[MedusaRantz]

Martin asked if I had ever been to a doctor for my insomnia. Yes. My doctor is a family friend, one of my BEST friends, and my former employer. He tried out the following meds on me: Lunesta, Sonata, Ambien, Remeron, Soma, Xanax, Rozerum. Each of them worked for a time, but, after about 6 months, or so, they just lost their effectiveness. I would take 'them,' have some hot milk, turn down the lights and wait for the magic to happen. Pffst. My problem is that I just cannot quiet my mind. Yes, I meditate. I have been a practicing buddhist for over 20 years. I have tried every trick in the book. So, Hash, my Doc, diagnosed me with Chronic Insomnia. After he took my family history, and when he learned that almost everyone of my family had insomnia, medications were of little or no use. I use Remeron now, but I don't like to wake up groggy. I have a teen son with C-PTSD, who requires round the clock care. He is diagnosed with Acute Insomnia. So, my sleep schedule revolves around Ioshua. He developed C-PTSD after surviving a Home Invasion Robbery w/c occurred on May 25, 2005. He was 9 years old at the time. As he has grown, he has become more symptomatic. He cannot go to sleep unless I sleep in the same room with him. So, I bought a day bed and put it in his room. He will be 15 this April, and it shocks and amazes and saddens me that I still must put him to bed. I do not begrudge him this. In fact, I'm enrolled in Phoenix University going for my 3rd and final degree. I'll be specializing in C-PTSD, working with traumatized children from age 9 to 25.

I just give in to the insomnia. I don't fight it. My solution has been to keep busy. Studying keeps me busy. My shrink keeps me busy. I also make custom jewelry from semi-precious stones: Bracelets, rings, toe-rings, earrings, and necklaces…I also make 'suites.' If that does not do it for me, I'm on Twitter. And I am also creating a blog, (but I'm kind of a moron and need some help. HELP :wacko: ). I've culled a personal library of over 10k volumes…so, I try to read myself to sleep, but that just gets me worked up. When that happens, I switch to the iPod, buddhist chants. If that fails, I turn to my DVD collection, and tend to watch very dark and disturbing films. My reasoning for that: I think to myself: Wow, my life's not THAT bad.

The one thing I want to get off of my plate is my divorce. That keeps me up at night. I am almost finished with it, however, my soon-to-be X is diagnosed with BPD & NPS. It's no fun trying to communicate with a narcissist: I me my mine, over and over and over. Give me your run of the mill BPM or DID or Schizophrenic. Much easier to 'work' with. And you can always throw meds at them. My X's diagnosis are 'medicatable.' (I just made that word up myself! 😮 ).

All of my careers have been people intensive: The Law; nursing, psych-tech. And to boot my father is diagnosed with BP3 and has never been treated for it. He refuses. We haven't spoken in almost 16 years. So, there's a lot on my mind at any given moment. What did I do before social media, because that is an outlet, when I can't sleep, where I can network with other people. Makes my life seem less claustrophobic. So, that is it for now.

You must forgive me: Law School ruined my mind. I am just utterly incapable of giving short, concise answers. Uh, oh…deja vu! 😮

I'll be around. Just poke me with a stick :ph34r:

[seenafterscene]

One thing I might suggest, since we may have more in common than just mental health and insomnia…my experience has been with ALL sleep meds (I've been on a lot) and meds in general (psych. meds, allergy meds, etc.) I quickly build up an illogical tolerance to them and they stop working after varying amounts of time. One thing we have done to combat this is to constantly switch meds/dosages, and in particular with sleep medicine to use it as sparingly as possible (using it only when necessary, more often if I'm in a bad phase.) My most recent and current med is ambien, which stopped working weeks after I was taking it as prescribed. Now, I only take it maybe 2-3 times a week, never more than 2 days in a row, and for the most part it continues to work for me. Just a thought…

[MarinaFournier]

'MedusaRantz' wrote on '12:

After he took my family history, and when he learned that almost everyone of my family had insomnia, medications were of little or no use. I use Remeron now, but I don't like to wake up groggy. I have a teen son with C-PTSD, who requires round the clock care. He is diagnosed with Acute Insomnia. So, my sleep schedule revolves around Ioshua. He developed C-PTSD after surviving a Home Invasion Robbery w/c occurred on May 25, 2005. He was 9 years old at the time. As he has grown, he has become more symptomatic. He cannot go to sleep unless I sleep in the same room with him. So, I bought a day bed and put it in his room. He will be 15 this April, and it shocks and amazes and saddens me that I still must put him to bed. I do not begrudge him this. In fact, I'm enrolled in Phoenix University going for my 3rd and final degree. I'll be specializing in C-PTSD, working with traumatized children from age 9 to 25.

Wow. I feel for you and for your son! For me, as I keep saying from post to post, I have a contrary reaction to sleep meds: they keep me more awake. I know a lot of people who change careers do so to serve a particular need of someone they care for. Good for you, and may it be rewarding work. May those you counsel or treat find peace and relief.

All of my careers have been people intensive: The Law; nursing, psych-tech. And to boot my father is diagnosed with BP3 and has never been treated for it. He refuses. We haven't spoken in almost 16 years.

Same with my father, only he was never dx'd, save by me in retrospect. For about the last decade of his life, I didn't communicate at all with him, because of the abuse of my sister, my mother, and me. At that point, I was the only one still in communication with him. I just had enough one day, and told him what-for.

You must forgive me: Law School ruined my mind. I am just utterly incapable of giving short, concise answers. Uh, oh…deja vu! 😮

I haven't got that excuse! I just read, talk, and think a lot, about a lot of different subjects.

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