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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

sleepness nights have tried everything from...

L

ldawg616

Bluelighter
Joined
Jan 25, 2012
Messages
261
Location
houston tx
ive tried everything from seroquel trazodone ambien lunesta for sleep and nothign works. I have ptsd and im prescribed for anxiety 1mg of xanax twice a day and 50mg of atarax 3 times a day, my problem is that my sleep has gone to complete shit and i dont knw where else to turn when it comes to insomnia im just sooo anxious all the time.

Does anyone knowhat he might give me if these problems persist?
 
AMINO ACIDS!

Two in particular will help this exponentially. 5HTP/L-Tryptophan (one or both) and L-Theanine

Tryptophan will restore serotonin balance in your brain, promoting relaxation and restful sleep.

Theanine will increase GABA transmission in your brain, lessening anxiety and promoting alpha brain waves.

Winning solution. Easy. Naturality.
 
ldawg616 said:
1mg of xanax twice a day and 50mg of atarax 3 times a day, my problem is that my sleep has gone to complete shit
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Sure you can't sleep well with all that shit. Benzos are known to destroy phases of deep sleep and atarax could not be helpful for deep sleep too. As I know, no drugs are helpful for healthy peaceful sleep.
You may try a glass wine or 0,5 l bier, together with this prescription it should make you tired, but don't abuse alcohol - in lager amounts it can destroy your sleep completely.
You also may suggest to change atarax to promethazine.
 
^Benzos would induce sleep, but effectively reduce time spent in REM phase, reducing quality of sleep drastically.

Maybe, maaybe a short-acting hypnotic. But it sounds like OP has been down that road.
 
Personally I don't like the anti-psychotics very much, they actually destroy sleep architecture and would probably make things worst for you in the long run. I think they should only be used for they're intended for, controlling psychosis.

Benzodiazepines are shown to do the same to sleep architecture as Venrak mentioned, so I would limit their use to combating anxiety.

I ran out of options myself from having insomnia caused by opioid withdrawal, until I had pregabalin and hydroxyzine. I've tried every single thing to put me down, and this has been the only one to work like a charm. I assume gabapentin would be effective in combination with a anti-histamine as well.

Insomnia really destroys quality of life and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. It's an absolute struggle dealing with it. Good luck.
 
Chromophobia said:
Personally I don't like the anti-psychotics very much, they actually destroy sleep architecture and would probably make things worst for you in the long run. I think they should only be used for they're intended for, controlling psychosis.

Benzodiazepines are shown to do the same to sleep architecture as Venrak mentioned, so I would limit their use to combating anxiety.

I ran out of options myself from having insomnia caused by opioid withdrawal, until I had pregabalin and hydroxyzine. I've tried every single thing to put me down, and this has been the only one to work like a charm. I assume gabapentin would be effective in combination with a anti-histamine as well.

Insomnia really destroys quality of life and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. It's an absolute struggle dealing with it. Good luck.
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The bold is so true.

Regarding the rest of the posts, I would rather - and recommend - enabling some sleep induced through benzodiazepines, however compromised REM phase might be, than no sleep or much less than would be obtained without clinically prescribed administration of benzos. If Seroquel didn't knock you out, I don't know what to suggest. Keep at it with your Psychiatrist, add some heavy resistance training to your life, keep prandially free within <2 hours of sundown and obtain plenty of exposure to natural UV light (sun) during appropriate hours 10am-4pm.

I found natural therapies a waste of time (Melatonin, etc) and am still battling my own insomnia, which makes life amazingly difficult and impossible to explain to those who have not suffered its wroth.
 
If you have already tried Melatonin, try again with tryptophan or 5htp. My doctor recommends taking melatonin in the early evening, 3-6 hours before bedtime, to relax for a period. I take 2mg guanfacine (ADHD prescription) in the early evening and melatonin directly before bed, however, if I were not also using guanfacine and instead using melatonin alone, I would probably take it in the evening. Guanfacine doesn't make me sleepy, it does calm me down, and I didn't find melatonin to be very effective before I started taking guanfacine. Kind of like guanfacine, marijuana can make me relax and prepare for sleep without necessarily making me sleepy. Also, I find that being on an stimulant during the day can make me more tired by bedtime. And make sure you're not hungry. I can't ever sleep if I'm hungry.
 
Ever tried Prazosin? It really helps with PTSD related nightmares and generally helps you get back to sleep quickly if something does wake you up!
 
there's a fairly new drug (less than a decade on the market) ramelteon which is a melatonin receptor agonist which could be helpful
 
I read somewhere that prazosin should be taken with 2 other meds I believe to counter-act side effects, so I never took ir. Has any tried ramelteon(rozerem). I am sorry to be annoying but where would one aquire tryptophan or 5htp. Do I need to talk to my psychiatrist about it. Thank you for your help.
 
nAON said:
Ever try melatonin?
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^This.
I'd try tasimelteon or ramelteon, or even agomelatine (don't know which might be available in the OP's country)
And add some indirect or soft GABAergic, such as pregabalin. I'm a ardent believer that direct or PAM GABAergics are terrible for insomnia even in the short run.
I'm convinced Zaleplon is the BEST for starting sleep withouth disrupting it because of it's half-life of 1 hour. If the OP suffers more from middle of night insomnia or if he can't sleep at all then a stronger benzo would be in order, such as temazepam.
I feel clonidine would be worth a try too, maybe even phenobarb if he can't sleep at all.
Good luck!
 
Ive tried melatonin that ltheane or however you pronounce it...seroquel mades me over sleep from one day to the next I can even feel ambien, not even 30mg! Trazodone is shit, it just doesnt relax me into sleep, my friend thinks i should be on temazepan ans get off the atarax because thats too much. He said it would help him relax and the next thing he knew it was the nextddsy. I dont think my doctor would prescribe that to me, but at the same time shit like ambien wouldn't work, seroquel will give me too much of a hangeover feeling the next day. Ive tried lunesta but that didnt work. I know that temmazepan is a last ditch effort kinda pill but it seems like the only pill i hear that can work for people with my situation. Im completly shut off from society, i can't go outside anymore not even to my car without panicking......im scared man! i wasnt in the military my abuse was from 4years old culminating the end of my abuser or at least his violent behaivor at 11 years old. the only places i can go are to my doctors because i cant handle the pressure of being around normal people. Im going to start ptsd therapy and if i can affor it ill go to a residential treatment syndrome any other suggestions? Im not asking how to get a script just recomendations. Ive tried clonodine b4 no use at all
 
Hey man 5-HTP is really helping my insomnia from coming off opiates. Better than trazodone or clonidine, not too mention it has really helped my mood and appetite. Strongly recommended.
 
sorry brother, but your tolerance to pills and abuse of pills for the past some years means that pills will never "truly work" for you.

it is time to try alternatives before swallowing and more tablets and capsules. seriously investigate your diet and exercise 3-4 times a week for atleast 15-20mins. try CBT. try therapy, there is so much out there besides drugs man. the drugs are like a band-aid, they temporarily cover up the symptoms; however there is a false bottom my friend! more pills leads to more pills i can tell you that!

i empathize with you because i go through similar PTSD/anxiety/social anxiety or whatever you what to call it, i have anxiety and it sometimes it is extremely difficult to hit the "off" button for my brain when i am trying to sleep. pills work for only so long, then they stop working if you take them daily, and you end up worse than you started! hah! life is a bitch, and then we all die!
 
laCster said:
sorry brother, but your tolerance to pills and abuse of pills for the past some years means that pills will never "truly work" for you.

it is time to try alternatives before swallowing and more tablets and capsules. seriously investigate your diet and exercise 3-4 times a week for atleast 15-20mins. try CBT. try therapy, there is so much out there besides drugs man. the drugs are like a band-aid, they temporarily cover up the symptoms; however there is a false bottom my friend! more pills leads to more pills i can tell you that!

i empathize with you because i go through similar PTSD/anxiety/social anxiety or whatever you what to call it, i have anxiety and it sometimes it is extremely difficult to hit the "off" button for my brain when i am trying to sleep. pills work for only so long, then they stop working if you take them daily, and you end up worse than you started! hah! life is a bitch, and then we all die!
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Exactly. Listen to this man.
 
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