Insomnia Hell

[dave02]

Been suffering from insomnia for years. To cut a long story short I got addicted to Valium a few years ago. My DR prescribed it to combat my sleep problems.

I did not realise how addictive this crap is (DR never told me) & after a few months it stopped working, so my DR increased my dose (Great idea not)

I have managed to cut my dosage over the years back down to 7mg a night. But this stuff has seriously wrecked my life :(

I am totally a different person then when I first started taking it (For the worse)
& the Insomnia is now hell most nights.

I would not mind so much if it was just say one sleepless night a week. But it has got to the stage where I get no more then 3 hours or so poor quality sleep a night :(

I have tried all the natural soloutions such as Valerian root & other herbs. The only thing that does work is a good Indica strain of cannabis which I vape.

Problem there is I have lost my supply source as my provider (who was a home grower) got busted & no longer grows weed.

I am not in the position to be able to grow my own. So bang went the only natural thing which helped me (Joke that it is illegal when crap like Benzos are available on prescription!)

Sorry about going on so much but does anyone have any possible soloution to this Insomnia hell As im nearing the end of my tether :confused:

[greydove]

How is your exercise and diet, and what other mdeications are you on?

[ytch]

Sounds pretty much like my story...

Only that I realized the dangers of valium pretty early..

I´m out of ideas too,
one thing I wanna try is Melatonin,
a substance the body needs for regulating sleep patterns.

The chemical version you can get from your doctor,
in germany there is a natural product called "Nachtmilch Kristalle",
which translates to "Nightmilk- Crystals".

It´s actually made from night-milk, which is higher in melatonin than regular milk, and very low in fat.

I´ve read a lot of positive remarks about it and will try it
AS SOON AS I CAN AFFORD IT! :(

[zarah]

I don't want to sound like some vegan harridan, but seriously have you thought about cutting animal produce from your diet? I used to have terrible insomnia and although it's still there to a degree, I'm able to sleep much better now that I eat a vegan diet. I totally sympathise with you....not being able to sleep is awful.

[ytch]

I don't want to sound like some vegan harridan, but seriously have you thought about cutting animal produce from your diet? I used to have terrible insomnia and although it's still there to a degree, I'm able to sleep much better now that I eat a vegan diet. I totally sympathise with you....not being able to sleep is awful.

As for me, Im a vegetarian, very little milk products occasionally,
as good as no eggs at all( both NOT on a daily base for sure), no fish, of course.

So, hmmm..

And about the nightmilk- thingy, I think they pretty much extracted the actual milk from it to get the melatonin.

[pepsi78]

Been suffering from insomnia for years. To cut a long story short I got addicted to Valium a few years ago. My DR prescribed it to combat my sleep problems.

I did not realise how addictive this crap is (DR never told me) & after a few months it stopped working, so my DR increased my dose (Great idea not)

I have managed to cut my dosage over the years back down to 7mg a night. But this stuff has seriously wrecked my life :(

I am totally a different person then when I first started taking it (For the worse)
& the Insomnia is now hell most nights.

I would not mind so much if it was just say one sleepless night a week. But it has got to the stage where I get no more then 3 hours or so poor quality sleep a night :(

I have tried all the natural soloutions such as Valerian root & other herbs. The only thing that does work is a good Indica strain of cannabis which I vape.

Problem there is I have lost my supply source as my provider (who was a home grower) got busted & no longer grows weed.

I am not in the position to be able to grow my own. So bang went the only natural thing which helped me (Joke that it is illegal when crap like Benzos are available on prescription!)

Sorry about going on so much but does anyone have any possible soloution to this Insomnia hell As im nearing the end of my tether :confused:

If you are that far on the road and herbs like valerian don't work for you then you indeed are very far ahead in your troubles.

You should look into your diet and fitness. Jog if you do not, research into diets and try to alkalize your body.

More sedatives will further your road to perdition, they will eventually kill you.
Pot will work for you for a while then it will totally make a horse shit out of you, make you so lazy and weak and it will stop working for you after a while.
As a result from all these sedatives you will find your self depleted from life and unable to sleep, like a zombie that has no peace.

[ytch]

If you are that far on the road and herbs like valerian don't work for you then you indeed are very far ahead in your troubles.



valerian root puts me to sleep, but i wake up a couple of hours later
wide awake and unable to continue sleeping..

[blue2]

Why not get your Adrenals and Thyroid tested but not on NHS its useless...because it is symptomatic of hormone imbalances...adrenals need to be done via 24hr Saliva samples for which you can find a Lab through Thyroid UK..and could ask your Practice Nurse to take blood for you when you have a Test kit and send by Special delivery early part of week or do Urine sample for thyroid. All drugs can lower thyroid function and so can lack of minerals like Iodine,magnascent preferably and Magnesium then there are B Vits both of which are hard to digest orally but Ancient Minerals are best-see Mark Sircus OMD he is a Dr of Oriental Medicine. Your Adrenal hormones may be coming up high at night instead of going down and coming up morning to wake you up,like cortisol. See Diana Holmes she authored a very good book called Tears Behind Closed Doors and her website may still be up Thyroid Tears.

Good sources of vit/mins too are www.naturalhealthpractice.com in UK for purity..there is also Omega 3 people are deficient in for brain etc and can treat many diseases and Flax oil and seeds ground up are excellent and you can buy very good one Barleans high lignans from www.healthyandessential.com I have a book on Flax called The Healing Power of Flax by Herb Joiner-Bey, N.D -which i bought from healthyandessential few yrs back so you could find it on Amazon books probably. Defo magnesium mineral is ideal for relaxing with.

Vitamon D3 is a precursor for hormones and Raw extra virgin organic Coconut oil is said to help underactive thyroids.

[dave02]

Thanks for all your replies. They are much appreciated :)

As for being on other medications, I am also on Dosulepin, which is an Antidepressant that is supposed to also help with sleep. Dr thinks I am on 6 25mg capsules a day. But I have cut my dose to just 2 a day as they make you feel crap :(

I have tried Melatonin. It is hit & miss sometimes it appears to help other times no effect.

I am fairly fit (Apart from feeling so awful most of the time) I walk at least 2 to 3miles a day.

I am fairly careful with my diet. I don't touch sugar or any junk food & am not overweight.

I also take a good selection of Vitamins ending with Calcium Magnesium & Omega3 fish oils about 2 hours before I go to bed.

I actually saw another Dr in my practise about a year ago & he actually said to me that if I was his patient that there was no way that he would have ever allowed me on Valium in the first place.

So it looks as if my Dr screwed up big time. Not that he has to suffer the consequences of course :mad:

Pepsi78 I agree with you that unless I can get off this garbage I am probably not going to be around much longer.

As for the weed thing. I only ever used to use it twice a week & found the beneficial effect of it carried on through for a few nights.

[edelweiss pirate]

Personally I would recommned high doses of Vitamin B3 before bed to help serotonin production.



HOW TO GET A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP... TONIGHT!

It does no good to have someone TELL you to get some sleep. It does no good to lie down and stay awake, either. Here are some techniques that help you get to sleep more quickly and without drugs.

1. Read for a while. This will improve your mind while relaxing your body.

2. Get some fresh air. Open a window, walk the dog.

3. Try some moderate exercise, such as isometrics, yoga, or stretches. Couples have found that lovemaking works well, too.

4. Get more L-tryptophan in your diet. L-tryptophan is one of the essential amino acids that your body uses to make neurotransmitters such as serotonin and melatonin. These neurotransmitters are chemical nerve messengers that help your brain to shut down for the night... and be fully awake during the day. Seafood, chicken, milk, cheese, yogurt, beans and cashews are foods that are high in L-tryptophan foods. More of the L-tryptophan in dairy products gets to your brain when you have a carbohydrate along with it. That's why cheese and crackers, or milk and a whole-grain cookie are good bedtime snacks.

If L-tryptophan is taken as a nutritional sleep-aid, the target dose is around 1,000 to 1,500 mg, taken a couple of hours before bedtime. I think the supplement is too expensive, and prefer food sources. I mean, you have to eat anyway, right?

5. Vitamin B-3 as niacin in larger than RDA doses will help induce sleep. Taking between 100 and 500 milligrams about 20 minutes before bedtime usually works best. The amount required varies considerably from one person to another. Ideally, you take the least amount that makes you the most sleepy. Expect to experience a brief niacin "flush" (like a hot flash or blushing sensation) which goes away in short time. The warm feeling is pleasant to most people, but may be avoided by simply taking less niacin at any one time. A bit of practice will tell you how much you need.

6. LECITHIN makes up nearly a third of your brain's dry weight. This natural food substance is found in soy products and egg yolks and is available as a supplement as well. Two to four tablespoons daily has consistently shortened the time needed for people to go to sleep.

7. Prayer or meditation may be very settling and help you sleep sooner and better. Certainly there are other benefits as well. The Transcendental Meditation technique has been shown to produce deep rest, reduced anxiety, and very effective relief from insomnia (Miskiman, D. E. "The Treatment of Insomnia by Transcendental Meditation," Scientific Research on Transcendental Meditation: Collected Papers, Orme-Johnson, Domash and Farrow, Eds., Vol. 1, MIU Press, 1974.)

The Trappist monastic tradition contains the phrase, "I lie down, and sleep comes at once." Directly from the Bible, we find:

"For he gives to his beloved sleep." (Psalms 127:2, RSV)

8. You may have heard about melatonin, the body’s own natural sleep-promoting hormone. You can increase your body’s melatonin production by keeping your bedroom as dark as humanly possible. You can also try 3 to 6 mg of supplemental melatonin, taken about an hour before bedtime. Melatonin is very safe: studies using over 200 mg/day failed to show harm.

Melatonin: Make your own

How? Go to bed early and keep your bedroom dark, and your body will make plenty for you. Consider lining or doubling your curtains or drapes, adding blinds or a dark-colored window shade, and getting rid of light-up digital clocks. Keep a nightlight in your hallway for those ever-popular trips to the salle de bain, but keep your bedroom door closed. These steps, and others that you think of, will keep your sleeping environment darker, and your melatonin (sleep hormone) production will go up.

That “go to bed early” comment will be quickly discounted by any number of readers, who might say, “I can’t go to bed early. There is too much to do.” You might be right. My reply? If you are too busy to sleep, you are too busy. Many people are sacrificing sleep time for family time, for TV, or, increasingly, for work. In an age of $65 programmable video cassette recorders, I think the TV excuse can be flushed where it belongs without delay.

I can hardly object to family time, but kids should not be up late, either. Several school nurses have told me that an eight-grader needs TEN TO TWELVE HOURS of sleep a night. If the school bus comes at 7 AM, that means a pretty early bedtime. Easier said than done? Yes. But do the math: well-rested kid(s) plus well-rested parent(s) has got to equal better quality time at home, and better school performance. It wouldn’t hurt for your children to make a little melatonin of their own, now, would it? Back when I was in grammar school, we actually got a grade on our report card that evaluated the extent to which we were “rested and ready for work.” (I cannot help but wonder why they didn’t think a little more deeply about the fact that we also walked three-quarters of a mile each way to school, AND home for lunch, for a total of three miles daily… at age 7?) At day’s end, I was as pooped as a farm boy. I’ll bet your kids are more tired than they let on. Try it: they’ll hate it. But you will all sleep better, and that can be a very big payoff.

One of the best things about natural sleep aids is that they are safe and not habit forming. When your brain and body are well nourished, more restful sleep is a natural result. You are feeding your body, not drugging it.

Why avoid sleep medication?

First of all, we get way too much medication in general. Enough prescriptions are written in the US to provide each man, woman and child with seven individual medications a year. (Williams, S.: Nutrition and Diet Therapy, 1986, p. 672) "On our American market here are about 54,000 drugs" (ibid). This is true, even though the World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that probably no more than 200 drugs would cover all needs.

Did you know that, according to the National Academy of Sciences, 8.5 MILLION Americans take prescription sleeping pills at least once a year? TWO MILLION Americans take them EVERY NIGHT for at least two months at a time! 51 million Americans (nearly one in four) have taken tranquilizers (Williams, page 687).

Enough Valium has been sold in ONE year to provide 145 pills for every man, woman and child in the U.S.A. This figure is based on purchases from doctors' prescriptions. Valium was once the most widely prescribed drug in America. It often causes weight gain, nausea, constipation, fetal dependency, and birth defects if taken during the first trimester of a pregnancy. Valium even gets into a woman's breast milk.

Then why was Valium so very popular? Well, Hoffmann-LaRoche, the manufacturer, spent $200 million in ten years to promote it. The company "commissioned some two hundred doctors a year to produce scientific articles about its properties" according to Ivan Illich, in the book Medical Nemesis (Bantam, 1977).

Sleep is a natural process, and natural methods are safe and effective. It is time for everyone to start "just saying no" to excessively prescribed drugs... and those over the counter drugs, too.

http://www.doctoryourself.com/sleep.html

[grasshopper]

sleeping pills will not help cause you may sleep but will not dream so you have no rest

melatonin is the only thing I would recommend...it helped me a bit when I couldnt sleep but on the long run you have cure the reason for insomnia

:)

[pepsi78]

This site may be of help.
http://www.understand-andcure-anxietyattacks-panicattacks-depression.com/5-htp-Melatonin.html

[wonderfullife]

Been suffering from insomnia for years. To cut a long story short I got addicted to Valium a few years ago. My DR prescribed it to combat my sleep problems.

I did not realise how addictive this crap is (DR never told me) & after a few months it stopped working, so my DR increased my dose (Great idea not)

I have managed to cut my dosage over the years back down to 7mg a night. But this stuff has seriously wrecked my life :(

I am totally a different person then when I first started taking it (For the worse)
& the Insomnia is now hell most nights.

I would not mind so much if it was just say one sleepless night a week. But it has got to the stage where I get no more then 3 hours or so poor quality sleep a night :(

I have tried all the natural soloutions such as Valerian root & other herbs. The only thing that does work is a good Indica strain of cannabis which I vape.

Problem there is I have lost my supply source as my provider (who was a home grower) got busted & no longer grows weed.

I am not in the position to be able to grow my own. So bang went the only natural thing which helped me (Joke that it is illegal when crap like Benzos are available on prescription!)

Sorry about going on so much but does anyone have any possible soloution to this Insomnia hell As im nearing the end of my tether :confused:

Hello op,

Have suffered from insomnia for majority of my life well since I was 10 years old. Have now found out I have Chronic Lyme so started taking MMS and wow it has really helped.
I am now in a sleeping routine why not try MMS?

[dave02]

Again thank you very much for all of these replies. You people really are helpful & I am very grateful for all of your help :)

Wonderfullife , what is MMS :confused: I googled it & came up with a 'Miracle Mineral solution' product which are water purification capsules, is this it?

edelweiss pirate, I have tried Vitamin B before bed, but it seemed to 'wire me' & make me even more less able to sleep :eek: But thanks for all of the rest of your detailed reply. I will try some of the things contained in there.

[jahbless]

Have you tried to grow the sacred herb yourself OP, win allround mate..

[dave02]

Have you tried to grow the sacred herb yourself OP, win allround mate..

Mate I would love to be able to do that but my partner is dead against weed (Stupid I Know :confused: ) so there is no way I could grow in secret :(

[blue2]

By the way don't take vitamins at night it can keep you awake...once read this in one of Hulda Regeher Clark's Phd N.D., books.

Do you have a lot of worries keeping you from sleeping properly? You can still have adrenal issues without knowing about it keeping you awake..

[curtaincat]

This always helps me sleep.

Lots of yawning!

The Yawning Man - YouTube


Watch the vid, it is from Tom Thumb, if you don't yawn and feel sleepy after this... well, i dunno.

It always makes me super sleepy!

[humito]

exercise like a motherfucker
masturbate

is over stimulated kundalini i expect

[littleweed]

Maybe have a look at the other thread I posted today about vitamin d deficiency causing sleep disorders - here's a link to the website I talked about

http://drgominak.com/sleep

[fennelseed]

I've had problems with insomnia this year.

I got myself a pedometer and try to walk at least 10,000 steps a day if not more.

Turn off the computer and TV at least 1 hour before bed ~ read instead or bath (turn down external stimulus).

I take high dose B complex vits (AM)
St John's Wort or Avena Sativa.:)
Also Ashwaghanda and Rhodiola extract in water ~ to balance adrenals and thyroid.

I went to a naturopath who took a lot of time to look at my overall health ~ worth every penny!

I wish you well .

[wonderfullife]

Again thank you very much for all of these replies. You people really are helpful & I am very grateful for all of your help :)

Wonderfullife , what is MMS :confused: I googled it & came up with a 'Miracle Mineral solution' product which are water purification capsules, is this it?

edelweiss pirate, I have tried Vitamin B before bed, but it seemed to 'wire me' & make me even more less able to sleep :eek: But thanks for all of the rest of your detailed reply. I will try some of the things contained in there.

Hello Op,

MMS used to be called miracle mineral solution but had to be changed to MMS and is no classes as water purifing drops due to regulations etc

There is a thread on this forum worth a look don't get scared off by the fear mongering and claims of "it's bleach" it is not.
It costs pence per drop and a bottle can last one adult about a year or 6 months I have me and 2 teenagers so a bottle lasts us about 3 to 6 months because we use it for mms tub baths and drink it twice a day. A bottle costs £12 plus postage and packing.
MMS keeps for about 2 years.
This website can give you info on MMS: http://jimhumble.biz/
You can buy from here : http://www.mineral-solutions.net/mms-1
MMS can be used for deppression, insomnia cancer, Lyme, tooth problems, acne, eczema, PMT, Thyroid the list goes on and on.
Yes MMS is being attcked by FDA again but that's cos it is cheap and it works and has no side affects if you take it the right way because it can cause nausea if you don't leave a enough time after food i leave about an hour after eating and and hour after taking mms to eat again. Some can wait 30 minutes but it depends on the individual.
Always drink plenty of water after 5 mins of taking a dose if one does feel nausea you can eat a raw apple after taking mms raw apple is the only food one can eat after taking mms while waiting to resume normal eating.

Here is the MMS thread:http://www.davidicke.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47801

[living99]

Why not get your Adrenals and Thyroid tested but not on NHS its useless...because it is symptomatic of hormone imbalances...adrenals need to be done via 24hr Saliva samples for which you can find a Lab through Thyroid UK..and could ask your Practice Nurse to take blood for you when you have a Test kit and send by Special delivery early part of week or do Urine sample for thyroid. All drugs can lower thyroid function and so can lack of minerals like Iodine,magnascent preferably and Magnesium then there are B Vits both of which are hard to digest orally but Ancient Minerals are best-see Mark Sircus OMD he is a Dr of Oriental Medicine. Your Adrenal hormones may be coming up high at night instead of going down and coming up morning to wake you up,like cortisol. See Diana Holmes she authored a very good book called Tears Behind Closed Doors and her website may still be up Thyroid Tears.

Good sources of vit/mins too are www.naturalhealthpractice.com in UK for purity..there is also Omega 3 people are deficient in for brain etc and can treat many diseases and Flax oil and seeds ground up are excellent and you can buy very good one Barleans high lignans from www.healthyandessential.com I have a book on Flax called The Healing Power of Flax by Herb Joiner-Bey, N.D -which i bought from healthyandessential few yrs back so you could find it on Amazon books probably. Defo magnesium mineral is ideal for relaxing with.

Vitamon D3 is a precursor for hormones and Raw extra virgin organic Coconut oil is said to help underactive thyroids.


I totally agree with what Blue2 is saying. Do see a Naturopath if you can afford to. Melatonin is cheap, can be bought over the internt, take 2 half an hour before bedtime and of course try to get to bed early as Melatonin is about resetting the circadian rhythm.

Can absolutely report good results with Magnesium Oil. I make my own with mag chloride sourced from the dead sea (somebody is going to tell me now how polluted it is ) but probably beats getting from Asia.

Allow your body some time to detox from the effects of the medication you were on; unless you expedite matters with a good detox/cleanse - again probably best to see a Naturopath who is experienced in this area; most will be.

Yes to checking adrenals/thyroid which, if they weren't low to begin with most certainly be now due to stress on the body caused by lack of sleep. B vits in my opinion would only ever be taken in the morning as they energise the body.

Some naturopaths such as Hulda Regehr Clark recommend using ornithine along with other substances, including melatonin, to promote sleep. According to her, ornithine removes ammonia and induces sleep because ammonia production in your bowels is frequently a cause of insomnia. So back to looking at general health again. There are indications that high amounts of Ornithine would cause insomnia so there is further research to be done. Hope something works soon. If not you may need to try aura clearing in the evening to still the mind and remove static or Epsom salt bath before bed etc as, per Magnesium Oil, magnesium is a great relaxer. Post if you try any of the many suggestions given in the threads and they work for you. Each person is so individual so giving up meat etc may work for one but not others.

[farrago]

have you tried not fighting it? that is to say just staying awake. not easy to do if you have a job to go to and family to care for i know but perhaps there is a ulterior purpose to your insomnia. sleep deprivation can be fun, though please research it throughly first. :)

[thirsty4]

http://www.drugs.com/phenergan.html

Anti - histamine - link above - knocks me when sleeping pills don't - feel awful in the morning but you never know it might be right for you.

[madgoone]

melatonin needs the amino acid tryptophan to be made including vitamins like vit c and the b-complex and minerals including MAGNESIUM.
If your low on tryptophan you cant make much serotonin as well so you will get depressed AND not be able to sleep aswell.

some people can get to sleep easier just taking a good absorbable magnesium supplement at night(not oxide:eek:)Canna works but eats up your serotonin supplies over time and will possibly make things worse in the long term depending on strength so you need to stock up tyrpto etc.

[alienbiketrail]

I've had problems with insomnia this year.

I got myself a pedometer and try to walk at least 10,000 steps a day if not more.

Turn off the computer and TV at least 1 hour before bed ~ read instead or bath (turn down external stimulus).

I take high dose B complex vits (AM)
St John's Wort or Avena Sativa.:)
Also Ashwaghanda and Rhodiola extract in water ~ to balance adrenals and thyroid.

I went to a naturopath who took a lot of time to look at my overall health ~ worth every penny!

I wish you well .

I may try a few of the vitamins you mentioned,I'm going on about 22 hours without sleep which is not my longest stretch awake but anyway.