Whats the best sleep meds?

[kyteacher]

I have been using the cpap machine for 2 months and still having trouble sleeping. Before cpap I was taking a muscle relaxer tizanidine (zanaflex) to help me sleep. I am currently still taking it, but it no longer is helping me sleep. It was prescribed by my arthritis/fibromyalgia doctor. I was wondering if there is a sleep aid that doesn't have negative effects in the morning. I realize that some sleeping meds require at least 8 hours of sleep, which is not possible for me. I'm lucky to get 7 hours of sleep (10:30-11:00p.m. - 5:30a.m.). A couple of years ago I tried a mild sleeping aid (can't remember name) and it took a couple of days for the effects to wear off. I don't want to experience that again. Any suggestions?

[Muse-Inc]

You need more sleep to recover what has been damaged by apnea. If you make more sleep a priority, you will heal more quickly. When that happens, you might not need as much sleep. Short-changing sleep now works against healing. Sorry, but that's the facts of apnea.

[kteague]

Have you tried a small dose of OTC melatonin? However if your needs are severe it's not likely it will fully meet your needs. Is your sleep time due to your schedule or because that is as long as you can stay asleep? From personal experience, I am a big advocate of getting more than just maintenance sleep while in recovery.

It is not unusual at 2 months in to not be acclimated yet. Are there any clues in your data as to what might be going on? Was there any mention in your sleep study report of limb movements? Just wondering if there's any other contributing factors to your fractured sleep. And are you on any meds that disrupt sleep? I know for me it seemed the CPAP was disturbing my sleep, and till I got the settings right, it did. But even after that, me having a limb movement disorder keep my sleep so superficial that I was hyperaware of the mask and could have easily thought it was the issue.

Sometimes sleep meds are necessary. Just please be sure they are not masking a problem that needs treated. Hope you find the medicine or whatever will allow you to get the sleep you need to feel better.

Kathy

[karessamom]

I know my sleep dr. reccommened melatonin --you can buy it over the counter in the vitamin section. seems to help me. I just take 1 3 mg. tablet. I'm also finding that I don't have to take it every night which is good.

[kyteacher]

Have you tried a small dose of OTC melatonin? No I haven't.

Was there any mention in your sleep study report of limb movements?

My sleep study showed no leg movement.

Are there any clues in your data as to what might be going on?

I have mild apnea. My study showed that it took me a long time to reach deep sleep and I didn't stay in that stage very long.

And are you on any meds that disrupt sleep?

I'm not taking any meds that should cause me to have difficulty sleeping nor do I consume caffeine. I am still adjusting to my cpap machine, but only wake up a couple of times a night. I don't think I am able to maintain deep sleep.

Is your sleep time due to your schedule or because that is as long as you can stay asleep?

Schedule.
I'm hoping that maybe a sleeping pill would help me reach deep sleep sooner and keep me in this stage longer.

[kyteacher]

I know my sleep dr. reccommened melatonin --you can buy it over the counter in the vitamin section. seems to help me. I just take 1 3 mg. tablet. I'm also finding that I don't have to take it every night which is good.I know my sleep dr. reccommened melatonin --you can buy it over the counter in the vitamin section. seems to help me. I just take 1 3 mg. tablet. I'm also finding that I don't have to take it every night which is good.

I'll give it a try. Thanks.

[SleepyT]

i've read (here) that things like tylenol PM is not a good idea for folks like us. makes the apnea worse...

[JZ]

You can't turn on the TV without seeing the ads for Lyrica for fibromyalgia. A sleep doc prescribed it for me for awhile in 2007 to help with some insomnia problems I was having. I had never heard of it and I don't have fibromyalgia, but the doc explained that the medication not only helped with fibromyalgia pain, but also helped people achieve a deeper level of sleep. I took it for a few months and, actually, it was helpful. The doc increased my dose over a few weeks. At a higher dose, I was groggy for hours in the mornings and had to back down to a lower dose.

I am not recommending this drug, because like all medications it does not work for everyone and it can have side effects. But I noticed you mentioned fibromyalgia and thought you may want to research the medication and talk with your doctor about it.

[Pugsy]

Ambien was prescribed by my sleep doctor for my very fragmented sleep. In hopes that I would break the multiple awakenings. It seems to help and no day after hangover. It won't make apnea any worse particularly.
Muscles Relaxants will make things bad. Codeine type of pains med also make thing worse but not nearly so bad as Muscle relaxants. Melatonin 1 dose gave me extreme vertigo that lasted pretty much all the next day.

Best to talk with doctor who can explain pros and cons of all the choices.

[Rustyolddude]

I've been on the same quest for some time. So far, no magic pill, they all seem to have some issue. Sleep aids, anti depressants, herbal. Ambien worked pretty well for me but if I couldn't take it because I stayed up too late, was on-call etc. the rebound insomnia was pure living hell.

So far what is working as effectivly for me as the Ambien did is Dr. Thompson's Delta Sleep system and some other new age/space/ambient/spa music. I have a little Sansa Clip MP3 player that I loaded the music on, I slip it inside my pillow case and don the cheap ear buds that came with the player. I have 2 hours of music loaded, the player shuts off after that. The ear buds fall out sometime during the night. I haven't had any issues getting tangled up, I run the ear bud wires down from the top of the pillow instead of the normal way. If I wake during the night, I stick the ear buds back in and turn the player on. I have a Sony alarm clock with a dimmable display, (it's very dim) and I position it so I can't see what time it is when I wake at night.

For the record, my PSG's showed moderate severe alpha intrusions, fragmented sleep, %50 sleep efficiency, and that's with 12.5mg of Ambien.


If you need a sample of the music I'm talking about: http://www.hos.com Many radio stations carry the HOS program so you can see if it is something that may help witout spending any money.

Rhapsody & Amazon have mp3's of Dr. Thompson's CD"s

[blarg]

During college I was prescribed Sonata. It only helps you get to sleep and is in your system for about 4 hours. Worked really well for me.

I do think you should do what you can to get more sleep, but I know what it's like to end up in a funk where you just CAN'T sleep at all.

[kyteacher]

Thanks for all the advice. I've just returned from my arthritis/fybromyalgia doctor and she has prescribed a couple of medicines for me. One is for my joint pain, I can't remember the name, but won't effect my sleep. The other is call Savella which is a new medicine for my fybromyalgia. She didn't want to prescribe any meds for sleep, until after we see how my new meds effect my pain. Maybe I'm waking up due to my fybro. pain.

You can't turn on the TV without seeing the ads for Lyrica for fibromyalgia.

I've tried Lyrica for a couple of weeks but started gaining weight, so I stopped taking it. I'm glad it's able to help you sleep. It's not fun feeling exhausted all the time.

Ambien was prescribed by my sleep doctor for my very fragmented sleep. In hopes that I would break the multiple awakenings. It seems to help and no day after hangover. It won't make apnea any worse particularly.

This sounds just like what I need. I meet with my sleep doctor next month and maybe she'll prescribe it for me.

So far what is working as effectivly for me as the Ambien did is Dr. Thompson's Delta Sleep system and some other new age/space/ambient/spa music.

That's certainly worth a try. Thanks.

[sleepymonkie]

Thanks for the tip, Rustyolddude! I really like using the Delta Sleep System with a MP3 player. I had not thought of that before. I had been taking Ambien CR and have been switched to Lunesta. I had problems with sleep walking on Ambien, no memory of event. The Delta Sleep recording helps me get to sleep and not focus on the machine sounds.

[Uncle_Bob]

I have been using the cpap machine for 2 months and still having trouble sleeping. Before cpap I was taking a muscle relaxer tizanidine (zanaflex) to help me sleep. I am currently still taking it, but it no longer is helping me sleep. It was prescribed by my arthritis/fibromyalgia doctor. I was wondering if there is a sleep aid that doesn't have negative effects in the morning. I realize that some sleeping meds require at least 8 hours of sleep, which is not possible for me. I'm lucky to get 7 hours of sleep (10:30-11:00p.m. - 5:30a.m.). A couple of years ago I tried a mild sleeping aid (can't remember name) and it took a couple of days for the effects to wear off. I don't want to experience that again. Any suggestions?

You may find that working on your sleep hygiene helps. No caffeine in the afternoon, no TV before bed, read a boring book, have a bath with lavender bath oils etc.

I use a dose of 3mg or 6mg of melatonin myself and only go to bed when i feel like i can sleep.

I also occasionally use the pur-sleep aromatherapy scents to help with desensitization, http://www.pur-sleep.com/

[magentapolkadots]

kyteacher-
Are you a teacher?? If so, I can see why you can't get to bed before 10:30 every night. It is unreal how much work there is left to do after the school day ends.

When you have time, I have a website to recommend- http://www.fmnetnews.com
There is some general information available on the website, but full access is only available with a $28 annual subscription to their quarterly journal. I have found my Fibromyalgia Network membership to be worth its weight in gold, as they provide information that I have not been able to find anywhere else in my 10+ years since diagnosis. They offer very detailed information about dozens of commonly prescribed fibromyalgia medications (for pain, sleep disturbances, fatigue, muscle tension). They also frequently address the link between sleep apnea and fibromyalgia.

I think I've started to sound like a commercial. Sorry for that. I don't work for FM Network; I'm just a VERY pleased FM patient who's benefited from their research.

I'd be curious to hear how the Savella works out for you. My doc has suggested it to me too.

BTW, I use ambien about 3 nights a week. As long as I can get in at least 6 hours of sleep, I don't have hangover issues. Most nights that's not an issue- I'm a 9 hour a night girl.
-K