anyone else suffer from chronic insomnia??

[phesina]

This is just getting crazy. I know a lot of it has to do with the fact that I don't get enough exercise during the day, but when I'm awake in the middle of the night like this, it just drives me nuts.

I'm on all kinds of sleep meds (lunesta, seroquel, xanax to relax me, and the doctor is adding another one that needs to be taken with benedryl to work right). I'm just so fed up. I take nothing and I'm awake for DAYS. I take meds, I'm awake, but not for days, just hours until I collapse.

I know it will be better when school starts, but at times like this, it's so frustrating. I've tried every over the counter med I could find, the homeopathic, you name it I've tried it. They don't work. I wonder if part of my issue is the fact that I take antidepressants during the day (plus the abilify and seroquel are antidepressants, but tranquilizers, taken at night).

Frustrated and just TIRED!!!

I suffer from insomnia also, and I have not come up with a solution. It's been really bad lately.

[Asiel]

I have to agree with all who said you might be overmedicated. If you weren't on Zanax it might have been Ativan (lorazepam ) or another type benzo but I find it strange that any doctor would be keeping you on that or many of the others you mentioned. Benedryl to go along with the meds? Isn't Benadryl used for allergies? Maybe you should speak to your doctor about going to a sleep clinic, they could get to the root of the problem. Sounds like you might have some kind of sleep apnea and maybe you are on the wrong meds.
Just be careful and check your meds carefully, if you want to wean yourself off you might need help with that, it has to be done real slow.

I hope you'll find a solution to your problem , I know going without sleep can drive you to the edge sometimes.

[Daisy and Delilah]

I'm going with the "over medicated" group.

All my life I have had a problem sleeping. I would try all kinds of meds. I especially noticed there were several combinations that would keep me awake if taken together. I have to be so careful with this.
I can almost bet it's the drugs working against each other. Good luck.

[jennielynn1970]

Ativan!!!! That's the other one I'm on!

Will have to talk to my doctor the next time I'm in there and see what he says. Maybe my family doctor as well. It seems like whenever I say I can't sleep, my psychiatrist just hands me another medicine. I like being able to sleep, but I worry about the over medication myself.

[RobiLee]

Been there, done that.

You won't like my answer but I say GET OFF THE MEDS!

I was a bit shocked when I saw all the meds that you were taking because not too long ago I was taking all of those too and you could have been talking about me. Over the past few years I have been on every kind of anti-depressant you can think of. Zoloft, Wellbutrin, Effexor, Lexapro, Cymbalta and the list goes on. Then the dr. started adding more pills to take along with the anti-depressant. In the end I was taking an anti-depressant (don't even remember which one), Abilify, Seroquel(powerful stuff if you ask me), Xanax, Klonopin and Ambien. I was a slave to those pills. Making sure I took them every day and making sure I had the money to get my refills. Then one day I realized I was a complete MESS. I still felt depressed most of the time so what good was it doing to be taking all of those pills. Those are some powerful drugs and my dr. would even have me take blood tests to make sure all was ok with my liver because of the damage that the drugs could do. I had enough. I went cold turkey and quit taking all of them. It was SO hard. The withdrawl effects were not pleasant but I worked through it. I feel so much better now that I'm not taking those medications AND now I can finally get a peaceful night's sleep. The sleep thing surprised me because I thought I would never be able to sleep again. Sure I still have bouts of insomnia once in awhile and sure I still have problems with depression but it is something that I just try to work through on my own and I like that so much better than being a slave to all those pills.