Hathersage Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 I haven't been able to sleep since Thursday night. And so far this evening, its looking like I'll have a long night ahead of me. Again with no one around to talk to. This is shaping up to be the longest weekend of my life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 Are you not able to sleep because of insomnia or because you have to pull an all-nighter? I take 2 mg. melatonin and 100 mg. 5-HTP at night to help me to sleep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hathersage Posted June 6, 2010 Author Share Posted June 6, 2010 Insomnia. I had a difficult conversation friday evening, and now all my mental heath issues are out of control. So, the earliest I could call a doctor would be Monday morning. I've always had issues falling alseep at a decent hour, but in the past I could at least make up for it with daytime sleeping, and I haven't even been able to do that this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaillardia Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 I wanted to also suggest an epsom salt bath. Epsom salts are magnesium and that can relax you, promoting sleep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 I have insomnia attacks too. Tylenol PM really helps me on occasion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 I am on a week long bout of insomnia myself right now. Not even Ambien is working and the longer I go without sleep the worse the pain and the worse the pain the worse my mood. It usually breaks after this long so I am hoping for sleep tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 :grouphug: I, too, suggest melatonin (I would say 5-HTP as well but I would not take that if your doctor might put you on an anti-depressant). I hope you got some sleep tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hathersage Posted June 6, 2010 Author Share Posted June 6, 2010 Well, I might have had some sleep. It doesn't feel like I did, but I was able to close my eyes for awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asta Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 (edited) An AD and lack of sleep are a bad combination, unless it is a highly sedating one such as Remeron or Trazadone. If your doc's answering service is not answering (?) for emergency treatment (eg: calling in an emergency script such as Seroquel), there is an old, old psych trick that might work. Go sit in the shower (yes, sit, don't stand) and run the water directly on the crown of your head from warm to as hot as you can physically stand it (only you know how hot this is). When you can't take it any more, switch the water directly to cold. No warm in-between. The sudden switch causes a type of neuronal "hiccup", if you will, that can shock the system one way or the other (eg: out of a manic or depressive state into a euthymic one). I swear, I thought this was total BS when it was told to me, but it actually has a long history in psych circles, and is part of why Europeans have been using "the baths" (successively hotter pools followed by a freezing one) for hundreds of years. It's worth a shot. Especially when your brain is laughing at Benadryl. HTH a Edited June 6, 2010 by asta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hathersage Posted June 6, 2010 Author Share Posted June 6, 2010 I did know that a drop in body temperture does signal to the body it is time to sleep, so the shower thing makes sense to me. I did do something similar Friday night, but I just couldn't quiet my mind long enough to fall asleep. Oh, how I wish I could just snap out of it. Or I wish it were the "good old days" when at least I had people to talk to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asta Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 I did know that a drop in body temperture does signal to the body it is time to sleep, so the shower thing makes sense to me. I did do something similar Friday night, but I just couldn't quiet my mind long enough to fall asleep. Oh, how I wish I could just snap out of it. Or I wish it were the "good old days" when at least I had people to talk to. The thing I wrote actually isn't for sleep, it is for mood shifting. Seroquel is essentially Benadryl on steroids. All anti-psychotics hit histamine receptors in one way or another. Some people do well on Benadryl, some people don't, hence the "one way or another" being important when it comes time for choosing an AAP. If you *do* do well on Benadryl, you can take 50mg every 4 hours and not cause harm to your liver (as long as you're not adding alcohol to the list) - this is according to their website, not me - and you will be getting approximately the same dosing as a low dose AP. Interestingly, when Benadryl first came out as a prescription drug, they discovered that it hit serotonin receptors (was a mild anti-depressant), and that discovery led to the search for new antidepressants. Good luck. a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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