Finally!!!

[MoMoe]

Hi Paul
Thanks for the feedback. I feel as though I am at the end of my rope with regards to sleeping. I envy that you can catch up on your sleep by taking little naps throughout the day. Any napping at all for me will absolutely result in no sleep at night. I have always been like that. I used to take lorazepam years ago for panic attacks but stopped for some reason. My pdoc gave them to me again a few months ago for the same reason and I asked her if I could use them for sleep (they are the sublingual type) they are 1mg but I have taken 2 at times. Still nothing. Last night I was so desperate to sleep, I took 2 of the lorazepam at 8pm, by 11 i realized I hadn't even blinked an eye, still wide awake. So at 11:30 I took 1 more plus an allergy pill that makes me drowsy, plus an Atasol 30. (which was for something unrelated but they also can make me drowsy). The last time I looked at the clock it was 2:45. Once I finally fell asleep, I didn't hear any of my alarms (yes - multiple alarms) going off. I opened my eyes for the first time at noon. I spoke to a friend today who is an ER nurse and just finishing med school as well. He said that 3mg is waaaay too much ativan. He said that 4mg is only used in extreme cases & could kill me. ( I am just going by what he said to me). I don't know what to do anymore. I know it is anxiety keeping me awake. I have tried everything you can image to sleep. black room, lit room, noise, no noise, meditation, reading, warm milk, hot bath.... plus long list of different sleep aids. I know no one here has the answer but I just don't know what to do anymore. I don't work (I am doing my masters at home), so there is not much that I absolutely have to get up for at 7 or 8 in the morning. I know my patterns and sleeping in promotes staying up late and the cycle can snowball really fast for me. I could feel it happening over the last couple of months and desperately trying to fight it. I almost feel like asking someone to just punch me in the head to knock me out lol. Once I am asleep its all good. I just can't turn the noise off in my head when trying to get there. Waking up late is embarrassing and I feel like people think I am just lazy. Which of course just adds to my self loathing. My new plan tonight is to do whatever I can to get to sleep, but whatever happens, I have a friend coming over at 8 to literally pull me out of bed. How ridiculous is that??? Its just not normal living like this.

[uni]

Hello McMoe. I'll put in my two cents regarding sleep.

I struggle with getting regular sleep too. There are so many factors that contribute. Coffee or cola or energy drinks can mess some people up. So can computer screens or i-pads or smartphones before bedtime, because of the type of light they emit. One thing to try might be melatonin. It's a naturally occurring hormone and good for turning your body clock around when traveling or working shifts. It may affect other meds though, so the doctor should know if you try it.

[MoMoe]

Hi Uni

Yes I am currently using melatonin as well. I also do not have any caffeine except for one cup of coffee in the morning. I think I just have some kind of anxiety hang up on making myself go to sleep. It is almost as though I am fighting the drugs to stay awake. Not intentionally of course but i lay in bed and catch myself gone off on these ridiculous thought tangents that won't go away. My friend did indeed come over at 7 this morning to make sure I took my concert and then back again at 8 to actually get me out of bed. It really seemed to help. I fell right back to sleep at 7 but when he came back at 8 I was awake and alert. It felt great. It is almost 11 now and I have taken 2 ativan, melatonin and my allergy tablet in the last hour. Going to get a cup of warm milk and try to sleep. Also, last night I wore a sleep mask and headphones listening to meditation to induce sleep. Ohhh and one more thing. I smoked half a joint. So after all that it was the best night sleep I have had in months. Definitely not a nightly routine I want permanently but I am so off track with insomnia right now, I am hoping a few days of this might help me to regulate my sleep. Last night gave me hope. And it felt so good to wake up actually feeling alert for a change. Off to give it another try now - wish me luck! Night all - Blessings.

[MoMoe]

Hello everyone
Just wanted to say hi and wish everyone good vibes, smiles and hugs if needed. I had another well rested sleep last night, following the same steps as the night before. I am not looking for happy responses, especially from anyone who is not feeling well. I am just so thrilled to have had 2 good nights sleep in a row, I had to tell someone. I do have a question to throw out to anyone though. What are your thoughts on smoking pot to help with anxiety/panic attacks etc. Perhaps this is not the appropriate forum to bring it up but I was just curious. Please let me know if I am out of line here. Blessings.

[dka753]

I personally have not used pot since the seventies but a temporary cure combination to get some sleep seems harmless at first to me.I will warn you that this is just the opinion of someone who has issues with alcohol although not currently.I do like the sound of the tapes a lot better than the drug since i find dead silence in a room with some muffled background noise puts me right to sleep.

[dka753]

Oh and by the way,Hi.

[paul m]

Hello MoeMo. I'm glad to hear that you have got a good night's sleep.

In regards to pot use. I've nothing against it nor do I have anything against someone having a double shot of rye to calm their anxieties and I know a few little old ladies that take the occasional slug of brandy to help them sleep during difficult times.

Pot (or booze for that matter) can cause problems with people who have psychiatric problems already. But everyone that I have known who had worsening problems caused by pot use, tended to use a lot more than 1/2 of a joint some of the time to help feel rested.

For myself. I find that if I have a couple of beer today, no problem, if I have a couple of beer everyday, it either really affects the way my meds work or somehow it messes with my mind, I don't know which. I used to love being with the boys a 2-3 times a week and having 3-4 beer at a time. I can't do that anymore on a regular basis as it ends up throwing way off kilter.

I have no recent experience with pot, but I would imagine that in regular use it would affect me the same way. Good Luck with your sleeping. Take Care. paul m