Insomnia & prescription sleep aids....what works?

[LarlaB]

I suffer from insomnia...particularly during the summer and when travelling. My version of insomnia is that I go to sleep ok, but then wake up and stay awake from 2-3 hours...usually falling back to sleep around 4-5am.

 

I already take quite a bit of natural sleep promoting supplements (valarian, melatonin, 5htp, gaba etc) and have excellent sleep hygiene (I've worked on & researched this for quite a while) and frankly, i feel I've done all I can do. I reallllllllly want something that I can rely on to help me sleep when its really necessary- as needed basis, not every night.

 

I know that sleep meds are a personal thing and fraught w/ risks & side effects, but at this point I don't feel I have many more options. For these special circumstances, I'd like to have something I can rely on to help me at least be unconscious even if I don't wake up feeling rested!!! LOL

 

What is the gentlest & most reliable prescription sleep aid you know of that could help me? What didn't work for you?

[TechWife]

Each person is different. You need to speak with your doctor,

[AngieW in Texas]

My 14yo is on trazodone. She takes 3/4 of the lowest dose tablet available, 50mg. She has been taking it for just over one year now and it has been wonderful. She was taking several hours to fall asleep, then sleeping for just 2 hours or so then lying away for another 2 hours and finally falling asleep for just 2 more hours at most.

 

My 17yo is taking 13mg of time-release melatonin. She actually takes a 10mg and a 3mg. If she needs it, she can go up as high as 20mg. She still wakes up with the melatonin, but she goes right back to sleep. She forgot to take her melatonin last night so she woke up at 2am and didn't fall asleep again until 5:30am. She also takes magnesium at night (except when she forgets).

 

I should add that my 17yo first tried Trazodone, but it didn't work for her at all. It made her feel like she had to get up and walk around and then she didn't have good muscle control and fell down. The doctor tried her on Remeron next, but it stopped working for her very quickly (after just two weeks) and it was really revving up her appetite. She started waking up at 3 or 4 am feeling like she was starving and had to eat a full meal at that time.

 

After trazodone and remeron didn't work for my 17yo, the doctor said to try 10mg time-release melatonin. If 2 weeks at that level didn't work, she should try 15mg. If two weeks at that level didn't work, she should try 20mg. If that didn't work, then she was to make an appointment for a sleep study (14yo had her sleep study in February). My dd didn't want to jump from 10 all the way to 15, so I found 3mg time-release for her to use with the 10 and that level seems to work for her. She just has to remember to take it.

[texasmama]

50 mg of Trazodone would be a good one to ask your doc about.

[Ottakee]

Can I ask..........do you wake up because you have to go to the bathroom? I was having the same trouble. I would fall asleep fast but then wake up at 1, 2, or 3 or so and have to go to the bathroom. Once I did that I couldn't fall back asleep for an hour or 2 or more.

 

My doctor said for me to try Vesicare (you know the "I don't want my pipes to leak" commercials). It has really helped in that now I can sleep through the night 6 out of 7 nights or so. That is SOOO much better.

 

Just thought I would mention it in case that might be affecting you too.

[bethben]

I took ambien cr (?) for a while. This particular one had a time release feature on it. My insurance two years ago refused to pay for it and it was $10 a pill or something like that, so that ended the love affair I had with ambien. Benadryl works good enough for those moments I have trouble sleeping.

 

Beth

[MooCow]

50 mg of Trazodone would be a good one to ask your doc about.

 

 

 

:iagree: sometimes just half of one will help, especially if you don't like the morning groggy feeling

[Pod's mum]

Or just learn not to be cross about it.

Keep a stack of undemanding books next to your bed and read for an hour or two and then try again.

My sleep pattern was knocked right out two years ago, and I had months of insomnia.

Getting cross didn't help.

Now I really appreciate it if I occasionally sleep through the night.

[somo_chickenlady]

I had really good luck with Zz-Quil, which you can buy over the counter. It is basically just liquid benedryl, according to my pharmacist friend. It worked well, and I slept through the night, but it made me ITCH like crazy. It was a weird side effect for me, not something most people experience. I have tried so many different thing, including Ambien, but that made me feel like a zombie int he morning. Good luck with whatever you choose!

[Night Elf]

I've tried numerous drugs. Sonata and Lunesta did absolutely nothing. Trazodone made me feel drugged when I woke up. I get good results from Ambien, which some people have horrid experiences with. I take a Benadryl to help me fall asleep and an Ambien to keep me asleep all night.The Benadryl will only work if I'm already a little tired.

[happypamama]

During my last pregnancy, my midwife okayed a low dose of Unisom for me, because. I was desperate, and it really helped. She also said that upping my magnesium intake would help too, so this time, I am trying NaturalCalm to see if it helps. I hope you find something -- insomnia is so annoying!

[magnificent_baby]

My OB orders Ambien to all his patients after delivery. I felt like I was hallucinating in my sleep and I was fighting off the poor nurse just trying to take my vitals. I will never take one again.

 

I take Benadryl only when desparate. Have you tried a sound machine? I recently began using a Dohm (thanks to the board) and it has helped.

[Mnemosyne]

Don't have any knowledge as far as the drugs go, but have you played with your diet much? I've noticed that if I eat a lot of carbs at and after dinner time, I have similar issues.