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Suz
559 Posts |
 Posted - 06/29/2006 : 08:27:05
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Ok, guys and girls - I think I need some encouragment on the no sleeping front. I have spent the last 10 days trying out different types of sleep medication and also have started reading a book on Insomnia with a great 'drug free" solution.
My insomnia is definitely a by-product of anxiety related to my new relationship. Yup - still trying to be perfect!
My regular doctor is obsessed with me taking sleeping pills - getting the right dose etc. I took lunesta and it actually made me so sleepy and depressed, I had to stop it. I slept but had terrible tiredness regardless. Now, I am on Sonata - no side affects except I wake up at 5:30 in the morning -only getting 5 1/2 hours sleep - not bad but am quite tired.
Ok - I am wondering if I am making too big a deal of this. I always tend to turn a health problem into some major thing. A month ago, I was sleeping fine before things heated up with John. I think this might be a very TMS personality move to make mountains out of molehills. I am thinking about not sleeping so much that I am not sleeping. I have no back pain, constipation and my skin is totally clear - these are all my old TMS symptoms. it has been replaced by an obsession of not sleeping.
I guess I should not obssess? Just ignore it and i will sleep when I sleep. It is hard to ignore the health professionals who think that all problems are solved by a pill. I have not seen my boyfriend in 2 weeks as he is at Law school and lives 2 hours away. He is coming down tomorrow for the long weekend and I am beside myself with excitement as is he. All I think about is how I won't sleep tonight and all weekend. We do not stay together as we are "christian dating" - and we end up saying good bye at 2:00 am in the morning which is exhausting.
Help! any suggestions are welcome. I am feeling run down and exhausted |
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shari
USA
85 Posts |
Posted - 06/29/2006 : 08:52:20
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| Suz -- I think what keeps you awake is your fear of not sleeping. You go to bed with that fear, or you wake up at 2 AM and that fear creeps up and you can't go back to sleep. Pills are not the solution because they stop working after a few weeks and it's very difficult to get out of them. |
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Suz
559 Posts |
Posted - 06/29/2006 : 08:59:17
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Shari,
You are so right! I have convinced myself which is ridiculous as I was sleeping perfectly well before
Suz |
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shari
USA
85 Posts |
Posted - 06/29/2006 : 09:49:46
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| I think Sarno mentions in The Mindbody Prescription that fear is just as strong a distractor as pain. But sleeplessness, like TMS pain, is not dangerous. When we sleep, all our organs are still awake and working. Sleep is meant for our muscles to rest. So just lying in bed in a relaxed state will help tremendously. To keep your mind off negative thoughts, you can listen to the radio, a station like NBR where people talk about subjects that keep your mind away from fear. |
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ekman
11 Posts |
Posted - 06/29/2006 : 10:16:01
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You actually do need to sleep and get to stage 3/4 to avoid depression and tiredness. I struggle with this myself. If you need to take something to get to sleep try:
Sleepytime tea
Calm (from the health food store - calcium/ magnesium)
If these don't work and you need a pill, I would go the trazodone route. It is not addictive and gets you to the deep levels of sleep. Only a low dose is needed. It is not addictive like Lunesta or Sonata. |
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shari
USA
85 Posts |
Posted - 06/29/2006 : 10:38:02
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| Good advice, ekman -- but keep in mind that focusing on the "physical" aspect of sleeplessness is the qeuivalent of focusing on the physical part of pain instead of the psychological. As long as we try "methods" to physically induce sleep, our unconscious wins. |
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Suz
559 Posts |
Posted - 06/29/2006 : 11:30:24
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Ekman,
What is the trazondone route? are you a doctor? Do you know the brand name? I am afraid I am not very knowledgable but have tried sonata and lunesta - hate lunesta and am doing very very low dose of Sonata.
I tend to agree that focusing on the physical - all the potions/vitamins and pills make it a physical problem when really it is a psychological one. It's quite a battle!
Fear is definitely what is perpetuating it |
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Susie
USA
319 Posts |
Posted - 06/29/2006 : 13:05:20
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| suz, I tried trazadone. Hated it. I think it is an antidepressent. Just made me feel real woosy. I have taken ambien for 3 years. It works evertime. I haven't had to up my dosage and it has such a short life that I am perky every morning. I take half a 10 mg. when I go to bed and take the other half around 2 am. I sleep for 8 hours. I got sick of feeling like a zombie. I,too,obsessed over sleep and I am sure that is why I couldn't. I think the body needs sleep. When I didn't get any, I caught every virus that came down the pike. I think your immune system is affected by lack of sleep.They have done studies on sleep deprived drivers and claim it is akin to driving inebriated. Everyone must make their own choice but this seems to work for me. |
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HilaryN
United Kingdom
879 Posts |
Posted - 06/29/2006 : 13:54:52
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How about reading the first part of The Divided Mind just before you go to bed? That might work!
(I should add that now I've finished it I did enjoy reading the treatment chapters.)
Hilary N |
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Suz
559 Posts |
Posted - 06/29/2006 : 14:18:13
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thank you, Susie. I haven't tried Ambien but I am going to try a low dose of Sonata. I would love not to have to take it for too long. i am very very tired right now and longing for sleep.
Do you not have any sleepy side affects? |
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Susie
USA
319 Posts |
Posted - 06/29/2006 : 14:36:05
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| None whatsoever. Why don't you try the ambien and just take half? It comes in 5 and 10 mg. but they cost about the same. If you buy the 10s and cut them in half it saves alot. I have a friend that takes ambien and tried lunesta and didn't like it nearly as well. I didn't like sonata. If you get ambien be sure and get the original and not the ambien cr. Ambien is loosing it's patent, I think in Sept.,and will be available in it's generic form and will be alot cheaper. They are pushing the cr because of this. |
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Suz
559 Posts |
Posted - 06/29/2006 : 14:55:39
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| Do you know why she didn't like lunesta? Did it make her sleepy? |
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Mary Ann
Canada
42 Posts |
Posted - 06/29/2006 : 15:14:39
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quote:
Originally posted by HilaryN
How about reading the first part of The Divided Mind just before you go to bed? That might work!
(I should add that now I've finished it I did enjoy reading the treatment chapters.)
Hilary N
LOL..It took me FOREVER to read that book. I kept falling asleep just reading 2 or 3 pages, especially the first few chapters. I did enjoy it, but it was very dry and I got very sleepy reading it (in contrast with the mystery novel I'm reading now that keeps me awake til the wee hours!)
Suz, I suffered insomnia for over 10 years. Sometimes I took pills, mostly I just didn't get sleep. I gave up coffee about 4 years ago and it magically worked--I slept like a baby. Now, I attribute that to the placebo effect. Since I've tried Sarno's methods on my food reactions, I started drinking coffee again and my insomnia has not come back.
I do get the odd sleepless night still. I haven't been able to completely eradicate the anxiety (tms-equivalent) that I sometimes suffer from.
What you said in one of your previous posts is exactly what's happening: "it has been replaced by an obsession of not sleeping."
Take a pill, don't take a pill. Sleep or don't Just try to accept that you are occasionally going to have sleepless nights and realize that you will still be fine. Eventually it will work itself out.
Sweet dreams,
Mary Ann
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Edited by - Mary Ann on 06/29/2006 15:18:37 |
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Susie
USA
319 Posts |
Posted - 06/29/2006 : 15:38:43
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| Suz, the Lunesta didn't keep him asleep. I agree wholeheartly with Mary Ann. Take a pill or don't take a pill. You'll be ok. With the ambien, I know longer worry about sleep. That is worth something to me. You are probably so strung out that you oughta take something to get some sleep and then decide when you are feeling more rested. Once you know you have something that will make you sleep you are sort of well armed and choose to either use it or not use it. |
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Insomnia - still battling
