What Sleep Meds Are You Takeing?.......I need some advice

lupusgirlstefanie · Little Guppy Joined: 18 Aug 2006 Posts: 35

Hi

I was just wondering what some of you ladies are on for insomnia. My doc has put me on Imovane which is because I asked her for Lunesta but
Canada doesn't have it we have Imovane.
Imovane is ok, it does the trick but i can't use it everynight actually I can't use it for at least 4 out of a 7 days a week. So three days a week i'm up alomst all night in pain and can't sleep, also Imovane i find makes me feel as though the next day i'm waking up with a hangover.

I told her that I didn't want ant-depressants like trezadone because of the weightgain

but I was wondering if anyone else is using anything that is good and hasn't had a bad side effect or a weight gain side effect. Also someting that doesn't make you feel as though you are getting up with a hangover.

I know this sounds like a dumb question but i'm just hoping to get 7 nights sleep instead of 4.

thanks everyone!
_________________
Stefanie
SLE Lupus. Fibro, IBS, RA\

Matt's Brown Eyed Girl!

"I'm not broken, I'm antique; a little worn out but still beautiful if not more so because of it."

SoleSinger · Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 8:36 pm Post subject:

I'm on trazodone, and haven't gained any weight since I have been on it... I like it a lot actually...
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"All sounds are potentially dangerous.
All sounds are potentially medicinal.
All sounds are beautiful." ~Yoko Ono

peach224 · Posted: Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:54 am Post subject:

I'm with Solesinger on this one. I have tried a lot of sleep aids over the past decade and I really like trazodone. It doesn't "seem" to be affecting my Sjogren's at this point and I haven't noticed any weight gain (I think that's from other stuff Smile

I think if you can get it, you should at least try it. I started with a small dose and have worked up to a larger one. It is not habit-forming, and there have been nights that I have missed a dose, and I have been able to sleep okay. Not great, but not total insomnia either. It is about getting your body in a good rhythm.

good luck!
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- Peach

"If you think you can, you can. If you think you can't, you're right". - Mary Kay Ash

ejrifkin · Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 12:38 pm Post subject:

i have a lot of sleeping problems...ambien was good but its really not good for long term use. if you are sleeping a couple of nights a week on your own, maybe you want to first exlore some homeopathic remedies, and then try rozerem for the nights you cant sleep (its non addictive and you can just take it when you need it). if the problem persists, i would go with trazadone (which is actually and antidepressant, but commonly used as a sleep aid in fibromyalga patients)
the problem with lunesta is that its not so good with keeping you asleep and also, you cant drink water!!! lunesta gives you a weird lunesta taste in your mouth that is heightened by water and it is AWFUL. i just started trazadone and im so happy to drink water again that i am running to the bathroom ever 10 minutes

Razzleberry · Puppy Joined: 12 Jun 2006 Posts: 201

Unisom ...over the counter ...works for me. No morning hangover and I sleep all night with it.

kimb · Posted: Wed Nov 08, 2006 6:25 pm Post subject:

I use Ambien also, but I break my caplets into thirds. Thats all it takes me. My dr. also said to try Benedryl, it contains the same ingredient as over the counter sleep pills.
Kimb

mnjodette · Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 7:30 am Post subject:

Ambien, for long time now. Get about 6 hours sleep with it. Try not to use it regularly, thought. Sometimes I can sleep just fine without it. I'm thinking of asking rheumy for something else that may be a better choice. I did use Benadryl (something called "Simply Sleep") but I feel very hung over from that. Never get the hung over feeling with Ambien. Remember, though, that everybody is going to react differently. My sister takes a Benadryl product and it never bothers her.
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"Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine." Lord Byron

littlered · Wolf Joined: 20 Sep 2006 Posts: 549

My doctor gave me a coupon 25 dollars off for Lunesta....but they still cost me 104 dollars!!!! AND they don't work well for me. I'm going to ask my doc about trazodone. It's a generic and that means a 10 dollar copay for me and hopefully it will WORK! I have so many problems getting to sleep and staying asleep.

pooie95 · Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 11:35 am Post subject: lupus - sleep problems

Is sleep problems a symptom of lupus? I sleep pretty well most nights. I mainly notice the problem when I'm on prednisone.

kimb · Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 8:51 pm Post subject:

Yup, when the dreaded prednisone goes up-My sleep goes to zero. Right now, I just went from sleeping very well at 8mg pred to increasing pred to 20mg and now......... Shocked

WHEEEE thank you ambien!!!
Whenever the pred goes up, so do I. Laughing

Kim

ganesha · Goldfish Joined: 28 Mar 2006 Posts: 56

I personally use medical marijuana to help me sleep, as it is a natural solution in the face of all the synthetic drugs that I am now on. I just started prednisone (60mg a day) and am realizing the effect it will have on me, so I am not sure if the marijuana will be sufficient, but feel it will actually be a good solution for me. Fortunately I live in a state where I am a legal medical marijuana patient with a Dr.s recommendation. And for those who dont consider smoking very medicinal there are great vaporizer options out there that just activate the THC, and does not burn the plant material.
Brent
_________________
Ganesha is:
*A T11/12 paraplegic since 2000.
*A colorado medical marijuana patient.
*As active as possible with handcycling being my primary passion, but Lupus has thrown a wrench in that pursuit for too long.
*A Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist currently working with an adult with a TBI.
*And much much more:)