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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by Sooshi on February 27, 2004, at 11:32:01
In reply to Re: Is there such an animal as a safe sleep aid??? » Sooshi, posted by fayeroe on February 27, 2004, at 6:12:54
Wow, not that I can recall...just really sound sleep. Hope you're not having some kind of reaction. Check the ingredients...make sure there's nothing else in there that you're sensitive to. Even though it possibly gave you a headache, did it help you sleep? Maybe you could switch brands???
Posted by Margit on February 27, 2004, at 14:04:00
In reply to Is there such an animal as a safe sleep aid???, posted by fayeroe on February 22, 2004, at 11:46:59
Posted by fayeroe on February 27, 2004, at 17:25:38
In reply to Re: Is there such an animal as a safe sleep aid??? » fayeroe, posted by Sooshi on February 27, 2004, at 11:32:01
valerian update: ingredients: total carbohydrates???700 mg, calcium 40 mg and valerian 1 g (1000mg). today was one of the most miserable days ever....and i didn't sleep all that well. kept waking up....but today my head ached and i felt nauseated most of the day?????
i am not taking it tonight. will go back to store manana. thanks, pat
Posted by Jai Narayan on February 28, 2004, at 16:58:24
In reply to Re: Is there such an animal as a safe sleep aid??? » Sooshi, posted by fayeroe on February 27, 2004, at 17:25:38
> valerian update: ingredients: total carbohydrates???700 mg, calcium 40 mg and valerian 1 g (1000mg). today was one of the most miserable days ever....and i didn't sleep all that well. kept waking up....but today my head ached and i felt nauseated most of the day?????
> i am not taking it tonight. will go back to store manana. thanks, patwhat's with all the carbohydrates???
I have never had good luck with Valerian. Maybe you are allergic???
The luck I have had is with Benadryl, Tylenol night, and obviously Ambien.
I have stayed awake many a night with Valerian, and other herbs....no good with homeopathics either.
I have used Melatonin too. The kind you put under your tongue and let it melt. Source Naturals....the kind you swallow doesn't work for me????
Oh Pat, be careful. It sounds like you may have reverse reactions to herbs. One's that are supposed to make you sleepy are stimulants. I really don't understand it but some of us are in that camp.
Herbs for sleep keep me awake.
Lots of luck....I would be real careful and do one thing at a time and keep a diary...
Posted by fayeroe on February 28, 2004, at 19:47:53
In reply to You reaction sounds bad, posted by Jai Narayan on February 28, 2004, at 16:58:24
Thanks~~~~I'm going to be very careful. Benadryl keeps me up too! Be assured that I'll proceed slowly. I'll check on the melatonin....and as soon as the weather lets up, I'm going back to walking 3 a day!! Pat
Posted by Sooshi on February 28, 2004, at 20:21:09
In reply to Re: You reaction sounds bad » Jai Narayan, posted by fayeroe on February 28, 2004, at 19:47:53
Oh man, I don't know what all those carbs are for either! Those would definately not help you to sleep! Did you get the valerian in tea form? Maybe I should have just suggested that...that's how I take it.
Benedryl also keeps me wide awake! Any sort of OTC sleep aid does too. That's why I had to turn to herbal remedies. Melatonin just wasn't strong enough, but it just might work for you. You could also try chamomille tea...works for me too. Also, a good meditation/relaxation cd to listen to while your're in bed (especially one that can run on and on...) really helps. Might have mentioned this already...sorry if i have...
Sorry you had such a bad experience with the valerian :( Hope the next trick works better!
Sooshi
Posted by fayeroe on February 28, 2004, at 20:38:08
In reply to Re: You reaction sounds bad » fayeroe, posted by Sooshi on February 28, 2004, at 20:21:09
Swooshie Sooshie! You just gave me an idea. I used to have a "sound" machine that did things like rainstorms, thunder, ocean waves, etc. I'll try one of those. It worked back then! Might work now! Thanks!
Posted by Sooshi on February 29, 2004, at 15:37:46
In reply to Re: You reaction sounds bad » Sooshi, posted by fayeroe on February 28, 2004, at 20:38:08
I use my sound machine every nite! Sweet Dreams!
Posted by Jai Narayan on February 29, 2004, at 20:54:25
In reply to Re: You reaction sounds bad » fayeroe, posted by Sooshi on February 29, 2004, at 15:37:46
I have a fan that runs all night to level the traffic noise I have to deal with.
A friend of mine has gone to a hypnotherapist for her sleep problems. The woman therapist made a personal tape for my friend to use when she was going to sleep. It worked like a charm. where she used to stay awake for days on end she puts on the tape now and a good nights sleep follows. I am almost convinced to do the same but I need a CD.
Posted by fayeroe on March 1, 2004, at 5:50:36
In reply to ambient sound, posted by Jai Narayan on February 29, 2004, at 20:54:25
I am going to try the hypnotist.....I've never heard of that but anything would be better than waking up at 2:00 a.m...........and staying awake. Thanks!!
Posted by Jai Narayan on March 1, 2004, at 18:49:27
In reply to Re: ambient sound » Jai Narayan, posted by fayeroe on March 1, 2004, at 5:50:36
> I am going to try the hypnotist.....I've never heard of that but anything would be better than waking up at 2:00 a.m...........and staying awake. Thanks!!
*So this happens every night? When do you go to sleep? I hope this works for you.
Have you tired Ambien?
It's only a short term fix. I was going to try Trazodone but at a low dose of 50 to 100mg it didn't work for me.
I am still searching for the perfect thing.
Posted by fayeroe on March 1, 2004, at 19:13:20
In reply to I have spent many a night exasperated, posted by Jai Narayan on March 1, 2004, at 18:49:27
> > I am going to try the hypnotist.....I've never heard of that but anything would be better than waking up at 2:00 a.m...........and staying awake. Thanks!!
> *So this happens every night? When do you go to sleep? I hope this works for you.I usually am asleep by 10:00 as I go to work at 7:30 a.m. A lot of nights I keep my four year old granddaughter and it takes some work to get her ready and the beasties fed. So, I have to be in bed by then.....waking up at 2 means I'm not getting much rest!!!! As I've said before, the doctors here won't let you try anything for sleep. When I move back to the ranch I'll have a doctor there that will work with me. Hope you find something that works well..it's the pits, not sleeping........
>
Posted by Jai Narayan on March 2, 2004, at 18:16:29
In reply to Re: I have spent many a night exasperated, posted by fayeroe on March 1, 2004, at 19:13:20
> I usually am asleep by 10:00 as I go to work at 7:30 a.m. A lot of nights I keep my four year old granddaughter and it takes some work to get her ready and the beasties fed. So, I have to be in bed by then.....waking up at 2 means I'm not getting much rest!!!!
*Two things that will make it harder are animals and children. You have them both.
As I've said before, the doctors here won't let you try anything for sleep. When I move back to the ranch I'll have a doctor there that will work with me. Hope you find something that works well..it's the pits, not sleeping........*Thank you so much I will always be looking for a better method.
Posted by rainyday on March 8, 2004, at 9:14:22
In reply to Is there such an animal as a safe sleep aid???, posted by fayeroe on February 22, 2004, at 11:46:59
I put on a new age cd of recorded natural sounds (I have oceans, wolves, loons, tropical rainforest, lakes and even Niagara Falls). At even low volume they help to put me out. I prefer these to recordings with talking on them because you don't have to concentrate.
Posted by fayeroe on March 8, 2004, at 17:42:00
In reply to Re: Is there such an animal as a safe sleep aid??? » fayeroe, posted by rainyday on March 8, 2004, at 9:14:22
> I put on a new age cd of recorded natural sounds (I have oceans, wolves, loons, tropical rainforest, lakes and even Niagara Falls). At even low volume they help to put me out. I prefer these to recordings with talking on them because you don't have to concentrate.
I'm going to try that. The sleep machine wasn't in so I'm waiting~~~~~~~~I'll go find a CD!! Thanks! Pat p.s. today I purchased melantonin and will try it tonight also.......
Posted by LynneDa on March 16, 2004, at 17:25:17
In reply to Re: Is there such an animal as a safe sleep aid??? » rainyday, posted by fayeroe on March 8, 2004, at 17:42:00
Pat - Has anything worked for you yet? I am so tired of being tired! I have had sleep problems for years, but after being on Lex for 5 months now, it is true insomnia. I frequently take 3mg melatonin & fall asleep just fine - but wake up a few hours later, stay awake til about 6 - then sleep for an hour very soundly! I'm just awake - not so wired like I was before, not anxious, not worried - just awake!
I've tried soft music, lavender essential oils and linen sprays (very nice actually, but didn't keep me asleep all night), chamomile tea, Ambien (loved it, but coming off of it after a week on it was H*@@! P-doc didn't want me on it too long, said it should re-train my body. It did for about a week, then I was back to my old pattern.), Motrin PMS, Benadryl, cough syrup, an herbal mix with kava kava in it (not good - made my heart race and felt wired), calcium supplements, sleeping on a different mattress, a variety of relaxation techniques, feng shui-ing my bedroom, meditation & praying to anyone listening to help me sleep :-)
Hoping you are sleeping better and have found a wondrous solution!
~ Lynne
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> I'm going to try that. The sleep machine wasn't in so I'm waiting~~~~~~~~I'll go find a CD!! Thanks! Pat p.s. today I purchased melantonin and will try it tonight also.......
>
>
Posted by fayeroe on March 16, 2004, at 18:28:26
In reply to Re: Is there such an animal as a safe sleep aid??? » fayeroe, posted by LynneDa on March 16, 2004, at 17:25:17
> Pat - Has anything worked for you yet? I am so tired of being tired! I have had sleep problems for years, but after being on Lex for 5 months now, it is true insomnia. I frequently take 3mg melatonin & fall asleep just fine - but wake up a few hours later, stay awake til about 6 - then sleep for an hour very soundly! I'm just awake - not so wired like I was before, not anxious, not worried - just awake!
>
> I've tried soft music, lavender essential oils and linen sprays (very nice actually, but didn't keep me asleep all night), chamomile tea, Ambien (loved it, but coming off of it after a week on it was H*@@! P-doc didn't want me on it too long, said it should re-train my body. It did for about a week, then I was back to my old pattern.), Motrin PMS, Benadryl, cough syrup, an herbal mix with kava kava in it (not good - made my heart race and felt wired), calcium supplements, sleeping on a different mattress, a variety of relaxation techniques, feng shui-ing my bedroom, meditation & praying to anyone listening to help me sleep :-)
>
> Hoping you are sleeping better and have found a wondrous solution!
> ~ Lynne
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>
> >
> > I'm going to try that. The sleep machine wasn't in so I'm waiting~~~~~~~~I'll go find a CD!! Thanks! Pat p.s. today I purchased melantonin and will try it tonight also.......Alas, so far I'm still adrift. Last night I tried something like TylenolPM. I got 5 hours. And for me that's pretty good. But it isn't a peaceful quiet sleep. I dream weird *--* and become very anxious when I awake. I'm going to try to get elavil and take 50mm a night. It's so difficult to get a doc here to prescribe something for sleep. The old bible belt. I guess we are supposed to flog ourselves or something at bedtime.......I've tried that too.:-) One has to be resourceful! Pat p.s did you have vivid dreams with the melantonin?????
> >
> >
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Posted by LynneDa on March 17, 2004, at 9:47:34
In reply to Re: Is there such an animal as a safe sleep aid??? » LynneDa, posted by fayeroe on March 16, 2004, at 18:28:26
Elavil - is it non-addicting? I'll have to ask my doctor about it. He is very open and sort of gives me anything I ask for, within reason!
Yes, the Melatonin does provide me with really vivid and weird dreams. I'm not sure why, but I guess it has to do with deeper REM cycling or something? Mine haven't been scary - just Alice in Wonderland-like!
I gave in last night and chopped my 10mg Ambien into thirds and took one (I'd previously swore them off!). I was going on 3 nights in a row with only 3 hours sleep. It's almost 10am and I'm still pretty groggy, but boy did I have a nice night's sleep!!!!
Happy St. Paddy's Day! Take care!
~ Lynne
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Alas, so far I'm still adrift. Last night I tried something like TylenolPM. I got 5 hours. And for me that's pretty good. But it isn't a peaceful quiet sleep. I dream weird *--* and become very anxious when I awake. I'm going to try to get elavil and take 50mm a night. It's so difficult to get a doc here to prescribe something for sleep. The old bible belt. I guess we are supposed to flog ourselves or something at bedtime.......I've tried that too.:-) One has to be resourceful! Pat p.s did you have vivid dreams with the melantonin?????
> > >
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Posted by Jai Narayan on March 17, 2004, at 18:48:35
In reply to Re: Is there such an animal as a safe sleep aid??? » fayeroe, posted by LynneDa on March 17, 2004, at 9:47:34
My ritual is I go to sleep early 9pm, do 2.5mg sublingual melatonin then when I wake up at 1 or 2 am I take 5mg Ambien and I sleep till 5 or 6 or 7am.....it's so sweet. I love that my eyes close and I sleep and dream....my dreams are sometimes vivid but I dream....I love getting that deep into sleep. REM is so important....I wish all the alternatives worked....I wish.
Posted by fayeroe on March 17, 2004, at 19:06:38
In reply to What's so bad about Ambien?, posted by Jai Narayan on March 17, 2004, at 18:48:35
Okay, I'm going to try to sublingual melantonin.....I'm always so amazed that posters talk about so many different meds. Where I live, it's like pulling hen's teeth to even get an AD! I don't know what century these doctors are living in, but toughing it out ain't working for me. I'm exhausted from lack of sleep! I keep my granddaughter almost every night and I'm getting to the point of no return. It's getting harder and harder to find any joy in anything.........
Posted by ubugarrity on March 19, 2004, at 14:11:34
In reply to sleep sweet sleep, posted by Jai Narayan on February 24, 2004, at 21:50:42
I've had the same sleep problems. Tried several things. Doc tried me on several prescription drugs but the side effects were insane and I couldn't deal with them.
-Ambien gave me a great night sleep but I got real bad head aches and I'm not a headache person. I started and stopped it several times to make sure that was it and everytime...head aches.
-Tylenol PM I sleep all night but not great and groggy next day.
-Valerian besides being the stinkiest stuff ever, would put me out but I would wake after a couple hours and didn't feel good the next day
-camemille- Put me out but not for the night
-melatonin- I sleep great for about four hours and I wake feeling like I slept all night but its only 2 AM. I tried taking more dose and also taking another at 2 am but no good.So now I was so desparate for sleep. Now I don't drink alcohol at all and don't like the taste. But I started forcing down 3oz's of red wine later in the evening. I sleep great. All night. The wine didn't make me tired it calmed my brain down so I wasn't thinking of a million things and I just fell asleep naturally. If I wake in the middel of the night I used to wake right up and my brain started whizzing with a million thoughts and with the wine I was relaxed and fell right back asleep!! and only 3 ounces!!
Last time at the doctor the nurse asked the usual Do you drink? I said I just started. I explained and she said she tried everything too and was going right after work to buy the same brand of wine I got. Then the Doc came in and asked how the last med was working. I said I'm not taking anything but 3 ounces of wine and it is working great. He replyed that's what he does but he couldn't suggest it to me. I've also talked to the nurse and she had great success.
I hate to avocate alcohol but I have to say it works for me. I hope this helps some one else sleep the night.
Posted by LynneDa on March 19, 2004, at 14:16:36
In reply to Re: sleep sweet sleep, posted by ubugarrity on March 19, 2004, at 14:11:34
Hi! Thanks for sharing your story. I'm sort of laughing to hear about your doctor and nurse! Are you taking an anti-depressant or anti-anxiety med? Aren't they counter-productive or is 3 oz. not enough to mess with it? I'm willing to try anything . . . red wine here I come :-)
~ Lynne
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
"I started forcing down 3oz's of red wine later in the evening. I sleep great. All night. The wine didn't make me tired it calmed my brain down so I wasn't thinking of a million things and I just fell asleep naturally. If I wake in the middel of the night I used to wake right up and my brain started whizzing with a million thoughts and with the wine I was relaxed and fell right back asleep!! and only 3 ounces!!
>
> Last time at the doctor the nurse asked the usual Do you drink? I said I just started. I explained and she said she tried everything too and was going right after work to buy the same brand of wine I got. Then the Doc came in and asked how the last med was working. I said I'm not taking anything but 3 ounces of wine and it is working great. He replyed that's what he does but he couldn't suggest it to me. I've also talked to the nurse and she had great success.
> I hate to advocate alcohol but I have to say it works for me. I hope this helps some one else sleep the night.
Posted by ubugarrity on March 19, 2004, at 15:06:11
In reply to Re: sleep sweet sleep » ubugarrity, posted by LynneDa on March 19, 2004, at 14:16:36
He did try me on a couple different anxiety meds. The side effects were horrible. Plus, they generally cause insomnia. I'm just using the wine. And not every night anymore and I'm sleeping on those nights as well.
Posted by LynneDa on March 19, 2004, at 15:09:08
In reply to Re: sleep sweet sleep, posted by ubugarrity on March 19, 2004, at 15:06:11
Great - congratulations! The French & Italians swear by red wine, guess they're right :-)
~ Lynne
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>He did try me on a couple different anxiety meds. The side effects were horrible. Plus, they generally cause insomnia. I'm just using the wine. And not every night anymore and I'm sleeping on those nights as well.
Posted by GabaGirl on March 28, 2004, at 16:45:32
In reply to Re: sleep sweet sleep » ubugarrity, posted by LynneDa on March 19, 2004, at 15:09:08
Hey:
I'm diagnosed with bipolar, and I either sleep too much or too little, or the inbetween which is what I aim for.
For restful sleep and to relax at night I just started drinking "Nighty Night" tea by Traditional Medicinals. Hate the name, but it seems to help me sleep better and wake more rested. It has passionflower, chamomile, catnip, hops, and a lemony/minty blend of other herbs. I like it and feel better waking up on the mornings afterwards. Melatonin just did not work for me at all, but anything with passionflower seems to help with restful and relaxing sleep, less grogginess, etc...
Best,
GABAgirl
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