Really what I need to do is get adrenals functioning better and I do a lot for that.
But emotional stress and bart rage keeps putting me back in the hole. I'm NEVER sleepy, can't nap would not sleep without ambien.
I want to taper off of ambien. But I never get very far with that.
My MD said maybe I could try flexeril, but don't know what she has in mind--maybe quit ambien totally--which scares me. My rx runs out this week.
Wondering if I could ask if I could alternate with ambien every third to break my dependence on ambien or something like that.
She knows I need to get some deep REM sleep which I'm not getting now.
Does anyone take flexeril as needed over a period of time with or without a sleep med? I know it's not meant to be taken long term.
Hoping it might be a way to get off of ambien, get good sleep and thereby get adrenals restored and eventually sleep naturally.
Things like trazodone and elavil haven't worked.
Posted by j_liz (Member # 20496) on :
I take generic Zanaflex (8mg) and Ambien CR 12.5 mg to sleep. I can't sleep if I only take Zanaflex or only take Ambien CR.
My primary says I am psychologically dependent, but it allowing me to continue, because I just recently got separated.
If he ever stops prescribing it my LLMD will take over the prescribing, because she knows the insomnia is extremely bad and knows the importance of sleep.
j_liz
Posted by gmb (Member # 23562) on :
I take gabapentin (2)300mg tabs with 10mg melatonin at around 8:30pm, no trouble falling asleep. Awake at around 12 pm, cool drink and bathroom relief, and fall back to sleep till dreaded 3am.
At 5am... give up and shower for work.
gmb
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
i used to love flexeril-took away pain-let me sleep...then i realized it stayed with me for 3 days after i took it. i would drive and do all kinds of things and then not have memory of it.
it scared me so i switched to skelaxin when i need a muscle relaxant and magnesium isnt enough
i love my vistaril for sleep. i get 8 hrs rem sleep and wake up not drowsy at all-but generic doesnt work. it is missing one ingredient.
a also take gabapentin for pain. and since my last surgery take the combo of vistaril and gab cuz they gave it to me in hosp
vistaril is an antihistamine with anti-anxiety properties so your doc might think it is good for you
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Just be aware that flexeril can lower your BP too much. It did that to me once and I ended up in the ER. Got up in the night and passed out cold. Was out for several minutes.
Took me a year to put 2 and 2 together when I read that it can lower BP. I had taken it with other meds.
I vote for the Vistaril also. It helps. The generic is hydroxyzine pamoate.
Posted by Marz (Member # 3446) on :
Lyrica plus ambien helped, but didn't want to be on another pill I'd have to wean off of.
I know that flexeril is potent. My dental hygienist who is a heavier person took if for a pinched nerve in her neck and said it just knocks her out and quit.
I'm very small, and would cut the pill.
Actually to be knocked out for about twelve hours or so one night sounds like bliss. I'd unplug the phone and sleep in!
Did any of you do this--cut up the smallest pill?
Maybe start with a quarter?
Does vistaril and skelaxiin really put you to sleep or just relax you.
Guess I don't understand how muscle relaxants work on the brain. Hope I wouldn't be lying there with my muscles relaxed so I couldn't move and my brain still awake.
I am obsessing about this now I guess.
Posted by Marz (Member # 3446) on :
Can MD rx just a trial dose of something? Or don't insurance companies like to deal with that?
Posted by j_liz (Member # 20496) on :
Zanaflex can make you faint, too.
I take generic vistaril (hydroxyzine hcl) for interstitial cystitis. My body got use to that too,as far as helping with sleep is concerned.
Why do our bodies have to adjust to the meds that help us? Even my husband noticed this and told my dr. that it happens to me. That's saying something. haha
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I'm not sure how the flexeril works but you won't really notice the muscle relaxing part. It just makes you sleepy.
Vistaril probably just makes you sleepy. It does wear off some. It would be similar to taking benadryl in that it will make you sleepy. They are not the same drug, however.
[ 12-13-2013, 07:39 PM: Message edited by: Lymetoo ]
Posted by happydaychick (Member # 37799) on :
Flexeril knocks me out for a good 7-8 hours. Good stuff b/c it helped with my muscle spasms/back pain as well.
I've also taken Ativan for sleep. But, you need to be careful b/c it is addicting if taken every night.
5-HTP is also supposed to help with sleep. I take it for my adrenals but have not noticed if it makes me sleep better or not. Some people swear by it.
Posted by Marz (Member # 3446) on :
I thought vistaril sounded familiar.
benadryl as part of anaesthetic kept me wide awake during colostomy and it was painful. And zzzquil makes me restless.
Thanks, if MD suggests vistaril, I'll tell her that
Posted by j_liz (Member # 20496) on :
Marz, I am sorry I didn't get back in time for your LLMD visit. Also, your mailbox is full.
I don't know the difference between flexeril and zanaflex. I am still under the care of my LLMD, so she is willing to prescribe for me. I hope that helps.
Posted by Marz (Member # 3446) on :
j_liz, she did rx the flexeril and I picked it up.
Now I'm afraid to try it in case it doesn't work.
I am so hoping I can get a good night's sleep w/o pain and palps so that my adrenals can heal!!!!
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Marz .. I will go back to edit or clarify what I said about benadryl. I meant to say it is LIKE taking a benadryl as far as inducing sleep, but it is NOT THE SAME as benadryl. Two different drugs.
Yes, the flexeril will work! Keep a check on your BP!
Posted by j_liz (Member # 20496) on :
PS In regards to fainting, don't get up after they have taken affect.
Posted by Marz (Member # 3446) on :
Oh my goodness! Took half at bedtime, waited one hour and not sleepy and just a little relaxed. Took second half (2.5 mg) and still not sleepy after an hour.
So I resorted to 5 mg ambien.
Today I'm so tired, so won't be doing that again. Very disappointed it didn't knock me out.
I woke up relaxed, but still with heart palps and pressure in head. Odd feeling to be so relaxed and pounding heart at the same time. Wonder why.
Since I still felt the pressure in head and the rest of me was relaxed, I think this would prove that I'm not having tension headaches that some quacks have suggested.
I'll let this get totally out of my system before I try again--will do a quarter pill + ambien and hope I get restorative sleep.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Marz.. if it were me I would try the whole pill at once and see how it goes. You may get better results.
Posted by Marz (Member # 3446) on :
I'll do it Lymetoo when I can "waste" the next day.
Didn't it make you just ehausted the next day? I was relaxed during the day with no anxiety. Very peaceful until evening when it probably started wearing off.
My MD said it doesn't work for everyone and hope I'm not one of them. I put so much hope in it.
Today (2nd day) after I'm myself again
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
Jliz and marz Vistaril is an antihistamine with anti anxiety properties. It also makes you pee less often These are all reasons why it helps me so much After 30 years i still only need 50 mg to get 8-9 hrs But once they gave me generic and it didnt help at all. My doc looked up the ingredients in both and found one was missing from the generic so they do give me the real one now
Posted by Marz (Member # 3446) on :
Wish antihistamine worked for me.
I used to take tylenol pm--2 tablets before bed as directed and used only occasionally(before lyme). It knocked me out.
I had to graduallly reduce and cut the tablets because it made me restless. But I had to quit altogether.
Didn't know it was used in anaesthetic for colonoscopy and it had me wired and wide awake through the whole thing recently.
ZZZquil does it too.
I don't understand why.
Wondering if vistaril could be different in some way, but would hate to waste a rx.
Could someone send me just one through cyberspace so I can try it?
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
They should give you a trial but it might take two
Posted by j_liz (Member # 20496) on :
I don't know if it was decongestants or antihistamines (OTC) that made me wired. If I could fall asleep before that happening , I was fine.
Generic hydroxyzine never did that to me.
I think that's an excellent suggestion to get 1 or 2 tablets. Then again, I have given up on something, because it made me feel bad. Then, later was told to give it a week and I did fine.
Posted by Marz (Member # 3446) on :
I accidentally hit the full reply form button. and lymenet disappeared.
Don't even know what that is. But that's how tired I am today after taking the whole pill last night along with half an ambien.
I did not sleep at all until I took another half ambien at 5 am.
This just is not working and don't think I can keep at it. Just don't like how exhausted I am the next day.
If I take half a pill, it burns the back of my throat even with lots of water and staying upright for a while.
Posted by lymeinhell (Member # 4622) on :
Perhaps you need a bigger dose? 5mg is nothing. I've taken up to on a regular long term basis 50mg.
The problem is there is only the generic Flexeril available for the last 2+ yrs. The generic doesn't work quite as well as the original brand name, so perhaps you should up it to the full 5mg, or even go with 10mg or higher if you are looking for something to knock you out(after talking to your doctor).
Give yourself at minimum 9 hours to clear it out of your body. So if you have to get up at 6 am, you should be taking it no later than 9 pm.