I"m in a bad spot right now and not sleeping hardly at all ( 2-3 hours/night ). Sleep has not this bad since I originally got sick 12 years ago.
I've been on 5HTP for a while now, melatonin isn't helping right now (did before this herx-downward spiral i' in). Over the counter sleep aids help a little bit (used to really work). I had an old prescription of ambien (only used a couple of times in past year and even that is barely working). The herbals relax me but do nothing else.
Does anyone have any suggestion? I understand why michael J went to the extremes he did to sleep! I see my GP on thursday. I've not taken prescription-but maybe it is time.
I'm also meditating which really improved my sleep in past and that's not working either.
Hot baths make me feel worse/more lightheaded/sick then I feel and make my sleep worse right believe it or not!
Posted by canefan17 (Member # 22149) on :
Address your adrenal glands.
Get a cortisol saliva test. It will probably show low cortisol levels in the AM.
Support your adrenals! They are the key to sleep.
Posted by cactus (Member # 7347) on :
Yes - to the above.
I stopped needing Rx sleep meds once I'd addressed adrenal issues.
But in the mean time - you need sleep.
I used ambien during treatment, and when that stopped working well, switched to a low dose of trazadone.
You need sleep to get well.
Posted by canefan17 (Member # 22149) on :
I don't think ambien or melatonin or 5htp are the answer.
I know they are temporary fixes... but why not address the real issue NOW!
Look into Adaptocrine (K2) Adrenal Stim + Adrenal Calm creams Vit C w/ Bioflavanoids and Pentothenic Acid (B5)
Posted by canefan17 (Member # 22149) on :
I honestly recommend that everybody out there find a good naturopathic doctor or dietitian or chiropractor.
These people have a lot of easy/natural answers to a lot of our problems.
Most LLMD's don't even take the natural route. They are content with prescriping ambien, synthroid, cortisol, etc.
Nothing against that sort of treatment... sometimes I guess the situation calls for it... I just personally don't believe in prescription treatment.
(All that being said I am taking antibiotics)
*shrugs shoulders*
Posted by elley0531 (Member # 9434) on :
seeing a chiropractor helped me out tremendously with my last Lyme relapse 3 years ago.
To each their own, but he did a lot as far as muscle and joint work and got me over my last plateau that supplements, diet, and abx simply couldn't.
Posted by NellieK (Member # 23554) on :
quote:Address your adrenal glands.
Get a cortisol saliva test. It will probably show low cortisol levels in the AM.
Support your adrenals! They are the key to sleep.
WHOA! I never thought of that! I took a cortisol saliva test and, sure enough, my levels were flatlined until noon (and my husband just thought I was lazy LOL). So the doc prescribed a small dose of hydrocortisone to take in the a.m. I read that steroids were not good to take with Lyme, but my doc said that the small dose I take wouldn't hurt. Still, I stopped taking it just in case she was wrong.
I used to sleep like a baby with a Soma (which relaxed me) and then a Clonzapam (Ambien didn't do a thing for me, either). Clonzapam really seemed to knock me out, but I still woke up NATURALLY at 8am!!! A first for me!! But since I stopped taking the hydrocortisone in the morning, I've been having sleep troubles again. I just thought my body was getting too used to the Soma/Clonzapam mix, but maybe it's because I'm not taking the hydrocortisone in the am!
So, my advice is to DEFINITELY get the salivary cortisol test. If your cortisol levels are low in the morning, TAKE whatever the doc prescribes (hydrocortisone or whatever) to raise your cortisol levels in the morning (try to take it around 3 hours before your cortisol levels naturally become "normal" -- like I take mine around 9am because they get to normal around noon). Then, I'm not a doc so don't take this as medical advice, but ask your doc if a Soma and a Clonzapam prescription would work for you. I take the Soma first, get in bed and read a little to relax, then take the Clonzapam just before I want to go to sleep.
Posted by canefan17 (Member # 22149) on :
Support your adrenals, thyroid, and organs naturally.
Find out ways to naturally support your glands and thank me later.
You weren't born to function improperly. We need to get back to the basics in medicine and that means supporting the organs and glands that do all the work in our body.
Instead of trying to guess what they might need.
Posted by tmmort (Member # 14013) on :
Lunesta works great for me!
Posted by xoxoxox (Member # 18778) on :
f13girl AmbienCR works best for me. The controlled release part is what helps KEEP me asleep the whole night - regular Ambien just made me fall asleep but would then be back awake within a few hours.
canefan17 That's not necessarily always the way to go for everybody. My cortisol levels were really low (among other adrenal issues). Chiro had on multiple natural supplements for 12 weeks. No improvement whatsoever. Without the AmbienCR, I would be a zombie!
Posted by gwb (Member # 7273) on :
quote:Originally posted by canefan17: Support your adrenals, thyroid, and organs naturally.
Find out ways to naturally support your glands and thank me later.
You weren't born to function improperly. We need to get back to the basics in medicine and that means supporting the organs and glands that do all the work in our body.
Instead of trying to guess what they might need.
What do you use to support your adrenal glands?
Gary
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Get Singleton's book "The Lyme Disease Solution" - lots of suggestions there for adrenal and liver support.
If the liver is overwhelmed, sleep will also be very troubled. -
Posted by nefferdun (Member # 20157) on :
And herb that works as well as most drugs without side effects or hang overs is Corydalis. I buy the brand Herbal Extracts Plus from herbalextractsplus.com It is a life saver as I cannot take the drugs. I take two and if I am really having a problem upt ot three of four.
Posted by NellieK (Member # 23554) on :
I would support my adrenals naturally, but the meds work so well for me I don't really want to stop! In fact, I am waking up NATURALLY at 8am now, which I never did before. EVER! And I actually WANT to get up out of bed. You just can't appreciate what that's like unless you've been without it most of your life. Sure, it's RX med, but I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Who's to say that RX meds are "worse" for you than homeopathic meds? Whatever works, I belive.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
Topic: NATURAL SLEEP - Links to articles & supplements
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Posted by nefferdun (Member # 20157) on :
Try corydalis root which you can order from 1stchineseherbs.com It is the best thing for insomnia I have ever used. It works as well as many drugs but has no side effects.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by cactus:
I stopped needing Rx sleep meds once I'd addressed adrenal issues.
I wish that had worked for me.
Posted by Amanda (Member # 14107) on :
I'll let others talk about the natural remedies, which it sounds like you know about anyway.
I know what you mean about sleep, I got so desperate.
I find for myself that a combination of things helps. Klonopin (1mg)or melatonin (5 mg) ambien (10 mg) Lyrica (150 mg) Remeron (7.5 mg) all at bedtime
The klonopin and ambien and remeron (an antidepressent actaully) hlep m e fall asleep. The lyrica is more for pain, but it helps me stay asleep. Soemtimes, if I am having a really bad episode, I will wake up and take another 75 mg of lyrica. And if its really, really bad, then I take 50 mg of benedryl.
Melatonin is great, and I will atke it instead of the klonopin, but melatonin only works for me for 3 days, then I have to take a 4 break from it.
Posted by AnnaL (Member # 18464) on :
The aforementioned suggestions are all good.
Also, one thing you can do right now, tonight, is to follow basic "good sleep" principles.
* Stop working at least an hour before bedtime.
* Use your bedroom only for resting (and *ahem* other bed activities). Don't put a TV or computer or exercise equipment in there, unless you live in a studio apartment where it can't be helped.
* Keep your bedroom dark at night. An eye mask might help.
* Don't watch TV or use the internet before bed.
* If you read before bed, don't read anything upsetting or too exciting.
* A bedtime routine, something relaxing you do every night before getting into bed. One example: A cup of herbal tea and reading a fun book for 30 minutes. Then off to bed. As your body comes to associate the routine with "now we go to sleep," it will start preparing for sleep automatically.
* If you worry as you try to sleep, keep a note pad by your bed. Then if you think of "something you have to do," you can jot it down and give yourself permission to forget about it until the morning.
* Some slow stretches to loosen muscles, combined with deep breathing, can relax the body and the mind.