Tell you what scares me the most !

[Jimmy1975]

Not being able to sleep . It scares me to death because I know if I don`t sleep im in anxiety hell and a basket case..  Any ideas good people ? Jim

[Jimmy1975]

Thank you Marcatj I would appreciate that . As I said before one of my best friends is an MD and he said with only taking 2 to 3 10/500 5 times a week he doubts that I was having W/D s that long and is convinced that it put me into a major anxiety episode. I have had just two others in 10 years. Thank you again for your help   Jim

[marcatj]

I saw in your profile you struggle with anxiety.  I also saw you live in the Hollywood Hils.

I have struggled with insomnia and often times anxiety as well.  When your anxiety is really ramped up, often times things like Lunesta and Ambien don't work because they don't really address the anxiety (if that's keeping you up..)

I brought up your location because I live in Studio City.  I saw a sleep specialist about 2 years ago in Northridge.. he really helped.  I take Sonata now for sleep, but there was a period when I had extreme anxiety that I ended up taking Klonpin for sleep.

I think if this is a chronic issue it would be a good idea to be evaluated.  If you want the doc's name and # who I saw, I would be happy to give it to you.  I really liked him alot.

I am logging off now, but PLEASE post me tomorrow if you want the info.  I will be gone a good part of the day getting a medical procedure, but will be on in the afternoon...

Take care,
mj

[PromisedLand]

JImmy, if you're not wanting to go the ambien route, there's lunesta..works well but tastes terrible..and OTC stuff like Benadryl and tylenol PM..try those..at least they're cheap...and good luck.  I'll be glad to help any way I can.


Jim/BG

[Jimmy1975]

Thank you for sharing .Its a comfort to know im not just plain insane ...Again thanks  Jim

[PromisedLand]

Fortunately I don't have to worry about kids...ours are all grown...but I do have to worry about my job, a stressful customer satisfaction manager type job and being able to make things happen yesterday..over the years I got used to it, but the older i get (just turned 57..YIKES)..I find it a bit tougher to deal with.  PLus my wife works second shift and gets home around 1130 and she's all wound up as I'm ready to crash for the night...I frequently won't get to bed before 1AM and have to
be up by 730.  Fortunately, I work from home 3-4 days a week so it helps make it a little less stressful...though falling asleep at my laptop isn't too cool


Jim

[shama]

That is my big fear too!!! I am a mother of three.. 6, 3 and 11 months. Sleep is very important. I have school, preschool, and mommy and me classes, then comes cleaning the house, doing homework, cooking dinner giving baths and everything between. I am praying because I take such a small amount 1-2 5/500 that the sleeplessness wont last long. I personally refuse to take anything (maybe thats stupid) but I am so prone to getting hooked on things, even non addictive things that I wont even go there. So you are not alone. For me when I cant sleep I take a cold shower and dont even really dry off then go directly into bed. So its like going from being really cold to a nice warm inviting bed. Its helped for me. I also make such my bed a really clean cool sheets. I hope it helps. I will really pray for you to have a restful nights sleep. Good luck!!
Sara

[oxydog]

A lot of nurses who work shift work take Gravol to help them sleep.

[PromisedLand]

All of my life I've been scared of not being able to sleep.  As a kid I had frequent bouts of insomnia and as an adult it continued.  In my younger days, pot helped,
heavy drinking.  The thought (and experience) of lying in bed and not being able to sleep just freaked me out.  I'd get up and read and move around, get back to bed..and still be wide awake.  I did the benadryl thing for quite a while and it was a god send.  Tyleonol PM too (I could never understand the ads showing people taking it and leaping out of bed the next day and milking the cows, plowing the fields, painting the house all before breakfast.  I'd wake up a total zombie.

Anyway, I think that's why (along with the pain) I loved taking vicodin.  I'd KNOW I could sleep.  problem was, if i took it too close to bedtime, I'd have
HORRIBLE nightmares.  Several years ago I was going away on a business trip and I knew I couldn't go without sleeping so I was prescribed ambien.  It was wonderful..until my girlfriend (now wife) would relate to me the next day phone conversations we had and the mild (mostly) hallucinations I'd experience.

As I try to kick vicodin, I'm taking ambien again with less issues.  Perhaps the klonopin for anxiety helps with that.

I'm not sure I've ever shared this fear of not sleeping with anyone.


BG

[GA Guy]

Jim, I can only tell you what worked for me. I took Ambien CR for about 3 weeks. After the 3 weeks, I just took it as needed. I would go to bed and try to sleep. I never laid there for over 30 minutes. Then I'd get up, stir around, read something. I found that after 3 weeks or so I started to sleep normally. Now I take the Ambien CR maybe 2 times a week. I'm not going to take any starting next week. But, I have some "just in case". I think that knowing I have it here relaxes me and actually helps me get to sleep naturally. Anyway, you can try melatonin (some people swear by it), benadryl, or l-theanine. Give 'em a shot. You have nothing to loose. Hopefully you can ride it out until the Effexor kicks in. I found that Effexor kicked in faster than other antidepressants I took. One week versus a month or more with Zoloft. Hope this has been of help. I'll be praying for you...