I have suffered from insomnia for years now - probably 10 years or better. Almost 5 years ago I mentioned it to a new nurse practitioner I was seeing and she suggested Temazepam - she did not mention what the pill was exactly - nor did she say there would be habit forming, etc. etc. Little by little the mg's I was taking needed to be increased - and for the past year or so 30 mg was not cutting it. Some evenings the meds would actually make me hyper. I could not lay still in bed - I was up and down for hours and hours - sometimes just pacing through the house. Then I'd find myself just getting angry over the whole thing. A deep anger ... something that is just not me. Three weeks ago I saw another NP (a new one, the one that gave me the script had moved) - she was rather shocked that I'd been on the Temazepam for that long of a time frame - then she threw out the word "opioid" and knew where she was going with the conversation. She put me on a 6 week plan to wean myself off ... she was not sure what sorts of side effects I might have ... When I got home I read all about the medication ... wow ... shame on me for not doing research on it when I first got it! Part of me says 'shame on my NP for not going into detail about the drug' ... the particular one is meant for SHORT TERM use - not YEARS! Then I read everything that *could* happen when a person discontinues taking them - that list of was bad too! I cut down to 15 mgs nightly for a week - then 7.5 for a few nights and then nothing. I had a few bad nights (muscle tremors, anxious feeling and hot flashes) but thankfully - after 3 days they were gone. That's when I decided to make it a quicker wean off time than she had given me. I could not believe the difference I felt that first morning of waking up and not having taken anything. I did not sleep great - but ... but I was not groggy in the AM - my head was not in a fog - I did not feel like I had a hang over!! It's only been 4 days of med-free nights, and every day I wake up feeling better than the day before. I'm still not sleeping - and am tired, but for now, the tired feeling is better than the yucky feeling I have had for years - and to think it was more than likely the dumb meds doing it is crazy! I read an article yesterday that stated if a person "over-medicates" (or takes too big of a dosage than is needed) with this drug that it could make them "high" rather than working as a "downer" as they are intended. That really made me think about the times that I was all hyped up after taking them. Honestly, it scared me too! I was really sort of freaked out when the NP told me I needed to discontinue using them but now I'm so grateful for that visit! I learned a valuable lesson too - to do homework before just taking a med that has been prescribed!! So now I'm concentrating on getting better sleep (doing homework I should have done 5 years ago I guess) ... I gave almost all of my essential oils to my DIL (she's dealing with stress since having baby #3) - but have a new order that will be delivered today - I have been trying to go to sleep at the same time every night - cutting back on my "online" time too. I also ordered a yoga DVD and hope to find some techniques to use to relax. I've been eeking out 5 or 6 hours of sleep - and since I'm 57 YO, maybe that's all I need. For now I'm just trying not to worry about it - I'll sleep when I need to and if I find myself tossing and turning for an hour or so, I just get up for a bit and go back to bed when I'm tired. Any other insomniacs out here in digi-land? If so, I'd love to hear how you cope or what your secrets are!
All I can think is Whoa. I'm sorry you've had to deal with insomnia AND with the side effects/weaning effects of the medicine! My dad is a pharmacist so I always text him medicine questions. And even with his knowledge, he tells me to ask the pharmacist filling my Rx, cuz they know way more about medicines than the typical doctors/NPs/PAs do (although you should always ask your doctor/NP/PA questions too). Your pharmacist can also alert you to any known drug interactions if you're on anything else (Rx or OTC meds, or herbal supplements). And I'm so glad you are finding ways to sleep better, and thankfully you are off the Temazepam now. The good news is, you found a new NP and she gave you good info! This was a learning experience for you, so thank you for sharing it with us!
My daughter went thru the same thing and now she is drug free and sleeping better with EO's. She rubs a sleep blend on the soles of her feet at night before bed (lavender but not sure what else is in it). I've had trouble sleeping for the last 15 yrs. I tried different sleep medications over the years and it always made me feel weird so never took them for long and finally gave up on meds about 7-8 yrs ago. It's normal for me to wake up every few hrs and then struggle to go back to sleep. So what works a bit better for me is to put the tv on low volume, on a show that doesn't hold my interest so I can watch for a few minutes and then close my eyes and just listen, eventually just nodding off. I put lavender in my diffuser at night and a few drops on my pillow case. Nothing works well but each thing seems to help a bit.
Me! on and off. I think I usually get it when i'm overstimulated. (worry, stress, excited, can be neg or positive over stimulation). I recently started using an app called Mindspace. It just takes 10 minutes ... and he walks you through a meditation session (you don't chant/you just relax and follow cues with breathing/and letting go) - and by the time I am done my head usually feels like it is floating gently and all my muscles relax. It is so SO lovely. I do it when I wake up each morning. And then if I need a calming session before bed, I'll do one then too. *The app comes with a set of free sessions - and then you can add on more for a fee. I've just been doing the free ones over and over. And Wow, that story is something else Jill. I am so sorry your NP did not inform you properly. Sounds like a truly unpleasant experience to ween yourself off that drug - I'm glad you are starting to feel a little more like you. Hugs to you ... and keep us posted how you do a few days from now.
I think not sleeping happens to more of us than we know - I just need to wrap my head around not sleeping and "get over it"!
Thank you! I'll check it out tonight!! Essential oils arrived so I will oil up and try to relax with the app!
It's funny (well, not really) but when people think of opioid addictions you immediately think of heroin etc but the real and enormous problem is sleeping tablets and pain killers that are over prescribed. So glad you got a new NP to help Jill! I have been an insomniac for all my life (with the exception of a few years when the kids were little and I was just exhausted..) but currently wake up a couple of times a night. I have always been too worried about getting addicted to sleeping tablets to try them, I can be easily addicted I think. At the moment, I have my phone nearby and put a podcast on and drop off half way through listening. Only have one earbud in and tuck the phone under my pillow, seems to work. that meditation app looks interesting as well, may have to try that. Good luck but at least you are off Temazepam and that can only be a good thing!
Wow! What a story Jill! I'm so glad that your new NP told you about the opiod and that she got you on a plan to get off. That must have been nerve wracking and scary! I'm glad you are feeling better in the mornings now, but sorry about the insomnia. My Dad is really struggling with that over the last few years too. But he lets it get himself into a huge over anxious frenzy. He's such a control freak that he basically gets mad that he can't force himself to go to sleep like he used to do when he was younger. He also won't try any EO or anything else. sigh. We've all tried to offer suggestions, but he's too stubborn to accept help. Men! Lol! Anyway, I'm hoping the EOs work for you and that meditation app too!
Shame on your NP! That is a terrible story, Jill and probably far from rare. You are so right, we need to be proactive and advocate for ourselves. I share your sleep troubles. I keep my Kindle right next to the bed. When I wake up, I read myself back to sleep. Usually 3-4 times a night.
@JillW So glad you are off the meds. Hoping that things will work themselves out. Have you tried a blue light filter on your tablet/phone? It blocks the blue light, reduces eye strain, is supposed to make you sleep better, especially if you are device intensive before bedtime. I don't know if I'm classified as an insomniac, since I can go to sleep with no problem, but I wake early, and then I can't go back to sleep. Over the last few years, it isn't uncommon for me to be awake and doing "stuff" in the house at 3 a.m. I'm bright-eyed and alert. But then I'm totally exhausted in the late afternoon. I've tried melatonin, makes me feel groggy and it doesn't seem to make me sleep any longer. I've also tried lavender essential oil, same thing. But today I woke with the alarm at 6. The first part of the week, I was waking at 4:30 a.m. I figure I average 6 hours of sleep nightly. I'll take what I can get. The only bright-side to this (and I'm a perpetual optimist) is that for the MOC, I can usually look at a challenge and start it before I leave for work in the morning.
Glad you got off that medication! I haven't slept well at night for a few years. A lot of it was stress from my job. Retiring took care of getting rid of the stress! Before I retired I was using an EO blend made specifically for sleep issues called "Good Night". It has helped immensely as I fall asleep faster. I still wake up during the night, most of the time because I have to pee. Used to be I could go right back to sleep once I did that. That is not working so much these days. I have finally realized that it is my mattress. The darn thing is over 20 years old! So I have a TempurPedic mattress on order. Quite often I will wake up about 4 or 5, go to the bathroom and cannot get back to sleep. So I head to the couch in my office, turn on the TV and lay down. I will eventually go back to sleep for a couple more hours. My other issue is I have tinnitus (ringing in the ears) so I do have the TV on in the bedroom all night long but once I've woken up, I just can't get comfortable in the bed so that's why I head to the couch. Looking forward to the adjustable bed to help with that! I've had my own issues with medications and my doctor was not happy with me last spring at the time of my blood tests. My cholesterol has gone up over 100 points in a year. I had been asking her for years to lower the dosage but she wouldn't so I finally said the heck with it and stopped taking it myself when my cholesterol got down to 145. I have NEVER been that low in my life and in recent years I have read research that says anything below 200 is too low. Actually some of it says 250-300 is ideal. I always ran between 200 and 250. I was back up to 250 and I wouldn't talk to her about going back on the meds. She insisted that the cardiologist put me on them. I went into my yearly appointment with him fully ready to argue with him. I had looked up all the side effects and started highlighting those that I had over the years... Over 10 side effects! Within a year of going off of the meds, they had gone away. He was fine with me not going on the meds but to watch my diet and exercise more.... both of which I have been doing. What was mind boggling to me was how many people that I hadn't seen in a long time told me how great I was looking... the cardiologist being one of them! And, the last year that I worked... I never called in sick! Before I went off the med, I would call in sick at least once every 2 months. And, in the long run, I feel better than I have for over 15 years!
Wow, Jill! I know I have occasional nights/days of sleeplessness, but nothing like what you describe! If anything, I have trouble falling asleep, but once I am asleep, I'm good and sleeping well. I'm so glad you are taking things back for you, off the meds, a new NP and feeling better!
So glad you were able to get off the meds @JillW That kind of addiction is so insidious and sadly, Doctors, NPs etc are so time constrained they often take the path of least resistance and prescribe way to easily. Of course drug companies love this. I don't have insomnia but most women I've known seem to have a spell of bad sleep during their pre and full menopausal years. If I wake up during the night, I am quite content to just stay in bed and doze on and off. It would never tempt me to get up and do anything! perhaps I'm just lazy!?!?
Goodness, Jill. I'm glad you finally found out and are off those meds! This sleep thing, or lack of it, is a crazy thing. I've been a insomniac almost all my life. Gave up naps at 18 months, could never get to sleep at night as a kid, and the less sleep per night I receive means I'll have a harder time falling asleep the next night. Also, if I nap - even 5 minutes - I'm up all night. I hate it. I slept better once I had kids (go figure), but until then I could go a week on 10 hours of sleep. And once I wake up in the middle of the night I'm awake for the duration. No going back to sleep for me. I'm a much better sleeper these days and I think it's due to the fact I get up at 4:40 am 3-4x a week. But when I was going through those nasty hot flashes and waking up in the middle of the night, my OB-Gyn told me to take a Benedryl - but only a couple times a week at most. And it works. I wake up, but I'm able to fall asleep. Best yet, there's no side effects. Sometimes I'll take melatonin, but only to get to sleep. Hope you find something that works well for you!
@JillW Thanks for sharing your cautionary story, Jill. It's so hard when you just want relief. I've been an insomniac since around 1997, and I took Ambien nightly for about 13 years. I weaned myself off it 2 years ago because I felt it was affecting my long-term memory. I have no desire to go back to it! I only get 3-4 hours of sleep a night because of the insomnia and my chronic pain problems (plus I'm always trying to squeeze in "one more thing" before I go to bed), but I'm able to function just fine. Maybe one day I'll become an 8-hour sleeper!
oh wow.... I'm surprised a nurse is allowed to prescribe? here the meds (either opiates or nervous central system suppressors, sleeping pills, are all hyper controlled and not only the GP or consultant can prescribe, they wont prescribe for longer than a month. I have always been insomniac. I have been on opiates because of my other health conditions, I had nerve damage in 2003 and then gazillion operations, have lots of metal inside and my other hip is bone in bone, I have arthritis and other diagnoses (last one is heart failure) they give me something called Zopiclone. I know, as I have always been insomniac (maybe because of years of working nights) that the sleeping tablets are one tough thing to get of .... so I never complained when they said after that month they would only give us 14 tablets ...and I try use them only when in excruciating pain or when I had not slept for 3 days .... and my dosage is 3.75mg.... I'm so so glad to hear you are getting out of it!!!! I used to go to something they call here gentle yoga, and my mother in law also showed me exrecises and gave me some books on vitamins, which helped a lot when I was working... I worked all through my pregnancy and was sleeping well thanks to that... these days I can't move much, so my tricks are ezrecioses of concentration, a bit like meditation that they taught me at the Pain Management Clinic. Remind me by pm, and I will copy them in a message. I also find very, very helpful a technique Laura posted once in a thread, probably as long as two years ago, but I remember well it was about concentrating in your breathing, because I did it and still do, and it helps a great deal not sure of you remember Laura? @lmccandless I remember it was a bit difficult for me at the beginning as it was on counts of eight, I was used to counts of 5 for singing breathing exercises, (and the all the years smoking, of course) but a combination of concentration, breathing for relaxation work when I don;t have major stress issues going on.... Once again, Jill, so glad you had this other nurse and you are stopping!!!!!
I've always had bouts of insomnia. But, I'm also not an 8 hour a night sleeper. My mom says I was a great sleeper as a kid, so I joke that I used up all my sleeping hours then! I routinely get about 6-7 hours of sleep a night. And usually one night a week I'll get 4-5 hours, and then another night I'll get 7-8 hours so it evens out. So, maybe 5-6 hours is normal for you right now? If I have the 4ish hours, I need a nap by mid afternoon, so I know that's too little. And if I get more than 8, I'm tired during the day and feel sluggish so I know that's not right for me. I have found that if I wake up, or am having trouble sleeping I get up after 30 min. I don't just lay in bed, because then I start to train my brain to stay awake in bed. I'll go to the couch with my booklight and Kindle. I'll lounge on the couch and read non-fiction until I'm feeling tired. If I read fiction, I'll stay up until the book is done! If I find myself starting to dose off, I hurry to bed. It's been a long process for me to train my brain that sleep happens in bed. When I can't fall asleep, I play solitaire on my phone - one called Aces and Kings. It takes a little more concentration so it wipes my brain of other thoughts. I turn the backlight all the way down so it doesn't make me awake. Or I do logic puzzles. Things like that occupy my thoughts and force relaxation. I wish I could do those relaxation apps where you clear your mind, but I have not got to that point yet. My mind fills the empty with thoughts and worries and to do lists. But with logic stuff, it has to concentrate and that seems to leave no room for other stuff. Sometimes, I can start doing math problems in my head and that will calm my brain to sleep. (Yes, I know that's weird!) Good luck! Melatonin doesn't work for me, it makes me tired the next day. But, DH swears by it. When he's having a hard time calming down after a 12 hr shift, melatonin and ASMR videos from Youtube in his headphones work. Munchkin will occasionally take a melatonin when he is too wound up to sleep (a smaller does than DH). My dad swears by Tylenol PM for one of my brothers.
ugh where do I start.....sleep and I are best friends but i’m kind of thinking I should get checked out cause I’m sleeping heaps more than normal and compared to what I used to. When it happens which right now is most days which throws my sleeping patterns off, then i’m awake all night etc but if I have to function in the real world I can, it just takes me a bit to fully function. Thinking either I’ve got a bit of depression (wouldn’t be surprised with the job hunting plus my mum has recently been diagnosed with it as well) or a sleep disorder (unsure on that one as any i have looked at don’t really match)
