Katyee8: I am looking for healthy ways to improve my sleep with a minimal amount of meds

[Katyee8]

Hi,

 

I am currently 67 years young and have had difficulty sleeping in the past few years and have tried a number of meds and supplements. I am currently taking 10 mg of doxepin and reintroduced a small dosage of 3.75 mg of mirtazapine, along with magnesium and 300 mg neurontin to relax at night. I find this hasn't always been sufficient to get a good night's sleep and have scheduled a sleep study for later in October. My psychiatrist and I have tried ramelteoan (melatonin) and other ideas but now suggests ambien/zolpidem as an option but I certainly don't want to become dependent on it but I keep it in the house (both the regular and extended release). 

 

I may try increasing the mirtazapine to 7.5 mg as that's helped my sleep in the past but again, I am wary of increasing any meds beyond what is effective and most importantly this drug is also constipating. 

 

I meditate and eat healthy foods and am conscious of how my body feels and keep regular. In addition,  I am working on expanding my social life. 

 

I'd love to hear what people might advise re sleep. I have read many books and guidelines about sleep hygiene and follow them all. 

 

Glad to be part of this community and welcome any feedback that's positive. 

 

Best,

 

Katyee8

[Onmyway]

Hi Katyee8, 

welcome to SA. We are a forum for helping people withdraw from psychiatric drugs with minimal harm and avoid/treat withdrawal effects. I am afraid we are not equipped to help you with medication management. 

 

Having said that, there is one topic that helps with sleep issues which you may find helpful but the advice there is geared towards sleep problems caused by withdrawal. 

 

 

I hope your sleep improves soon. It is a horrible burden to deal with. 

OMW

[Katyee8]

Thank you very much for your reply to my post, OnMyWay. I appreciate your attention to my message. I resonate with the info. on music and possibly melatonin. I just read that someone was able to withdraw from a benzo. with the help of liquid melatonin, they took 5 mg then 10 then 15 mg that was effective in preserving or allowing them to sleep. Thank you again for your kind welcome and message. 

[Katyee8]

I do see that the advice by AltaStrata is to take a much lower dosage of melatonin. 

[Onmyway]

Hi Katyee, you are welcome. 

My personal experience with insomnia caused by withdrawal was that it improved significantly after I gave up and accepted that I may not get a good night's sleep and I will be OK even on those days. That really shifted things for me and paradoxically improved my sleep. 

 

I am a huge fan of MBSR which can help with insomnia. 

https://palousemindfulness.com/

 

You may also try CBT-I which in clinical trials is shown to be very helpful for insomnia as well. 

Here is a free online resource which I have *NOT* tried personally. 

https://freecbti.com/#/cbti/

 

Hope you find relief, 

OMW

 

 

[Katyee8]

Thank you. Very helpful information. I too like MBSR. Thank you. Will review carefully. 

[Franco12]

Hello, good week! For me, paradoxically, the only intervention that allowed me to come into partial reconciliation with my chronic condition of sleep deprivation was the full acceptance of the impossibility of sleeping satisfactorily. I began to deliberately create circumstances to prevent sleep , to reflect deeply and sustainably on the consequences of sleep deprivation would have. Within a few weeks of truly not caring anymore, the rest gradually became more restful and  

 

 

All the best. I hope you can regularize your sleep soon. A hug ! ⭐

[Katyee8]

Thank you, Franco12. That is paradoxical. Interesting approach. I'm glad it helped. Do you think the sertraline caused the poor sleep? In any case, you helped yourself and that's good news. Hugs back! 

[Blackstar]

I’m currently going through olanzapine withdrawal which is notorious for causing severe insomnia.  I use several supplements to help me fall asleep.  They are melatonin, taurine, magnesium threonate, valerian, curcumin and l-theanine.  
 

Other safe supplements that may help insomnia are glycine, l-tryptophan, lemon balm, and ashwaganda.  
 

All the best. 

[Katyee8]

Thank you, Blackstar. I hope they help you. I take magnesium and I've also tried a supplement with a few of those but it doesn't seem to help enough. But I'm glad if it helps you. I'll take another look at them.

 

All my best,

 

Katyee8