Need some sleep so badly....

[KestrelsFlight]

I have so much I need to share... but my immediate need is sleep.

I am tapering off of Lexapro and am on 1.25 mg. So much insomnia. I have only been on it for a couple of weeks and didn't want to quit cold turkey or take this drug to begin with. I feel that if I could sleep for more than an hour or two a night I could pull myself together, get on with healing.

For the past several years I was taking one 25mg capsule of Benadryl to help me sleep. I would take this no more than 3 times a week because if I did take it more often my back muscles would tense up for a long time. I now read that Benadryl can contribute to dementia. I am concerned.

Any ideas? Prescription meds or herbal? I have Valerian tea with lavender yet I have read that if one is still on Lexapro, taking this is not a good idea. How long after taking the last dose of Lexapro can I get on with something else?  I am getting nowhere with my family doctor and must pay for an office visit to ask these questions $$$$ is in short supply now.

I also have had a severe bronchial condition for over a year and am just now feeling like I am getting well. I need to take a decongestant to open my sinuses which are the main problem. Get this: my pharmacist and my family doctor tell me that taking Sudafed (pseudoephedrine), the under-the-counter variety, is what I should do. Wow! that stuff is strong! The newer "safer" Sudafed is far less strong. I am cautious about taking these as long as I am on Lexapro but my doctor and pharmacist aren't. Who does one trust?

The cocktail of combined medications scares me since my body is very sensitive. I had anaphylaxis from taking Cipro, an antibiotic, once and this changed my attitude about taking most drugs.

Any ideas will be greatly appreciated. There are no Herbalists or doctors who think along these lines around here.

Kate

[sanmagic7]

i don't know anything about lexapro, but when i get a med i'm not familiar with, i hit the internet hard, learn everything i can from a variety of sites.  they'll often tell you what's not good to take while still on it, how long it stays in your system, even sometimes what the side effects of getting off it are.   insomnia might be one of them.

not being able to sleep is the worst - i've been struggling with it for nearly 40 yrs.  luckily i'm pretty much housebound right now, so i sleep during the day, take a nap in the morning, have a snooze in my chair in the afternoon.  that helps.  it's not the same as a good night's sleep, but it's what i've got right now.

i've heard melatonin before bedtime is a natural substance to help with sleep.  i don't know about the cost.  again, i'd suggest you do some research on it first, see if there are any contra-indications to other meds/supplements.

i sincerely hope you can get some relief and soon kate.  not sleeping is the pits!

[Coco]

Doctors don't understand the drugs, that's not their training. The pharmacists understand drugs and their interactions, but you'd need a consultant pharmacist. And neither of them have an intimate understanding of your particular body and its sensitivities. Don't forget pharmacists and pharmacy staff are trying to sell, and that is their main objective. It's not realistic in a neoliberal world to prioritise patient care. The dollar is prioritised. Nobody employed in medicine can or will take the time with you to go over it properly. It's just how it operates right now. I work in medicine, and I liase with physicians, doctors, herbalists and naturopaths to take care of the people I help. I am possibly in a different country than you but we are both in the Western world so under similar structures.

If you are scared of the nasal spray, do not take it. 'The Placebo' is POWERFUL. Just don't do it.

You can't find a naturopath or integrative doctor?

Sleep is very difficult to treat. We can calm and soothe the limbic system, which is the bit of us with CPTSD that is disregulated and the bit of us that regulates sleep, but it would take a combination of herbs, minerals, vitamins, dietary changes and a version of mindfulness.

So we'd be reducing sugar, caffeine, fizzy drinks and other stimulants
We'd be increasing avocados, oily fish or fish oil tablets, coconut oil, butter - good fats to feed the brain
We'd take a good Vitamin B supplement
We'd take a good magnesium, preferably powdered for better assimilation into the body. Magnesium would be high priority in stressed people with CPTSD and people who cannot sleep.

I'll come back after work with some herbal suggestions. Valerian tea would not be strong enough, you'd need a valerian tincture or good quality tablet. Valerian can be very effective. So can kava, passionflower, californian poppy....

While you are still withdrawing from lexapro, I wouldn't take any herbs.

[Donna]

I am so sorry for your problem w/ sleep!  I can relate but I have found some help.  I do take tryptophan (around 6 of them( & also a supplement w/ calcium, magnesium, zinc (4 of them)  I use cedarwood essential oil on my feet, hands, hand, arms, sometimes w/ lavender or orange oil.  I also have neurofeedback treatments & you can find lots of info. of neurofeedback on youtube & google so I think that helps especially.  I do not take meds & would not.  Ck. w/ Dr. Peter Breggin online & see why it is dangerous to take psychotropic drugs & also how to safely get off of any of them.  Blessings to you.  Donna

[Three Roses]

Welcome to you, Donna! Thanks for joining.

Taking medication is a highly individual decision. What works for one person may not be effective for another. Yes, certain meds can have side effects, but leaving a condition untreated can be disastrous.

None of us here is qualified to treat another's symptoms, and we discourage forum participants from taking on that role. We can only discuss what has or has not worked for us.

I'm glad you've found something that works for you.

[Donna]

Thank you for your note.  I thought I was clear about what I was doing...not to tell anyone else what to do b/c,  believe me, I do realize that each of us is different & need to explore things for ourselves to see how things work & each of us is at a different place &/or age in our healing journey.  I would never suggest that anyone leave any condition untreated.   

[Digitality]

You can try CBD gummies or oil. It will definitely help you to have a deep sleep.

[JakobBolu]

For sleep, I use CBD oil and melatonin pills. But don't overdo it with the pills, it may affect you in the future. You wouldn't be able to fall asleep without it.