I'm currently in a crushing marital separation after 28 yrs. with my wife. Am in major depression, starting Pristiq after a month of Prozac. I have tried melatonin, Tylenol and Advil PM, Benedryl and have read as many sleep related articles as I can. I took a month of Lunesta and now am taking 10m Ambien and 1m Xanax, but still sleep only 2-4 hrs. a night! Killing me!! I fear getting hooked on these drugs but gotta have some sleep! Any ideas are very appreciated, Thanx
Dying for sleep, but getting no relief! HELP!?
- Posted:
- 20 Feb 2010 by lewie62
- Topics:
- pristiq, prozac, depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, sleep
Details:
Responses (47)
Psyched
barbles241321 Feb 2010
From what I was told you are supposed to use your bed (when alone) for nothing but sleep. Do not watch t.v. in bed, read in bed or talk on the phone Go to bed at the same hour every night and get out of bed at the time. If you can't sleep get up and go to another room to watch t.v. or if you have a chair in your room you can read. With all this said if you are experiencing racing thoughts nothing can help you to feel completely numb to your circumstances. Also medication alone can cause sleepless nights. Is your doctor weaning you off of Prozac and going on Prestiq could in of itself can cause sleepness nights. I was also told to keep the room dark no night lights.
Blondie33
15 Mar 2012
Hi barbles2413. You are right. A former psychologist once told me that, bed is for sleep or sex. If you can't go to sleep within 15-20 minute get up and something that helps you relaxes you.
-Blondie
21 Feb 2010
Lewie-
With all of the regular sleep-aids (e.g., Lunesta, Ambien, etc.), I have found that they tend to work for around a week or so... then they just stop. More importantly, I definitely think that you should consider talking to your doctor (or simply researching some info.) about using Xanax to help you go to sleep. As far as using benzodiazepines for sleep, Xanax is by far one of the the worst choices; it has one of the shortest half-lives of the entire group of BZDs (i.e., 4-6 hours... probably why you are waking-up after 2-4 hours) and have an extremely high potential to leading to dependency, even on dosages as small as 1mg per day (and it is associated with some very serious w/d effects--seizures being the most severe).
booter42
31 Aug 2010
good answer--- klonopin also works good for me--- but i take them for anxiety-
Dumpster Diver
15 Mar 2012
Please stay away from Seroquel. My friends all gained alot of weight, and wake-up time was very groggy. So this is the talk I have heard around
my mental-health group. But keep trying, 'cuz you need to sleep.
Anonymous 21 Feb 2010
i went through the same thing when my marriage ended after 20 years, it seemed i had no need for sleep at all, i got so depressed i went tu the er, and asked for help. i went tu mental health and they gave me anti depressant, lorazapam, for anxiety. i believe that the lorazapam helped me tu relax enough tu get a few hours of sleep, i also started working out and walking at least 2 times a day i couldnt even watch tv because something would be on to remind me, as time went by (months) i lost so much weight that i was having tu go for blood test every week tu watch for dehydration even though i drank water like going out of style.give yourself time tu heal and yu might discuss using the anxiety drug also. try not to worry about how much sleep your getting dont fight it if you find youself wide awake so be it. clean house anything work puzzals or try reading a book. and yes a hot bath. the pain yu feel is very real, yu are not alone.
izzothecat
21 Feb 2010
Yeah, lorazepam (i.e., Ativan) is very similar to Xanax... it is the 2nd of the two most commonly-prescribed benzodiazepines that have short half-lives; although, I believe that Ativan has a slightly longer half-life (e.g., 6-8 hours?). BZDs are, without a doubt, the best medications for relieving immediate anxiety: They work within 30-45 minutes, you can actually notice their effects (very noticeable increase in calm, relaxed feelings), and if you do not take them on a routine basis, they can usually induce some drowsiness (obviously, dependent on the specific dug and how large the dosage).
Anonymous 21 Feb 2010
your right izz it is short term, thats why i suggested it. because if your not used to taking these kinds of meds you might become afraid to try them then you wouldnt get the help you need, i myself take 1mg, prn and then i will even take half of it.. i only use it when im really stressed out.
Bsteinbru...
Hynxiety
8 days ago
Also xanax er not as habit forming.
21 Feb 2010
i had the same problem have tried everything and then my neurologist gave me elavil for migraines,and it not only worked on the migrains but i have been getting great sleep..you should talk to your dr about something like this.i also take klonipin and ativan neither one of them helped me for sleep either..the elavil was a life saver
missy221 Feb 2010
Thanks guys for all the tips! Keep 'em coming, I'm desperate for help. Last nite I wanted to try it without the drugs, so I took warm shower, Cammomile tea and Nyquil. Went to bed at 10:00. At 1:00 still awake, took the Ambien and slept very lightly for awhile, but back awake after just a couple hours. Very frustrating!
izzothecat
21 Feb 2010
Lewie-
What do you do during your waking hours (e.g., on a typical day, what do you do during the day, and what do you do around the 1-2 hours before trying to go to bed)? Also, do you ever fall asleep while watching TV/sitting down and/or take any naps during the day? Lastly, do you (or in the past, since it seems now that you are waking-up very early in the morning) get up at the same time each morning on every day during the week?
Let me know--whenever you have a chance--how "active" you are during the week (and on the weekend), as well as the answer to the above questions; I have a bunch of helpful links (which do not involve using any type of medication) that might be of help to you, depending on your answers to the above questions... so, I will hopefully talk to you later!
-Kiera
lewie62
21 Feb 2010
Kiera, thanks for your concern. I work as a clerk for the USPS 3 days of the week and carry a mail route the other 2. Until this separation I had little trouble sleeping. I've always woke several times during the night, but normally go back to sleep after a couple minutes. Now not only can I hardly get to sleep, I surely can't go back once I've woken. I've moved out of my house into an apt. and now have a 30 min. drive to work. I usually get up at 6:00 am and try to be in bed by 10:00 pm. I've tried to get some much needed rest on my lunchbreak, but just toss and turn then as well. I went straight from Prozac to Pristiq after 30 days of Prozac. It made me very dry and constipated and didn't seem to help my mood very much. A counselor that I just started going to suggested the change in meds. She seemed to think with the right anti-depressant that I shouldn't need the anxiety and sleep aids.
ElizaJane2324 Feb 2010
hey buddy i had the same problem for a long time. i could take an abien.or klonipin everything you would think would make me sleepy but nothing worked..i ran across this medicine for migraines, iit a trycyclic antidepressant called elavil.i have been takeing it for 2 months and been sleeping like a baby..i couldnt believe something like that could make me sleep so well.. good luck
meat19743
17 Apr 2010
I have heard of elavil also, I would ask doctor about it and see what he recommends...
19 Apr 2010
you sound just like me i have tried everything but nothing was working,i took evrything you could think of for sleep.then i talked to my neurologist about and he gave me elavil,and every since i have been sleeping like a baby.and it works great for my depression,so talk to your doc about it.i did not think it would help either but man what a difference. good luck
24 May 2010
I can safely say I know how you feel I am on pain medicine not alot, I can not sleep I am on ambien and tranzadone and still have trouble falling asleep then get only 1 hr here an hour there when the morn comes I only get total of 3-4 hours sleep its killing me I need sleep how long can someone go with out sleep? I have also tried lunesta rozerem and nothing helps also vitamins melatonin promote sleep nothin can;t take it anymore let me know if you find anything that helps lots of luck
25 May 2010
yea i am having the same problem minus the divorce.but like you i have tried everything melatonin,lunesta,ambien,klonipin,ativan,benadryl.ive tried everything.and then last night i came across something that worked really well. a while back i was prescribed a babituate for migrains, i only had one left so i split it in half i went to bed about 9pm and woke up at 5;30 so i finally got a nights sleep and only woke up twice but weny right back to sleep.so i will try it again tonight and man if it keeps working i am calling my neurologist and get more..it is called fiorcet.so if you cant find anything to work talk to your doc about this.he should go for it if he really wants to help.well i wish you luck
Anonymous 5 Jul 2010
Hi friend,
I have been there and understand. My wife left me and I waited fifteen years for her to come back. She didn't and I spent all that time fooling my self.
They leave because they don't love you anymore. I had two Brake down because of her, I hurt so bad, there are no word to tell how much you hurt.
Don't do the kill yourself thing, because you will hurt all the other who care deeply for you. I would like to ask you to turn to God, but I won't preach.
He did not cause the problem, your wife did. I know it's like a death in the family. The deep, deep hurt. The one you think you will never get past. I can tell you, you can get passed this. Don't drink over her, alcohol is a depressant and will only make things worse.
5 Jul 2010
dude i hate to bring you down but i have been suffering like you for years.hence i am up now.anyway i have tried everything ,xanax,ambien,restoril,ativan,melatonin,ambien,lunesta,every antidepressant you can think of.every med you can think of.i feel like shit constantly.but i have just been trying to learn to deal with it.but i must say it is killing me,i am constantly having moodswings,dont want to be around anyone,gained about 20 pounds i am a mess.but anyway i hope that you find something that helps you. i would not wish this hell on my worst enemy.it feels like a constant bad dream.but hey what can i do,ive seen dr after doctor but there is nothing that has helped..but i will put you in my prayers and i truelly hope that you find a soulution..and if you do please let me know i still hold out some hope.and sorry if i come off a little crazy,but thats what it does to you when you are worn out all the time..good luck
barbles2413
5 Jul 2010
HAVE YOU CONSIDERED SLEEP APNEA? I DON'T SLEEP EITHER I FIND MYSELF EATING ALL NIGHT I FALL OFF TO SLEEP WAKE UP AN HOUR LATER AND WATCH SOME TV IT IS A NIGHTMARE WHULE NOT SLEEPING IS WHAT IT IS. IT SURLE TAKES ITS TOLL ON THE BODY AND MIND. I TELL YOU I WORRY SO MUCH ABOUT IT IT SCARES ME ALL I WANT TO DO IS SLEEP AND NOT WAKE UP WITH ANXIETY I WISH THERE WAS AN ANSWER AND IF THERE PLEASE SHARE IT WITH ALL OF US I THINK IT WOULD MAKE US MUCH HEALTHIER MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY
Anonymous 5 Jul 2010
As put in it in a long winded writing, was that time heals everything.
It's just finding ways to get to that time of healed.
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I see that your post is really old but just in case you do still see this comment, could you tell me if you have noticed patients getting addicted to Rozerem? Seeing what you do for a living, I know you must see and know a lot more than a lot of doctors do who spend 5 minutes with you and shove you out the door with your prescriptions. Point being, I would appreciate your input if you can. Thanks!
Either go up on your Xanax 1.5.or 2mg (I take 2mg) as needed though, or drop the Xanax and use for sleep Ambien and Trazodone. I also do this combo every night and sleep like a baby. Ambien 10mg like you are doing and about 150mg of Trazodone. Ambien didn't work alone nor did Trazodone but together they're great!
Been on all of those . Been viibryd for 2weeks .now going to sleep with out them .not having those racing thoughts that kept me from going to sleep and staying asleep