To consider buying sleeping pills online

[Lovestonap]

I have always had a history of insomnia coming and going, normally only on nights where I particularly need sleep, e.g. Before exams etc. At school it would always be Sunday nights I couldn't sleep on. I get anxious about it, and normally by about midnight I know I won't be getting to sleep at all.

Since starting my new job in September which I quite enjoy but is quite hard work Sunday nights have again become a problem, as I know I need to get up at 6 for an early shift.

Doctors won't give me sleeping tablets. I understand why, but I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do about this problem.

Over the last 20 years I have tried all manner of remedies, meditation etc. Essentially if my mind says I need to get to sleep I become anxious and won't sleep. I can do breathing and grounding exercises til the cows come home but it ain't happening. My tired frazzled mind keeps me awake.

One can't call in sick for work because of lack of sleep, and if I ever did this it would just make the pressure worse for the next Sunday night.

So WIBU to order 14 zopiclone online. They cost a lot. 50 quid, but if I only needed one every Sunday night that's essentially 3 months of sleep.

Ethically, legally etc I think I know it's not a good idea, but I'm not sure what else to do?

Perhaps if I did it and then gave them to my DH with instructions for only one a week, that could safeguard me from addiction?

Can't you find someone who is visiting Europe soon to get you some cheap drowsy antihistamines (the strong Ines sold as a sleep aid) for $2 a tube? Much cheaper and less risky. Failing that, melatonin gummies can be bought from UK Amazon and work fairly well if you "catch the wave" of drowsiness they cause. They're what I usually use. I can't at the moment because they clash with a prescription medication I'm taking and I hate it.

Have you tried Nytol one a night over the counter? The only things that work for me - take them as you,’once a week

So doctors refuse to give you sleeping tablets for reasons.

But sure, ignore them, buy some online and self medicate.

Im sure you know best, what could go wrong?

just buy them over the counter

Look you can buy the same stuff as the French ones online here;

www.discounthealthproducts.co.uk/product/kirkland-sleep-aid/

So much safer and SO effective.

Or gentler melatonin;

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00GOKXHCS/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_a_it?ref=plSrch&keywords=melatonin&dpPl=1&dpID=51YFM8vk4ML&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1513569854&sr=8-1

You can try each in turn for less than your scary sounding addictive stuff.

I'll look into the melatonin, to be clear, I have tried every Brand of over the counter nytol type ones over the years, and even prescribed amytriptalline didn't work for me.

I suppose I'm really balancing a potential sleeping pill addiction (bad) with losing my job (worse?) or crashing my car to or from work on the motorway (worst of all).

Change doctor. I had to do this after I started hallucinating from lack of sleep and the doctor said “if you were really tired you would just sleep”

Some doctors just don’t understand the condition.

araiwa if the OP were living in another country, a doctor would prescribe sleeping pills for her without giving it another thought. If she were living in the US she could even buy over the counter sleeping pills which would probably do the trick.

I love the NHS, and often often an NHS doctor won't prescribe when doctors in other countries would. This can be a good thing, but sometimes they are trying to save money and sometimes they are too conservative. The UK doesn't always have it right. Araiwa, don't be so condescending; the OP has described a long standing serious issue, which is affecting her life.

OP, I would try a different doctor and I would go in to the appointment and let the doctor see how truly desperate you are. Let yourself cry and really forget your reserve.

I have a friend in the US who had this exact problem- once a week sleeplessness before a challenging work day. I will ask him what his doctor prescribed because it worked perfectly, and actually after a while he didn't even need to use it any more.

I would consider some sort of therapy as to why you only have this problem the night before going back to school/ work

Pills wont fix the actual problem

Ha, amitryptiline is what I'm taking at the moment that's stopping from taking my beloved twice-weekly doxylamine. As you can see, I'm wide awake at 4am. Try the doxylamine, it's powerful but it's OTC on most of the world and it's not going to give you loads of horrible issues.

Have you tried the actual medications available OTC for this? Nytol etc does bigger all for me but Boots and the supermarket have their own brand sleeping tablets which i find are very effective. I only take them rarely.

There are also antisickness tablets which are effective for inducing sleep. I take cyclizine for nausea associated with a condition and they help me sleep better. The other is promethazine which I was given for nausea in pregnancy and it knocked me right out. I have been told that you can buy promethazine on its own over the counter (think it's called Phenergan or something like that). Worth seeing if you can get some of that online instead as zopiclone is so powerful. Promethazine is what they put in night nurse to help you sleep, but obviously there you're having to take paracetamol and other stuff with it.

Araiwa of course careful use of the least bad medication can help "solve" insomnia. It's just that, as clara says the NHS has as conservative a position as (say) the US medical community has a devil may care one.

The other is promethazine which I was given for nausea in pregnancy and it knocked me right out.

Yes that's another first generation anti-histamine, the same as the doxylamine. Very effective.

Please do try a couple of these ideas OP. I'm worried about this "expensive, addictive tranquilliser" plan of yours.

Thank you battleax I will try your recommendation.

Thank you others for understanding.

Actually, I believe this is a case where pills may actually fix the problem. I liked school, I like work, I just dread feeling like a zombie with a headache all day.

Of course I can't take them long term. But to break the cycle and take the anxiety out of it all I think it may well be the answer.

I am (well, consider myself to be) an intelligent person, and know these things need to be managed carefully. But insomnia is so stressful and debilitating.

I have at least learnt to be calm with insomnia now, bouts of crying/ranting etc in the small hours generally lead to me feeling even more unwell.

But if one more real life person recommends a hot bath and lavender oil I may well lose it completely!!!

The Boots own brand tablets are called Sleepeaze and the drug is diphenhydramine

hot milky drink and a good book

Good luck

Googling doxylamine.......

It's in the sleep aid that battleax sent the link for. Thanks for the heads up on that, great find 👍🏻

If she were living in the US she could even buy over the counter sleeping pills which would probably do the trick.

Which may be why there is a massive, uncontrolled and fatal prescription drug problem in the States.

Over the last 20 years I have tried all manner of remedies, meditation etc.

Tell us exactly what you have tried and for how long. I know, boring. But things like avoiding caffeine and alcohol, good sleep hygiene and having a fixed bed- and waking-time with exercise every day take TIME. Lots of time. But they do work. Especially if it's psychological rather than chemical, as in this case.

YW MrsD

MrsTerry as I said earlier, I love the NHS, and often they have it right with their conservative approach. However, taking a pill once a week is not going to send the OP on the road to opiate addiction! Nor are OTC remedies what is creating the huge problem in the US.

I have a good friend who had the OP's exact problem, and once the cycle was broken by taking a pill once a week for a few months, he stopped taking the pills altogether.

This sounds to me like a rare situation where sleeping pills could actually solve a problem for a very sensible person. I don't say this lightly, as I have had insomnia for years and never tried any pills (not even OTC ones).

You have my sympathy OP, I have chronic insomnia, have had zopiclone in the past, but as we all know it’s highly addictive and doc will only give me 2 weeks supply every few months so like you I just try and stay calm cos worrying about being awake makes it all worse, wish I had some wise words for you but don’t have an answer, just wanted to say you’re not alone, hope Monday isn’t awful for you

However, taking a pill once a week is not going to send the OP on the road to opiate addiction! Nor are OTC remedies what is creating the huge problem in the US.

People don't take one pill a week. i mean they do at the beginning but then they don't. And OTC drugs are an issue in the States. Not as horrific as fentanyl and similar but the start of all the issues is the American theory that there is a pill for that. Always. Because the drug companies convince people and push drugs far more effectively than a dealer.

Honestly, even in Canada I was offered opiates for a cough. No investigations about lifestyle or housing or mould or asthma or anything. Walk in clinic = opiates. Which I presume sends most people away happy. I was horrified.

And I'm not unsympathetic. I have had insomnia for a few years now. I just want to check if the OP has done all of the boring, stupid, annoying things you have to do BEFORE the drugs.

Mrs TP, I know that comes from a place of caring and wanting to help, so I thank you for that. But it's because it's psychological and not physical that I'm struggling. Honestly, all it takes it the thought 'I bet I won't be able to sleep tonight' and that can knock sleep on the head for me. Today I've been shopping, played with the kids, done a two hour tae kwon do grading, had a hot bath, eaten a lovely meal, read a good book in front of the fire. And I'm still awake at 5 knowing I have to leave for work in about an hour.

Before resorting to mumsnet I read proper books for 4 and a half hours after going to bed. Even now, I have night shade on my screen to remove blue light stimulation. I haven't drunk alcohol for over two months.

I have ordered some doxylamine tablets online. Hopefully even the idea of these, the placebo affect will start to reduce the anxiety around sleep.

Thanks for support and suggestions on this thread. I genuinely didn't want to be a poster who comes on and says WIBU and then ignores advice, so I've taken advice and spent 10 on non-prescription sleep aids instead.

Now, if anyone can give me advice on staying perky after a sleepless night?!?? (I hate coffee!)