Good Morning Janice,
Well sweetie, I was in your shoes with the sleep problems, anxiety, and depression and the whole nine yards back in 2005. That is when I had what I refer to as my meltdown.
I will never know what set it off but it happened and I was working fulltime too. I had to get up a 5:30 AM. I was not able to fall asleep and the harder I tried the worse it got, the thoughts spinning in my head........the what ifs? What if I cannot get to sleep then how can I work in the morning with no sleep.
I would toss and turn and worry and then I would cry and my hubby would come and try giving me massages to help me calm down and I would for a bit only to have the thoughts start spinning out of control again.
I would often not fall asleep until 3:00 AM and then boom the alarm went off and I was back in tears again as my mind and body were exhausted.
Well I went through this for about 3 months and my FP started me on Ativan for the anxiety and sleep. The med did work but I still could not get past my fears and that is when I decided it must be the work and the stress of the job so I decided to take early retirement.
How dumb was I when I had short term and long term disability...........but I knee jerked and retired from the job I really loved only to fall into a deeper depression.
I had isolated myself. I also was now drawing my pension 3 years sooner then I had planned............and of course you know what happened to the market...........so I made some not so good choices but I did them out of desparation.
Please do talk with your therapist re how you are feeling and get out those feelings on the table. Remember that talking about your problem is a good thing. A problem shared is a problem halved.
If you have disability insurance, consider using that.........be good to yourself.
My FP asked me one time a long time ago when I had trouble with sleeping, "what is the worse thing that could happen if you don't sleep".............nothing, your body will sleep when it is ready.
That was years before the meltdown.
I now use Trazodone for sleep, 100 mg which is low dose and it works well for me. I could not remain on the high dose of Ativan forever.
I know of many others who have good success with Trazodone. The first couple of nights it did not seem to work, but the third night it kicked in. This is a drug with a wide dosing range so there is lots of room to increase the dose to make it specific for you. You may want to talk with your FP re this med.
The following dietary supplements may also be helpful in promoting sleep:
A multivitamin daily, containing the antioxidant vitamins A, C, E, the B-complex vitamins, and trace minerals such as magnesium, calcium, zinc, and selenium.
Omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish oil, 1 - 2 capsules or 1 tbsp. oil one to three times daily, to help decrease inflammation and help with mental balance.
Coenzyme Q10, 100 - 200 mg at bedtime, for antioxidant, immune, and muscular support.
5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), 50 mg two to three times daily, for mood stabilization and sleep improvement.
L-theanine, 200 mg one to three times daily, for nervous system support.
Melatonin, 1 - 6 mg one hour before bedtime, for sleep and immune protection. Please ask your FP about potential prescription interactions if you choose to add any of these supplements.
The migraines, I have never had one................but I have seen many people in nasty pain with these headaches. Are you using Imitrex or any meds for the migraines?
OK, well I have written a novel but I doubt it will make the New York Times Best Seller's list.
Please know I am right here and always have you on my mind and in my heart...........wish you well,
Hugs
Kitt