Alternatives to benzodiazepines and ambien

[livia1881]

I have tried benadryl, ambien, triazolam for my insomnia. Currently taking clonazepam daily for anxiety. What other meds can I discuss with my doctor which are indicated for insomnia. Ambien did absoutley nothing for me. Benadryl can sometimes have the opposite effect on me and have me tossing and turning when I take more than 50 mg.'s. Since I am already taking a benzodiazepine I don't want to take another.

[Gregg D Jacobs, Ph.D.]

Trazodone or Rozerem but, in the end, none of them are a solution to insomnia because they don;t work well in the short term and stop working in the long-term. CBT is the only permanent, effective solution.

Dr. Jacobs
www.cbtforinsomnia.com

[livia1881]

Isn't Rozerem very closely related to melatonin? I've tried melatonin and valerian for insomnia. Neither with much success. Surely there are other alternatives besides trazadone and rozerem. I would like to know what they are.

[sissydearest]

Livia,

Last year I experienced sleep anxiety for 2 1/2 LONG months . . . existing on 2-3 hours of BROKEN sleep per night . . .. . .sleep meds and antidepressants didn't help.  Sought counseling, started exercising and doing things to reduce stress in my life, and  I found by reducing caffeine helped my anxiety during the day.  You migh try  relaxing with a hot shower, relaxing music, or a good book, and then just  say , I release the day and everything that happend. . .I'm going to sleep well tonight. Friend, pleasant dreams!

[allmymarbles]

You have not investigated whether or not there is an underlying problem. I had persistent insomnia for 30 years and was perpetually exhaused. I got so bad that I developed memory problems. Every doctor I went to looked for a psychological cause, so I stopped going to doctors. No sleep medication seemed to work. I discovered the cause accidentally when I developed a craving for clams. Was I was suffering from an iodine deficiency? I requested a thyroid test and was found to be hypothyroid. Bingo! I am on iodine and sleep just fine.

I am not suggesting you are hypothyroid, but any doctor you go to would do well to consider that insomnia might be merely a symptom of an undetected problem.

[livia1881]

Really? That's something I never heard of before....is iodine available OTC? I never would have though of that and I have done alot of reading on various sleep disorders. I think I have delayed sleep onset. I cannot sleep when the rest of the world is sleeping. If I am left to my own schedule (fall asleep 6a-8a sleep until 2pm) I sleep fine. It is very lonely to be only one awake but I am used to it. In my case my sleeping difficulties have not been present for 3 months, 6 months but for many years.