Whats the best sleep meds?

My recommendation is melatonin, mentioned earlier by others. Why? Well, it is a natural substance that your body makes on its own. Take it about 15-30 minutes before your regular bedtime. You should fall asleep right away and wake up refreshed if you don't OD on it. Don't take any more than 3 mg at a time as it will stay in your system for a long time and even though you won't get the draggy, irritable symptoms of sleepiness, you will probably feel like sleeping later the next day (or more!). I am told you shouldn't take it more than 3 days in a row to avoid a dependency, but I have found that using it just one night gets my body right back on track and I don't need it again for weeks or months.
It is also great for jetlag, if you travel east/west over time zones.
Maybe you saw my post about changing the clocks. I am going to use it tonight to see if I can get my sleep rhythm back on track this week.

I know a lot of people do very well taking melatonin. Just be aware that not everyone does as well and there are some uncomfortable side effects. You can google melatonin side effects and see what they are. For me it was vertigo. Onset about 30 minutes after taking 1 Melatonin standard dose. It lasted well into the next day.. Vertigo is a known side effect. So just because something is "natural" doesn't mean that it comes without baggage.

magentapolkadots wrote: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.

I teach math in a middle school. You couldn't be more correct about the hours of work after I get home. I spend any where from one to three hours an evening grading papers, developing lessons, and emailing or calling parents. I wish I could flip a switch that would shut my brain off so I could go to sleep.

magentapolkadots wrote:I have a website to recommend- http://www.fmnetnews.com

Thank you for recommending this website. I'm definitely going to join.

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

I've taken Savella for 5 days and the only side effect I've experienced is an increase in my pulse rate. I'm hoping that it will go away with time. I can't say that I've noticed any difference in my pain, but I believe I'm not suppose to feel improvement until three weeks or so. I'm praying that this will be a "miracle drug" for me.

Thanks to everyone for all the advice. My son is going to let me have one of his old MP3 players so I can try the music therapy. I just hope I can drown out my husband's snoring (I sometimes have to use earplugs). He needs a cpap machine worse than I do, but that's another story.

kyteacher wrote:...wish I could flip a switch that would shut my brain off so I could go to sleep...

The Heart Math Institute sells what they call an emWave personal stress management trainer; it uses biofeedback to entrain all of the electrical generators in the body to be in sync with the heart. While it's a bit pricey (I paid $200 for it a few yrs ago), I use it when I get caught in that too wired to sleep cycle. Not intended for this particular use, I find it works because to use it I must concentrate, so it distracts me from those thoughts I can't turn off. Because it also focuses on breathing, it automatically slows down the respiratory rate and presumably the pulse...works for me, easily reducing a 90s pulse rate to the low 70s back when I was first diagnosed and really stressed. I also used it when my BP was high and when I felt esp stressed. Good gadget as it provides immediate feedback whether the stress reduction 'thing' you are doing is actually helping you relax (entraining the electrical generators) -- so much of what is sold as stress management is umm, err, well, IMHO useless. Interesting gadget you might find useful in helping switch the brain.