Anyone deal with insomnia?

[pls5286]

Does anyone else deal with insomnia? Mine has gotten really bad again thanks to my insurance deciding they will no longer cover the Ambien CR. My dr put me on Soma, but like regular Ambien, I am back awake around 230 in the morning and unable to go back to sleep. I am completely exhausted. I cant take this anymore. Please help me!

 

[barkley]

yup-that's why i'm on the boards right now (and often my posts are in the middle of the night).

with me a large part of it is psychological. i've had 2 strokes. one happened when i was awake so i was able to seek help, the other happened when i was asleep and i ended up feeling afraid to sleep for fear it would happen again. i had counseling that helped deal with it to some extent, but times like now when i've had an insanely stressful day (stress contributed to both strokes occuring) it's not something i can rationalize myself out of-my body just won't let me sleep.

i took soma years ago, but like you it did me little good (just kind of made me drowsy). ambien works o.k. but i dont feel particularly rested.

one thing that helps me is to dvr boring shows with lots of narration (think old reruns of american justice, stuff on the history channel, court t.v.)-if i lay on the couch and try to watch them i tend to get drowsy, so i leave it on turn over and just listen. it can help me drift off.

what's the deal with your insurance company? did they remove ambian cr from their covered list? is there any provision where your doctor can make an appeal to them to cover it though it's not listed? (my son's med is not listed on the covered script list for my insurance but the doctor was able to get the insurance company to cover it because he documented it was the only effective med of that type that worked for ds-and it's one that costs a couple hundred a month over the counter).

 

[NatashaDisneyCM]

I have had it for over 30 years. I may sleep approx 2 hours a night, and that is wake up in-between sleep. I do not take anything. I do not care for drug induced sleep. It still does not work for me.

Mine started back in high school. I thought I would not wake if I go to sleep. and I am now and have been in a habit. I start studying for classes at 3 am. or I work that early now. basically I just deal with it.

 

[Muushka]

I have dual problems: insomnia and allergies. Thankfully one drug takes care of the other problem.

I take Benedryl (actually the generic at 400 tablets for around $3 at Sams). I take a whole one (25 mg) and a half one. The half gets me to sleep and the whole keeps me asleep. If I didn't take the drug, I would get a very sore throat, and be very tired!

 

[Piecey]

I've had insomnia for years... they started treating me medically when I was about 15, though my parents admit I've had it since I was about 9 but they weren't willing to medicate me that young.

I've tried every sleep aid out there and nothing worked.

Best sleep I ever had was while I was pregnant... I was so physically exhausted I slept no problem at all.

My doctor finds it interesting that I slept so well pregnant while so many woman have horrible sleep while they're pregnant... so they're thinking it might be something hormonal.

Right now I take Restoril when I'm desperate and it works about 30% of the time.