Insomnia

[getting better]

I've recently changed meds from Seroquel to Abilify. The seroquel was great for helping me sleep but made me eat eat eat. The abilify is great for during the day but I find my insomnia has returned with a vengence. My Psych says that people don't need as much sleep as they think they do..but without sleep I'm a mess. The nights are soooooooo long and I feel as if I'm the only person in the world who is awake! I've tried meditation and aromatherapy and I'm on sleeping tablets (which don't work.) Does anyone have any suggestions...please!!!

 

[skyblue]

Which sleeping tabs are you taking ?

My doc used to prescribe me Zopiclone which didn't work for me at all. Now if I have insomnia he prescribes me Zolpidem which works far better for me.

At the moment though, I'm ok with my sleeping as I'm taking Seroquel, as you've already mentioned, works as a sedative aswell as an Anti-P.

Can you ask your doc to change your sleeping tab prescription for another form ?

 

[emski]

I'm on Seroquel, and yes, without it I'd not get much sleep. I've found it more powerful a sedative than any sleeping tablet, and I haven't built up a tolerance to it either. For sedation I used to take a larger dose of Seroquel XL, once in morning and once at night, along with lorazepam for a while - I am now on to just 100mg of regular Seroquel at night.

Were you on a high dose? Was it regular or XL? I'm wondering, since sleeping tablets aren't much use, if you could still take the Abilify and a small dose of Seroquel at night, and if that would bypass the hunger issues. Worth talking to your doc about maybe?

The only other thing I've found useful for sleep, and it sounds really rubbish, but Paul McKenna's 'I can make you sleep' CD. You can buy the book and CD in the supermarkets for about 7 quid I think.

 

[raven]

I find sometimes having a relaxing bath just before bedtime can relax me and make me find sleep easier. Also listening to some relaxing music, or audio books to fall asleep to might help?

I hope you find some sleep soon.

raven

 

[BSloan1960]

I'm on 100 mg of Trazodone. Its an old school antidepressant that is now used mostly for sleep- with no hangover in the morning.

Tell your doctor that even though SOME people don't need as much sleep- YOU Do. Tell him you want to keep working on this until it is corrected. Talk about changing the time(s) you take your meds. If he won't play ball with you about the very important problem of not sleeping perhaps your primary care doctor will work through it with you to find an answer.

Bill

 

[getting better]

Thanks everyone for the help. I'm seeing my Dr on Thusday I think I'll bring a few things up with him.

 

[getting better]

Finally..I got 8 hours wonderful sleep last night!

 

[raven]

Finally..I got 8 hours wonderful sleep last night!

Thats great news. *YIPPEE*

Did you do/take anything special or did it just happen?
raven

 

[getting better]

I've been on zimovane for the past two years but I think it stopped working long ago. I started taking Abilify a few weeks ago and think this was what caused my insomnia. Hopefully my body has adjusted to the Abilify. Maybe I was just so tired that my body shut down for 8 hours!! I hope it happens again tonight..although now I've said that I'll probably get no sleep at all.