Insomnia friends - I will sleep well tonight because I have told my unconscious I will

[BeckyBendyLegs]

And here it is!

Actually DH is coming around to the idea of ADs as he sees that I need a bit of a break from this stress I am putting myself under. But I've been skepitcal about them too for ages and ages (partly because I felt so crap taking fluoxitine). I've learnt a lot more about them though and recently found out my niece has taken and is back on the same sort you and CountryLover take as she says she has had big anxiety and insomnia issues. She also said, interestingly, she's never had any problems coming off them (one of my worries).

YAY! Well done at setting up this new and much better named thread!!

That's good news your niece has not had any problems coming off them - this is mirtazapine?

I just take the lowest dose 15mg. I consider myself someone who is very sensitive to side effects e.g. my reaction to citalopram was extreme, but I can honestly say the only "side effect" I had from mirtazapine was sleepiness (hurrah!) - this did wear off after 2 weeks but I had 2 blissful weeks of over 10hrs sleep per night!

And I do believe it has brought my anxiety down a number of "notches" from where it once was.

The next challenge is trying to persuade the GP! They seem to all give out citalopram or prozac (fluoxetine) and know very little about the others.

I think as part of this new thread we should end each post with a positive sleep thought so here I go:

"I am really looking forward to going to bed tonight"

Not sure what the name of her medication was but she said it was a 'sedative' one that reduces the anxiety. I'll ask. Is mirtazapine the same type or different to what CountryLover takes, duosopone (sp?)?

My thought for tonight: I'm going to sleep well tonight because I've just changed the bedding so we have a nice, clean duvet, and it's great to snuggle up in a clean bed

That's a bit long-winded!

I think I must have been sensative too as I could not cope with more than 3 days of prozac. It was hell.

yes 3 days was my limit on citalopram too. I actually ended up calling NHS direct - I was so desperately ill on it and it was a weekend so couldn't call the GP. I never ever ever want to take an SSRI again.

Dosulepin is a TCA, not the same as mirtazapine (an SNRI), but I don't know much about it. But as countrylover says, it seems to be a sedating one rather than an "activating" one. So that also could be an option for you.

Good PST re. the bedding!

Mine this time is:
"even if I don't fall asleep straight away I will still fall asleep eventually"

sorry mirt is a tetra-cyclic not an SNRI and

Blumin' eche I have no idea what those things mean, TCA, SNRI, SSRI, tetra-cyclic. You need a degree in Chemistry to understand all this.

I like these positive sleep thoughts. I feel ok at the moment, not very anxious. DS1 and DS2 are having their bedtime milks and DH is bathing DS3 at the mo. Then we can relax once everyone is in bed and have our tea. DH has been in London all day so he's only just got home. I think he's had a stressful day working out how to use an oyster card. This man is incredible. He went to bed at midnight, got up to DS3 at 2.30am, his alarm went off at 4.30am yet he's fine, or 'a bit tired' as he told me just now.

OK, I'm looking forward to a lovely relaxing sleep after a nice bath, herbal tea and a listen to the hypnosis on my i-pod. I'll sleep well because I'm tired and sleepy today, and I know that my unconscious mind will allow me to get enough sleep to be able to enjoy tomorrow.

I studied ADs in my psychology degree so know a bit but a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing!

I am feeling nicely sleepy and am telling myself I will definitely sleep tonight.
x

Hello all! First thing I want to say is that this is not a competition and if one of us has a bad night then we're all here to encourage each other and help.

But .... I slept really, really well! Yeah! I decided that I'd use the ipod even though I didn't think I'd need to (as previously I've been only using it when I've been lying in bed for an hour or so and I think that's not the right strategy as the more you use it, the more effective it is). So I climbed into bed, lovely new clean duvet, DH tapping on his computer in the room across the landing, cars driving past, house clicking away (it's an old house and this noise drove me mad when I had my horrible nights in January but can be quite comforting usually, cats padding about up and down the stairs), put on the ipod, snuggled up, started listening and breathing deeply. Next think I know it's about 2am and I need to loo. After that next thing I know it is 6.40am and I've been having a bizarre dream. Yeah!

I still have anxiety in the pitt of my stomach though, and this I usually have after a bad night for about 3-4 mornings. It is so weird as I don't 'feel' anxious as such, my stomach does. Anyway, the sun is shining, I'm going to a friend's for coffee after drop-off this morning and it's going to be a good day. I'm looking forward to lots of cuddles with the DSs.

I have been on dothipine (the old name) Becky and it really did help me sleep. The initial side effects were quite strong and I remember seeing double at one point and being very drowsy in the morning but it only lasted a couple of weeks. I got used to taking them at about 8ish in the evening so by 9 or 10 I was well ready for bed.
Please try them, they will take all the stress out of sleeping because you just know that they are going to knock you out and you will sleep.

Becky I used that hypnosis thing last night and it really messed up my sleep completely! Worst night I've had in a long time. I listened to it in bed but it just seemed to stimulate me too much and make me think about sleep too much. Instead of dropping off within about ten minutes as usual it took me an hour to go to sleep and then I was restless all night. I don't know whether to try it again?

like your new positive thread x

Sorry I should have put my negative comment about last night on the other thread! Glad you slept well anyway.

oh no poor you arcadia sorry you had a bad night
I do know what you mean - sometimes when you think too hard about sleep you can make it worse. For you, listening to the hypnosis CD probably told your unconscious that sleep was still a problem for you and so made you anxious. On the positive side, you will DEFINITELY sleep well tonight

becky congrats on your good night that is wonderful news! Bet you feel so much fresher and relaxed today.

My night was another strange one... I listened to our friend Paul and then went into a kind of half-sleep for a while. The first thing my DH said to me this morning was "I'm so sorry I woke you up last night" - he said he'd woken me up but I had no memory of it!

Also he said I got up for the loo and had a drink of water which I also didn't remember, but now the memory is kind of coming back to me? Very weird. I woke up at 4am but felt very relaxed and just "drifted" for a bit.

But then woke up again at 7:30. Feel ok today. Not too bad at all considering I had a strange night!

But we have had a power cut here from 7:30 till 11am!! I couldn't mumsnet and worst of all I couldn't have my coffee or a shower! I went out and treated myself to a starbucks coffee but it was mega-strong so now I am kind of buzzing !!!

Poor DH was half way through his shower covered in soap when the power went off

I am feeling all greasy and skanky - need to have a shower but not sure what to do with DD!!

Press on ladies. All will be well

P.s. I just had feedback on my interview! The manager says I came a VERY close second and she was really sorry as she would have loved to have worked with me

Arcadia please don't worry, and I think we need to use this thread to talk about bad nights too so we can encourage each other Perhaps Paul M. isn't for you as you say you usually get to sleep ok. It's so stupid isn't it that if you start thinking about sleep it becomes an issue!

GetDown lol about your DH's comments and you not remembering any of it. Funny!

Coffee is lovely but HAVE DECAF NEXT TIME!!!!

That's great about the interview! Especially considering how you were feeling last week. You should be really pleased with that

Better go put DS3 to bed zzzz

I so should have had decaff !!

I love coffee and sadly always force myself to have decaf. I hate saying 'decaf skinny latte please' - sounds such a wimpy drink!

Just had my shower and put DD in her cot kicking and screaming (she hates going in there during the day)

Came out of the shower and hey presto! She was asleep! What a result!

Just trying to decide what to do with my free hour or so.

I expect I will be on the computer doing the housework.

I feel kind of weird, tired but at the same time a bit hyper

Try asking for decaf with soya milk (I don't drink milk) - that just takes all the joy out of it (unless you have a big chocolate brownie too!) .

Now we have all swapped around again and I'm feeling tired and anxious today! I'm trying not to worry too much about my bad night and get on with it but I am feeling really tired. Have kept busy though. Went to a group then cafe this morning, then just took DD with me to get my hair cut and she was an angel - just watched me and played in her chair for an hour. Now she's snoozing, being perfect today!

Trying to make the best of it but it really is bloody annoying this sleep obsession .

Glad you're both feeling good today anyway; reminds me that usually/sometimes I do too! .

I'm sure we'll all be OK, surely we'll get bored of thinking about sleep sooner or later?!

hi arcadia you are absolutely right, it goes in cycles - you think you're better and fine, and then you have a bad night and you feel like you're back to square 1 again! But really you're not, because each time it happens you learn a little bit more about how to beat it. Also you learn that IT WILL BE OK.

I am definitely not back to normal sleep-wise, but am learning to accept that it does not have to be perfect, in order to get on with life

Starbucks - so basically what you're all saying is I should have gone for a
"skinny, decaff, soya milk latte"

In what way does this bear any relation to coffee

Mmmmmm brownies....

Thanks GetDown, I too should be doing some housework while baby sleeps but of course I'm on here!
Yes the thing is I am OK. I can manage. Especially now DD doesn't cry all day long! .
I'm glad that you're feeling a bit better again GetDown and I think that learning to accept shades of grey is a big part of it, rather than everything being wonderful or awful.
Was my life perfect before all this? No. I had tired and down days. Everyone does.

Housework! Pah. I haven't done any of that for a week

Ooooh a skinny decaf soya latte sounds errr yummy?

Arcadia you'll be fine. That's what you say to me on my tired days. I thought I was going to die on Tuesday after four hours sleep in two nights! I'm still here and pretty cheerful.

You are both right - we shouldn't expect sunshine all the time, grey is fine, and the grey days means there will be sunshine days to follow.

Hi all - I am going to my mums for a few days and probably wont have internet access so just wanted to say hope you get lots of lovely sleep xx

Thanks Kizzie, have a good time xx

thanks kizzie hope you are ok and you can have a relaxing time at your mum's.

You guys are a bad influence. Since being on here earlier I've hoovered and dusted part of the house and ironed some duvet covers. Sigh.