Please help me sleep | Arthritis Information
I've been on ambien cr for years and all of a sudden it stopped working. Rheumy changed my prescription to Lunesta for a month to see if it would help and it doesn't. I was up all night last night and I'm soo tired today. I'm afraid if I nap today I won't be able to sleep tonight.
Rheumy just called and wants me to switch back to ambien tonight. I really hope this bout of insomnia is short lived. It makes my ability to deal with life and pain almost unbearable.
What dose of ambien were you on and what dose of lunesta did he switch you to?
Lunesta worked for me for about 2 weeks (I hadn't slept a WINK for 2 weeks before it) Then I started waking up at 3 AM. I was on high doses of prednisone then though...
Is something keeping you up? Medicine? Worries?
I was on 12.5 mg of ambien cr and then 3mg of lunesta.
I have a lot on my mind and a tremendous amount of stress going on. Nothing that is going to go away anytime soon, though.
I sympathise with you Owie. I too have trouble sleeping. I've tried a lot of natural meds to help - so far unsuccessfully. I have ordered some Kava to try. Will let you know if it helps.
Rheumy told me to up my nightly dose of Amytriptyline from 50 to 60 mgs but this dose gives me a med. hangover - which I can well do without!
Hi owiemom,
Glancing at your profile I'm not surprised you're having trouble sleeping. You have a lot to deal with.
A few years ago I discovered that a radio with a little remote-control was a great way to keep my busy little brain occupied and out of worry mode when it's time for sleep. I tune it to our public radio stations, which have programs about all kinds of topics. If they start talking about something I don't like I switch to another station. I leave it on all night, and when a dream or stress wakes me up the topic on the radio takes my mind off it and I go back to sleep. I suspect it even keeps my mind from wandering off to dark dreams, because most of the overnight hosts are a cheerful bunch.
Hope this helps.
How much is your daily caffeine intake? As I get older, I find that even a can of Coke (about 40mg caffeine) a few hours before bed is enough to keep me from falling asleep. Back in college, I could drink coffee right before bed and sleep like a log.
I'm only too happy to share my sleep recipe, maybe some of it could help you...though we all have very different symptoms, stress, etc that we're dealing with. So far, I've stayed away from the sleep meds. I worry that they will be addictive and lose effectiveness, leaving me worse off. Anyway, here's what I do.
1) I take about a one mile walk each evening, often at dusk in the summer when it's cooler. I find it very relaxing and the exercise helps me sleep better.
2) I have a 30 min yoga routine I do, usually after my walk, which includes some meditative time with some soft music and a candle.
3) If I feel fatigued with that flu-like achy feeling, I take an Aleve with my evening yogurt snack (good source of probiotics too). It doesn't do much for the joint pain but it knocks out the achy feeling pretty well.
4) Lots of pillows at strategic locations to get more comfortable.
Good luck, Alan
Wishing you Sweet dreams owimom. so sorry you're having sleep troubles... I too have them.
You have PN, as I do,.. and with that I have RLS.. do you have any symptoms of RLS? That could be what's keeping you from sleeping.
Owiemom I just remembered something...are you worrying about your second interview? You are going to do just fine!
When my mind is in a worry mode when I should be sleeping I keep repeating in my head- Let go, Let God. Or I pray for other people who need prayers.
When I was on high doses of prednisone and my mind was just racing- after 20 mins. I didn't fight it anymore. I got up and read a book until I got sleepy enough to try again.
I read at night to make myself sleepy. Sometimes if I take two benedryl, it makes me sleepy. Wishing you a night full of sweet dreams.I take a hot bath before bed. It relaxes my muscles. I stay away from caffeine and have a snack before bed. I also sleep with 4 pillows to cushion my joints. Owie, I take ambien too. It got to where I could go to sleep on it but couldn't stay that way, after many tries found something that works. I take the ambien and take an old drug related to the tricyclic antidepressant family called doxepin. I get a lot more rest most of the time. If I am hurting worse than usual though, nothing seems to help me sleep. My pain medicine seems to make me antsy if I take it right before bed so I try to avoid that. I see that you're on fentanyl, I'm assuming the patch, perhaps you need an adjustment in your dose? Lyrica makes me tired too, maybe up that some? I hope you and your doc find the right combo soon.I switched back to ambien cr and slept like a baby. Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions!
I'm not at all worried or stressing about my second interview, but as of today I am getting nervous because they haven't yet called me to schedule it. The gentleman who interviewed me first said the second guy was coming into town this week and would be calling, so he probably just isn't here yet...
My stress stems from 1. being sued by the people my son was in a car accident with a year ago. They declined our insur. co. offer and are coming after us. 2. We got a letter from the IRS saying we owed them ,000 plus interest for 2005 - fixed it today though, the Co. hubby worked for lost a contract and changed hands 3 times in one summer and they sent goofed. We only owe YAY!!! Everyone who worked for the co. got the same letter. 3. younest son got accepted to his no. 1 choice college which is ,000/yr yikes! 4. Being discriminated against at old job for my illnesses and forcing me to quit. 5. older son was supposed to go in the Air Force in Jan, but had emergency surgery in Dec. and wasnt healed. They gave him until June to heal and he still has an open wound. They are giving him one more month to heal or are kicking him out and he will lose his dream career.
There's more, but those are the biggies...
You know that anxiety often increases with depression. Maybe you need to consult your physician to see if your work and financial situation is causing you to be more depressed and maybe he can fine tune your antidepressant. Just a thought.Owiemum,
It sounds really awful. I've never had to take the meds you are on so I cant comment onthem.
Something that seems simple and might help is bumping up your magnesium levels. Magnesium is cheap and is supposed to be nature's sedative... it might help you to wind down and relax?
There are also other natural remedies that might help, and the are summarised on this site:
http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/conditionsitoq/a/Insomnia.htmHope you feel better soon.
Anna
Thank you for your suggestions. I already take a prescription strength magnesium, but honestly cannot remember what time of day it is taken, I will have to check. I see my primary next week and will see if I need to tweak my meds some.... thanks!
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