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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by jmaul on August 22, 2001, at 9:44:49
After 3.5 years of sleeping pills, I've gone cold turkey in the last 5 weeks.
Except for little relief from 100 mg desyrel, I am totally unable to sleep. I just don't have any drowse.
Very fatigued and nervous and large tremors.
Any suggestions? Any hope for the future?
Posted by irishcatholic on August 22, 2001, at 12:53:38
In reply to Nosleep, posted by jmaul on August 22, 2001, at 9:44:49
Are you exercising?
If not, that's my first recomendation.
Half hour of walking every day (no later than suppertime)
Posted by jmaul on August 22, 2001, at 13:02:02
In reply to Re: Nosleep, posted by irishcatholic on August 22, 2001, at 12:53:38
> Are you exercising?
> If not, that's my first recomendation.
> Half hour of walking every day (no later than suppertime)
Thanks for the input. But, I don't even get drowsy. I'm wired all night.
Posted by paxvox on August 23, 2001, at 11:31:52
In reply to Re: Nosleep, posted by jmaul on August 22, 2001, at 13:02:02
Are you bipolar? Have you any other DX by a Pdoc?
What other meds do you take? Sleep and I.... now that's a LONG story. Let me know what's up.PAX
Posted by jmaul on August 23, 2001, at 11:39:27
In reply to Re: Nosleep » jmaul, posted by paxvox on August 23, 2001, at 11:31:52
> Are you bipolar? Have you any other DX by a Pdoc?
> What other meds do you take? Sleep and I.... now that's a LONG story. Let me know what's up.
>
> PAXDX? Forgive me, I'm not familiar with that term.
I'm on 900 mg lithium and 150 mg effexor and 100 mg Desyrel (at bedtime) per day. (For a heart condition, Tenormin and Lipitor, too)
Bipolar is what they say, altho I tend to believe it's a cloud of depression.
Sleeping pills for 3.5 years probably had no good effect. It's as though I've forgotten/lost the ability to sleep.
Posted by paxvox on August 24, 2001, at 7:50:41
In reply to Re: Nosleep, posted by jmaul on August 23, 2001, at 11:39:27
> DX? Forgive me, I'm not familiar with that term.
>Sorry, DX= diagnosis, which I guess you gave.
PAX
Posted by Lorraine on August 24, 2001, at 11:04:22
In reply to Re: Nosleep, posted by jmaul on August 23, 2001, at 11:39:27
If you are really trying to regain your sleep patterns "naturally", then you might try hemi-sync tapes by the Monroe Institute. They use brain waves to move you into natural sleep. They even have one CD "time Out for Sleep"(you need a programmable CD player for this CD, but not their other products) that you can program for what type of sleep pattern you want e.g. light sleep, deep sleep, then rem, then deep then light etc. I have used their products and like them, but haven't used the sleep tapes a lot because you do have to sleep with headphones on and that may not be what you want. They have one tape that gives you a cue to help you get to sleep when you are not using the tape. Anyway, good luck with this...My sleep sucks too--that's why I have been exploring these options
Lorraine
Posted by paxvox on August 24, 2001, at 11:09:43
In reply to Re: Nosleep » jmaul, posted by Lorraine on August 24, 2001, at 11:04:22
Lorraine,
Do you attribute your sleep problems to anything specific, e.g. depression, anxiety etc...or a physical cause? Do you have what I call "brain racing" in that you cannot stop your mind from thinking about everything? Have you ever had hypnotherapy to try to help you?
PAX
Posted by jmaul on August 24, 2001, at 11:26:40
In reply to Re: Nosleep » Lorraine, posted by paxvox on August 24, 2001, at 11:09:43
> Lorraine,
>
> Do you attribute your sleep problems to anything specific, e.g. depression, anxiety etc...or a physical cause? Do you have what I call "brain racing" in that you cannot stop your mind from thinking about everything? Have you ever had hypnotherapy to try to help you?
>
> PAXHypnotherapy may well be an alternative.
No conscious racing. Just no drowse and no sleep without 100 mg of Desyrel. Very disconcerting and very tiring.
Posted by Lorraine on August 24, 2001, at 13:34:10
In reply to Re: Nosleep » Lorraine, posted by paxvox on August 24, 2001, at 11:09:43
> Lorraine,
>
> Do you attribute your sleep problems to anything specific
MAOs, Parnate specifically, although stimulants do the same if I'm not careful> > >Do you have what I call "brain racing" in that you cannot stop your mind from thinking about everything?
Some of this, but I force myself to follow the breath (breath in one, two; breath out one, two, three, four)
Have you ever had hypnotherapy to try to help you?
Well, some of the hemi-sync tapes do just that--a progressive relaxation at the beginning. You know, it all helps but sometimes it feels like trying to move an elephant with a fly swatter:-)Lorraine
Posted by paxvox on August 24, 2001, at 19:50:55
In reply to Re: Nosleep, posted by Lorraine on August 24, 2001, at 13:34:10
How do you move a mountain of stones? One rock at a time. :) Yes, I guess it's a double-edged sword with meds. On the one hand, we're "wack" w/o them, and on the other hand we have to deal with the side effects. Like my Wellbutrin...as I have been having exacerbation of nocturia leading to sleepless nights, I checked my PDR again to find, what I already knew, that nocturia is a common SE of WB. Bitter-sweet ...more sweet than bitter..bitter than sweet...it's a bitter-sweet surrender (Big Head Todd).
Posted by Lorraine on August 24, 2001, at 21:37:36
In reply to Re: Nosleep » Lorraine, posted by paxvox on August 24, 2001, at 19:50:55
When I was on Wellbutrin, I took Serzone at night which put me right out. It's a good combo I think. You might suggest it to your pdoc.
Posted by paxvox on August 25, 2001, at 8:55:51
In reply to Re: Nosleep » paxvox, posted by Lorraine on August 24, 2001, at 21:37:36
> When I was on Wellbutrin, I took Serzone at night which put me right out. It's a good combo I think. You might suggest it to your pdoc.
Thanks, I'll check into it.
PAX
Posted by jmaul on September 7, 2001, at 9:30:36
In reply to Re: Nosleep » jmaul, posted by Lorraine on August 24, 2001, at 11:04:22
> If you are really trying to regain your sleep patterns "naturally", then you might try hemi-sync tapes by the Monroe Institute. They use brain waves to move you into natural sleep. They even have one CD "time Out for Sleep"(you need a programmable CD player for this CD, but not their other products) that you can program for what type of sleep pattern you want e.g. light sleep, deep sleep, then rem, then deep then light etc. I have used their products and like them, but haven't used the sleep tapes a lot because you do have to sleep with headphones on and that may not be what you want. They have one tape that gives you a cue to help you get to sleep when you are not using the tape. Anyway, good luck with this...My sleep sucks too--that's why I have been exploring these options
>
> LorraineVery recent experience leads me to believe that Anxiety--strong enough to create very obvious tremors and imprecise undertakings of everyday tasks (such as typing on a keyboard), has a large impact on one's ability to sleep. Anxiety strong enough to permit an "Oh no!" reaction to the smallest and most mundane of tasks. Breathing exercises and relaxation response techniques have helped.
This is the end of the thread.
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