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amitriptyline, temazepam, zolpidem, weed
BillieTheBot
Posts: 8,721 Bot
whats best for insomnia and anxiety?
Im a crap sleeper. Quite often lie there awake the whole night, even when im knackered.
lately ive been smoking weed in the evenings, just before i want to go to bed, because mostly that helps.
Sometimes it doesnt work though, and ive been known to drink wine, have a smoke, go to bed, still not sleep, get up, have a sleeping tablet (zolpidem or zopiclone or something) and still not sleep, although usually if i do all those things i will drop off eventually, but its not uncommon for it to all be useless and for me to lie there awake all night long.
i went to the doctor today to ask for valium and temazepam (she must have thought i was a right drug seeker)
She wouldnt give me valium for some reason, but she gave me temazepam, and amitriptyline (10mg)
Now id really rather not get addicted to anything, although im starting to care less and less about that as long as it works, because ive spent a long time "trying" to get to sleep with nothing, and then ending up coming downstairs at 2/3am for a sleeping pill anyway. Thats why ive just been smoking weed at night now whether i need it or not, cos more often than not, id need to come down and have something later anyway, so i may as well try it at the beginning of the night.
Has anyone used amitryptaline? Has it got a hangover?
Am i better taking that or the temazepam?
aghh dont know why im writing this. has anyone managed to sucessfully get over insomnia? Ive had it for years and years to some extent, but its becoming such a problem
Im a crap sleeper. Quite often lie there awake the whole night, even when im knackered.
lately ive been smoking weed in the evenings, just before i want to go to bed, because mostly that helps.
Sometimes it doesnt work though, and ive been known to drink wine, have a smoke, go to bed, still not sleep, get up, have a sleeping tablet (zolpidem or zopiclone or something) and still not sleep, although usually if i do all those things i will drop off eventually, but its not uncommon for it to all be useless and for me to lie there awake all night long.
i went to the doctor today to ask for valium and temazepam (she must have thought i was a right drug seeker)
She wouldnt give me valium for some reason, but she gave me temazepam, and amitriptyline (10mg)
Now id really rather not get addicted to anything, although im starting to care less and less about that as long as it works, because ive spent a long time "trying" to get to sleep with nothing, and then ending up coming downstairs at 2/3am for a sleeping pill anyway. Thats why ive just been smoking weed at night now whether i need it or not, cos more often than not, id need to come down and have something later anyway, so i may as well try it at the beginning of the night.
Has anyone used amitryptaline? Has it got a hangover?
Am i better taking that or the temazepam?
aghh dont know why im writing this. has anyone managed to sucessfully get over insomnia? Ive had it for years and years to some extent, but its becoming such a problem
Beep boop. I'm a bot.
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Comments
Melatonin is the hormone your body naturally produces when it's time to sleep, so by taking this at a regular time you also get the benefit of training yourself to naturally get sleepy around then. Valerian is another natural sleep aid you can find in the supplement aisle.
Now, the two you've got there. Temazepam is a sleep aid, and amitriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant. It's not uncommon for some antidepressants to be prescribed off-label as sleep aids, but it is good to know what you're taking. Chances are, the amitriptyline won't have a "hangover", because it's not actually a sleeping pill. It'll just make you drowsy when you take it and help you get to sleep. Since you mentioned getting addicted, note that temazepam is going to have some potential for abuse just like with valium or xanax. Shouldn't be a big deal, though, just keep an eye on yourself.
I'd try one of them and see how it works for you. Give it several nights to get an idea of it, and if it doesn't work then try the other.
From experience, it made me (who has problems getting to sleep AND staying there) feel a whole crapton worse.
Im alright with staying asleep once im there (normally), its the dropping off in the first place i cant seem to manage.
I know i cant take the same thing every night, or it stops working. I have actually tried temazepam before, and it worked for 2 or 3 nights before it stopped working. Weed is the most consistent sleep aid out of all that ive tried, but i worry about stuff like never being able to go anywhere on holiday if i cant take it with me etc.
After reading up a bit on amityrptaline, most people seem to say it leaves them feeling really groggy the next day, which i specifically said i couldnt handle. im wondering why she just didnt give me the valium i asked for
:yes:.
If by really groggy, you mean feeling more exhausted than when I wasn't taking them, then yes. Though I think that was also partly because I was expecting to wake up so my body was forcing itself to wake up four or five times during the night.
Temazepam doesn't have that much affect on my sleep and can be addictive so is used much shorter term than amitryptiline can be used.
The only z-drug I've taken is Zopiclone which was alright but again it's a short term medication.
Sorry to hear you’ve been struggling with your sleep lately. I guess another thing to look at is why you’re finding it hard to get to sleep. Is your mind racing, or do you find it difficult to switch off?
Aside from the natural sleeping aids Clan Mother Red has suggested you could also try looking at your routine before bed. It’s important not to get too over-stimulated before bed, whether it’s through doing exercise late in the day, keeping your mind active by being on the computer or on your phone or by watching a tv programme or film that is not particularly relaxing. Although it might sound a bit obvious, having a relaxing bath and reading a book in bed are good ways of switching off before hitting the hay.
It may also be a good idea not to have any stimulants like tea, coffee or cola after lunch to avoid the caffeine still being in your system in the evening. Camomile, limeflower or hawthorn berry tea are all said to have a calming effect so you could try them instead.
Best of luck! :thumb:
Lilzo
Thanks, but all those things ive tried and either didnt work, or i do anyway.
Im a bit of a slave to it really, as i cant really do much stimulating fun stuff in the evenings without it stopping me sleeping later. Ive got french club tonight, and im pretty sure i wont sleep afterwards as i never do, but i cant just never do anything.
I dont drink caffeine after 4pm. that seems to be my limit. have tried all the herbal remedies and all the sleep hygiene stuff. Ive cut out internet after about 8 or 9 the last few nights to see if that helps. Not sure yet. Baths seem to wake me up, and reading i find stimulating, and music.
Someone has suggested to me that maybe i should try beta blockers. Looking into them, it sounds like it might be a possibility
If you're using weed, I'd recommend trying several bong hits about 40 minutes before bed as opposed to smoking a joint.
*was thinking of asking about a sleep clinic*
Maybe I'll ask anyway. I guess they can only say no :chin:.
I'm glad you slept a bit better last night, anyway
Because I have a history of overdose, the GP won't consider giving me anything. I was prescribed two 3.5mg zopiclone, which did naff all. Mum had a couple so she gave me two to take together (I know, sharing prescriptions, blah, but I was getting desperate) and that did help but I had all sorts of hallucinations when I was drowsy on them and that freaked me out.
I know there's nothing anyone can suggest that hasn't been suggested to SCC I just wanted to join in the frustrated ranting. I feel sure that if I could take the edge off the worst of the sleep pattern there'd be enough of an improvement in my mood and concentration to take my studies from almost impossible to manageable.
Ive actually slept ok the last few nights with nothing at all, although my anxiety has been pretty bad again. Ive had to take more of my tablets (fluanxol/flupentixol) which id previously come off, so feel a bit crap about that, but hopefully itll just be a short term thing. Going to my doctors today for earache, but im going to ask them for beta blockers when im there because apparently they have less side effects
Saw this was happening on the Guardian today - there's a sleep expert coming on to answer people's questions. Not sure if it would help to ask him anything but thought I'd flag it up in case...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/jan/25/live-chat-sleep-clinic