Insomnia - i'm at my wits end!!!!

[Emmajt]

I've suffered with Insmonia now on and off for about 5 years. I'm going through a rough patch again at the mo - had about 10 hours kip this week in total.

I've tried every way of getting to sleep known to man, baths, warm milk, lavender oil, yoga, breathing, thinking of nothing even prescription drugs and alcohol.

Rather than go to the doctors and get prescribed Tamazapan (sp??) again, i'd like to try the 'herbal' route if i could.

Ideally i'd like to NOT have to take anything, to NOT cry with frustration at 2 in the morning, to NOT have to sleep in the spare room (just to be able to get 2 hours max) but i've now resigned myself to the fact that this is probably not going to happen.

God i can't even remember what is was like to go to sleep when i go to bed!!

I'm now looking into 5-HTP - which is supposed to increase your seratonin level in the brain which will improve sleep and help with mild depression.

Depression is also something i suffer with, and this probably has something to do with my sleep problems - even though i don't actually feel that depressed at the mo??

But by the fact that i'm not getting sleep, is making me depressed - viscious circle eh!!

Anyway, i was just wondering if anyone had any experience with this, did it work, any side effects??

 

[Urban Geek]

Oh Em, you do have my sympathy. I went through a bad time a few years ago and was prescribed anti depressants. However, I wasn't told that they would make me sweat. I was in the desert - always a large bottle of watter to hand. Looking back, I don't know how I got to work. It all seems a daze and a very blurred memory. I wouldn't recommend anyone taking anti-depressants without knowing the possible side effects.

If you don't get your sleep, you are all the weaker the following day and EVERYTHING is so magnified, in particular your problems and you are unable to think clearly. I just can't function as well without a good night's sleep.

When you have problems and are struggling to get through the day, the gym is the last thing on your mind. However, I think it is the best way to get rid of your stresses. It might be a big struggle for you but do try to go to the gym or swimming and hopefully it will help.

Keep your chin up and hopefully, the world will be a brighter place for you soooooooon.:hug: :hug: :hug:

 

[Lady H]

Im taking anti depressants and Im always boiling hot, maybe thats it then! I am also having trouble sleeping but thats the only other side effect. My doctor advises this should settle down in another month or so. Anyway I read to make my eyes more tired. It still takes me ages to get to sleep but thats probably cos I have so much on my mind right now! I have been told that a routine is the best thing to have, like set a time to go to bed, if you have a warm bath do this at the same time each night, then if you read for half an hour, try and do it for the same amount of time each night, etc, so eventually your body will be familiar with the routine and once you start off with the bath it starts to prepare you for sleep. Im gonna try this as it seems sensible.

 

[Emmajt]

I've been down the on anti depressents route before - been off them for 2 years now. The side effects i got apart from the shakes was insomnia. I had it before taking them, which led to my GP telling me i was depressed - like i needed him to tell me - i bl**dy knew i was!

I've tried the routine thing as well, but all it seems to do is magnify the fact that i'm trying to get ready for bed, so my brain decides it's not. I get myself all stressed out about the fact that i should be getting tired and i'm not, or by the fact that i'm having a bath to relax me, but it's not working, it's catch 22.

I go running 3 times a week at the mo, go 1st thing in the morning (6am - yes i am mad!!), the reason i changed to morning was because i found i was still buzzing afterwards for ages if i did it in the evening.

I've tried going for a walk in some fresh air and daylight.

But in the end it all comes down to the same thing every night, but 9pm i'm starting to think "will i sleep tonight"? and then the whole cycle starts again.

I look sh*te at the mo, i'm so tired i could fall asleep at my desk - and i just know that this time tonight i'll have eyes wide open and 3 million thoughts going round my brain - it's not even that i'm thinking of anything inperticular - just anything and everything!

 

[Lady H]

yes hun I am the same at the mo, just lie there thinking "right helen, stop thinking and go to sleep, and then i lie and try to drift off, but after 15 mins I feel the need to turn over and lie on my other side and then I start again, and then thoughts just invade my mind, lol its horrible isnt it?I put the telly off at 10 last night determined to get to sleep before 1am but it didnt work

 

[Emmajt]

yes hun I am the same at the mo, just lie there thinking "right helen, stop thinking and go to sleep, and then i lie and try to drift off, but after 15 mins I feel the need to turn over and lie on my other side and then I start again, and then thoughts just invade my mind, lol its horrible isnt it?I put the telly off at 10 last night determined to get to sleep before 1am but it didnt work

I'm exactly the same, i start getting palpitations (sp?) too. My heart is pounding that hard i think it's going to pop out my chest. I last looked at the clock at 3.30 this morning and that was when i'd got up and made up a makeshift bed on the floor in the front room - not exactly my idea of a comfy bed.

 

[nailcouture]

I suffer from depression as well, was diagnosed NOv04. But have been advised that i have probably been suffering most of my life.

Anyhow i suffer with the sweats and the insomnia too.............I know this sounds mad but i tried the Molton Brown yuang Zhi...had it in the bath and then used the body lotion afterwards. I am telling you on the real i had my first 5 hours of full sleep in months. I thought it was a fluke, but then i tried it again, and it worked for me.

You can get a good deal on it from qvc, but just try it. It is specifically blended to promote relaxation and sleep.

It's nice to know that I am not the only one living with this disease.

:Love:

 

[Lady H]

oooh thats always worth a try, at worst we have some lush new molton brown smellies lol. I like the sanctuary spa range from boots, I make sure I only use them at night and it does relax me but I cant say it makes me go to sleep earlier, just feel more comfortable in my own skin if that makes sense.

 

[Emmajt]

I suffer from depression as well, was diagnosed NOv04. But have been advised that i have probably been suffering most of my life.

Anyhow i suffer with the sweats and the insomnia too.............I know this sounds mad but i tried the Molton Brown yuang Zhi...had it in the bath and then used the body lotion afterwards. I am telling you on the real i had my first 5 hours of full sleep in months. I thought it was a fluke, but then i tried it again, and it worked for me.

You can get a good deal on it from qvc, but just try it. It is specifically blended to promote relaxation and sleep.

It's nice to know that I am not the only one living with this disease.

:Love:

My mum suffers with depression too - she's actually diagnosed as being a manic depressive. Constantly seem to have a break down and has to go into hospital - she's been doing it all my life. She has to have ECT (the shock treatment) when it gets too bad - so i suppose the likelyhood of me getting it was pretty high eh!.

I'll have a look on QVC and see what i can find, i'd love to be able to try this method to the tablet method - i mean having to take a tablet to get to sleep can't be right can it!!

Thanks hun

 

[Lady H]

No, i was petrified that the doctor wouldprescribe me sleeping tablets when I went on monday but they havent as I dont want to go down that route.

 

[nailsbydesign]

Have you tried any of the following?

Natracalm and Natraslee (herbal cures, most chemists have them and superdrug))...I use these and they do work for me.
Kalms
Coffea (SP?) this is a homepathic cure based on coffee which you take as drops.

Cut out caffeine completely you can get decaffeinated tea as well, as coffee....caffeine stops you sleeping. HTH

 

[nailcouture]

I actually don't drink tea anymore. I drink herbal ones like nettle tea etc.

Also i found that the anti depresants have a great affect on how my digestion works. So i have a colonic most months and that assits me.

I think you just have to try most things and see how you go.

 

[Lady H]

which ones are you on if you dont mind me asking?

 

[nailcouture]

you can ask me anything you like hunny, i can choose to answer or not .lol

Im on Efexor*XL 75 miligrams. The doc said that they are quite a new tablet, i had tried others but just couldnt get on with them.

The only thing that i find hard is that when i try and have relations with my very frustrated but supporting partner, i cant feel anything down there if you know what i mean.

Do you guys have the same problem?:Love:

 

[Lady H]

im on citalopram 20mg but have to go for a review in april and probably increase the strength. I dont have loss of feeling in that department but I do want it less. Maybe thats the depression tho and not the tablets

 

[Emmajt]

The only thing that i find hard is that when i try and have relations with my very frustrated but supporting partner, i cant feel anything down there if you know what i mean.

Do you guys have the same problem?:Love:

A big fat YES!!!!

That's one of the reasons i was determined to come off them. i can't quite remember what i was on - Sertraline - or something like that. But that had exactly the same effect on me. What a joy that was for 2 years - NOT!!!!

I've tried Kalms, natrasleep, valarian etcc to get me to sleep and although they work initailly, i find i still have problems after a few weeks - it's like i get used to them and build up a tolerance to them.

Plus the 'hangover' effect the next day is awful - don't mind it if i've had a drink and it's self inflicted

 

[Lady H]

thats why I dont wanna go on sleeping tablets hun. Its bad enough not drinking but would be even worse waking up with a hangover when I had no pleasure of getting drunk in the 1st place lol

 

[Emmajt]

im on citalopram 20mg but have to go for a review in april and probably increase the strength. I dont have loss of feeling in that department but I do want it less. Maybe thats the depression tho and not the tablets

Ironic isn't it.

Your put on anti depressents to help with depression, then get depressed cause you can't sleep, have sweats and lose feeling 'down there' etc...

Sod law eh!!

 

[Emmajt]

thats why I dont wanna go on sleeping tablets hun. Its bad enough not drinking but would be even worse waking up with a hangover when I had no pleasure of getting drunk in the 1st place lol

i know it's not the answer, but it's just so tempting just so i could get some sleep.

 

[nailcouture]

I was on those to begin with and i just couldnt ignore the side affects that i had with them. I just felt like i was a permanent zombie, mins you i was on more than 20 mg.

I think you have to combine traditional as well as conventional when dealing with a lot of illnesses.

You just have to take time out for yourself and learn to put yourself first.

A lot of us sufferes are in this mess predicament for loads of various reasons, but one of the biggest ones is that we are too busy looking after everyone else, and forget to put ourselves on the list. It sounds stupid, but i dont know how to put myself first..............but i have promised myself in 2006 its going to be different. I have to do something about it or im just going to feel like this for ever.

I have also promised that i will not put up with people that are not adding to my life..i have always had people taking from me in emotional terms all my life and it has to stop, so im not doing it anymore unless i make a concious decsision to do so.:Love: