Regarding original topic "must sleep please" what has worked for me intermittently since 1997 is 150 mg. of Trazodone, the generic version
of USA Deseryl, a Anti-Depressant, that is non-addictive IMHO. I have also
been on Zolpidem, the generic name for "Ambien/Stillnox" since 2002. I
have never built up a tolerance for Zolpidem, but "it often will not put be
to sleep, it just helps me wind-down for about 2 hrs, in the early evening.
IMHO, they are addiction proof, as I have high supplies, but it a total waste
of my time to "double up on Ambien" or to follow-up "with another 10 mg.
Ambien" when the initial 2 hrs relaxed feeling disappears. I also take a break/vacation from Ambien/Zolpidem from time to time, as continuous use
IMO day after day, make me semi-immune to "feeling anything"...after a 5 to 10 day break, it works very well again..never a withdrawal for me. If I am desperate, I have the atypical anti-psychotic Seroquel, for very short term use, like 2 or 3 nights only, and 100 mg. "knocks me out", 200 mg. for sure! The hangovers for Trazodone last about 1 hr, for Seroquel short term use only, the hangovers last 2 to 3 hrs, so take very early in evening, if you have to work next day!! I also used to like sodium oxbate in the 1990's, but it is so outrageously expensive in the USA I cannot afford it (Xyrem) in the here & now!!! Most other alternates are a waste of words, as they are either no longer manufactured, (Quaalude, Sopor, Doriden, Nembutal). Placidyl) or the other alternatives are so rarely prescribed, and N/A on IOP market, I want even give out the info. (Noctec, Seconal, Tuinal, Tuquilone Compositum)

Also helps to see a "medicine man". Sounds kooky but it helped me when I thought I could not take anymore. Alternative medicine can help where others fail.

Hi there,

I was on the "regular" Ambien -- then told the doc, now on "Ambien CR", seems to work alot better. When I was on the regular Ambien, I was waking up all the time!

Hope this helps!

fisher

trazadone works for me

I have insomnia too & at first I was put on Ambien and I would sleepwalk OUTSIDE in PJ's at 2am in the morning and almost cut all of my hair off..so had to try something else! then he put me on a low dose of Klonopin .5 & it helped but I didnt want to become dependant on it...so now if I do take it I only take it every now and then...I also tried Soma & it didnt work at all for me..but then again Im not sure anything will..I have worked nights for years and now I rotate nights and days, which is really awful for you, so I usually get about 2-3 hrs of sleep on a GOOD day! I hope the trazadone works for you..I may try that myself!

If ever a hypnotic is indicated, it is for chronic shift work. Have you tried eszopiclone? In these sort of cases, the is usually an argument for a short-acting drug. Alprazolam I think would be a lot more suited to this job than what it's normally used for. It has an excellent profile for occasional attempts at a decent sleep.

Ahhh......M&M's chased with a Diet Coke on the rocks....Now THAT'S heaven !! Is there a w/d solution for THAT?

Hey, Have you seen/tried the BIG M&M's yet....They look tempting !!!!

nephro, I haven't heard of eszopiclone, is that only available in the UK? is it an anti-anxiety med? Id like to hear more about it...thank you!!

Eszopiclone is pretty much the US version of the rest-of-the-world's zopiclone.

It's pretty good for a full 8 hours, but some patients report a metallic taste.

yep totaly agree with you I hate when doctors tell you to take up meditation thats like a slap in the face.

People who have no problems falling and staying alseep dont know what its like! I just wished these people could not sleep for one freakin week to see how it feels for them, Especially stingy doctors.

Is that the same thing as Lunesta?

Lunesta was heavily marketed a few years ago like it was a New sleep-aid. My dr told me that it was an old med that went by the wayside because of the side effects....so they brought it back with a new name.the metal-mouth taste was one of them. No rhyme or reason, one person gets it and the next does not. My dr got that nasty metal taste and I did too. The nurse could not figure out what we were talking about. She said all she did was sleep well...
I still have 29 of those things, and WILL and have done without sleep rather than get that taste again. what makes it so bad is that every drink of water, every bite of food, seems to make it worse.

Lunesta is the brand name of eszpoiclone. I don't think the US ever had zopiclone, but the rest of the world did, and it remains very popular, despite the taste disturbance.

I'm not sure why the company didn't introduce zopiclone in the US when they did everywhere else, or perhaps their application was rejected?

As far as why one person would have that taste and another not, it could be as simple as the thing about liking brussel sprouts. When they were mapping DNA it never occurred to them that one of the things they would find would be that on chromosome 7, some people have a G, some a C, and that that determines how the little green things taste to you. If you have a G they taste bitter, very unpleasant. If you have a C, the bitter taste is not something you experience.

It occurs in a few other vegetables also, but apparently brussel sprouts is the most pronounced. At a university function our Anthropology department would ask people if they like them or not, then they would swab their mouth with little sticks that would change color, testing to see if you were G or C.

It is amazing how many little things there are like this, and it really can alter how you look at medication, and why it has different affects on different people.

All I know is Lunesta is horrible. Bad sleep, metallic taste.

You too?

I had the exact same reaction. The dr told me that it was old medicine that did not sell very well, and was renamed and sent out with a new advertising campaign and all....they would have had to sell a script to every home in the free world the first weekend to make enough sales before the word got out about that nasty taste... That taste kept me from even wanting to sleep for nearly a week !

My Pmd gave me some samples of Lunesta, and I never got that metallic taste. My hubby has been on them for a while and he says he can only taste it a little bit. K

Lunesta didn't work well for me and since I did get that horrible metallic taste (and it lasted all day - even caused my food to taste bad), I gave up on it.

The best sleep I've ever had was when I was given ativan for anxiety. I would sleep all night and actually wake up refreshed. Wish I could find a doc who would be willing to give me an RX.

I have finally found a combination that is working for me. I take 2mg Klonipin and 8mg Zanaflex. I'm lucky enough to have an understanding PCP. I'm now getting around six hours verses the 2 the other gave me if they gave me any at all.

we should have a pharmalogical course, or at least some chemistry going on in conjunction with this forum so you understand what you are getting into with these medications.
Each time you take ambien, or zopiclone, or something affecting the receptor which gives your body the sign it's time to sleep, you are blocking that receptor telling it I don't need you, something else will do the job. You do this day after day and after, and your poor body will be totally out of synch with that receptor and it will take a while to get your body to work normally again...because falling alsleep is normal, believe me I can't hardly keep my eyes open after working in the garden in the sun all day.

Same things with anti-depressants, you are blocking those receptors which allow to have feelings of love, despair, etc. normal human feelings instead of feeling normal feelings.

My advice....to start...detox...a good serious detox, give your body that was given to you a chance, our body is a miracle, still a mystery to many scientists. and use drugs sparingly, sparingly, even if you have some of hand, it does not mean you have to take them all. Save them for a time when you might need that extra boost to get to sleep.Would you give all that toxic stuff to your children?

Need sleep? I sometimes get no sleep for a few days, blackout and do things to hurt myself like fall on the cement, trip down the stair in our house, hit my head on various things, etc. I told my psych I wanted something to put me down and fast! He gave me 15 mg Zyprexa Zydis that dissolves under your tongue. OMG, it works fast like he said it would. It's very expensive though, insurance paid the pharmacy over 600.00 for 30 of them.

I tried one last night to make sure I didn't have any reactions to it so when I really need it, I won't have problems.

I went to bed at 11pm. Woke up at noon, smoked a cigarette, felt sleepy, so I laid down and woke up at 3:45 PM. So, this stuff works!

My psych gave me 30 for one month! I'd never get anything done if I took it every night. He's pretty generous with his refills and such.

I was surprised and impressed to say the least. This med will be perfect for when I get "wacky".