Sleeping aids

[el_dave]

Hi peoples. Back again, sorry. I see that you good folks know something about sleeping problems. I've had those for years. Can't get to sleep, then in the morning don't want to wake up. I don't mean I don't get "unsleepy", I mean  consciousness isn't to be desired. That's a different thing. Anyway, what I do is take 2 over the counter sleep aid pills (50 mg of the stuff that puts the "PM" in Tylenol PM), 2 ounces of Nyquil, one Lunesta or Sonata (whichever I can lay hands upon), and one 1 mg Xanax (but not every night, to avoid addiction). When I can take all of it, ninety five percent of the time I sleep within an hour or an hour and a half. Without the xanax it still works about half of the time. The trouble is that I have it from reliable sources that I'm going to wind up some sort of liver impaired invalid if it keeps up, and become even more of a burden to my already long suffering wife. So I was wondering if you more experienced folks could tell me if there's not some sleep agent I could ask the VA people about that's powerful enough to work, yet leaves one able to function when awake, and doesn't do damage to a persons liver or other organs. If folks who have experience in this could give me the benfit of it, I'd sure appreciate it. Thank you.

[el_dave]

I'm not too bright. Seems to me you're saying that a cumulative effect over the years I've been knocking myself out every night has somehow led to the loss of will to fight, thus the will to live? See, as surprising as it is to me, I've told folks here personal things that I believe are valid reasons for a person to be depressed. The depression isn't the mystery to me, that's natural. But I've been so much worse off, myself.. heck, I've been in a rain forest digging for tubers to feed an eight year old daughter, with another daughter having broken our hearts, both of us (my wife and I) addicted to crack, dealers looking for me to take my kneecaps,  and no visible way out of any of it. Naturally, that was "depressing", but what I did was refuse to submit, walked away from the crack with my wife firmly in hand, schemed a way to get us back to the U.S. of A. kneecaps intact,  reestablished a loving relationship with our eldest, and helped Kiddo build us an actual life again. That's only one of the holes I've gotten myself or us into and dug us back out of, and have never been busted (though had to leave the country for seven years.. statute of limitations, heh heh) or spent a moment with any sort of therapist or analyst prior to whatever number of weeks ago it was that Mom and Kiddo forced me to go. I've always simply refused to submit. Is it actually possible that  the mix I use to knock myself out has suppressed the will to overcome whatever life throws at me or us? If my sleeping mix is what turned me from being a man into a weeping old grandma, then I can take heart in what Hensley258 is telling me, and maybe my family can have Papa back, maybe the boxer a la Simon & Garfunkel could stand up again. You folks are all so supportive, why do you have so much love in you?   Thank you, I'll investigate Immovane as well. I'm supposed to see the guy tomorrow. This "seeking help" is an entirely new experience for me, one I've always been very proud to have remained "above", but you folks here are making me realize what I've robbed myself of. Me so very hungry, this extra large double cheese and pepperoni pizza right there in front of me, and I've never before reached out and grabbed a slice.  

[ParamedFlorena]

Hi!

(Your nickname is so catchy! I see you've found some great comfort here. It's so great when that happens! I'm so glad you've found each other guys. Now I didn't want to interrupt....)

No doc in the world gives me sleeping aids, that's only a precaution. Sigh. I had needed it at times since coping gets easier when you actually can say one morning that you slept all right.

It goes at 3 hours one night, nothing the other and I start sleeping during the day and end up with a sleep marathon lasting 18 hours. Sigh, that's how life is!
Recently my husband got Immovane (SA) to manage his job. He sleeps at work, at a boat so it's only to help him get into that routine...
I broke all the way down and took half an Immovane the other night - honestly used another one's medications (bad me!!!) but I could for no wind in the world fall asleep and the clock was 2:30, 3:30 4:45... Stress, yep. I've slept poorly a long while this time...

The effect of Immovane works 30 minutes, it works great. For me at least. The morning after you have only a few hang-over sensations but they're gone fast. It is at least fair to know that it exists. Many times the reasons for not being able to fall asleep is in not being able to stop the train of thoughts. Sigh.

It is probably the cocktail El Dave! One pill for the pain, one for this and one for that... It is maybe not too much for your CNS, but the long term effect does go on your liver - which causes more pain. Be careful to not add too many things together there.
I love seeing you here on the boards! You've got that humor too, the one that'd make someone glare silent for a few sceonds before it broke out in tears of laughter.

Hang in there El Dave!
Florena

[Jade59]

To see you say, "I'll bet tomorrow I'll actually want to wake up, just to come in here and see what you good folks have to say" shows the power of this forum and warms my heart more than you will ever know.  

And, I want you to remember that YOU are one of those "good folks" Dave, and I'm really glad you're here.

Goodnight...

[el_dave]

Yah, I took all that junk at 12 and it's now 1300 and I'm about to keel over. Sonata or lunesta both work for me, ambien did too when that's what I could get. But only when mixed with the other stuff.  Folks have told me that my 'cocktail' is going to make my liver fail and that that's a very painful death. The death part doesn't bother me, but I don't want my last awareness to be one of pain. I want my last awareness to be of my sweetling on one hand and my wife on the other, and making them understand that it's not a bad thing that's happening. But so far no luck. Maybe that traxedone stuff, if it doesn't do the congestion thing. Wanna know something funny? I'll bet tomorrow I'll actually want to wake up, just to come in here and see what you good folks have to say. It's been longer than I can remember since I actually wanted to wake up. You people are good people. G'night all. I'm going to go dream of a world where pride and arrogance and greed aren't appreciated, and love has value. Dreams are good.

P.S. I didn't mean to put in two requests for the same info. I thought this one hadn't gone through. My apologies to all.

[xanweaner]

I've used Ambien for sleep several periods of time over the years, and carefully weaned myself off after things settled down. I would break the 10 mg. in half and found it quite effective. I get at least 7 good hours of sleep with it.

This "cocktail" that you've put together has to stop. Ask you prescribing Dr. for a good sleep aid - not everyone responds well to Sonata.

[Hensley258]

That's too much medication Dave. The key to correcting your sleep problem is by correcting your clinical depression.

Before I was correctly treated for severe depression and anxiety dissorder, I too was exausted, but could not sleep at night. This is a very common symptom of depression.

It's hard to sleep when your mind is racing and anxiety rules. A good antidepressant can correct that problem.