To those of you who also have trouble sleeping or just don't sleep, is there any remedies that you use that you found work for
you. I've tried a couple things I've been on melatonin 3 milligrams for a while now. Unisom uses to work for me but I
guess I got used to it. I've tried clonazapam with no help. Now I've been started on trazadone startes at 50 mg, then 100, and tonight I took 150 and I'm still wide awake.is there anything that
works is it just because its the lyme. I'm so tired all day and then when I try to go to sleep at night its a no go.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
We all have to find what works for us. For me, it's benadryl capsules at bedtime, 25mg, and if not enough, another one.
Sometimes when I have time, I have literally gone with my internal timing, stay up all night and go to sleep the next day when it happens. That's when I have that luxury.
Posted by mlg (Member # 35383) on :
Have you tried ambien or seroquel?
Do you have Lyme literate psychiatrist or neurologist? They'll have some good ideas.
Posted by Razzle (Member # 30398) on :
Nonpharmaceutical options are many...
GABA Passionflower Skullcap Valarian Root Vetiver Lavender essential oil Glycine (2-3000mg) L-tryptophan (500-1000mg) or 5HTP (50-100mg)
Posted by Dekrator48 (Member # 18239) on :
Bioidentical hormones made all the difference for me in resolving my insomnia and fatigue.
I also use sublingual melatonin at bedtime.
I used to use 15 mg SL melatonin, and now I use 7.5 mg.
Oral melatonin did nothing for me.
Posted by jnathan (Member # 41040) on :
Thank you, ill try upping my melatonin and try some herbal stuff. I have a great psychiatrist but she is not lyme literate. I'm gonna
give the trazadone another week and then call her for suggestions. I wish I could go buy my own clock but since I'm out
Of work my husband is working 60 hours a week and I have to take care for 2 kids.
Posted by jnathan (Member # 41040) on :
Thank you, ill try upping my melatonin and try some herbal stuff. I have a great psychiatrist but she is not lyme literate. I'm gonna
give the trazadone another week and then call her for suggestions. I wish I could go buy my own clock but since I'm out
Of work my husband is working 60 hours a week and I have to take care for 2 kids.
Posted by mlg (Member # 35383) on :
Try an herb called motherwort and it is not expesive. You can find it at a natural health food store.
Posted by DanP (Member # 7501) on :
Melatonin really didn't work for me....ambien compounded my back pain...what seems to give me 5-6 hours of sleep at least is a tab of magnesium at bedtime....i don't have the exact brand here with me, but if you're interested i'll look when i get home tonight....i still wake earlier than i want but at least i get a few straight hours of deep sleep...
Posted by peets (Member # 41289) on :
While I have not yet been dxed with Lyme, I did suffer from insomnia for about 6 months before seeing two doctors (PCP and psychologist). I had tried several herbal remedies with limited results.
The PCP prescribed sonata, which did nothing.
But the psychologist prescribed mirtazipine, which worked completely.
Posted by Dekrator48 (Member # 18239) on :
Ambien CR is what triggered my 21 year undiagnosed lyme infection (known only as fibromyalgia at that time) to go wild, causing extreme head and neck pain.
Horrible........
Posted by nefferdun (Member # 20157) on :
Be sure you treat bartonella and if that doesn't help the insomnia, consider treating protomyxzoa. They both cause vicious insomnia.
I have had insomnia since I was 11 years old. Treating methyl cycle mutations and eating the right foods helps a lot. When I eat sulphur I go on overdrive.
I still need a little something to help me fall asleep. After all of these years I have gone through just about everything under the sun. What I have found that works best for me is Corydallis Root and/or Jujube seeds.
Even Dr. OZ said jujube seeds are the best aid for falling asleep. There is no hang over and they work quickly. Oz said if you use malatonin take it several hours before bed time so it has a chance to become effective. It used to work for me but now I get headaches from it.
Bio-identical Progesterone is a great natural sleeping aid for women. It is called the "feel good" hormone. Women going through menopause often have insomnia and it is from the drop in progesterone - nothing to do with estrogen. In fact, too much estrogen will give you insomnia.
That is why you get PMS - your progesterone drops and you have a period. When you are pregnant, your progesterone drops and you have a baby! Right after birth is the pits for not being able to sleep.
Ambien can cause aggression in some people, sleep walking and forgetfulness. I took it for awhile and had to quit. I also took seroquel and had horrific hangovers from just one quarter of a pill.
My insomnia from bart and then protomyxzoa was really bad. It didn't take long once I started aggressively treating each of them, that I began to sleep better. When the insomnia is caused from an infection, nothing will put me to sleep.
Posted by GretaM (Member # 40917) on :
I get up real early, 5am. I have a sleep schedule.
Every night around 7pm I take 3 mg of sublingual melatonin, sometimes 25mg-50mg of Benedryl and I drink a strong cup of Tradition Medicinals "Organic Nighty Night" tea.
The tea has evened out the score for me. Tipped the balance in my favour.
I have my Epsoms soak. Then I listen to my Ipod, either to a hypnosis track for sleep, if I am feeling wired, or a sleep track called Sleepy Ocean, or Sleepy Rain. My room also had blackout curtains.
I go to bed at 9pm and read until I am sleepy.
On a good night, I will fall asleep around 10pm and stay sleeping until 5am.
On a bad night, I will fall asleep around 10pm and wake up any time after midnight.
I have tried many prescription and non prescription sleep aids. Most of them will make me sleepy for an hour, but once that sleepiness is over, I am wide awake for the rest of the night.
I won't go into the details of prescription meds I used to mix to try and get some sleep. Just don't do it, is my advise.
I don't like to take the Benedryl too often, as long term use is hard on the kidneys, and has contributed to deaths.
I also had some success with a homeopathic spray from an Australian company called Martin and Pleasance, but it isn't available in Canada anymore.
Posted by Richard1062 (Member # 19233) on :
We've tried all the herbal remedies listed by Razzle, with not much success. Daily naps are the way to go in our household, when possible. An occasional ambien seems to be the best solution when a big day looms.
Posted by surprise (Member # 34987) on :
I know this is not funny, but remember Michael Jackson and the profofol death? Pleading with Dr.s for it: Just put me under!
I swear he probably had Lyme and co from Neverland ranch.
I am a decades insomnia person. Right now, it's brutal. Ordered PE Best Rest formula, and AndreCalm cream,
waiting for them to arrive. Otherwise, I am going to have to try and get some drug again from a Dr.
Trazadone, Ambein, only get me 5 hours (off of those) melatonin puts me to sleep, I just can't stay asleep--
I am working on infections again with herbs (did major antibiotics) this insomnia is my most debilitating symptom.
Checking hormones I should do, too, just weary of Dr.s.
Posted by GretaM (Member # 40917) on :
surprise-I totally and completely get it!
I was going to make a joke about veterinary tranquilizers.
Vet's Checklist:
-Stampeding Elephants
-Bucking Broncos
-Rabid Hyenas
-Cranky Hippos
-Greta
Posted by faithful777 (Member # 22872) on :
A night time routine of slowing down and relaxing will help. I had to make one and stick to it but still needed pharmaceuticals to sleep. I used Klonopin and melatonin.
I am weaning off the Klonopin now. Melatonin is enough to get me to sleep.
Posted by jnathan (Member # 41040) on :
I'm trying Lunesta tonight, we will see what happens.
Posted by linky123 (Member # 19974) on :
I use BioNite drops. They contain valerian root, melatonin and chamomile.
Not a magic bullet, but it does help some.
Posted by Judie (Member # 38323) on :
I take these before bed:
Glycine, up to 2000mg l-theanine up to 800mg
I also avoid all caffeine, sugar and most salt.
If I even have a green tea early in the afternoon it will keep me up all night.
non-generic Ambien use to work for me (the generic sucks). You might want to avoid though with what the other poster said about stirring up problems. You definitely NEED to sleep.
Good luck!
Posted by surprise (Member # 34987) on :
I might go ask for Lunesta if I can't break my 5 hour only sleep nights with my new herbs and cream, and ask for hormone check. This is ridiculous. Something is broken.
jnathan, hope it works out... I have children as well to tend to during the day-- don't know how young yours are, but,
mine are good about letting me rest quietly on the couch for short periods...(and I have older one here)
Posted by jnathan (Member # 41040) on :
Mine are 1 and 5, so I don't get naps. I tried the lunesta last night and it worked well for me.
Posted by surprise (Member # 34987) on :
jnathan, hope all is well-
I was able to get Lunesta, and I love it- solid real sleep, no grogginess in the morning.
Yes, I am working on adrenals and started progesterone cream, but to really sleep solidly is divine.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Magnesium will really help.. especially at bedtime. Most everyone is mag deficient.
and yes, eliminate caffeine
Posted by surprise (Member # 34987) on :
I take Natural Calm (magnesium citrate) every single night- and have tried every natural remedy (herb) known to mankind for sleep help, melatonin, Benadryl gives me groggy hangovers and doesn't work-
Am interested in trying TuTu's magnesium recommendation at some point...
I don't feel it's Bart keeping me awake, it's not anxiety (no ruminating in my head) and at 96 pounds (eat well, GF, low sugar, exercise)
I simply cannot try the low fat diet. I do think it's hormonal for me- and, perhaps parasites, as I continue to work on that-
Anyway, something's 'broke' there, in the meantime, so glad I was able to get a Dr. to understand, and get Lunesta.
Posted by 'Kete-tracker (Member # 17189) on :
You said you tried clonazapam "with no help". Clonazapam (Klonapin) is the wrong "benzo", in my opinion. Ask your doc to have you try the lorazepam [Ativan] instead. I found a small amount (1 mg) goes a long way. (Start with 1/2mg)
I found the klonapin "warmed" me at night, while the lorazepam had a "cooling" effect.
Mind you, Ativan doesn't last as long (4 vs. 8 hours for klonapin) but it was the best one for me. It suppressed the daytime neuro-Lyme symptoms as well.
As with most neuro-system suppressants, alcohol is out ('cept for maybe a few drops, like with an herbal tincture). Of course, you should be 'Drinkin' at all when recovering from Lyme! (It stresses the immune system.)
Also, if you suffer from severe asthma, or ataxia, or have had 'sleep apnea' at all prior to the Lyme (breathing irregularity during sleep) it might not be the best choice. Check w/ your doc.
(This is not to be confused with "air hunger", which many who suffer from Lyme experience. *I* found it actually *helped* with that!)
I always took the lorazepam just before bed, along with 1 or 2 mg of hi-Q melatonin.
Lunesta helped, too... but for me, the metallic taste it left in my mouth, & it's cost, made me move on to other choices.
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