[Nicole]

Hello. My insomnia started as soon as I delivered my daughter 6 years ago and I suffered from Post partum depression. Prior to that I had a wonderful relationship with sleep. I NEVER suffered insomnia before giving birth and I would often take wonderful naps with no problem. My napping days are over, Ever since giving birth I just can't fall asleep to take a nap even when I'm tired. I suffer from depression and it seems whenever I change my meds the insomnia strikes. It is so intense I went one night with only two hours sleep while taking a sleeping pill. My first battle with insomnia was fixed with lorazepan and paxil. My next bout was more severe and I tried ambien, ambien CR, lorazepan (no longer worked like the first time) and finally got it under control with 150mg trazadone. Recently I went off effexor which I was taking with 150 mg trazadone. The insomnia came full force and the trazadone was now only allowing me to get a few hours sleep, unlike before. I then tried sonata and restoril with no luck so went on remeron. The remeron 15mg worked for two weeks then pooped out. I went up to 30mg remeron hoping that would help, but it didn't. So I added the 150mg trazodone and no luck. Tonight I plan on going back down to 15mg remeron since I heard it loses its sedative effect at higher doses and continuing the 150mg trazadone. Maybe the 15mg with the 150mg will work unlike the 30mg of Remeron. I am praying it works, but must admit I am not that hopeful. My psychiatrist mentioned seroquel, but I was reluctant because I was on Abilify, another antipsychotic, for add on treatment for my depression and it made me very withdrawn. But at this point I feel I have no other option than to try the seroquel if I don't sleep again tonight. I am also going to see a sleep specialist next week. I am hoping there is something physically wrong with me like sleep apnea that is causing my insomnia, but I know that is probably not the case. Pretty sad that I'm hoping for sleep apnea huh? I just can't take this insomnia. I feel like no one I know has sleep problems and that there is something seriously psychologically wrong with me that I can't sleep even when taking powerful sleeping pills!! Has anyone found a miracle drug to help them sleep? By the way I fall asleep no problem, which I'm grateful for, I just wake up and can't get back to sleep for hours. It is so hard to function and act normal when I am so sleep deprived.

[xdunlapx]

Aww, I'm sorry you are having such trouble staying asleep. I have the opposite problem. I can't fall asleep. But then usually when I do fall asleep I wake up and cant get back to sleep. So it's a mix of problems for me. I have been through the gamut of sleeping pills and now my psychiatrist has me on two sleeping pills. Silenor and Ambien CR. So far it's working to get me to sleep and to stay asleep, but I'm just waiting for this to wear off because they all go kaput after a while of working, just like you are experiencing. 🙁

Maybe your doctor can try two sleeping pills at once, like Ambien CR AND another sleeping pill (not an antidepressant like trazadone) such as Silenor or Remeron. Good luck! And Congrats on the baby!

[MarinaFournier]

'Nicole' wrote on '05:

My psychiatrist mentioned seroquel, but I was reluctant because I was on Abilify, another antipsychotic, for add on treatment for my depression and it made me very withdrawn. But at this point I feel I have no other option than to try the seroquel if I don't sleep again tonight.

Abilify replaced my son's seroquel regimen. He did get good sleep with seroquel, and swore he couldn't sleep without it. However, seroquel did ramp up his appetite, and he gained a lot of weight and tipped into diabetes II. I didn't see any change in his social behavior, though–aren't side effects wonderful?

Topomax, another multi-talented drug, gave me the first restful sleep I'd had in over 20 years. It's also used as a migraine preventative, in some drunk driver programs, and one other use I've forgotten. Side effects for me were: inability to concentrate or use ultra-short term memory even more than my usual, anything carbonated tasted foul, and major problems with getting the right word into my mouth from my brain. It IS weight-negative, and I did lose weight ONLY while I was on it. Stopped working for me after two years, for no apparent reason.

I'm one of those for whom absolutely no sleep med of any kind works. I certainly understand your frustration with the ones you have taken ceasing to function after a short period, and the brain-numbing tiredness.

Quote:

I am also going to see a sleep specialist next week. I am hoping there is something physically wrong with me like sleep apnea that is causing my insomnia, but I know that is probably not the case. Pretty sad that I'm hoping for sleep apnea huh?

There are many other issues besides pulmonary which cause insomnia, and can be treated. If your sleep specialist is a pulmonologist with no other speciality, the Dr. may not look any further, which I hope is not the case for you, as it was for me. This was mostly because, by the time I got the test scheduled, I was out of my intense insomnia phase, and onto a milder one.

Good luck with your appointment, and may the Dr. actually LISTEN.

[1949Molly]

'Nicole' wrote on '05:

Hello. My insomnia started as soon as I delivered my daughter 6 years ago and I suffered from Post partum depression. Prior to that I had a wonderful relationship with sleep. I NEVER suffered insomnia before giving birth and I would often take wonderful naps with no problem. My napping days are over, Ever since giving birth I just can't fall asleep to take a nap even when I'm tired. I suffer from depression and it seems whenever I change my meds the insomnia strikes. It is so intense I went one night with only two hours sleep while taking a sleeping pill. My first battle with insomnia was fixed with lorazepan and paxil. My next bout was more severe and I tried ambien, ambien CR, lorazepan (no longer worked like the first time) and finally got it under control with 150mg trazadone. Recently I went off effexor which I was taking with 150 mg trazadone. The insomnia came full force and the trazadone was now only allowing me to get a few hours sleep, unlike before. I then tried sonata and restoril with no luck so went on remeron. The remeron 15mg worked for two weeks then pooped out. I went up to 30mg remeron hoping that would help, but it didn't. So I added the 150mg trazodone and no luck. Tonight I plan on going back down to 15mg remeron since I heard it loses its sedative effect at higher doses and continuing the 150mg trazadone. Maybe the 15mg with the 150mg will work unlike the 30mg of Remeron. I am praying it works, but must admit I am not that hopeful. My psychiatrist mentioned seroquel, but I was reluctant because I was on Abilify, another antipsychotic, for add on treatment for my depression and it made me very withdrawn. But at this point I feel I have no other option than to try the seroquel if I don't sleep again tonight. I am also going to see a sleep specialist next week. I am hoping there is something physically wrong with me like sleep apnea that is causing my insomnia, but I know that is probably not the case. Pretty sad that I'm hoping for sleep apnea huh? I just can't take this insomnia. I feel like no one I know has sleep problems and that there is something seriously psychologically wrong with me that I can't sleep even when taking powerful sleeping pills!! Has anyone found a miracle drug to help them sleep? By the way I fall asleep no problem, which I'm grateful for, I just wake up and can't get back to sleep for hours. It is so hard to function and act normal when I am so sleep deprived.

Believe me, YOU ARE NOT ALONE AT ALL. What a shame that having your daughter brought it on.

[Mike Hooker]

Hi, Nicole, and welcome to Insomnia Land. I know all too well the experience you're going through. My insomnia is 32 years old this month (Sept. '11). When mine started in '79 I couldn't fall asleep until I'd been in bed for several hours, and then it was time to get up and go to work.

The last few years have been the opposite–I can fall asleep with meds but then I wake up after about four hours and can't go back to sleep. Either way makes life miserable. Insomnia robs us of our lives and the enjoyment of living.

In '95 my doctor started me on wellbutrin for depression, amitriptyline for insomnia and depression, and tamazepam for insomnia. Normally I take the tamazepam only after a bad night's sleep. However, I now work from 6:20 p.m. to 2:00a.m. I get home at 3 a.m. and usually am asleep around 4:30. I wake up around 10:30. That's six hours, but I'm finding that it's not enough sleep at age (almost) 56. So now I'm taking tamazepam every night to guarantee that I'll sleep, which my doctor says is okay. But I'm still concerned about addiction. Maybe I'm already addicted. Who knows?

By Friday I'm exhausted. I've never looked forward to the weekend as much as I do now. I can't wait for Saturday just so I don't have to go to work. But now I'm finding that on weekends I'm still awake until between 3 and 4 a.m. and sleep until 10:30 or so. My wife hates my schedule. She's lived her life with my insomnia problem, but she's stuck with me for what will be 36 years on Sept. 13.

For some of us insomnia has turned out to be a lifetime battle. Fortunately Martin created Insomnia Land to give us chance to share each other's sleep burden, to empathize with each other, and to offer moral support–we have a place to vent. The sleeping world has no idea of how we, as insomniacs, feel during the day after a bad night. Only an insomniac knows how another insomniac feels.

[Martin Reed]

Welcome to Insomnia Land, Nicole. As you have already seen, you don't need to suffer alone or in silence. We are all here for you and our members know what you are going through.

I am glad to hear that you're visiting a sleep specialist – this may give you an avenue to explore that doesn't involve medication. Have you heard of (or tried) cognitive behavioral therapy? If not, it may be worth investigating and talking to the sleep specialist about.

Don't give up hope. Keep in touch and let us know how you get on. I look forward to getting to know you better.

—

If you are ready to stop struggling with insomnia you can enroll in the online insomnia coaching course right now! If you would prefer ongoing phone or video coaching calls as part of a powerful three month program that will help you reclaim your life from insomnia, consider applying for the Insomnia Mastery program.

The content of this post is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or any other licensed healthcare provider. Insomnia Coach LLC offers coaching services only and does not provide therapy, counseling, medical advice, or medical treatment. All content is provided “as is” and without warranties, either express or implied.

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