Years of insomnia---

[bethben]

I am getting totally discouraged.  I have had so many years of insomnia that isn't being treated well with anything.  I have tried everything natural (including time release melatonin that made my sleep actually worse).  I don't eat gluten, don't eat caffeine (goodbye chocolate) and reduced my sugar intake.  My adrenals were pretty tanked along with my progesterone.  A naturalpath put me on sublinguals to counteract both.  They don't work.  I take a decent iron supplement and various other vitamins that "should" help.  I was exercising regularly until I broke my foot.   I will not take marijuana even though I could get it around here.  My chiropractor gave me a tea that has helped all of his patients sleep well.  It has a lot of great supplements that "should" help, but don't.  I am way past trying to treat this naturally.  I have done everything that is suggested for proper sleep hygiene.

 I think I have figured out what is going on with me.  I have restless legs along with not processing gluatamate properly in my brain.  It leads to a double whammy- restless legs along with a very active brain.  I usually don't feel tired most days even after getting less than 3-4 hours of sleep (which also points to not processing glutamate properly).  I am also dealing with depression - most likely caused by the insomnia.  So, researching anti-depresents/anti-anxiety medications shows me that they make restless legs worse.  All the medication treatments for RLS involve drugs that have really really negative side affects that will treat the RLS, but not deal with the insomnia and active brain.  I am taking clonzapam and it worked for about 4 weeks and the RLS is back along with the insomnia.  I'm thinking I am developing a quick tolerance to it.  I knew that would happen eventually, but for me to develop a tolerance in 4 weeks makes me think this is not a good long term solution.  Same with Ambien.  I developed a tolerance to it pretty quickly.  I also think a part of it may be PMS related.  That is problematic in that I am peri-menopausal.  I have a 21 day cycle so I have about 4-5 days of no PMS every 21 days.  

My sleep is affecting every area of my life.  I do have a significant amount of stress that will not go away.  I am going to start seeing a counselor.  My husband worries about me driving and taking care of my disabled son.  While my brain is going a mile a minute, my body is exhausted.  I broke my foot 6 weeks ago because I had a moment where I lost concentration and flipped my foot wrong taking a step down my outside stairs.  I believe it was due to just being tired.  I'm feeling fairly discouraged about all this.  

Anyone have any great ideas?  

[Jean in Newcastle]

Gabapentin. 

[PeterPan]

Have you always had a 21 day cycle or is that recent? And how long has the insomnia been going on? Did it start around the beginning of your hormonal changes or has it been longer?

Sublinguals for progesterone? Progesterone can affect sleep, so that might be something to do fresh labs on to see if you're optimally treated.

For me, I had a genetic TPH2 issue affecting conversion of tryptophan to 5HTP which then goes to melatonin, serotonin, etc. Never used to get tired, started 5HTP, and boom. I also wear the blue light glasses. 

Do you get tired at another time of day? It is possible you have a sleep phase disorder and your cycles are shifted? I have a friend with this, and it's nasty. Do you have the blue light blockers in your everyday glasses? I've wondered if that could affect it because you're shifting the signals the brain gets to tell it when to be awake and perky.

[Spryte]

I second gabapentin.  

If that doesn’t work -my favorite sleep med was trazadone.  I will never forget the first night I took it after years of insomnia.  I woke feeling amazing.

 

[bethben]

52 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

Have you always had a 21 day cycle or is that recent? The 21 day cycle has been going on for 2-3 years. I used to have a 30-35 day cycle.   And how long has the insomnia been going on? The insomnia is over 11 years at this point.  Did it start around the beginning of your hormonal changes or has it been longer?  The insomnia has been getting worse as my cycles are getting shorter

Sublinguals for progesterone? Progesterone can affect sleep, so that might be something to do fresh labs on to see if you're optimally treated.  I am getting fresh labs next week to make sure things are where they should be.  When I first got tested, 

my progesterone was in the 2% range which is low no matter which part of the cycle you're at.  

For me, I had a genetic TPH2 issue affecting conversion of tryptophan to 5HTP which then goes to melatonin, serotonin, etc. Never used to get tired, started 5HTP, and boom. I also wear the blue light glasses. 

Do you get tired at another time of day? Sometimes.  I rarely get tired around 1 pm, but if I'm tired during the day, it's usually at that time.  Even if I wanted to nap during the day, I can't.  My brain is usually wired all the time.  I think I actually slept during a nap once in the past 5 years or more and my dh is always trying to get me rested so he encourages me to do so when I can.   It is possible you have a sleep phase disorder and your cycles are shifted? I don't think so.  My RLS wakes me up and keeps me up.  Last night for example, I slept from 10 -12:45 and woke up with leg issues.  I put my heating pad on them and then my brain was awake, and then I had to go to the bathroom, and then I woke up even more....nasty cycle.  I have a friend with this, and it's nasty. Do you have the blue light blockers in your everyday glasses? I've wondered if that could affect it because you're shifting the signals the brain gets to tell it when to be awake and perky.

 

Edited October 20, 2018 by bethben

[bethben]

I took at one point an anti-anxiety drug called Remeron.  When I was taking that, I slept the whole night.  That was over 11 years ago.  This is the last time I remember sleeping the entire night.  I didn't like the side effect - I was half asleep all day and easily startled.  That was also before the RLS got really bad.  

[Pen]

I have had RLS — got it to go away with nutrition/ supplements but don’t recall exactly what  

try magnesium especially epsom salt bath before bed. 

Try B vitamins — extra beyond regular vitamin. I use Country Life brand usuallly.  but early in day to keep levels up in general, because some are stimulating at bed time

rls stretches after the epsom salt bath, before bed

vitamin D in sufficient amount not just what is in multi vitamins 

 

not sure about the glutamate.  Isn’t it an excitotoxin / neurotoxin as in monosodiumglutamate?  I try to avoid things with glutamate.  I get totally sick from that  

or do you mean glutamine?

or?

[EKS]

You don't mention alcohol, and you probably already know this, but it can really seriously mess with sleep.

[bethben]

For the Glutamate levels and reasons why it can relate to RLS:  https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/restless_legs_syndrome_insomnia_and_brain_chemistry_a_tangled_mystery_solved

All my labs with vitamins come back well within the normal ranges.  I have enough Vitamin D and  B vitamins.  I have tried epson salt baths and magnesium sprays.  And no, I don't drink alcohol - especially red wine which really messes with RLS.  My nutritionist thinks my iron is low (which we are testing again) and my primary doctor thinks it's just fine.  It's in the very low normal.  That could be an issue also, but one doesn't mess with taking too much iron.  I am going to start eating more beef though.

[Pen]

One does not want to take too much iron, but extra magnesium especially in baths is pretty safe afaik.  Your B and D levels are in optimum range?  Or just not in the “too low” range?  Inositol?

I was not able to get all my B vitamin levels tested   Doc told me to experiment with what seemed good amount plus I specifically take extra of certain ones individually  

 

gaba and 5-HTP as others mentioned above?

[Pen]

29 minutes ago, bethben said:

For the Glutamate levels and reasons why it can relate to RLS:  https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/restless_legs_syndrome_insomnia_and_brain_chemistry_a_tangled_mystery_solved

All my labs with vitamins come back well within the normal ranges.  I have enough Vitamin D and  B vitamins.  I have tried epson salt baths and magnesium sprays.  And no, I don't drink alcohol - especially red wine which really messes with RLS.  My nutritionist thinks my iron is low (which we are testing again) and my primary doctor thinks it's just fine.  It's in the very low normal.  That could be an issue also, but one doesn't mess with taking too much iron.  I am going to start eating more beef though.

 

 

Interesting. 

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3307240/

[Pen]

“Normal “ May not be optimal. 

[ktgrok]

low iron definitely aggravates RLS

[PeterPan]

3 hours ago, bethben said:

 My nutritionist thinks my iron is low

Have you tried molasses? It might be enough without being too much. You can just chug a spoon of it, yum. Someone here mentioned it for RLS, and when my legs on occasion do that I got take molasses and it calms down.

What time of day are you taking the D? It keeps me awake if I take it too late. I always take it as early in the morning as possible, 6-8 am. 

Edited October 21, 2018 by PeterPan

[cjzimmer1]

Do you happen to know what your Vitamin D level is?  Because my lab has a range of something like 20-80 for normal.  The problem is that anything below 80 cause me sleep issues.  Seriously at a level of 75 which would be considered high normal by my lab and I have horrible sleep issues.  Bump my level up to 100 and I sleep great.  I've cycled and tested these numbers so many times my doctor just says aim for 100 since it's clear that is where you feel best.

Magnesium is another one.  My nephew has terrible sleep issues and tried tons of meds and none of them works.  He discovered marijuana made him sleep, it is not legal in our state but he was so desperate and when he discovered it worked he started acquiring it.  He got caught and he cried telling his mom, not because he was busted, not because he was caught, not because he lost his driver's license but because how was ever going to get any sleep.  (bear with the next part I'm really not going to try to sell you on essential oils)  I dabble in essential oils and my sister asked if there was anything I had that might help.  So I researched what might work and asked on it on a board I am on (not MLM).  Nephew has ADHD and takes lots of meds and I finally decided there was nothing I was willing to risk him using because I just didn't understand what might interact negatively with his meds.  But one of the recommendations was magnesium.   I made the recipe at the bottom of this post for him. He slept soundly for the first time ever (with the exception of when he used marijuana).  He used it daily for the first two months and now he only uses it occasionally.  He no longer has insomnia.  Now his sister who has not medical issues and no insomnia started using it.  She says she loves how it just relaxes her whole body, I also notice a huge difference in my sleep.  We tried some of the commercial lotions and none of them work like this recipe.  I suspect it has a much higher magnesium content.  

Magnesium Body Butter

1/2 cup magnesium flakes + 3 Tablespoons boiling DISTILLED water or 1/2 cup pre-made magnesium oil
1/4 cup unrefined coconut oil (or dandelion infused olive oil)
2 Tablespoons beeswax
3 Tablespoons Shea Butter
1 tsp arrowroot powder

Pour 3 tablespoons of boiling water in to the magnesium flakes in a small container and stir until it dissolves. This will create a thick liquid. Set aside to cool.


In a quart size mason jar inside a small pan with 1 inch of water, combine the coconut oil, beeswax and shea butter and turn on medium heat.

When melted, remove the jar from the pan and let the mixture cool until room temp and slightly opaque. At this point, put in to a medium bowl or into a blender.

If in a bowl, use a hand blender or immersion blender on medium speed and start blending the oil mixture.

Slowly (starting with a drop at a time) add the dissolved magnesium mixture to the oil mixture while continuing blending until all of the magnesium mix is added and it is well-mixed.

Put in the fridge for 15 minutes and re-blend to get body butter consistency.

[ktgrok]

Oh, an di you are taking Vitamin B12, that can cause anxiety/insomnia. It's worse than coffee for me, depending on how much and what form I take it in. 

[Pen]

1 hour ago, cjzimmer1 said:

Do you happen to know what your Vitamin D level is?  Because my lab has a range of something like 20-80 for normal.  The problem is that anything below 80 cause me sleep issues.  Seriously at a level of 75 which would be considered high normal by my lab and I have horrible sleep issues.  Bump my level up to 100 and I sleep great.  I've cycled and tested these numbers so many times my doctor just says aim for 100 since it's clear that is where you feel best.

Magnesium is another one. 

 

 

I think the points about a good level of something like D possibly being above the top level considered normal by Lab is important to note. 

 

Also, when I do epsom salt bath I use a lot of the epsom salt crystals... a cup , two even more at a time   I buy it in large fairly inexpensive per pound bags rather than in little grocery store type containers.   So the amount I am getting in a bath may be substantially more than what @bethben tried. 

 

In your recipe, what do you mean by magnesium “flakes?”  I am thinking of pieces of magnesium scraped from a chunk as a fire starter. You must mean something different than that. 

[Pen]

So far I have gotten Epsom salts in 19pounds for almost $28 bags, but Amazon has ones 50 pounds for under $48.   I can put enough in the bath that the water is saturated and no more will dissolve. 

[cjzimmer1]

 

23 minutes ago, Pen said:

In your recipe, what do you mean by magnesium “flakes?”  I am thinking of pieces of magnesium scraped from a chunk as a fire starter. You must mean something different than that. 

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B005F1ATJQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1

[Pen]

2 minutes ago, cjzimmer1 said:

 

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B005F1ATJQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

Thanks. I think I’ll try that at least for when I don’t have time for a long bath. 

[BeachGal]

Johns Hopkins is using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for severe patients. Your RLS does sound like a severe case. Might be worth checking out or inquiring about it. If you cannot travel there, you could contact someone there, explain your situation and ask if they know of anyone using TMS in your area.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180829115526.htm

[prairiewindmomma]

With re: to iron, try Floradix liquid chased with a small bit of oj or a handful of pumpkin seeds (pepitas). The oral pill is difficult for the body to absorb. Floradix boosts your serum levels pretty quickly. It has helped me avoid blood transfusions. ?

[TravelingChris]

I don't have restless legs but do have insomnia issues- very bad ones that are now alleviated.  Magnesium, Trazadone, Gralise (slow release Gabapentin), Tizanidine (muscle relaxant) and sometimes pain medicine too.  Trazadone is a completely different class of medicine than Ambien and other new sleep drugs.  Ambien did not help at all for me.  Trazadone is an old antidepressant that induces sleep.  I usually take 75mg. but have been prescribed before up to 150mg.  Sleep is so important so I hope you get real help.  

[Pen]

I realized that I was thinking GABA a calming neurotransmitter, not Gabapentin. 

[Kate in Arabia]

Sorry you are going through this.. I also have had many, many years of dealing with insomnia, although without RLS.  I never had anything checked until I started having "panic attacks" even when I was asleep.. I was put on BP meds and I take Xanax at night so I can sleep.  I really balked at the Xanax, but after going through episodes of 3 days continuous with virtually no sleep, I caved.  My vitamin levels are all over the place, I still haven't managed to get that all straightened out.. it's like I hit my forties and everything went haywire.

Don't know if that helps, but I can empathize with the struggle with insomnia.. ?

[Lizzie in Ma]

16 hours ago, Spryte said:

I second gabapentin.  

If that doesn’t work -my favorite sleep med was trazadone.  I will never forget the first night I took it after years of insomnia.  I woke feeling amazing.

 

My youngest, after not sleeping well most of her life, has been taking trazadone for over 2 years now.  Total game changer. 

[bethben]

If anyone is still paying attention to this---My new therapist is suggesting medication for anxiety/depression.  Would Trazadone interfere with RLS?  The doctor was not wanting to prescribe me anti-depressants/ Anti-anxiety drugs due to the fact that they would exasperate RLS. But, I am thinking, as does my therapist, that I do need something.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I would give it a try.  In some cases, trazadone has actually helped RLS.  In other cases it makes it worse.  As long as you are monitored and can make changes then it shouldn't be an issue. 

[Garga]

On 10/20/2018 at 8:48 PM, cjzimmer1 said:

Do you happen to know what your Vitamin D level is?  Because my lab has a range of something like 20-80 for normal.  The problem is that anything below 80 cause me sleep issues.  Seriously at a level of 75 which would be considered high normal by my lab and I have horrible sleep issues.  Bump my level up to 100 and I sleep great.  I've cycled and tested these numbers so many times my doctor just says aim for 100 since it's clear that is where you feel best.

Magnesium is another one.  My nephew has terrible sleep issues and tried tons of meds and none of them works.  He discovered marijuana made him sleep, it is not legal in our state but he was so desperate and when he discovered it worked he started acquiring it.  He got caught and he cried telling his mom, not because he was busted, not because he was caught, not because he lost his driver's license but because how was ever going to get any sleep.  (bear with the next part I'm really not going to try to sell you on essential oils)  I dabble in essential oils and my sister asked if there was anything I had that might help.  So I researched what might work and asked on it on a board I am on (not MLM).  Nephew has ADHD and takes lots of meds and I finally decided there was nothing I was willing to risk him using because I just didn't understand what might interact negatively with his meds.  But one of the recommendations was magnesium.   I made the recipe at the bottom of this post for him. He slept soundly for the first time ever (with the exception of when he used marijuana).  He used it daily for the first two months and now he only uses it occasionally.  He no longer has insomnia.  Now his sister who has not medical issues and no insomnia started using it.  She says she loves how it just relaxes her whole body, I also notice a huge difference in my sleep.  We tried some of the commercial lotions and none of them work like this recipe.  I suspect it has a much higher magnesium content.  

Magnesium Body Butter

1/2 cup magnesium flakes + 3 Tablespoons boiling DISTILLED water or 1/2 cup pre-made magnesium oil
1/4 cup unrefined coconut oil (or dandelion infused olive oil)
2 Tablespoons beeswax
3 Tablespoons Shea Butter
1 tsp arrowroot powder

Pour 3 tablespoons of boiling water in to the magnesium flakes in a small container and stir until it dissolves. This will create a thick liquid. Set aside to cool.


In a quart size mason jar inside a small pan with 1 inch of water, combine the coconut oil, beeswax and shea butter and turn on medium heat.

When melted, remove the jar from the pan and let the mixture cool until room temp and slightly opaque. At this point, put in to a medium bowl or into a blender.

If in a bowl, use a hand blender or immersion blender on medium speed and start blending the oil mixture.

Slowly (starting with a drop at a time) add the dissolved magnesium mixture to the oil mixture while continuing blending until all of the magnesium mix is added and it is well-mixed.

Put in the fridge for 15 minutes and re-blend to get body butter consistency.

How do you use this? As a lotion on the legs?  To eat?  How much of it?

[Jean in Newcastle]

9 minutes ago, Garga said:

How do you use this? As a lotion on the legs?  To eat?  How much of it?

As a lotion.  Do not eat it. 

[gardenmom5]

I've been sleeping better since I started doing castor oil packs.

 

My dd is doing a night time cortisol test.  It's done over four/five? Nights.  If that doesn't help,  she is going for a sleep study. 

[cjzimmer1]

2 hours ago, Garga said:

How do you use this? As a lotion on the legs?  To eat?  How much of it?

 

1 hour ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

As a lotion.  Do not eat it. 

Yes exactly what Jean says.  We rub it on feet and lower legs (basically from the knee down.  I find it kind of sticky but my niece and nephew aren't bothered at all by it.

[J-rap]

My ds has recommended hemp oil for my dh (he has pretty bad insomnia).  This brand in particular:

https://bluebirdbotanicals.com/product-category/extracts/

We haven't gotten it yet.  There are no psychoactive “high” compounds in it.

I get RLS too.  It can be severe at times, but keeping my iron levels high enough helps a lot.  The one time in my life when I had been quite anemic and was then given a high dose of prescription iron was the best my RLS has ever been.  It completely went away during that time.   

 

[Katy]

I'll be the fourth or fifth person to suggest trazadone.

[Ellie]

((((bethben))))

How is your thyroid? When you say that your labs are all "normal," do you know if all of the appropriate labs were done? TSH alone is not enough. You need Free T3, Free T4, and Reverse T3. And they need to be *optimal,* not "normal." Optimal is TSH in the lower fourth of your lab's ranges, Free T3 in the upper fourth, Free T4 in the upper half.

[kirag714]

On 10/20/2018 at 8:48 PM, cjzimmer1 said:

Do you happen to know what your Vitamin D level is?  Because my lab has a range of something like 20-80 for normal.  The problem is that anything below 80 cause me sleep issues.  Seriously at a level of 75 which would be considered high normal by my lab and I have horrible sleep issues.  Bump my level up to 100 and I sleep great.  I've cycled and tested these numbers so many times my doctor just says aim for 100 since it's clear that is where you feel best.

Magnesium is another one.  My nephew has terrible sleep issues and tried tons of meds and none of them works.  He discovered marijuana made him sleep, it is not legal in our state but he was so desperate and when he discovered it worked he started acquiring it.  He got caught and he cried telling his mom, not because he was busted, not because he was caught, not because he lost his driver's license but because how was ever going to get any sleep.  (bear with the next part I'm really not going to try to sell you on essential oils)  I dabble in essential oils and my sister asked if there was anything I had that might help.  So I researched what might work and asked on it on a board I am on (not MLM).  Nephew has ADHD and takes lots of meds and I finally decided there was nothing I was willing to risk him using because I just didn't understand what might interact negatively with his meds.  But one of the recommendations was magnesium.   I made the recipe at the bottom of this post for him. He slept soundly for the first time ever (with the exception of when he used marijuana).  He used it daily for the first two months and now he only uses it occasionally.  He no longer has insomnia.  Now his sister who has not medical issues and no insomnia started using it.  She says she loves how it just relaxes her whole body, I also notice a huge difference in my sleep.  We tried some of the commercial lotions and none of them work like this recipe.  I suspect it has a much higher magnesium content.  

Magnesium Body Butter

1/2 cup magnesium flakes + 3 Tablespoons boiling DISTILLED water or 1/2 cup pre-made magnesium oil
1/4 cup unrefined coconut oil (or dandelion infused olive oil)
2 Tablespoons beeswax
3 Tablespoons Shea Butter
1 tsp arrowroot powder

Pour 3 tablespoons of boiling water in to the magnesium flakes in a small container and stir until it dissolves. This will create a thick liquid. Set aside to cool.


In a quart size mason jar inside a small pan with 1 inch of water, combine the coconut oil, beeswax and shea butter and turn on medium heat.

When melted, remove the jar from the pan and let the mixture cool until room temp and slightly opaque. At this point, put in to a medium bowl or into a blender.

If in a bowl, use a hand blender or immersion blender on medium speed and start blending the oil mixture.

Slowly (starting with a drop at a time) add the dissolved magnesium mixture to the oil mixture while continuing blending until all of the magnesium mix is added and it is well-mixed.

Put in the fridge for 15 minutes and re-blend to get body butter consistency.

Hi! I would love to try this with my daughter - thanks for the tip. In the recipe I don't see where to add in the arrowroot powder! Can you let me know?

Thanks again :)

[bethben]

I’m getting some relief.  I did get a prescription for Trazadone.  It’s been 4 days and I’m giving it a month to see if it works.  So far, it’s a maybe.

what I did find out is that according to John Hopkins medical center that has a clinic for restless legs is that people who have RLS need to have ferritin levels of 75-100.  Most of these people will get an IV of iron.  My natural path said since I’m not anemic, she would have a hard time getting that approved.  At 2 times the recommended vitamin dosage, I got up to a 33.  I am now taking 4 times the regular dosage. Iron also needs to be taken with vitamin C on an empty stomach that stays empty for two hours. The big deal?  My RLS is not noticeable.  This.is.huge!

[Jean in Newcastle]

41 minutes ago, bethben said:

I’m getting some relief.  I did get a prescription for Trazadone.  It’s been 4 days and I’m giving it a month to see if it works.  So far, it’s a maybe.

what I did find out is that according to John Hopkins medical center that has a clinic for restless legs is that people who have RLS need to have ferritin levels of 75-100.  Most of these people will get an IV of iron.  My natural path said since I’m not anemic, she would have a hard time getting that approved.  At 2 times the recommended vitamin dosage, I got up to a 33.  I am now taking 4 times the regular dosage. Iron also needs to be taken with vitamin C on an empty stomach that stays empty for two hours. The big deal?  My RLS is not noticeable.  This.is.huge!

You might check into taking Floradix for iron.  It is a liquid and thus is better absorbed than pills. 

[cjzimmer1]

2 hours ago, kirag714 said:

Hi! I would love to try this with my daughter - thanks for the tip. In the recipe I don't see where to add in the arrowroot powder! Can you let me know?

Thanks again ?

I added it during the second blending.  It's just to make it thicker if you want a softer consistency feel free to leave it out.

[cjzimmer1]

1 hour ago, bethben said:

I’m getting some relief.  I did get a prescription for Trazadone.  It’s been 4 days and I’m giving it a month to see if it works.  So far, it’s a maybe.

what I did find out is that according to John Hopkins medical center that has a clinic for restless legs is that people who have RLS need to have ferritin levels of 75-100.  Most of these people will get an IV of iron.  My natural path said since I’m not anemic, she would have a hard time getting that approved.  At 2 times the recommended vitamin dosage, I got up to a 33.  I am now taking 4 times the regular dosage. Iron also needs to be taken with vitamin C on an empty stomach that stays empty for two hours. The big deal?  My RLS is not noticeable.  This.is.huge!

I don't have RLS but I do have another issue that causes anemia.  I have standing orders with my hematologist that if my ferritin goes below 50, I get an IV of iron.  We've never had a problem getting it approved at levels in the 40's.  I've only gone below 30 once (before we figured out that my iron keeps tanking) and there is no way I can function that low. I will second the recommendation of Floradix, it's the only product that moved my ferritin levels up (although for me it still wasn't enough and I was drinking a bottle a week - yes drinking just poured it in a cup and drank.  I was so anemic and pregnant that they wanted me to try everything else before the IV).

[AngieW in Texas]

On 10/21/2018 at 5:55 AM, Lizzie in Ma said:

My youngest, after not sleeping well most of her life, has been taking trazadone for over 2 years now.  Total game changer. 

Trazodone was like a miracle drug for my youngest. After two years of severe insomnia, it worked like a charm starting from the very first night. The doctor had said to start with one 50 mg tablet the first night and then go up or down as needed to no less than 1/2 of a tablet and no more than 2 tablets. A full tablet was too much. A 1/2 tablet was too little, but 3/4 of a tablet has been a perfect dosage level. A has been taking 3/4 of the 50mg  trazodone tablet for 8 years now. The only time it was a problem was when the pharmacy switched suppliers from Teva to Apotex. The Apotex version didn't work even at any level from 3/4 of a tablet all the way up to 3 tablets (after asking the doctor what to do). When we were able to find a pharmacy that still had Teva trazodone, the old dosage worked just fine and there were no more problems.

All that being said, my older two kids have had periodic problems with insomnia and both had trazodone prescribed as a trial med at different points in time. They each took it one night only because it caused extremely heightened anxiety and restlessness. Neither one of them will ever try it again. We have determined since then that my youngest needs entirely different meds from my other two because anything that works for my youngest is really bad for the others and anything that works for my older two is really bad for my youngest.