Guest guest Posted April 28, 2011 Report Share Posted April 28, 2011 hi kay - i've used generic ambien for years - 10mg, along with 1 - 2mg clonazeapam - and if my head is a bit swirly some doxiepin...with 10 - 15 mg melatonin..getting to sleep is not too hard but waking up refreshed is rare!! good luck, deb deb ________________________________ From: Kay Siegrist <ksiegr@...> CFSFM < > Sent: Thu, April 28, 2011 7:15:14 AM Subject: Sleep  Hi Everyone,  I have a terrible time falling asleep. For years, I have taken 10-15 mg. of Seniquan (Doxepin) plus about 1/2 mg. of Xanax at bedtime. That works for a few months then in order to not increase the dosage for it to keep working, I stop it for about a month. During that time, I take valerian root or passion flower plus a Tylenol PM. It barely helps so for that month, I get lousy sleep. After a month or so off the Doxepin and Xanax, I start over and it works again.  I've tried melatonin, seratonin, and a number of herbals from the health food store without success. Ambien has been suggested by my doctor. I'm leary of it being habitforming as I need something every night not once in a while. Have any of you taken it and if so, how do yoo like it? Doxepin is so safe compared to most prescription drugs. Xanax I'm not too comfortable with. I justify taking it in this small dose only. I'm at the point now where I need to stop both. When I start again, I plan to leave the Xanax out and just take the Doxepin. That used to work for me all by itself.  I'm sure many of us share this problem with falling asleep.  Please share what works best for you? Thanks, Kay   Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 28, 2011 Report Share Posted April 28, 2011 Kay, Things like melatonin and herbs started working better for me when I started taking progesterone orally. A little bit of estriol has helped also. It also helps to have adequate and balanced cortisol, not an easy thing to accomplish if you have problems with it. Before you start taking Ambien, do some research on it. It is associated with sleepwalking and has been implicated in accidents related to that. Ellen >Hi Everyone, I have a terrible time falling asleep. For years, I have taken 10-15 mg. of Seniquan (Doxepin) plus about 1/2 mg. of Xanax at bedtime. That works for a few months then in order to not increase the dosage for it to keep working, I stop it for about a month. During that time, I take valerian root or passion flower plus a Tylenol PM. It barely helps so for that month, I get lousy sleep. After a month or so off the Doxepin and Xanax, I start over and it works again. I've tried melatonin, seratonin, and a number of herbals from the health food store without success. Ambien has been suggested by my doctor. I'm leary of it being habitforming as I need something every night not once in a while. Have any of you taken it and if so, how do yoo like it? Doxepin is so safe compared to most prescription drugs. Xanax I'm not too comfortable with. I justify taking it in this small dose only. I'm at the point now where I need to stop both. When I start again, I plan to leave the Xanax out and just take the Doxepin. That used to work for me all by itself. I'm sure many of us share this problem with falling asleep. Please share what works best for you? Thanks, Kay < Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 28, 2011 Report Share Posted April 28, 2011 Hi Kay, I have trouble sleeping too. I have been taking Stilnox for a few years and have had absolutely no side effects from them (even though the press reported horrible side effects from the tablets). I guess we all have different reactions to medications, and what works for one may not work for another. The Stilnox is packaged under many different names now. I find the Stilnox gives me about 5-7 hours sleep per night. My sleep quality is average, but if I don't take Stilnox I basically don't sleep .... I doze off for a few minutes but am more awake than asleep. I do have lots of vivid dreams, but apparently that is common with the cfs - supposedly something to do with the immune system dysfunction. I have just started taking the melatonin drops at night, and they seem to make me go to sleep more quickly, but I am taking the Stilnox also. I have to see how the melatonin goes, then work out if I don't need the Stilnox anymore. I take Clonazepam during the day for the anxiety/reaction to noise and light and that helps a lot. If I stop taking Clonazepam my bodily reactions are still there and nothing else helps me. I know that all of us with cfs/me/cfids suffer with a variety of symptoms, which makes it hard for the doctors to prescribe " a one program fits all " approach for us. I do hope you find something that helps you, as I know what it feels like to not be able to sleep! Make sure you check with your doctor about possible side effects of any drugs you consider and whether they interact with other medications or vitamins you are taking. Regards, Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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