I can't sleep. I'm realizing this is probably preventing me from getting better.
I take neurontin, melatonin, zzzquill, and lavender essential oil (topically). I'm so drugged I can't walk to the bathroom without holding onto something sometimes. You'd think I'd sleep, but no.
With this combo I get 4, or maybe 6, hours of sleep a night. Without the zzzquill I get 2 to 4 hours of sleep every night.
Is there any hope? Maybe I just need to detox or something. When I first started amoxil 3 weeks ago I was sleeping wonderfully. Not anymore. I don't understand this disease at all.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Are you sure the lavender is OK for you? I'm sensitive to salicylates and I know it would keep me awake.
Posted by SickSam (Member # 45330) on :
I just started the lavender a few days ago. It seems to help a little, but maybe not. I added it because the other three weren't knocking me out. Maybe I should stop using it though.
I started with just neurontin, then added melatonin later, and then (since those weren't doing the trick) added the zzzquill. The zzzquill gave me an extra hour or two of sleep, but still not enough. ):
Posted by SickSam (Member # 45330) on :
Come to think of it, I really have been feeing worse since the lavender. Not sure if it's a coincidence or not. But still, the other three aren't helping enough either.
Posted by HW88 (Member # 48309) on :
I don't have anything helpful except I totally understand. Sleep is so important, yet so hard to get.
I'm seeing a sleep psychologist working on sleep behavior. Not sure if it's helping or not, but I'm giving everything my best effort.
Do you use liquid melatonin? I've heard it is a bit better.
Posted by SickSam (Member # 45330) on :
Thanks HW. (: Nice to have people who understand!
I use a melatonin tablet that dissolves in your mouth. It seems to work good like that. I feel it kick in when I take it, it just doesn't knock me out though. I might try the liquid though.
[ 08-12-2016, 02:31 PM: Message edited by: SickSam ]
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
I started by taking 25mg benadryl to get to sleep, and now take 50mg. It works for me. We're all different in what works for us.
Posted by tulips (Member # 44773) on :
I have the same problem. I'm now taking Melatonin ND plus Be Gone Insomnia homeopathic, Hylands Calms Forte and Sleep Soundly liquid Melatonin and that gives me 2-3 hours of sleep.
Posted by SickSam (Member # 45330) on :
Zzzquill is actually just liquid Benadryl (I get the alcohol-free kind). I'm taking 25mg now, and I don't think upping it would be a very good idea since I already can't walk straight on it. I'd definitely try upping it if I wasn't on all the other stuff.
Tulips, sorry for your lack of sleep too. it's crazy. I'm so much sicker when I get less sleep.
I do have a lunesta prescription, but that one scares the bejeebers out of me. Never tried if, but I haven't heard too much good about it...
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
There's a sleep summit on now - www.sleepsuccesssummit.com - no idea whether it'll be helpful for us, just letting you know - 4-6 experts per day speaking on the topic.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Lunesta did not work as well for me as the Ambien.
Posted by bluelyme (Member # 47170) on :
Sorry sam , My doc said melatonin is really neuroprotective ...like 12 x antioxidant of vit c ...he wants me up to 20mg a nite ..10 is groggy foggy city..
.i have a supp my nurse gave is called pheylbut .i have taken 1/2s when im on the juice (rocephin). It knocks me out ..I know our hpa axis is outbof wack and my cortisol seems to be reversed ....
sometimes a 1/4a zannie is what i need but it slows my ticker some ...using inositol ,lith orate and lots of holy basil ...earplugs and light block help some too...
Posted by SickSam (Member # 45330) on :
Robin, just listened to one of the sleep summit videos. It was really interesting, mostly about essential oils. Thanks for the tip! Definitely some useful info there.
Lymetoo, I've read a few others who said the same thing. Maybe I should ask for Ambien if all else fails.
Blue, good info, thanks! My cortisol is always way too high. Im sure it's contributing to my sleep problem. I got my midline put in today and I'm supposed to start Primaxin tomorrow. We'll see what that does to my sleep.
Posted by WPinVA (Member # 33581) on :
I couldn't sleep until I did an Adrenal Recovery Program.
Also, during that time, my doctor gave me Flexeril. It is a muscle relaxer but also had the side benefit of promoting sleep.
I also read something that helped me a lot: When you are lying there at night getting really stressed and worried about not sleeping, tell yourself: "I have had sleepless nights before and I have managed. I will manage again."
Obviously not the whole fix, but this helped me so much. I used to lie there at night worrying about not sleeping and then of course that becomes a vicious cycle. So changing the message has helped me a lot.
Posted by SickSam (Member # 45330) on :
WP, that's exactly what I've resorted to doing: telling myself that it'll be ok and that it's happened before. But it's taking a serious toll on me now. I've tried flexeril and zanaflezx. I had a bad reaction so I stopped trying those.
It's crazy, I actually slept for a few nights a few weeks ago and my Lyme symptoms started getting better. I could see clearly! If I can sleep maybe I can actually heal.
Posted by paleogal (Member # 45991) on :
I started to be able to stay asleep for ~5 hours taking the Herb Pharm Relaxing Sleep blend.
I can't take melatonin anymore because it gives me headaches - and 5-HTP (in a lot of sleep blends) gives me insomnia.
And, believe it or not, chamomile tea has been helpful, unless I drink too much and have to pee.
My main problem is *staying* sleep though, rather than falling asleep, so not sure any of these will help you. Still haven't found anything to get more than 6 hours a night regularly.
Posted by tulips (Member # 44773) on :
Paleogal - Do you use the Herb Pharm Relaxing Sleep Blend with Valerian?
Posted by paleogal (Member # 45991) on :
Yes, that's the one I use - I get it at Amazon or iHerb.
Posted by SickSam (Member # 45330) on :
Thanks for the tip paleogal! I have trouble with both falling and staying asleep, so maybe it could help me too.
I think I'm going to start my testosterone replacement therapy and see what happens to my sleep on that. I've heard some say that it's helpful, so I'm hopeful.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Don't forget that fluoroquinolones cause insomnia in many people.
Posted by SickSam (Member # 45330) on :
I thought of that too, but actually my insomnia is a LOT worse when I stop Levaquin. It's definitely the infection for me, but maybe levaquin is giving me a degree of insomnia too that isn't quite as bad as the infection's insomnia. I sure wish I could find something other than Levquin that worked.
Posted by shoeless joe (Member # 45835) on :
I use 5htp (now brand),l theanine,melatonin slow release and also .05 ativan.
Lay off of any artificial sugars, they give me insomnia and severe nightmares.
I bet your GI tract is messed up.
Posted by Judie (Member # 38323) on :
quote:Originally posted by Lymetoo: Don't forget that fluoroquinolones cause insomnia in many people.
Exactly, effects can happen when you discontinue the drug, not necessarily when you take it.
My body was so fatigued when I was on it, it was when I stopped levaquin that the insomnia and nightmares went crazy.
Posted by dal123 (Member # 6313) on :
SickSam - Are you male or female?
Posted by Pam08 (Member # 19203) on :
I have to say that acupuncture did wonders for my sleep which I wasn't expecting at all. It may have even been from the first appointment (if not the very first one it was definitely within the first few appointments). I went once a week for a year. Unfortunately it was just too expensive for me to continue.
My sleep problems aren't as bad as yours though so I don't know if it would help you or not. Usually I tend to get a full nights sleep in but it is fractioned. Sometimes I have trouble with both falling asleep and staying asleep but most of the time staying asleep is the problem for me.
Usually I will sleep for about 4 hours and then I wake up and can't get back to sleep for up to 3 hours. Then I will fall back to sleep again until I am ready to wake up. Sometimes I wake up multiple times and have trouble getting back to sleep. And other times I just don't sleep well the whole night.
Anyhow...I am so sorry that you are having such a hard time. I know that sleep (or lack there of) has a big impact on how I feel so I hope that you find something that helps you.
Posted by tulips (Member # 44773) on :
I read that a Magnesium deficiency causes insomnia as well as a lot of other problems and that Magnesium Oxide goes right through you so I'm trying Magnesium Citrate - am trying Doctor's Best 100% Chelated Magnesium and if that doesn't work - Superior Labs Magnesium Citrate 100% Pure - and I stumbled across a sleep aide
which had really good feedback - Driftoff. It will take some time to see if this is effective. Just thought I'd put this out there in case anyone wants to research it and/or try it.
Posted by Jubilee (Member # 30343) on :
My doctor recommended a supplement called Phenibut, and it has worked better than anything else I have tried (most of the stuff mentioned above).
It can be very expensive as capsules, but I found a source that is much less expensive as a powder, and I am grateful. I get it from Liftmode.
Like many sleep aides, it will work better if I take a break from it. Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't. If I do, then I take other somewhat helpful things like melatonin, theanine, and valerian.
Getting toxins down through a Swedish sauna helps. And being careful to avoid allergenic foods that cause my pulse to go up is also helpful.
Posted by Jubilee (Member # 30343) on :
Sam, phenibut makes a huge difference in the quality and quantity of my sleep. I am more likely to wake up and feel like I slept, not just that I was lying down. My thinking, problem solving, and memory are better the next day.
I hope you find all the answers for which you are looking.
Posted by Jordana (Member # 45305) on :
There are two reasons a person can't sleep when they're on so many sedatives.
One is, their hormones are way off.
Two: Inflammatory cytokines.
For your adrenals you could try ashwagandha and/or rhodiola.
For the cytokines...we're always in some kind of cytokine storm. Buhner has *fantastic* information on herbs that can help and I couldn't get started on all the different cytokines and what herbs will help. If you check out any of his books you'll get an idea.
Japanese knotweed is a big one (resveretrol)
In addition I am personally taking cordyceps, houttuynia. milk thistle, NAC, ashwagandha and salvia, all for the cytokines.
I do have sleep reversal sometimes but lately I've been ready to go down at around 11 PM. I sleep about 12 hours at a stretch so still not normal, but better than the one where you're awake for 48 hours.
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
I took .5 of ativan and 10 of elavil to sleep. I'm having extremely dry eyes.
now I'm trying to stop. not easy. the insomnia is a killer.
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
it's crazy. I'm so much sicker when I get less sleep.