[lpRN13108]

I was just reading in my Living Sober book and it said that sleeping medicine of any kind always leads the alcoholic back to drinking. I have really struggled with my sobriety and have been taking meds to sleep every night..I have tried not taking them and I do not sleep more than 2-3 hrs. Does anyone have any experiences they can share about taking psych or sleep meds, and how it affected them and their sobriety. My Psych. in IOP is the one who prescribed..first ambien which I switched from because of addictive property..then to trazadone 100mg which doesn't even make me sleepy..and now to seroquel 25mg which works great but I do have the hangover in the morning. I know sleep is very important to my physical and mental health but I don't want to do anything to make it any more difficult for me to stay sober. Any Thoughts?
Laurie

[sohpie1]

lpRN~~I log on every day and am always glad to see how you're doing. Insomnia has always been a huge issue for me. At one time in my active addiction I was drowning in Ambien. After I got clean my husband told me he would stay awake at night to make sure I would breath. (my husband just thought the doctors were over prescribing medication as I did not tell him how I was overdosing every day) Now, my addictionologist told me I could take: Trazadone and Melatonin. (and I think Seroquil) If I am in mental choas at bedtime and take Trazadone I have difficulty falling a sleep. I have to clear my mind by meditating. It was strange at first because I wasn't sure how to do it. In IOP I learned to breath slow and listen to the rhythm. Amazingly it works. It takes practice tho. Oh, and in my contract, Benadryl is a big no-no. Hugs.

[hppygr8ful]

In early recovery I was told by my IOP counselor - who today is my professionl colleague and friend - that Ambian would in fact keep me sick. I went home a flushed an full prescription down the toilet then sat on the bathroom floor and cried thinking I would never sleep again. I struggeled with insomnia for over a year and then one day I just started sleeping like a baby. My psychiatrist/addictionologist had assured me this would happen if I was patient. At 4 1/2 years sober I still occasionally have sleep problems I take Rozerem which is not a benzo - it works on the same pathway as melatonin. It never leaves me with a hangover and I always sleep well when I take it. I also take melatonin itself which is naturally produced by the brain. I find the harder and better I work my program the better I sleep. You are still in early recovery but I will tell you that when it comes to sleep sooner or later your body will take what it needs. If you can stick it out the need totake sleep meds will in time go away- I know from your posts that you are still struggling with your program - Are you going to at least one meeting a day, working with your sponsor - what step are you on, Do you read yor big book. I still read mine everyday - I just read it from begining to end then start all over again- talk about a sleep aid! Anyway I ramble on - I hope some of this helps.

Peace and Namaste
hppy

[lpRN13108]

thanks for all the great feedback on my sleeping problem ladies, I really appreciate all your support. I have tried melatonin in the past and was still only able to sleep part of the night, but that was when I still had major racing thoughts..I am actually ordering a relaxation dvd to watch before bed to try to clear my mind..deep breathing doesn't seem to work for me. To answer your questions about my recovery..I have 19 days sober again today,but since returning to work 3/31/08 I can no longer attend a meeting everyday..I was going to a nooner but it is 30 mins from my house and I can't attend and work too. My sponsor wants me to just concentrate on praying for willingness and using the support of AA friends right now..she says when I have 90 days we will start working the steps.

[jenniferleigh]

agreed stay away from ambien and lunesta and all that sh-t. the only thing that works for me is seroquel. i have been on it all since my depression is largely manifested by not being able to stay asleep. i would wake up 30 times a night, and this was long before i picked up. anyway, for me, trazadone does not work, amitriptaline(elavil)worked for a number of years, but when i was in rehab in jan 05, they switched me to seroquel and it has been a life savor. i take it like 45 min before i want to go to sleep and it works like a charm, but dont stay up on it, becuase you will get very orthostatic and you will eat your entire house. i stay away from benedryl too b/c of contact from past but also because it does not work anyway, i burned that one out a long time ago. all i take now is effexor in the day and seroquel at night. melatonin can work very well for some, but not me and stay away from valarien-act like valium in our bodies. but just remember any benzo is etoh in pill for us. no ambien, bad risk. believe me-i have been to planet ambien many a time in my past and no way would i go there again. i have a sponsee that takes it and it drives me nuts. she is not doing well however, and i had to take her to the er at UNC for depression/suicide ideation. she has needed to go there for a while now. i think they are going to do ect. i hope they do, because she has been on mental disability for 9 years! and has been jacked up for most of it. met here about 75 days ago, and o my god, some are sicker then others. makes me grateful for what i have and also for the ability to give it back but i tell you, at 2am when i am still sitting in the er with her waiting for a bed, sometimes you just want to say its up to you. the psych med resident came in and suggested ativan for her anxiety. i was like HELL NO! this gal just came of a crack run, was taking 80 of dexidrine and 60 of valium a day and she has been off that **** for 75 days and you want to give her ativan! what part of she is in recovery do you not understand. needless to say, she did not get the ativan, thank god, but i tell you, you should of seen her face, she looked at me like i just ran over her cat. I told her, hey, you want help, i am here for you, you want to run your game and manipulate people to get the WRONG ****, then i am walking. she understood, and she is still there thank god on a 72 hour hold. i hope she does the ect. but i know i have to let go and let god. that phrase sounds so gay sometimes. love you all. xo jenn