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Misc Best sleep medication?

talkin2myself

talkin2myself

Bluelighter
Joined
Jan 31, 2015
Messages
121
I have sleeping problems since 7th grade. No matter how tired I am, my mind just keeps going and going, I just can't sleep.

I'm a benzo-head they are good to handle my anxiety, but they doesn't make me sleepy. I have Seroquel, it puts me to sleep, and I'm feeling sleepy and confused for a whole day, that's no fun. Almost the same with trazodone (Desyrel, Trittico).

People say I should try Ambien (Zolpidem), what do you guys think? Is it really causes horrible nightmares?

Actually I'm looking for a med that puts me to sleep and I can be functional the next day. Any ideas? :)
 
Zolpidem is an odd drug... for some it doesn't do anything, some just get sleepy, and others find it extremely recreational to the point that you no longer *want* to sleep because you're experiencing entertaining hallucinations combined with a Xanax-like euphoria. Plus it hits the same receptors as a benzo, so there's cross-tolerance issues.

Have you tried adding Melatonin and/or L-Theanine? It won't knock you out like a benzo, but I found it helpful nonetheless.
 
Hello T2M, I've also been a chronic insomniac since I was a kid. My experience with zolpidem is that it helps me fall asleep, but I can't stay asleep. I haven't tried the controlled release version though, which is supposed to remedy that. I had the selfsame experience with trazodone as the OP. Right now, I'm on a bedtime cocktail of gabapentin 900mg, baclofen 20mg, mirtazapine 15mg and doxepin 75mg. Not only does it knock me out, I stay asleep. It's difficult getting out of bed, but once I will myself out, it's not an issue.
 
Hmmm... do you have Prothipendyl in Hungary?
It's sold as "Dominal" in Austria and Germany, and is basically a really short-acting old-style antipsychotic (repurposed as a sleep aid) that will knock you the fuck out without leaving you groggy in the morning. Of course you probably wouldn't want to take too much for an extended amount of time, as high doses of dopamine antagonists have a nasty habit of causing movement disorders in the long-term.

Another option might be antihistamines like Diphenhydramine or Hydroxizine, with atleast the former likely being available over the counter (and the latter any doc will gladly write you a script for).

Also, the poster above me raised a good point re: Zolpidem's short half-life - its short half-life makes it a good med for *falling* asleep, but not so much *staying* asleep (in fact you might wake up early because of rebound insomnia). A related drug, Zopiclone, lasts significantly longer, but is also considered significantly more addictive.
 
Bourbon, trazodone, and valerian root are good choices. Lorazepam once per week.

Heavy carb meal before bed helps too.
 
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Ryan01 said:
Bourbon, trazodone, and valerian root are good choices. Lorazepam once per week.
Click to expand...

I am a recovering alcoholic and bourbon is a bad choice. Coming out of my last drunk, I bought two bottles of cheap wine at a convenience store thinking I would pass out sooner or later and I didn't. I stayed up all night drinking without sleeping a bit and watched the sun come up. There is a difference between sleep and passing out. While you may succeed in passing out, alcohol disrupts the second half of the sleep cycle. During my drinking days I would wake up in the early morning hours, drink more to pass back out, wake up drunk and then keep drinking throughout the day because there's nothing else that'll make you feel better. I have a script for lorazepam and use it as a sleep aid of last resort. Benzos not only affect the amount of melatonin the body produces, it also reduces the amount of REM sleep which decreases restfulness. Not to mention the potential addiction issues. That's why my psychiatrist prescribed mirtazapine and doxepin when he found out I was using lorazepam for sleep.

I do agree with the valerian, though. Also OTC melatonin is good too. Even with the cocktail of drugs I'm on, I still take between 10 and 20mg nightly.

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/tc/benzodiazepines-for-sleep-problems-topic-overview

Ryan01 said:
Heavy carb meal before bed helps too.
Click to expand...

It wouldn't take doing too much of that before serious weight gain sets in.
 
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I used to be on Ambien (not ER) and if you're open to sleep, it will come. Just don't fight it. Go to bed, close your eyes for 5 or 10 minutes and you'll most likely get to sleep. Personally, I didn't really wake up so much as I have bladder problems and almost always have to get up to pee. My guess is the ER version might just be the perfect solution the waking up problem. BTW, take 2-3 Melatonin tablets as well. I've found that combo works pretty well...for me at least.

I will tell you that my current regiment is to take 2-3 Flexerils an hour or so before I want to fall asleep. I then proceed to drink two beers and I then usually fall asleep with no problem. Please understand I am not abdicating for anyone to drink and take Flexerils. Through much (and I do mean MUCH) trial and error, I've found it works for me. Please understand it may be dangerous to some folks. Just sharing what's worked for me. Good Luck OP!
 
aihfl said:
I am a recovering alcoholic and bourbon is a bad choice. Coming out of my last drunk, I bought two bottles of cheap wine at a convenience store thinking I would pass out sooner or later and I didn't. I stayed up all night drinking without sleeping a bit and watched the sun come up. There is a difference between sleep and passing out. While you may succeed in passing out, alcohol disrupts the second half of the sleep cycle. During my drinking days I would wake up in the early morning hours, drink more to pass back out, wake up drunk and then keep drinking throughout the day because there's nothing else that'll make you feel better. I have a script for lorazepam and use it as a sleep aid of last resort. Benzos not only affect the amount of melatonin the body produces, it also reduces the amount of REM sleep which decreases restfulness. Not to mention the potential addiction issues. That's why my psychiatrist prescribed mirtazapine and doxepin when he found out I was using lorazepam for sleep.

I do agree with the valerian, though. Also OTC melatonin is good too. Even with the cocktail of drugs I'm on, I still take between 10 and 20mg nightly.

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/tc/benzodiazepines-for-sleep-problems-topic-overview



It wouldn't take doing too much of that before serious weight gain sets in.
Click to expand...
Simply adjust your meal timing and ensure you are not in a caloric surplus?? And I wasn't suggesting the OP get wasted. Lmao. A couple shots here and there for some gaba agonization. Also forgot to mention an anti histamine such as Diphenhydramine will help.
 
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I've tried every sleep med in the world since 2008 and the only thing that knocks me out, besides a benzo, is seroquel.. but you seem to hate that. I take 100MG seroquel and within an hour I am out like a light and able to wake up in the AM.

benzos do knock me out, as I said, but they dont keep me asleep. I usually wake up 3 hours later w/o a clue what to do next.
 
Ryan01 said:
And I wasn't suggesting the OP get wasted. Lmao. A couple shots here and there for some gaba agonization.
Click to expand...

And what do you do when a couple of shots here and there stops working? Because it will. Lmao.
 
Even being someone who isn't really prone to abusing alcohol (don't like the taste, has a lot of negatives like stomach pains etc., is probably one of the least enjoyable substances for me to put in (everyone enjoys different things), etc. all add up to that I rarely drink more than 3-4 drinks even if I have a bottle of liquor and no reason to hold back) I find it useless for sleep. I always wake up when it wears off like immediately (even if I had 3 drinks once it gets down to 1 or less I wake up- so I would maybe sleep two hours) so I either sleep a couple hours or would have to drink so much I feel like shit the next day. Also it disturbs REM sleep as mentioned.

I think part of the problem is we live in a time where we have medical knowledge all around us and see recommendations and averages. Do you need help sleeping because you think you should be sleeping more or because you are tired everyday/most days due to lack of it? I wake up every night usually 2-3 times and only sleep like 6 hours a night, and don't fall asleep easily as well (unless I'm on something). So I always thought I had sleep problems but thought about it and, while I would like to sleep more because while sleeping we escape anxiety/stress, I actually don't feel extremely fatigued most days. Not saying it is the same thing happening with you, just that I think sleep is one of those things two people can differ in fairly greatly.

Melatonin does help, it doesn't knock you out but helps you go to sleep in a more natural manner. I have heard though that it is better used to help get one on schedule than every night b/c your brain can start producing less with longterm nightly use. Not sure though, maybe someone else can weigh in on it.
 
I take temazepam for sleep. Works well. It's hard to say what's the "best" since we are all very different. You should talk to your doctor and explore several options... find what's best for you.
 
Sleep shouldn't be so difficult so there's most likely some imbalance within. Get all hormones tested. Every single one. Get neurotransmitters tested.(all 6 of them) Get tested for nutritional deficiencies and food allergies.
 
100-125mg DPH is what I use every night. Still a good chance I'll wake up anxious a few hours early. Ambien/Benzos are too addictive for something I need every night, also blackouts. Trazadone does not make me sleepy. Seroquel is something I've been meaning to give a whirl.
So far for long term use DPH is what works the best for me.
 
If your problem is fall asleep (start to sleep) there are several options. Among benzos triazolam is a very useful hypnotic. Zolpidem is a z-class drugs hypnotic with high potency and short duration. And there is one benzo wich is at once very good to fall asleep and very good to keep the dream: flunitrazepam (Rohypnol). Too you have the option of antipsychotics such as quetiapine (Seroquel) or those more powerful as olanzapine or levomepromazine. Haloperidol is a very strong antipsychotic (Once I inyected intramuscular 3 bottles of 5 mg haloperidol each I stole in a clinic and the relaxation was so strong...intramuscular midazolam is too very sedativa)
 
xanax does the trick for SWIM. That and trazodone. SWIM does feel a bit groggy for the first part of the next day.
 
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