Beauty

[SandGirl]

On 8/7/2014 HGTV addict said:

Just take a pill! I take Lorazepam (1 mg) - either 1 or 2 tabs at night. Some nights one works, other nights 2. My 60 tabs/month only costs $3.21.

Wrote this one down to talk to my Dr about - Thank you!!!!

[HonnyBrown]

On 8/7/2014 Sandgirl said:

I have been to my Dr 3 times in the last 8 months and even a Endocrinologist - I am currently set up to see a Sleep Specialist but they cannot get me in till DECEMBER!!!! I might be DEAD and resting quite well by then!

Anyways - I'm 42 and about 8 months ago this all came on, I could not sleep - prior to that day I slept like a baby my whole entire life, NEVER EVER had an issue even while stressed, I even slept like a baby through a divorce!!!

I've tried Magnesium, Calm, Liquid Melatonin, Valerian, Lemon Balm, Andrew Lessmans Sleep product, Hylands Calm Forte, 5HTP, Unisom and I have a prescription my Dr gave me for Lunesta BUT I am stubburn and don't want to have to rely on a sleep aid (prescription) to help me sleep. I just want to sleep on my own again, I feel so broken.

I work FT and I seriously have to go to work and go home, I can't and don't do anything else "fun", I just don't have the energy but I have to go to work, who can afford to lose their job??

Anyways - anyone else have this issue? I am feeling horrid these days and feeling like it's aging me (I am sure it is since I am not getting proper rest)

What has helped you GET TO SLEEP or stay asleep?

I keep a regular sleep sched. - I always have

No Caffeine after 8am

Sleep sound machine with ocean wave & lavender oil in my room

No TV or Internet an hour+ before TV

I take relaxing baths with Lavender salts a couple hours before bed

I have read so much on it that I feel I have tried it all. Just want to know for those that TRIED IT ALL, WHat finally worked for you?? Please share THANK YOU

Did I write this? I swear I wrote this because this is me word for word.

The only thing that works for me consistently is Target brand Tylenol PM and wine.

I like the Target brand because it works for a few days. I have been doing this for several years, taking it on Sundays and Wednesdays. I take it at 8:30, get in bed and fall asleep by 10, and I wake up refreshed at 5:30. No hangover.

[SandGirl]

On 8/7/2014 scatcat said: A pill would be the last thing I would take too. You are young and could potentially be setting yourself up for 40+ years of sleeping pills. (My granny was addicted and 2 of my friends started younger than you and are totally addicted). Do you snack after dinner? I would not - sugar (which is in so many foods) chocolate etc can surely keep you up. Good luck.

Trust me, I HATE THIS!!! Hate it, never EVER been on ANY meds my whole life, anyone that knows me on here knows I am a HEALTH NUT!! I do NOT eat after 4:30pm after I eat dinner and I do not consume sugar - I workout daily, eat VERY clean and take very good care of myself.

[SandGirl]

On 8/7/2014 glmama said:

As an aside, I have heard that Ambien has not been so wonderful for many, many people. Sleep walking, sleep disturbance, feeling very weird in morning, etc.

I've tried OTC natural sleep aids (Natural Calm, magnesium, etc., etc.) and none have worked. I already have Lorazepam for some anxiety and typically this works for me at bedtime. But only if I take at least 1mg., not 1/2 mg.

I have heard the same with Ambien and that's why my Dr gave me Lunesta, she said it has not happened as much with the Lunesta.....

I have tried all that you have too minus the Lorazepam - It's just really frustrating and I feel bad for my husband too, this has been the worst 8 months of our life & marriage. I just can't do it much longer.

[SandGirl]

On 8/7/2014 HonnyBrown said:

On 8/7/2014 Sandgirl said:

I have been to my Dr 3 times in the last 8 months and even a Endocrinologist - I am currently set up to see a Sleep Specialist but they cannot get me in till DECEMBER!!!! I might be DEAD and resting quite well by then!

Anyways - I'm 42 and about 8 months ago this all came on, I could not sleep - prior to that day I slept like a baby my whole entire life, NEVER EVER had an issue even while stressed, I even slept like a baby through a divorce!!!

I've tried Magnesium, Calm, Liquid Melatonin, Valerian, Lemon Balm, Andrew Lessmans Sleep product, Hylands Calm Forte, 5HTP, Unisom and I have a prescription my Dr gave me for Lunesta BUT I am stubburn and don't want to have to rely on a sleep aid (prescription) to help me sleep. I just want to sleep on my own again, I feel so broken.

I work FT and I seriously have to go to work and go home, I can't and don't do anything else "fun", I just don't have the energy but I have to go to work, who can afford to lose their job??

Anyways - anyone else have this issue? I am feeling horrid these days and feeling like it's aging me (I am sure it is since I am not getting proper rest)

What has helped you GET TO SLEEP or stay asleep?

I keep a regular sleep sched. - I always have

No Caffeine after 8am

Sleep sound machine with ocean wave & lavender oil in my room

No TV or Internet an hour+ before TV

I take relaxing baths with Lavender salts a couple hours before bed

I have read so much on it that I feel I have tried it all. Just want to know for those that TRIED IT ALL, WHat finally worked for you?? Please share THANK YOU

Did I write this? I swear I wrote this because this is me word for word.

The only thing that works for me consistently is Target brand Tylenol PM and wine.

I like the Target brand because it works for a few days. I have been doing this for several years, taking it on Sundays and Wednesdays. I take it at 8:30, get in bed and fall asleep by 10, and I wake up refreshed at 5:30. No hangover.

I am SO sorry you suffer too. Have not tried the Tylenol PM only because my Dr said it is very hard on the liver and should only be used if in pain and nothing else will work and only for short periods of time. I don't want something that will cause me other issues, then I'll have to start another thread about that issue haha urg!!

[glmama]

On 8/7/2014 Sandgirl said:

On 8/7/2014 glmama said:

As an aside, I have heard that Ambien has not been so wonderful for many, many people. Sleep walking, sleep disturbance, feeling very weird in morning, etc.

I've tried OTC natural sleep aids (Natural Calm, magnesium, etc., etc.) and none have worked. I already have Lorazepam for some anxiety and typically this works for me at bedtime. But only if I take at least 1mg., not 1/2 mg.

I have heard the same with Ambien and that's why my Dr gave me Lunesta, she said it has not happened as much with the Lunesta.....

I have tried all that you have too minus the Lorazepam - It's just really frustrating and I feel bad for my husband too, this has been the worst 8 months of our life & marriage. I just can't do it much longer.

I am sooo sorry you are suffering with this. Please try to get to the very bottom of it, if it means seeing multiple docs., etc. all my best to you.

[SandGirl]

On 8/7/2014 glmama said:

On 8/7/2014 Sandgirl said:

On 8/7/2014 glmama said:

As an aside, I have heard that Ambien has not been so wonderful for many, many people. Sleep walking, sleep disturbance, feeling very weird in morning, etc.

I've tried OTC natural sleep aids (Natural Calm, magnesium, etc., etc.) and none have worked. I already have Lorazepam for some anxiety and typically this works for me at bedtime. But only if I take at least 1mg., not 1/2 mg.

I have heard the same with Ambien and that's why my Dr gave me Lunesta, she said it has not happened as much with the Lunesta.....

I have tried all that you have too minus the Lorazepam - It's just really frustrating and I feel bad for my husband too, this has been the worst 8 months of our life & marriage. I just can't do it much longer.

I am sooo sorry you are suffering with this. Please try to get to the very bottom of it, if it means seeing multiple docs., etc. all my best to you.

Thank you sweetie, that's what I plan on doing, I've even thought of going to Urgent care just to get some relief, I mean I can't get into a sleep Dr until DEC!!! That is just nuts, my Dr told me it's due to the new ObamaCare, people that couldn't get in before are now going in.....

[Mistic]

On 8/7/2014 violann said: Sand girl you have my deepest sympathy. I stopped sleeping well during a period of intense stress, and I've never gotten better. I did everything you've done AND prescription sleeping pills, and NOTHING works. I'll be looking forward to seeing the suggestions you receive.

I've been this way my entire life. I too would like to know what you find that finally works for you. I've tried the Rx, OTC's, music, white noise, exercise, ...... the list goes on.

Hoping you get some relief SOON!

[glmama]

Sandgirl

[sidsmom]

On 8/7/2014 Sandgirl said:

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!

I've read numerous publications indicating Low TSH levels are Hyperthyroid, High TSH Hypothyroid...and wanted to make sure this info is solid. Sandgirl's TSH levels are low, so I was thinking she might be hyperthyroid.

Thyroid 101: www.about.com

To recap:

LOW TSH suggests you are closer to HYPERthyroidism (overactive), and have too much thyroid hormone circulating.

HIGH TSH suggests you are closer to HYPOthyroidism (underactive), and you don't have enough thyroid hormone circulating.