Beauty

[SandGirl]

On 8/7/2014 FLsunlover said:

On 8/7/2014 Sandgirl said:

On 8/7/2014 FLsunlover said:

I've been through the same thing. Personally, I'd take the Lunesta. Most over the counter stuff doesn't work at all or stops working after a while and felt drowsy for half the next day. I got tired of driving to and from work half asleep (not to mention it's dangerous!!) and feeling like a zombie all the time. I took what my Doctor prescribed and I felt like a million bucks.

VERY TRUE and if the Lunesta put me to sleep I would for sure take it, it only works about 20% of the time (3mg) and it produces like 1-2 hours sleep at most, but most the time I don't go to sleep with it at all.

May I ask what your Dr has you on? I am reallywilling to try anything at this point!!

I take Ambien--sorry can't remember the dosage right now. Definitely ask you doctor for something else since the Lunesta isn't working for you. Hope you get some sleep soon!

Thank you!!! I will put a call into her and see what she thinks about me trying Ambien, I think that was one she had mentioned when she gave me Lunesta

[Mz iMac]

AGE 64 & Retired4Life

A couple months back, out of the clear blue sky, I started suffering from insomnia. For a month, I just couldn't sleep. Up all night & day. I wasn't even tired or sleepy from lack of sleep either. I ended up sleeping approximately 2 hours a week!

I have always slept like a log. Could sleep anywhere, any place & any time. Then BAM!!!!!

I happened to mention the above to my neurologist (treats me for migraines) who ruled out all the "usual causes" of insomnia. She prescribed Cylobenzaprine 10mg to take 1 hour before bedtime. It's a muscle relaxant. Dr prescribed a 30 day supply no refills.

That one pill worked so good, all during the next day I was sleeping off & on because I was so lathargic (sp). So on my own 3 nights later I cut that one pill in half. Worked like a dream. The 4th day I was bright & chirpy - my normal self after 8 hrs of sleep.

I kept taking that half pill for 2 straight weeks then stopped cold turkey. My normal sleeping pattern has returned. So far so good.... still sleeping like a log even after I take my afternoon power naps. Insomnia mysteriously went away just as it mysteriously appeared.

Visited my Neurologist this a.m & advised her about my half pill vs whole pill. Told me it was ok if it worked for me. Neurologist went on to prescribed another 30 day supply even though I told her I didn't need it. Her response: "you never know, now do we?"

[SandGirl]

On 8/7/2014 Mz iMac said:

AGE 64 & Retired4Life

A couple months back, out of the clear blue sky, I started suffering from insomnia. For a month, I just couldn't sleep. Up all night & day. I wasn't even tired or sleepy from lack of sleep either. I ended up sleeping approximately 2 hours a week!

I have always slept like a log. Could sleep anywhere, any place & any time. Then BAM!!!!!

I happened to mention the above to my neurologist (treats me for migraines) who ruled out all the "usual causes" of insomnia. She prescribed Cylobenzaprine 10mg to take 1 hour before bedtime. It's a muscle relaxant. Dr prescribed a 30 day supply no refills.

That one pill worked so good, all during the next day I was sleeping off & on because I was so lathargic (sp). So on my own 3 nights later I cut that one pill in half. Worked like a dream. The 4th day I was bright & chirpy - my normal self after 8 hrs of sleep.

I kept taking that half pill for 2 straight weeks then stopped cold turkey. My normal sleeping pattern has returned. So far so good.... still sleeping like a log even after I take my afternoon power naps. Insomnia mysteriously went away just as it mysteriously appeared.

Visited my Neurologist this a.m & advised her about my half pill vs whole pill. Told me it was ok if it worked for me. Neurologist went on to prescribed another 30 day supply even though I told her I didn't need it. Her response: "you never know, now do we?"

This is awesome and so weird at the same time, I am at work and currently have a sticky note beside me from a gal I work with (she is 65) who was having the SAME issue as us and her Dr gave her 10mg of Flexeril (Cyclobenzaprine) she wrote it on a sticky for me and told me to ask my Dr for it. Humm I just may have to do that.

I appreciate you telling me your story, MORE THAN YOU KNOW. I am also very happy you are sleeping on your own again but you have extra's just in case I hear it's fairly cheap too, that's a bonus!

[bluejeansluvr]

Now that is interesting MZ. I get migraines too. I will ask my neurologist about that. Thank you for the information.

[Nannerbelles]

I also have trouble sleeping at night and have for the last few years. Most nights I end up on the couch so I'm not disturbing my husband. I seem to fall asleep but wake up a couple hours later. I am then either away just about every hour on the hour or I am up most of the night. It is tough to get up and go to work some days. I would love to find something to let me sleep through the night that is not habit forming. Sometimes a couple of beers help, haha!!

[RinaRina]

I also had a very bad sleep deprivation problem which I posted about a few weeks ago. However, I recently made an *amazing* discovery that might help you. -- White Noise -- !!

I got a huge Honeywell Air Purifier (model 50250-S). I bought it online and had no clue how big it was. It's a monster! And it's also very loud. But guess what? Every time I turn it on, I fall asleep.

I had to remove it from my office because whenever I was on the computer or reading, within a few minutes, I'd be sleeping. Now it's in my bedroom. I turn it on low, and sleep like a baby. It also keeps the bedroom COOL (a godsend if you're post-menopausal), so I don't have to turn on the little fan on my nightstand (in the middle of the night - another sleep disrupter!) to keep my upper body cool.

I still don't sleep 8 hours, but the 5-6 hrs of sleep I do get is a "deep" sleep, and I'm grateful for that.

[AnnMarie-1]

I went thru a VERY BAD time with no sleep for days & then it got the best of me & I finally had to go to the doctor...

even had my husband come in the exam room with me as it was that bad....

Long story, but the doctor told me I should not be googling, thinking, reading anything about sleep during the day....ha!...easy for him to say....that was all I was doing

I played around myself with too many pills, my sister's Xanex, melatonin, valarian, etc....and I was woozy during the day....not myself at all....

I stopped all pills & just went on a low dose sleeping pills, it helped me fall asleep for just a few hours & I was ok with that....I was able to cut it in half & still fall asleep...

now I take nothing....I do not get alot of sleep, anywhere form 3 to 6 hours ...but I am ok with that & do not panic....I really do not require alot of sleep...and I have my sleeping pills if I get real bad again....

What I thought about buying if need be was "time release" melatonin...Sleep Answer by Healthy Directions or Natrol brand, comes in three doses (1, 3, or 5 MG)

[sidsmom]

On 8/7/2014 Sandgirl said:

On 8/7/2014 sidsmom said:

Aww, Kitten...so sorry to hear you're still battling this. When you said your hormones are in check, I'm assuming thyroid as well? My thyroid levels became low for the first time ever this yr...I was always tired, but not sleepy...got me on thyroid Meds and it's getting better. Could the thyroid have been overlooked?

She checked my thyroid levels and said "they are in range" but when I look at them on my own they are like 0.4 over the lowest range, I would call them "low"? The Endocrinologist looked at the results as well and she had nothing more to add....

Put this on the wrong response below....oops

Just pulled up my chart - Okay I know TSH T3 isn't ALL the thyroid - this is just an example.

TSH is 0.4 and the good range is 0.4-4.7 so in my eyes, I am on the low side!!

I would do a little investigating with this...with thyroid, high #s mean you're hypothyroid & low #s mean you're hyperthyroid....and one of the symptoms of hyperthyroid is difficult to sleep. Since you're on the uber low end, I would ask your Drs. about that. My lab normal range is 0.5-4.7...and I was 5.5...not much over the normal range, but I knew something wasn't right even before the blood test.

Google Hyperthyroid & see if other symptoms apply. That might be enough info to at least try thyroid Meds to see if that helps w/ sleep. Fingers are crossed!

[skuggles]

On 8/7/2014 sidsmom said:

On 8/7/2014 Sandgirl said:

On 8/7/2014 sidsmom said:

Aww, Kitten...so sorry to hear you're still battling this. When you said your hormones are in check, I'm assuming thyroid as well? My thyroid levels became low for the first time ever this yr...I was always tired, but not sleepy...got me on thyroid Meds and it's getting better. Could the thyroid have been overlooked?

She checked my thyroid levels and said "they are in range" but when I look at them on my own they are like 0.4 over the lowest range, I would call them "low"? The Endocrinologist looked at the results as well and she had nothing more to add....

Put this on the wrong response below....oops

Just pulled up my chart - Okay I know TSH T3 isn't ALL the thyroid - this is just an example.

TSH is 0.4 and the good range is 0.4-4.7 so in my eyes, I am on the low side!!

I would do a little investigating with this...with thyroid, high #s mean you're hypothyroid & low #s mean you're hyperthyroid....and one of the symptoms of hyperthyroid is difficult to sleep. Since you're on the uber low end, I would ask your Drs. about that. My lab normal range is 0.5-4.7...and I was 5.5...not much over the normal range, but I knew something wasn't right even before the blood test.

Google Hyperthyroid & see if other symptoms apply. That might be enough info to at least try thyroid Meds to see if that helps w/ sleep. Fingers are crossed!

No, it is the reverse. High #s mean you are hyperthyroid & low #s mean you are hypothyroid.

http://www.patient.co.uk/health/hyperthyroidism-overactive-thyroid

From wiki:

Hyperthyroidism, often called overactive thyroid and sometimes hyperthyreosis, is a condition in which the thyroid gland produces and secretes excessive amounts of the free (not protein bound circulating in the blood[1]) thyroid hormones -triiodothyronine (T3) and/or thyroxine (T4). Graves' disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism.[2] The opposite is hypothyroidism ('sluggish thyroid'), which is the reduced production and secretion of T3 and/or T4.[3]

[SandGirl]

On 8/7/2014 skuggles said:

On 8/7/2014 sidsmom said:

On 8/7/2014 Sandgirl said:

On 8/7/2014 sidsmom said:

Aww, Kitten...so sorry to hear you're still battling this. When you said your hormones are in check, I'm assuming thyroid as well? My thyroid levels became low for the first time ever this yr...I was always tired, but not sleepy...got me on thyroid Meds and it's getting better. Could the thyroid have been overlooked?

She checked my thyroid levels and said "they are in range" but when I look at them on my own they are like 0.4 over the lowest range, I would call them "low"? The Endocrinologist looked at the results as well and she had nothing more to add....

Put this on the wrong response below....oops

Just pulled up my chart - Okay I know TSH T3 isn't ALL the thyroid - this is just an example.

TSH is 0.4 and the good range is 0.4-4.7 so in my eyes, I am on the low side!!

I would do a little investigating with this...with thyroid, high #s mean you're hypothyroid & low #s mean you're hyperthyroid....and one of the symptoms of hyperthyroid is difficult to sleep. Since you're on the uber low end, I would ask your Drs. about that. My lab normal range is 0.5-4.7...and I was 5.5...not much over the normal range, but I knew something wasn't right even before the blood test.

Google Hyperthyroid & see if other symptoms apply. That might be enough info to at least try thyroid Meds to see if that helps w/ sleep. Fingers are crossed!

No, it is the reverse. High #s mean you are hyperthyroid & low #s mean you are hypothyroid.

http://www.patient.co.uk/health/hyperthyroidism-overactive-thyroid

From wiki:

Hyperthyroidism, often called overactive thyroid and sometimes hyperthyreosis, is a condition in which the thyroid gland produces and secretes excessive amounts of the free (not protein bound circulating in the blood[1]) thyroid hormones -triiodothyronine (T3) and/or thyroxine (T4). Graves' disease is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism.[2] The opposite is hypothyroidism ('sluggish thyroid'), which is the reduced production and secretion of T3 and/or T4.[3]

This would make sense, I need to check out the other symptoms that go along with it and see if I fall into this.... Very interesting!