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MEDS BUT CANNOT SLEEP

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Posted 2/17/2008 7:32 AM (GMT 0)
Greetings all,

I have taken seroquel, risperdal, trazadone, temazepam, otc sleep meds over the years and last week the doc put me on amitritylline and oxazepam for sleep. What usually happens is that after night 3 they do not work anymore. This is very frustrating as my eyes are burning and red yet no sleep to the brain. I find that I develop tolerance to these drugs easily.

Does anyone here have a similar problem or solution to share?

Getting there.

PS: Its now 2:45am here sad

Posted 2/17/2008 2:32 PM (GMT 0)
maybe try a sleep clinic?  Good luck and God bless; there is nothing worse than not being able to sleep!

Posted 2/17/2008 3:10 PM (GMT 0)

Hey, good morning.  I am sorry your having trouble sleeping..........wondering what your doses are on some of those meds.  You may be able to move up the dose on some. 
I am not a fan of amitritylline but prefer Pamelor (nortryptyline). I had chest pains and a racing heart from amitritylline but that was just me.

Another choice may be Vistaril (hydroxyzine) instead of the trycyclic med. I have used 100 mg of Vistaril with my Trazdone and it has worked.

These are just my own personal experiences and please remember I am not a professional.
I wish you are night of rest and sleep.
Hugs
Kitt 

Posted 2/17/2008 3:10 PM (GMT 0)
Klonopin really worked for me, I had severe issues with this as well. Then amitriptilyne also worked but made me puff up like a blow fish. Try 1mg Klonopin. Sleep clinics (I went to one) will just tell you to read books on "Sleep Hygine", which is useless if your brain chemistry is off. Serotonin is very important in regulating sleep.
Posted 2/17/2008 10:53 PM (GMT 0)
Hi GettingThere,not being able to sleep is so da.........n frustrating! I've been there! Especially if you have to go to wrok early.I had that problem alot when i was taking zoloft.I used xanax and hydroxizine to help me and sometimes still woke up in the middle of the night and had to take more.NOw on the Celexa i dont have it as much.You may need to go to a DR that specializes in sleep deprivation.It may be a medical reason why you cant sleep.I'm sure they would be able to help you some.Until then i hope you find a solution because that can be frustrating and unhealthy! Let us know waht you find out!
Posted 2/18/2008 6:48 PM (GMT 0)
Hey there,
Hope you slept last night.  If not I hope your napping now. :-)
Kitt
Posted 2/18/2008 7:48 PM (GMT 0)

frar said...
maybe try a sleep clinic?  Good luck and God bless; there is nothing worse than not being able to sleep!

Thanks frar. I have tried sleep clinic twice and they diagnose insomnia due to chronic depression. True its painful not being able to sleep.
Posted 2/18/2008 7:52 PM (GMT 0)

stkitt said...

Hey, good morning.  I am sorry your having trouble sleeping..........wondering what your doses are on some of those meds.  You may be able to move up the dose on some. 
I am not a fan of amitritylline but prefer Pamelor (nortryptyline). I had chest pains and a racing heart from amitritylline but that was just me.

Another choice may be Vistaril (hydroxyzine) instead of the trycyclic med. I have used 100 mg of Vistaril with my Trazdone and it has worked.

These are just my own personal experiences and please remember I am not a professional.
I wish you are night of rest and sleep.
Hugs
Kitt 

Hi Kitt, thanks for responding. The doses are where my signature is. I was on Remeron but the sam thing happened so the pdoc changed it to amitriptylline. He is an impatient man but at my next visit I will talk this over and make some suggestions to him.
Posted 2/18/2008 7:55 PM (GMT 0)

badgenetics1 said...
Klonopin really worked for me, I had severe issues with this as well. Then amitriptilyne also worked but made me puff up like a blow fish. Try 1mg Klonopin. Sleep clinics (I went to one) will just tell you to read books on "Sleep Hygine", which is useless if your brain chemistry is off. Serotonin is very important in regulating sleep.

Hi badgenetics, I have put on 10 lbs in the last month when I already needed to lose 50 lbs. amitriptylline does that. I also did sleep clinic twice and the doc there prescribed amitriptylline but I never took it then.Thanks and have a good day.
Posted 2/18/2008 7:58 PM (GMT 0)

Panike said...
Hi GettingThere,not being able to sleep is so da.........n frustrating! I've been there! Especially if you have to go to wrok early.I had that problem alot when i was taking zoloft.I used xanax and hydroxizine to help me and sometimes still woke up in the middle of the night and had to take more.NOw on the Celexa i dont have it as much.You may need to go to a DR that specializes in sleep deprivation.It may be a medical reason why you cant sleep.I'm sure they would be able to help you some.Until then i hope you find a solution because that can be frustrating and unhealthy! Let us know waht you find out!

Panike you know exactly how it is. When working I used to always take the evening or night shift. I take the celexa in the morning with xanax and it helps me to get some sleep in the mornings. Have a good day.

Posted 2/18/2008 8:07 PM (GMT 0)

stkitt said...
Hey there,
Hope you slept last night.  If not I hope your napping now. :-)
Kitt

Hi Kitt, the same thing happened last night. I took 10mgs more of the amitrip and 1mg xanax. Its a good thing I dont have to get up and go to work in the mornings. Have a good day.

Posted 2/18/2008 11:06 PM (GMT 0)

I am sorry that you are still not sleeping.  Couple of questions and you do not need to feel obligated to answer.  At my lowest point with my depression and anxiety I could not sleep and had to get up at 5:30 AM for work.  I could be sobbing at 3:00 AM because all I had done was toss and turn.  If I did doze off I woke up when my hubby came to bed and he would be snoring in 5 minutes while I tossed and turned in anxiety.

He started sleeping in the spare bedroom which did hlep some so wondering if that may be a problem for you?

He was very supportive and understanding.  Now that I have retired early from my career it is ok if I don't sleep, don't have to get up at 5:30AM.  So early retirement did not cure the depression and anxiety but it took away the sleep anxiety.

Many gentle hugs to you.
Kitt

Posted 2/19/2008 2:28 AM (GMT 0)
HI GettingThere I hope you have gotten some proper rest since the last itme we talked! I just thought i'd drop in to check on you, hopefully like Kitt said you are napping now! Hope to hear from you soon with good news!!!
Posted 2/19/2008 3:33 AM (GMT 0)
Not sleeping and being itchy are my 2 worst feelings. Pain is better. Pain is easier to treat in most people but sleeping issues are4 horrible.
I have just started atarax at night for sleep(itching fromsome reaction is why I started). It seems to help me alot, as long as I take enough..
Hope you can get some real restorative sleep soon.
Posted 2/19/2008 7:11 AM (GMT 0)
Hi kitt, I am still not sleeping. I live alone with my 13 almost 14 yearold daughter. I dont like sleeping with anyone because I am always tossing and turning and I dont want to disturb the other person. Its now 2 am and no sleep. I am now shaking in the joints...not literally but the sensation is there and this happens when I am sleep deprived. Then there is the awful sensation like my lower limbs are falling off my body so I have to clasp my hands around my legs while in a foetal position to feel better.

Panike dearest, no sleep for me. I did not even nap today. I even took an extra amitrip, the oxazepam and a xanax which is not prescribed for bedtime and still nothing. I dont want to continue upping the dose cause I can overdose on the cocktail of drugs. I dont see my psycdoc till 7 weeks.

Sharann you are so right that pain is easier to treat than insomnia. It seem like for me to sleep I have to take heavy doses of these meds and that will be trouble. Now I understand how some persons accidentally overdose on Rx drugs and end up dying. I guess its just another of those nights (sigh)
Posted 2/21/2008 5:29 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Getting There:  I know that you are probably going to think I'm ridiculous when I ask this but.................... do you have the time or is there anyway that you could tire yourself out physically during the day?  Maybe doing a little bit of exercise such as a brief aerobic workout, dancing to music or even a walk?  I know that you are having issues with the shakes and getting out of bed, but if you could get moving even a little maybe it might help.  Also, have you tried taking warm baths at night or reading yourself to sleep?  I don't have any answers to this, but maybe between this and the meds it might take some of the edge off so you could even get a little sleep?

And if this sounds totally off the wall, I apologize.  It's just a thought.

I wish you the best.

Cass

Posted 2/21/2008 10:31 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Cassandra,

There is nothing ridiculous about your suggestion. In fact they are real good suggestions. I have taken a warm bath in the past and it helps, I have also read a book and fall asleep. I cannot walk for more than 10 mins due to pain in left leg. I did 40 mins of dancing last night and felt good and did sleep better. So I will go back to doing some of those things. thanks a lot.

GT
Posted 2/21/2008 11:38 PM (GMT 0)
Oh GettingThere,I thought by now you would have found a solution.I wish i knew something to tell you to do.Cassandra gave you some good suggestions.I didn't sleep last night myself but i know why.It is because i lost my job and i was worried! But now that i feel a little better about it hopefully i will be able to sleep tonight! Honey i just dont know what to tell you and you said you dont go to the DR until 7 weeks! Thats a long time to be going without sleep or any answers to why you cant sleep. I'm also worried about you taking so much medication,like you said that can cause problems within itself.Please be careful with taking so much meds! I dont know if you said it or not but have you tried anything over the counter or are you worried about reactions to your prescribed meds?
Posted 2/22/2008 5:20 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Getting There.  I am so glad that you were able to dance and then get some sleep.  My therapist for years has been telling me to do this and I have found the few times that I have done this that it really works (as you can see, I really do need to listen to her more and follow her advice more regularly!)  She has also told me to have  music on in the background because it can do a lot to improve your mood.  This is one that I have regularly followed and I do feel that it can make a difference.

I am so glad that it helped.  I know that when we are sleep deprived it makes everything so much worse!

Take care,

Cass

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