Weddingbee boards

I have wicked insomnia. I think, for me, it was having my babies-almost 10 week premature twins. We had cardiac monitors at home, medications to be given, plus I was nursing. They spent the first month of their lives in the NICU and after having such wretched sleeping patterns for such a long time (preemie twins having to be fed every two hours, add in there pumping, nursing and pumping again). My ex took off after 16 years together when the twins were 15 months old. So, I was working full time, nursing, in grad school, and no caffeine (bc of the nursing) so I acquired bad sleep habits being a single parent and I think I never relearned good sleep habits.

My twins are now almost 6 and I have chronic insomnia-it's not unusual for me to be up until 1 or 2 am and get back up at 5 (to get all three of us up, dressed, out the door, and to school and me on duty by 7:30 and SMILING!) I take Ambien CR and it not only puts me to sleep, it makes me sleep thru the night. I started with regular Ambien and it put me to sleep, but didn't keep me asleep-so I'd be up at 3 am wide awake. The only catch is that Ambien CR isn't covered by our health insurance (I'm a public school teacher in Georgia) so you have to muddle through 2 months worth of another prescription before they will approve the Ambien CR. It is still kindof expensive, but a good night's sleep is INVALUABLE to me.

I tried Tylenol PM and other meds and all they did was give me the "heeby jeebies" and I would be restless and tossing at all hours. Hope you find something that works. I have some teacher friends who take melatonin and swear by it. Always check with your doctor first though.

I have seen sleep eating on television, and almost didn't believe it. That sounds like an incredibly painful thing to live with. I work the night shift at work half of the year from midnight to noon, so when I go to sleep everyon else is up and about, and the sun is shinning. I am lucky to get a few hours everynight..I mean day.

I've always been a night person (it's 2:30am and I have to be up at 8am to visit a possible florist an hour away) but since April 2008 I started suffering from insomnia.  I wouldn't be able to fall asleep until 2am, 3am some nights.  However, those were the golden days (er, nights) because I could actually fall asleep!  Now since this past March I can't fall asleep at all without medication or unless I'm alone in the bedroom and its completely still and quiet.  I've slept next to my fiance for seven years without any problems, but anxiety has driven me into acute, chronic, sleep-onset insomnia.  I don't wake up once I fall asleep but I can literally lay in my darkened bedroom and stare at the ceiling for 8 hours and not fall asleep.  No naps, no caffiene, no alcohol, no recreational drugs, nothing that would interfere with my sleep.  My body resists sleep completely- if I start to feel sleep I'll suddenly be wide awake as if I've been dowsed with cold water.  It has actually really badly affected my quality of life because I just don't have healthy sleep any more.  Nothing over the counter works unless I take six or seven pills.  Ambien worked great at first but now that barely works anymore.  There is not a single trick- relaxation rituals, aromatherapy, mental tricks, white noise, nature CDs, natural herbs and remedies, a completely darkened room, leaving the lights on, leaving the lights dimmed- none of it works, over the last year and a half I've tried it all.  I don't watch TV in bed or even in the bedroom, I don't read in bed.  Its insane, there is just no reason for it.

I'm really, really hoping that I'll be able to sleep again after the wedding, which I think is one of the direct causes of the anxiety causing my insomnia.  I don't even want to think about having to spend the rest of my life like this.  Its unimaginable.

I may try switching to Lunesta, which apparently works differently.  Or asking for a higher dosage of Ambien.  I asked the doctor if its safe to take these every night on a regular basis and he said its safer than not sleeping.  Scary response.  I've been taking Ambien every night for 60 days, I'll be starting my new 30 pill refill on Monday.  I guess I should try something else at the end of the month.