain...

Some of the symptoms may be unavoidable and only decreased by a lower dosage and with the progression of treatment. Have you seen the Under Our Skin films, the hell all of the patients went through. Increase detoxing with glutathione and more hot baths helped me tremendously. It's either keep progressing with treatment or live with Babesia for a very long time, possibly for the rest of your life. When you herx, your symptoms become worse, that's a good thing because you know the treatment is working. But believe you me, when I was treating with Coartem a week ago, I felt as if I was dieing and I wanted to be dead, I kept asking when was the herxing and symptoms going to stop? I was hulicinating, becoming paranoid and having major anxiety. I was in and out of a bath tub 20 times in one day, that was the only thing that helped me at the time with my hot and cold sensations, shaking, and neurological problems of my minds racing until I picked up some glutathione.

I plan on seeing a LLMD soon, maybe try another antiparasitic drug that is slower at treating Babesia because Coartem became way to strong to treatt. However, I think if I had glutathione at the time, my herxing wouldn't of been so bad, so I may give it a try if my LLMD is willing to prescribe. Coartem crosses the blood brain barrier, so allowing all the toxins to build up in my head, not having something like glutathione to detox with, my symptoms were getting worse and worse.

Anyways, just keep at it, never give up. It might be best to try another herbal protocol like you said, that still allows you to treat these pathogens but at a slower rate. Stephen Buhner definitely has some really good protocols, so maybe worth a try.

Have you tried that one combo herb supplement everyone talks about on here for Babesia, I think it's A-Bab, I was going to ask about this same herb again. I think that's it. Expensive, but a lot of babesia patients swear by it.
https://shopvibrantlife.com/products/a-bab

Post Edited (Charlie55) : 4/18/2019 4:12:47 PM (GMT-6)

And yes I can sometimes remember short dreams but my memory for anything is horrible... it’s hard getting through the day bc the mins and hours feel so incredibly long ad my mind and my head feels like it’s on another planet.

Honestly, I would try treating parasites - either Rx or herbal like Mimosa pudica. Won’t instantly stop insomnia but would likely work on it over time as you address parasites.

Maybe I’ll try the reduced melatonin bc my usual dose is over 8mg. My LLND also gave me Mirtazapine 15mg to try so as much as I don’t want to be taking pharmaceuticals - I’m desperate and might see if I can get a few days in a row with some sleep. Thanks everyone - it’s so nice(?) knowing others are in similar situations. I’m gladI found this forum.

Lunesta for sleep klonopin for anxiety

Try Doxepin 10mg (low dose 10 mg or less)

you can read the scientific research study articles, a couple of these convinced me that Doxepin 10mg or less and Trazodone 25mg or less combined at bedtime works for me...however I am wary of whenever they say, as with most SSRI's that "the exact mechanism of action is unknown..." ( ! )

https://www.mdedge.com/psychiatry/article/64062/sleep-medicine/doxepin-insomnia
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2082089/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4213269/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3763861/


Also try Cannabis of the Indica variety (or so I've heard from places where it's medically legal.)

Also Peppermint Tea (with Stevia for a sweet knockout 1-2 punch, Stevia is supposed to kill bugs too)

I can also relate to the semi-permanent sleep-deprived state you describe, it is totally not fun at all.

Post Edited (borrelioburgdorferii) : 4/19/2019 1:27:39 AM (GMT-6)

Remeron ( mirtazapine) was a life saver for me. 15 mg is very effective to knock me down, and that for 2 years now. Before taking it, I could have 9 or 10 night without any sleep, and I was crazy. The lack of sleep is terrible and nothing could help.
It did nothing for the lyme and bart depression but was amazing for my sleep.

The first few days you will be in a sort of fog, like with lyme, but it doesn t last very long.

My guess is that you are not sleeping because your cortisol levels are completely messed up. That was my issue and it's very common when our bodies are so stressed. My LLND tested me for it. The solution was simple and very effective. I took phosphatidyl serine powder by designs for health. 1/4 of a teaspoon about 45 minutes before you want to be asleep. I mixed it with a little bit of apple sauce. I also took 2 Valerian root capsules and 2 tablets of Somno pro. I'd been taking those before the testing and continued. All can be found on Amazon.

So my husband has stopped taking melatonin (been on it for years) and is just using the UDream. It is working so far. In fact he said he dreamt last night - he can’t remember the last time that happened.

He’s only taking 1/2 capsule so far.

He said with melatonin it would knock him out hard within 10 minutes of taking it but would wake in the morning quite early and not get back to sleep.
With the UDream he is falling asleep more gradually and he wakes up in the early morning but can go back to sleep.