Posts by shadowbear9

Robin Hernandez8 said:I usually take my Zoloft in the morning. It just... it doesn't really play nice with sleep if I take it later.
I’ve been having such a hard time actually getting any rest lately. My current nightly routine involves 10 mg of Ambien, 45 mg of Remeron, 10 mg of Xanax, and 50 mg of Seroquel.
And honestly? Even that isn't doing much anymore. Sometimes I'll swap out the Xanax for Ativan instead. I guess that combination works a little better for me on certain nights.

Oh, fantastic. So today, she actually tried to patronize me, implying that I'm taking way too much medication when I'm really only taking 2 mg before bed... I don't know, it was almost as if I had told her I was popping 20 mg at once. I swear, I always seem to end up with these totally irrational doctors.

Timothy Wood38 said:So, look, I actually have quite a bit of experience with Xanax. It isn't as aggressive as Sanval, but on the bright side, the side effect profile is much better. For me, it doesn't trigger those weird parasomnias like Sanval used to. I take it strictly on an empty stomach; personally, I don't eat anything at least four hours before hitting the sack. Once I take it, I head straight to bed to try and drift off—no TV, no reading, no scrolling through my phone or browsing the web. That's the rule. To me, it feels a bit slower than Sanval. With Sanval, I could feel it kicking in within 15 minutes, whereas Xanax takes about 30. I usually stick to 20 mg, though I occasionally take a break here and there just so I don't build up a tolerance. And in the morning? I don't get that bizarre, foggy amnesia feeling because Xanax leaves my system relatively quickly.

I can already tell this won't work for me. It's weaker, there are only 14 pills in the pack, and I'm already avoiding food before bed—not that I usually do, since hunger tends to wake me up anyway. Plus, it works much slower; if I take Ambien, I can be in bed within 10 minutes, but with this, I’ll just have to wait. Maybe I'll use it for a month or two just to wean myself off the Ambien, and then I might go back to it. Honestly, I don't have any side effects from Ambien, so it's perfect for me, but I definitely need a break to get used to being without it. Thanks for sharing your experience! I was really struggling because I wasn't sure what would help; I felt like I had already used the strongest stuff available, so I was worried about what else could possibly work if I became dependent on those.

So, I went to see my doctor today, and she tried swapping out my Sanval for Xanax, though it was a bit of a struggle. I guess she just couldn't quite figure out what else to prescribe without jumping straight to the heavy-duty stuff... and that’s basically it. Still absolutely zero progress on my end.🤷What even is Xanax? I've never heard of that medication before.

fadedbear92 said:Guys, please do a little research first—Sanval is really just meant for helping you fall asleep faster quickly, and one pill usually only lasts about three hours. For more serious issues—you know, when we're talking about chronic insomnia—there are other medications available.
You really need to talk to a psychiatrist.

Educate myself on what? I have read the instructions countless times and I have already discussed these medications with my doctor. It isn't just about falling asleep; it’s also for people who wake up constantly during the night or wake up way too early. In my specific case, this particular sedative is actually the most effective option... and sure, it works for three hours, but I don't just take one pill and hope for the best so I don't wake up after three hours. If I do wake up, I just take two more and get another round of sleep... I honestly thought the whole point of being here was to share actual personal experiences, not to have someone lecture me by quoting pharmaceutical pamphlets... ☕

wiredskipper45 said:Yeah, sleep is the big one right now. 😢 I was on mirzapine for three years and slept like a log. But lately, my anxiety has been spiking, and I started worrying the meds were the cause, so I just stopped taking them altogether. Since then, I've been sleeping less and less every night, even while staying on the same amount of Xanax. Honestly, I had issues before I ever touched the mirzapine, and stuff like Ambien or Lunesta didn't do much for me back then either. 😢
Do you think things like Lyrica or Paxil work better for getting some rest?

If Ambien didn't do anything for you, I honestly doubt Paxil is going to be any better. And don't even get me started on Normabest—maybe some higher doses would work? But fundamentally, a hypnotic is way more potent than these basic anti-anxiety meds, I guess.

Brandon Lopez6 said:here you go 🙂🙂 from me too. It's just digital, but at least it counts for something 🙂

I totally get it. I know I’d be losing my mind too if I knew what was coming, especially since everything bad I read just sticks with me 🙄

But hey, it crossed my mind to ask—do you girls take birth control, and does it mess with your head? Mine is absolutely wrecking me. I'm honestly worried it might even dial back how well my antidepressants work, and maybe things feel worse because of them rather than without them. Should I stop taking them? (I only take them because I have to, for my health, specifically my 😛 issues) or not? I'm feeling more unhinged than ever, both literally and figuratively 🙂

I take them, and I happened to be switching both my pill and my antidepressant at the exact same time, so I suppose everything just collided at once. I had a sort of breakdown that lasted maybe ten days... but there is no way I am stopping the birth control; that's far more important to me than this stupid Lexapro. The only thing is, I haven't been able to eat anything at all since everything got mixed up, and who knows what caused that... I know it wasn't from the old medication since I've been on the new one, but I spent a whole week stuck in bed unable to eat. I'm seeing a psychiatrist this Friday to check things out. I wonder if it's the Lexapro, or if it's the pills, which I'll be switching back to the old brand soon enough...

I honestly don't feel anything, nor am I noticing any real changes 🤷 Since I started taking Febram, I suppose I've become more open toward people again, though I can't say for sure. As for the Eli Lilly, I guess it’s killed my appetite—I have absolutely no desire to eat, I can barely manage a meal. Regarding my mood... nothing special to report. Sleep? Absolutely ZERO.

Brandon Lopez6 said:Insomnia isn't exactly a rare thing 🙂
just flip through the last few pages. There’s a ton of stuff on sleep issues in there; might actually be useful if you end up getting prescribed any of those meds (I think Ambien gets mentioned most often alongside xanax or Ativan)

And yeah, doctors definitely prescribe antipsychotics for sleep sometimes.

It's all over the place. I mean, why wasn't I offered those options right away? I've been on Ambien and Misar for three years now, and they haven't even suggested a different brand or a substitute. Meanwhile, they switch my dad from Xanax to Misar every few months or so. I was on Paxil for a while before I stopped, and now I'm on Elavil... I suppose I should ask my doctor about it, though I really don't want to come across like I'm trying to lecture her on her own job.

@shadowbear9

I haven't tried antipsychotics yet; I really need to sit down and discuss that with my doctor first. To be honest, I'm just not entirely sure how insomnia is even treated. I guess I was under this misguided impression that I was one of those rare cases—like one in a million—who actually deals with this, so... 🤷

Edward Long4 said:Hmm, Ambien... after my heart surgery a few months back, nothing could get me to sleep... (check my old posts for the details) but anyway. I took Ambien for three days and, I kid you not, it felt like I had downed 100 liters of coffee. I literally grabbed two boxes, took them to my doctor, and told her, "This stuff is pure garbage," excuse my language... Honestly? If you want to sleep, my advice is meditation, watching what you eat, and long walks... it actually works...

It isn't crap to me,🤷 though I suppose everyone reacts differently, so I agree there. For me, since starting Cerson, it feels like I'm on needles. What I was trying to emphasize is that even higher doses don't keep me asleep anymore, whereas before, just two pills would do the trick. I suspect I'll have to ask my cardiologist for a replacement for Sanvale, but maybe just something short-term to break this tolerance. I honestly don't even know what other hypnotic is similar to it?
I do agree that meditation is incredibly effective, but frankly, for most people, it’s just too difficult! Every time I try to meditate, I just fall asleep...🙂it just exhausts me mentally, so I don't really bother with it much...

Matthew White4 said:Seriously, what are they thinking?! Last time I saw my doctor, I practically had to fight her just to get two 30-count boxes of 10 mg Ambien and two packs of 0.5 mg Ativan, and now she thinks she’s gonna "cure" me with this? I used to be able to knock out in two hours on 2-4 Ambien, 3-4 Ativan, 2 Xanax SR, and 2 Tramadol—bam, asleep. Done. What next, should I just ask to be admitted to the hospital so I can stay on pure morphine?
I'm definitely going to go talk to my psychiatrist earlier than planned.

Well, they aren't actually allowed to dispense them like that, especially Sanvale—two whole boxes at once. They monitor everything, and I know that for a fact because these are treated more like controlled substances, so the oversight is much stricter. My doctor does give me two boxes of Helex, but it's strictly scheduled for every two months down to the day, just so I don't have to come back too often. But even then, I still need my Sanvale every month. She used to give me two boxes before, but now she claims she isn't permitted to anymore...

Matthew White4 said:So my shrink decided to swap out my Sulpirid 200 for some Olanzapine the other day. To me, it feels like eating styrofoam... she claims it’ll help with the sleepiness, which is her excuse for switching things up because I can't catch a wink of sleep lately.
Then there's this clueless doctor who only prescribed me one single box of Ambien and Xanax, and seriously, man, for someone like me, that's basically just breakfast or dinner.
I really need to go file a formal complaint. Looking at the calendar, it's only been five days so far. I'm going to head in and lodge my grievance on January 21st.
It's enough to drive you absolutely insane...

I feel for you. My doctor gave me the 5 mg Ambien, but I didn't want to look like some kind of junkie, so I wasn't going to rush back there over it. I got it on Friday, and as of today, I haven't even touched it... Not to mention, I'm supposed to take it during the day for anxiety as well as for sleeping, yet they only gave me one pill a day. What are they thinking?? I can hardly believe it, but last night I took eight of those 5 mg Ambien pills, fell asleep at midnight, and then woke up at 3 AM. But it wasn't like waking up normally; it felt like someone had dumped ice water over me. I simply don't know what to do anymore🤷 I think I'll start keeping a sleep diary to bring to her, just so she can see exactly how it looks and how much I am actually sleeping... both with and without the meds🥳 and I'm waiting to hear back from that specialist once they return from the sleep clinic, because I truly believe something is seriously wrong with me if a heavy hypnotic like that can't even keep me asleep...

Since my doctor carelessly prescribed me 5mg of Sanval instead of the 10mg I actually need, it seems Sanval has found a new rival—either my physician is incompetent, or the medication itself just refuses to work at all. I’ve taken it for three days now, and honestly, what else can I even say? It's been an absolute disaster... I suppose all I can do is pray for some sleep...

brighttrucker10 said:Sorry, I didn't mean "wow" like I was impressed or shocked—don't take it the wrong way. I truly am sorry you're dealing with all of that.

Well, I'm certainly not angry.

brighttrucker10 said:I feel like a total zombie this morning... honestly, this insomnia has been dragging on for about six weeks now. I think it’s just all the built-up stress finally catching up to me. I’ve even been knocking back liters of chamomile tea every single night, just praying it'll actually help me drift off for once.

That isn't exactly a "wow" solution, and frankly, it’s pretty sad that there isn't any other way to handle it. For me, nothing works unless I use actual medication. I tried the herbal teas too, but they were useless. I mean, if someone tells you, "Oh, just drink more tea and you'll sleep," well, I could say the exact same thing about how my 0.5mg dose doesn't work for me. So, what do I do? I take three 0.5mg tablets instead, and then it actually works. Everyone's tolerance is different, I suppose, and a doctor isn't going to prescribe a massive dosage until the patient determines for themselves what they can actually handle. And people whining about addiction? Please. I've been taking my meds regularly for two years now, and I can function just fine without them whenever I need to.div>

brighttrucker10 said:So, I just got diagnosed with mild anxiety and depression, along with a tendency toward physical symptoms. My doctor put me on Prozac, and I’m five days in. My biggest issue by far is insomnia. Honestly, I feel a bit better already—though I doubt it's the medication since it's still so early—but the sleep issues are still hitting me hard. I tried taking Lunesta at 10 mg, but it doesn't really do much for me. Xanax helps more, but I know I can't rely on that long-term because of the addiction risk. I haven't had any other side effects, so I'm wondering: is it possible the insomnia is being caused by the Prozac, or does the antidepressant just need more time to settle in? Last night, for instance, my heart started racing out of nowhere in the middle of the night, and I couldn't get back to sleep for ages. Has anyone else dealt with this? During the day, I'm doing okay, but this damn insomnia is the main struggle. 🙂I'm honestly terrified I'll never get back to a normal sleep schedule. 😲

Lunesta doesn't work?! Well, I have a very severe case of insomnia myself, but 30mg of Lunesta would knock me out whether I liked it or not—it basically forces my brain to shut down. 🤷

I find it hard to believe this will just disappear. For me, the core issue has always been insomnia, which started when I was only 15. That eventually spiraled into anxiety and social phobia; I’ve basically retreated from the person I used to be, while everyone else seems to just power through the depression. And yeah, there's plenty of that too, obviously. But honestly, who wouldn't be depressed? It's impossible not to be when you're failing your classes because you can't make it to lectures. You finally manage to fall asleep in the morning, and then instead of studying for a midterm, you're spending the night before lying in bed just desperately trying to catch some sleep. Most days I feel like a total zombie, or I'm just playing catch-up with my sleep schedule, so I don't even have the energy to maintain a social life.

restlesstrucker15 said:While antipsychotics are primarily for psychosis, they are sometimes prescribed in lower doses to address insomnia.
I had a discussion with my physician yesterday regarding whether it would be "healthier" to increase the dosage of a hypnotic or simply add a sedative to improve sleep maintenance. She maintains that increasing the hypnotic dose is the better approach, and she noted that medications like hydroxyzine or Xanax shouldn't be used as primary sleep aids. While they might induce drowsiness in some, that isn't their intended purpose, and she consistently advocates for using a dedicated hypnotic. Of course, depending on the duration of the insomnia, one might attempt treatment with either Calixt or an antipsychotic. I also inquired about Trintellix, but she mentioned that none of her patients have reported improvements regarding their sleep issues while taking it. I sincerely hope you find some restful sleep, unlike myself.🙂

Well, I suppose I should just present these options to her and let her give me her professional opinion... I'm counting down the days until the 25th.😳

But how does one even take "more" hypnotics? Like, could they prescribe me something like Ambien plus another one at the same time? Personally, I don't mind using a sedative, except for the fact that it runs out so quickly...
I completely empathize with you. Yesterday and today I had to use some Ativan just to sleep like a normal human being, and tomorrow I’m heading out to pick up some Ambien. Before this, I hadn't slept properly for two weeks—I was barely getting three hours a night when I desperately needed twelve. 😢 It's absolutely horrific...

Anthony Lopez8 said:Doctors typically only prescribe antipsychotics for insomnia when all other options have failed. Speaking from my own experience, Seroquel is incredibly effective at putting you to sleep. While other antipsychotics might leave me feeling completely dead to the world, this one always provided a very pleasant, restful sleep. 😁

Thanks, I really need to ask her about that... These medications do work for me, but honestly, the doses are massive. It’s terrible. I basically burn through a ten-day supply in about a month and a half, so I can say for certain that I haven't slept at all for the last month. I try to catch up on rest whenever I get the chance, but things just can't go on like this....

George Allen71 said:Honestly, I think there's a very good reason why she prescribed you AP. Doctors don't just hand out AP without thinking about it. It all depends on your specific diagnosis and how you're doing right now. Whatever you do, please don't just stop taking it on your own. You really need to sit down and talk it over with your psychiatrist to figure out the best way to adjust your medication so you stay stable.

No, no, you misunderstood me. I'm not even taking it myself, but I would definitely ask about it since it's so sedating and makes you sleepy. Right now, I'm on Xanax plus some sleep aids, yet they treat me like I'm a depressive struggling with an addiction, when in reality, I just can't sleep. So, I guess I'm wondering about the difference between Xanax and antipsychotics? How do they actually work? I don't know if they'd ever prescribe an antipsychotic just for insomnia. If they haven't already...