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I have suffered with insommnia for years. I can remember being 10 years old, laying in bed, totally obsessed with forcing myself to fall asleep. Usually with little success. I started taking sleeping pills when I was in my early 20's (anything with Diphenhydramine). I also backed that up with alcohol, truly an amazing combination!! I've been told that I am lucky to be alive. I did that for years and years, gradually upping the dose to about 200 Mg.
After many years, that combination became less effective. I was referred to a "sleep specialist" who said I needed something stronger and prescribed Ambien. The last few years of my working career involved increasing doses of Melatonin, Diphenhydramine, alcohol, Valerian root, Lorazapam and Ambien. Whoohoo!
After retiring in 2011, my use continued as before even though I didn't have to get up for work so I didn't need to get to sleep at a certain time. In my mind I had to be asleep by 11:00 pm! After having a complete collapse earlier this year and spending 28 days in treatment I have gotten a prescription for Seroquel. Seroquel is an anti-pyschotic medication for Bi-Polar disease, but is also used for insomnia. At treatment we were given Seroquel every night. I don't remember having any side effect issues then, but I have them now! Apparently Seroquel is very dangerous and could result in muscle contractions, also known as Tardive Dyskinesia, which impacts the facial muscles. I'm a little surprised that an accredited treatment facility would use this product "off-label" for insomnia.
I would love reading any experiences with this product, good or bad!
Well long story short, a dear person in my life ended up in rehab due to pain med addiction and what this rehab gave her for sleep which was a horrible issue for these young people so messed up on pain meds...was Seroquel and I didn't recognize her when she came out of rehab about 70 lbs heavier.
There has got to be other ways than these damaging drugs.
I happen to take Seroquel in a low dose...read all the side effects...is not considered a dangerous drug or damaging drug. Like all meds, it has side effects that must be weighed against benefit.
The dyskenisia is serious but it is uncommon to rare.
Also, I sleep full nights due to the effects of this medication, which is also used off label for depression.
I happen to take Seroquel in a low dose...read all the side effects...is not considered a dangerous drug or damaging drug. Like all meds, it has side effects that must be weighed against benefit.
The dyskenisia is serious but it is uncommon to rare.
Also, I sleep full nights due to the effects of this medication, which is also used off label for depression.
It's dangerous or damaging if you take it with alcohol or with any other medications that the pateint information package says not to mix it with. Or if you experience some of the rarer uncommon side effects (as you say).
But taken "as directed" it is used "off-label" for insomnia. My doctor originally suggested I wean off Ambien and go on Seroquel but when she saw the results of my sleep study recommendations from the sleep study doctor (which was to take Ambien indefinitely as long as I don't experience unpleasant side effects or start needing a higher dose) that I should just stick with what's working.
She did say though that if at any point I do need to get off Ambien, she would help me wean off and switch to Seroquel.
I will be dependent on sleep meds probably for the rest of my life as a chronic insomniac since childhood.
I know several people who took seroquel and when it was offered to me I was warned its worst side effect, and not uncommon, is heart disease. I declined, having known someone who was on his way to cardiac care before someone asked him about the Seroquel. He quit taking it and his heart-related issues tapered off.
That's what they tell you -- your brain chemistry is just wrong. No reason.
All that psychiatrists seem to know how to do these days is give drugs. Never a thought about the cause. After all, the brain chemistry just went wrong and that's that.
BUT DID YOU EVER THINK about the fact that our brain chemistry changes according to what we do, and what we think?
Therefore, we know that brain chemistry is not fixed and unchangeable.
Maybe in some cases drugs are the only way. But there are probably many cases where the cause can be determined and insomnia can be cured.
I would try chiropractic or yoga before taking drugs. It definitely can't hurt to try.
I didn't get meds from a psychiatrist. I don't know where you're getting your information, but they aren't facts. I've been to a chiropractor for my back. I went for two years because my mom and the doctor were friends and she trusted him. It didn't do a thing for my back, but it set my mom back several thousand dollars in medical costs.
I used to be a yoga practitioner before I got arthritis in my hip and spine. I had insomnia then, too.
There are plenty of ways I could get myself to sleep. But none of them are as effective for me, with as few side effects, for me, as the particular drug that has been working for me for years.
Again - if it ain't broke, don't fix it. If something is working for you, there's no reason to try and stop doing it.
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