Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
If you find a med that works for you, then that means you were "dependent" on it to sleep before you ever took your first pill. That's WHY it works for you.
All of these meds come with the risk of some pretty scary side effects. You shouldn't just tell your doctor you want to try them and hope for the best. You should have a DISCUSSION with your doctor about it. If he can't answer your questions, then tell him you want a referral to a sleep study, and ask the doctor there instead.
Whoever prescribes your meds should be monitoring the outcome with a weekly e-mail or phone call, and a follow-up after the first month of taking it. All just to make sure that you're not experiencing any of the potentially dangerous side effects.
Those are mostly things you might do when asleep. Texting, leaving your house and driving, binge-eating, sleep-walking, calling people on the phone, trying to have sex - all while you're asleep. Nightmares and lucid dreaming is also a possibility.
Most folks, like me, have none of those side effects, or might have had them just once or twice when they first started taking them, and not since. That's why you have to have regular communication with the prescribing physician at first.
Honestly, the doctor has no idea how any one patient is going to react to any one drug, either. You can read the possible side effects for yourself online and even consumer reviews. Most are highly unlikely to ever happen to you (even if it was reported just once, it has to be listed), so no need to scare yourself unnecessarily.
I requested generic Ambien when I started traveling, as my usual remedies didn't work in that situation. He had no problem prescribing it, and I had no trouble taking it. It works. In fact, I felt less hungover the next day than I usually do taking my various repertoire of either melatonin, doxylamine, and/or a small amount of alprazolam.
In fact, if it's true that you don't develop a tolerance for it, requiring larger and larger doses for it to be effective, I may decide to take it ALL the time like some here do.
Last edited by otterhere; 05-13-2024 at 08:12 PM..
Status:
"It's WARY, or LEERY (weary means tired)"
(set 20 days ago)
Location: A Yankee in northeast TN
16,147 posts, read 21,288,283 times
Reputation: 43929
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ghaati
Think of it this way:
If you find a med that works for you, then that means you were "dependent" on it to sleep before you ever took your first pill. That's WHY it works for you.
All of these meds come with the risk of some pretty scary side effects. You shouldn't just tell your doctor you want to try them and hope for the best. You should have a DISCUSSION with your doctor about it. If he can't answer your questions, then tell him you want a referral to a sleep study, and ask the doctor there instead.
Whoever prescribes your meds should be monitoring the outcome with a weekly e-mail or phone call, and a follow-up after the first month of taking it. All just to make sure that you're not experiencing any of the potentially dangerous side effects.
Those are mostly things you might do when asleep. Texting, leaving your house and driving, binge-eating, sleep-walking, calling people on the phone, trying to have sex - all while you're asleep. Nightmares and lucid dreaming is also a possibility.
Most folks, like me, have none of those side effects, or might have had them just once or twice when they first started taking them, and not since. That's why you have to have regular communication with the prescribing physician at first.
I discuss it with my pharmacist before I discuss it with my doctor,
Frequently mentioned on this forum when insomnia is discussed, but type & dosage never shared
I addressed marijuana, as it pertains to my own situation, in my first post.
I saw the cardiologist today, and she recommends a referral to the sleep specialist center. I said yes, but I will have to make sure it is covered by insurance before I schedule an appointment. The other issue is I have no leave time currently at work, and the specialist is an hour drive away.
I won't have a day to spare for an appointment like that, until after August 26.
The real problem though, the most likely culprit for all this insomnia, is not going to go away for another 17 months, and that is my job. The stress at work is bad, unrelenting, and is never going to change. I can only hope I can make it through to retirement without too much permanent damage to my health, and I include the sleep issues in that as well.
Which is why I was looking to sleeping pills to get me through. Along with all the other things I am trying to do: therapy, relaxation, meditation, tongue and soft palate exercises to strengthen those muscles to help with snoring and breathing during sleep (I just started those, read about it in one of the other threads on here) etc.
Last edited by catsmom21; 05-16-2024 at 02:56 PM..
I addressed marijuana, as it pertains to my own situation, in my first post.
I re-read your OP, but I didn't note a method of ingestion or dosage. Am I missing that?
I also tried marijuana & learned that it's not the weed of my youth. I spent the night gripping the mattress & staring at the ceiling & having very frightening thoughts, so I never want to do that again.
People on CD talk about edibles, CBD (useless for me), other marijuana derivatives, but they do not say how much & what kind, so it's useless info, or not info
Also, another thought. I grind my teeth when I sleep. I now have a mouth guard, formed by a 3D printer so it fits perfectly over top teeth. I sleep a little better & don't have headaches & sore jaw now. That could help you.
I re-read your OP, but I didn't note a method of ingestion or dosage. Am I missing that?
I also tried marijuana & learned that it's not the weed of my youth. I spent the night gripping the mattress & staring at the ceiling & having very frightening thoughts, so I never want to do that again.
People on CD talk about edibles, CBD (useless for me), other marijuana derivatives, but they do not say how much & what kind, so it's useless info, or not info
Also, another thought. I grind my teeth when I sleep. I now have a mouth guard, formed by a 3D printer so it fits perfectly over top teeth. I sleep a little better & don't have headaches & sore jaw now. That could help you.
I've been wearing a dental guard since I was in my early 20s. I do use CBD for pain. I take two gummies totaling 50 mg, but only when my back/hip/leg pain is very bad. I just don't like having all that sugar. Not to mention they are very expensive. And dosage accuracy and quality of product really is dependent on the manufacturer I think.
Marijuana edibles, including the old home made brownies, were never any use to me so I can't speak for dosage on them. I prefer to take a hit. One hit of "good pot" is all I ever needed to get high, and that's all I take. But now with my anxiety running rampant I've had to give that up. I miss it very much, but I suppose I won't be enjoying that peaceful feeling any more, or all the housework I got done through the busy phase, until after I retire.
I've been on the meds for fibromyalgia again, and I don't like to mix them with the sleeping pills, so it wasn't until last night I tried the 2 mg Lunesta again.
Same result, broken sleep totaling about 5 hours. It's not enough.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I spent the night gripping the mattress & staring at the ceiling & having very frightening thoughts, so I never want to do that again.