What do you do when sleeping pills do not work?
Sunday, February 7th, 2010 at
4:36 am
I have tried EVERY sleeping pill. (literally)
I am now on the maximum dose of Lunesta.
It no longer works and it’s only been a week.
when I take it I’m not even tired or able to sleep.
What should I do and how can I get some sleep?!
I have tried all the benzodiazepines.
Does lithium put you to sleep? are there any Other Types of meds that might work?
Tagged with: benzodiazepines • google • lithium • lunesta • maximum dose • meds • sleep • sleeping pill
Filed under: Insomnia
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
try to figure out what is stressing you out and then try to get medical attention if that does not work.
take ur pills with wine.
Look for a presidential address on TV.
Reading does it for me.
Or try setting your alarm clock and getting up when it still feels too early to be up. Sleeping-in is the #2 cause of sleepless nights.
Some people just don’t need much sleep to function. I understand the "normal" but if it’s not adversly affecting you, I wouldn’t worry about it. If you are tired and are having trouble falling asleep, what usually works for me is to do something relaxing right before going to sleep. I smoke right before I go to sleep, but that’s not the healthiest of ways to relax.
is there something going on in your like that may cause this? are you taking other meds that may cause insomnia? we need to find the cause of the problem! too much caffeine late at night….ummm….maybe you need some down time right before bed like reading a book, something non stimulating.
hope this helps…i just dont have enough info…oh and you dont want to become dependent on meds so i would use meds as a last resort.
try 25 mg of benedryl…this helps immensely and it only stays in your system for 4 hour, so no groggy feeling when you wake up.(you can go as high as 50mgs, but beware, long term use of this can cause constipation)
one thing my gramma used to do for me when i was young and couldnt sleep is to bring some milk to a scald(light boil, when the sides of the pan are just starting to get slick)
then she added a tsp of sugar or honey to sweeten it and within 15 mins i was asleep.
peace,
lily
ps, its non-addictive also.
Have you ever tried seroquel? This is what I am taking now. I have been through every sleeping pill you can think of also. Your body gets amuned to medication after you have taken it for so long. You may need to raise the dosage. Seroquel has to be prescribed by your Doctor. Seroquel not only helps with sleep, it also helps with depression and anxiety. My body gets amuned to mediacation quickly, what my Doctor does is raise the dosage until it gets to the highest dosage he can before changing my medication. Now that I am taking Seroquel it has taken alot of time for my body to get amuned to this one. What I now do is keep taking it, but meditate and wait until my body relaxes before I take it. So that I can get the rest I need. What I mean by meditate is get on here answer questions or ask questions, sit down and do puzzle books, read a book, and or watch TV until nothing is on my mind except for me going to sleep.
Sleeping pills help – but they do not treat the cause of your sleeplessness and they have side effects.
Nondrug treatments for insomnia may work better in the long run, and they have fewer risks than medications. Some of these you can try at home, or your doctor may recommend others.
There are some simple things you can do that might help you sleep better. Here are some key points to remember:
Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT for short) can help you sleep better. This aims to change how you feel, think, and behave.
Regular exercise may help too, but don’t do it right before bedtime.
You’ll usually be treated with sleeping pills only if your insomnia is severe, making your life difficult, and causing you a lot of distress.
You shouldn’t take sleeping pills for more than four weeks because you can become dependent on them. You may find it hard to sleep without taking a pill at night.
More research is needed to know how safe sleeping pills are for elderly people, especially if you’re taking other medicines as well.
Treatments that are likely to work
Newer sleeping pills (eszopiclone, zaleplon, zolpidem)
Taking one of these sleeping pills can help you get to sleep more easily. You may also sleep a bit longer and wake less at night.
Your doctor might prescribe one of these sleeping pills if your insomnia is severe. These drugs include (with brand names):
zaleplon (Sonata)
zolpidem (Ambien, Ambien CR).
I’ve also tried numerous sleep aids (Ambien, Ambien CR, Lunesta, Seroquel, Restoril, Xanax, Valium, Rozerem, Benadryl) and none of those work for me either.
There are a few tricyclic meds that have worked for me in the past. You may want to try Remeron (mirtazapine) or Trazadone. Start off on a low dose – 25mg Traz – to see how that effects you. For the first few days it may make you groggy but eventually you will get over that.
Tricyclics are better for you because they are non-habit forming compared to benzodiazepines.
Also, drinking warm milk DOES help, a little. Warm milk contains tryptophan which can help you fall asleep easier. This is also found in turkey.
Hope this helps!
go see the DR, test your thyroid, and maybe an antianxiety med, dont take any more sleeping pills, make sure your room is dark quite and use a fan. avoid tv about 1-2 hrs before as well. Good luck, check with DR could be medical reason.