anyone else suffer from chronic insomnia??

[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.

[jennielynn1970]

Just had to update this thread.....

I found that LUNESTA has a "rest for less" care program, where you can get up to $50.00 off your prescription, even if you have a prescription plan (just not federally funded like medicare or medicaid....). I was so excited, cause even at my co-pay, with all my meds, my $10.00 co-pay can make or break me some months.

I just had to write about it, to let others know in case you didn't know. I got my first FREE prescription of LUNESTA today. I was so happy cause I had totally run out and I wasn't going to have money till Thursday, and even that is an iffy thing because of all my bills I'm trying to pay.


Oh, an update on the sleeping... I started taking Sonata, which helps me fall asleep (it's for insomnia), and I still take the Lunesta (to keep me asleep), and they are both working well.