Anyone with insomnia/sleep issues/take sleeping tablets for advice

[sundowners]

Hi
I have had sleep maintenance insomnia- ie. I wake 2-5 am and never get back to sleep for a year. Think it was triggered by a high intensity period of stress/worry which has then altered my body clock permanently into thinking waking so early is ok. Im about to start counselling. Tried everything else- Sleepeaze, Nytol, candles, sprays, melatonin so please don't suggest that!

Been treated by a sleep clinic- nothing has worked apart from sleeping tablets.

I started taking a month ago off and on- Zopiclone. Now taking say 5 nights out of 7- tried without it last night and I was up tossing/ turning all night. Literally did not drop off once.

I have 2 young DC/work part time and am so chronically shattered I just cant imagine doing without them right now. I thought given the amount of pre Christmas events/build up/kids days out and Christmas day itself I'll take until Christmas day, then from Christmas over 5 days gradually try to reduce my dose to wean myself off them? As DH will be off work so thought even if I don't sleep (much) during that period at least he'd be around to help with kids during day so I could try and get some rest then. I don't really get affected in day in a negative way after taking them, other then the metallic taste in mouth.

I clearly remember waking after another awful night of barely any sleep Christmas day last year, plastering my face with thick make up to try and hide my eye bags (doesn't work!) drinking to get me through it and feeling utterly shattered and depressed at how rubbish my sleep is. I just don't want to feel depressed on Christmas day- or special pre Christmas family/friends events again.

Would be so grateful for your thoughts and info about how you manage tour sleep/taking tablets etc?

I’ve taken zopiclone for over 20 years now. Without it I can go 7-8 days without sleeping. I even had to go to hospital once to be medically put to sleep. As my body was wrecked.

I’d say go for it.

Have you tired melatonin? I buy it from America. It’s really good

If you try melatonin. The smaller the dose. The better you sleep. Like 3mg at the most. Anymore and it causes awful nightmare for me

I also have Addison’s disease! I noticed people posting about high cortisol. I have almost zero levels and still can’t sleep

Joerev it’s been prescribed for 20 years? I need your doctor!

Obvs everyone should be careful with everything but I was shocked how bad melatonin made me feel.

My retired doctor told me “they don’t prescribe anything that works any more”. I think she’s right!

Jorev can I ask how you manage to get your dolly of Zopiclone? What dose are you still taking? Thanks

My doctors just realise how unwell I get without it. Remember I got medically put to sleep. As if been awake for over a week. Your organs don’t rest. Your body doesn’t recuperate. This was every other week.

My dr knows how unwell I am without it. I’ve had multiple drs though and multiple surgeries and all have prescribed it no problem.

Thanks for sharing. How many tablets do you get prescribed in 1 go? I wish my GP saw it like that

I was waking at 2-3am snd not being able to get back to sleep.
My life and sleep has been completely improved by my doctor prescribing me Amitriptyline. It also helps with some anxiety issues i was having too and haven't had any anxiety attacks since.

Whoever said Syndol, that's got codeine in it as well so no wonder it's working better than an antihistamine on its own!
I find the Kirkland sleeping tablets give less of a hangover than the ones you can get here.
I did Sleepio - it's great & definitely works if you are determined (it's awful when you start the sleep deprivation), but you tend to drift back to your old ways afterwards.

I feel for you OP, I've had sleep issues on and off for years.
Have you tried Trazadone? It's a prescription med, that's made a huge difference to me.
Also, This Works pillow spray, I think someone else mentioned that.
US strength melatonin also good.

Hi all, thanks for the continuted chat/support- really really helps.

Felt so anxious prior to going in. Stated my case could see he is a genuinely lovely/concerned chap but was not a fan of Zopiclone longer term, despite my near tearful but still controlled pleading. So- I have 1 months supply of Mirtazapine and 14 x 3.75 Zopiclones- he suggested Mirtazapine every night, and taking it with Zopiclone first few nights, then Zopiclone with it only every other night. He wants to see me again to see how it's going just before Christmas.

If this doesn't work I'll definitely ask for Amitriptyline.
Any thoughts? Thanks.

OP does that mean mitrapizane can be taken alone to help sleep? I mean, you don’t need to be on it for ages? I am at the doctor in two weeks so will have to ask.

autumn sounds like it yes. He says it's also non addictive. What is worrying is it can cause weight gain through increased appetite- 1 affect of my insomnia means I've been desperate for control in other parts of my life so have got in a good place body wise- have no idea where the back up energy supply comes from but been very active/upped my gym routine/running and also eating a lot less.

If it just can cause weight gain through increased appetite I think I can suppress this/deal with it. But if its the actual drug itself and nothing i do ( ie. still being active/not over eating) can prevent me piling on the pounds- this alone will cause me more anxiety! ill keep you updated...

Thanks OP

Weight gain is another reason I’m reluctant to try it, I’ve already got that issue with ADs

As for exercise, I run, do weights and stretching but I tend to back off in the worst periods as I find it makes me more hyper. My worst without sleep is three days, I finally had to ask the GP for 10mg diazepam to see if it stopped it - which thankfully it did.

When I can’t sleep, I could just go for a brisk walk all night but have realised it makes me worse. It does mean the local drug dealers give me a friendly nod, which has been...interesting.

I have also been told by some GPs that they don’t like giving diazepam in case someone starts selling it. Like it hasn’t occurred them why demand might be so high. Ugh. Prefer zopi as it wears off better.

I've suffered from very poor sleep for last 8 years. Night nurse will knock me out but I couldn't take it every day. I've tried nytol, antihistamines, Tylenol extra strength but nothing worked. I'm now menopausal and sleeping the best I have in years. I take 400mg of soluble magnesium an hour before bed and 2 Syndol.

I have always slept badly - when I was about 12/13 my father (doctor) gave me very low dose sleeping pill on a Sunday night when I could never sleep. Recently, I had a terrible time not being able to sleep at all (or so I thought) for about 4 months as was so stressed and anxious. Doctor gave me Lorazepam - I took them for a few nights and did sleep but felt so zonked the next day! Now I fall asleep early in the evening and get around 6 hours (always broken though) but I know I have those pills if I am desperate. I don't mind not sleeping so much in spring/summer but at this time of the year I just want it to be light and then I feel better. I think maybe we are asleep more than we think we are.

"I think maybe we are asleep more than we think we are."

trust me, if you're awake for 72 hours straight, you'll know.

I did later get a Fitbit so I could say to my doctor "no, I haven't slept more than hour" which was useful. It may not be fool proof but I swear at one point the doc didn't believe how sleepless I was.

I have a fit bit just to track my sleep.

I have only slept more than 8 hours, 3 times since August 2018

Usually it is around 4 hours and a few times (less than 15 times) I have slept between 7-8 hours in the same time period.

The issue I have is when I sleep more than 8 hours I can lose 4lbs from one day to the next.

I had 2 days recently where I lost 6lbs over 2 days. No change in diet I just slept for more than 7hours each night

I’ve just come off Amitriptyline practically cold turkey, and am finding that it is in fact non addictive, I’ve had no problems coming off. The only side effect i noticed when taking it was needing a coffee to wake up and mild constipation.

Although it doesn't work for everyone, 1 in 10 it helps sleep, 1 in 100 it works as it does for me - absolute exhaustion.

The doctor can prescribe 25mg ones which are 5 times the strength but they were too much as I'm sensitive to it. They knocked me out for nearly 18 hours 😂

Have realised my 1dt message didn't send . The below/above is referring to certrizine hydrochloride antihistamines

You can get 5mg over the counter, take 2

Also for those on their last legs try sour cherry juice or banana skin tea. On the off chance you're sensitive to them.

I had a chat to a friendly pharmacist yesterday who recommended getting a prescription for Melatonin. You can it over the counter in some countries or have it sent from abroad but the OTC stuff is not very effective apparently. ‘The good stuff’ Is available on prescription only but isn’t used very much in the UK as doctors and patients are less familiar with it.