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World's worst insomniac

by RWG, Dec 21, 2006 12:00AM
I have had insomnia for at least 25 years.  I have tried everything from biofeedback to melatonin.  I have gone to sleep clinics who have told me that I have apnea. They said I slept for 40 minutes out of 8 hours, but I don't even remember falling asleep. They gave me a CPAP machine, which makes it impossible to go to sleep.  Ambien, Sonata, etc. does nothing to help. The sleep doc then gave me Seroquel which worried me because it is a psyche med., but he promised me that this would cause sleep and help with anxiety and depression associated with insomnia.  He gave me 50mg a night plus an Ambien.  With the Ambien it makes me sleep, without it.....nothing.  I get the lousy side effects like weight gain, but no help for the problem.  If I add three full glasses of wine while I sit in the hot tub, plus the Seroquel, plus the Ambien, then I sleep.  I am at the end of my rope, and could sure use suggestions.  I have read that Seroquel does wonders for people with insomnia, but not me.  Anyone with an idea, Please Help.
Member Comments (5)

by nervous_nikki, Dec 21, 2006 12:00AM
To: RWG
hi there



do you incorporate any exercise into your lifestyle?



also, can you elaborate a little on diet, activites, and any current recreational/prescription drug use?



I know this sounds very elementary however I am a nurse and it would be helpful to have this info to help

by RWG, Dec 21, 2006 12:00AM
Yep, I swim about a mile and a half a day.  I take no recreational drugs, other than a glass of wine or two to help with the sleep.  I am male, 6'4", 220 lbs. but I'm sure with the Seroquel the weight will go higher.  I have tried SSRI's (Zoloft and Lexapro) but after only two doses, I had anxiety through the roof, and it lasted at least a month so there is no way I will take another SSRI.  Maybe I am on too low of a dose for my size.  Other than the SSRI's, I have usually had a high tolerance for meds.  I am not bi-polar, schitzo, or anything other than an insomniac.

by RWG, Dec 22, 2006 12:00AM
Sorry, I shouldn't have used the word schitzo, I didn't mean to be insensitive to other's conditions.

by RWG, Dec 30, 2006 12:00AM
Can anyone tell me if Seroquel has helped with their insomnia? Is 50mg enough for a person that is 6'4" and over 220 lbs.?  It is doing nothing for me. When I take it with a few glasses of wine and sit in the hot tub, then I usually fall asleep, but I wake up shaking and jittery, totally unable to relax.  I don't know if that is the Seroquel or me.  If anyone knows anything about this, please give me some information

by JustMe7, Jan 10, 2008 01:58PM
I can't comment specifically on your situation, as everyone reacts differently to every med, due to biochemical/physiological differences. I will say that i'd spent just about my entire life never having slept a full night. I was in a continuous state of sleep deprivation, which had significant effects on my overall functioning, my moods, and even my blood sugar levels. I had gone for treatment for depression, which has been ongoing as well, and combined with severe ADHD (diagnosed), the lack of a healthy sleep pattern was wearing thin at age 40. By chance, the prescribing NP happened to ask how my sleep was, to which I responded "its never been good, i've never slept an entire night in my life". She originally prescribed Ambien, which lost its efficacy with a week or so. Finally, she gave me Seroquel, which has changed my life. I'm on a relatively low dose (75-100mg at night), but even now, after several months, it works just as well as it did when I started. Weight gain? Yes, I have gained a bit, but was underweight to begin with and I feel the gain and subsequent increase in energy are worth a few pounds.
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