Ambein, Lunesta or Rozerem - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Craven Morehead · 11-02-2007, 08:26 PM

I've been fighting insomnia for about 10 years. My Dr. would give me pills from time to time that really didn't do much. I'd feel like I weighed 800 lbs. lying in bed but my mind would be racing. Last year he perscribed Ambien. Wow! What an amazing drug. For the first time in years, I hit the bed and was out nearly immediately. The next day I woke up totally refreshed and ready to go. I looked forward to going to bed again. Then 30 days later I tried to get a refill and the nurse at my Dr.'s office about shit! I didn't know I wasn't to take it each day.

So, since then I've been going through 30 pills about every 6 months. Whenever I must have a great night's sleep, I hit the Ambien.

I'd like to try Rozerem as supposedly you can take it each night without any side effects, like dependancy.

Has anyone had any experience with it? Curious to hear.

analog · 11-02-2007, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craven Morehead

I'd like to try Rozerem as supposedly you can take it each night without any side effects, like dependancy.

Has anyone had any experience with it? Curious to hear.

Have you asked your doctor that question? They're generally really good at knowing trends in how drugs effect people on a personal level, especially in negative ways- because you better believe every remotely negative opinion is brought back on the doctor.

snowy · 11-02-2007, 08:34 PM

I take doxylamine succinate when I can't sleep--OTC maximum strength Unisom. It's exactly what I need--something that calms my mind so I can sleep. When I take it I can't focus on any one thing and can't fixate myself into a panic attack (all too common without the doxylamine succinate). I've been working on using mindfulness instead of it, but when that fails...better living through chemistry.

I've also taken Sonata. It's similar in that it really just...relaxes you to sleep.

But yeah, you're not alone in having to take pills to sleep. My brain would keep me up 24/7 if it had its way. But I have to sleep sometime, and more often than not, I need some help.

xxxafterglow · 11-02-2007, 08:51 PM

There's an herbal formula also called Calms Forte (avail. at Whole Foods) - no dependency, no risk of overdose (the boyfriend takes up to 3 at a time) and best of all, no hangover!

It just chills you out to sleep... fine for alleviating anxiety also.

I've been prescribed Seroquel for sleep aid and for bipolar. You build up a dependency and it gives the worst hangover plus 10 hours of solid sleep. Wonky dreams sometimes, too.

Craven Morehead · 11-02-2007, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by analog

Have you asked your doctor that question? They're generally really good at knowing trends in how drugs effect people on a personal level, especially in negative ways- because you better believe every remotely negative opinion is brought back on the doctor.

Yes I did, but not recently. He would not perscribe it until it had been in use for over one year, which I think by now, it has been. He's pretty conservative about drugs, which is fine with me. I thought I'd ask how well it worked and if it seems to be doing the job, I'll ask my Dr. again. If people are disappointed with it, I won't bother him with it. Actually, I'll probably ask him anyway but at least I'll be armed with some other's experiences.

spectre · 11-02-2007, 11:36 PM

I usually become very tolerant of what's prescribed to me. I took Ambien for a little while, but it stopped being effective after a couple weeks. I was then changed to the Rozerum which worked once every few nights. Now I'm on Amitriptyline and the difference is amazing. I've been on it for a few weeks now and it feels as strong now as it did the first time I took it.

bubbaspike · 11-03-2007, 07:03 AM

Have you tried Melatonin?You can use it for two months then give it a break for a week. Works great for me.
Also works good for jet lag and it is an over the counter drug

Craven Morehead · 11-03-2007, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bubbaspike

Have you tried Melatonin?You can use it for two months then give it a break for a week. Works great for me.
Also works good for jet lag and it is an over the counter drug

Didn't do a thing for me. I was hoping it would as its more of a natural cure than anything else.

Quote:

Originally Posted by spectre

Now I'm on Amitriptyline and the difference is amazing.

I've been taking Amitriptyline for 15 years. Its normally an anti-depressant but its also prescribed in low dosages help avoid migraine headaches. It has helped with that. When I first started taking it, I would feel drowsy. Not any longer. Unfortunately, while it did lessen the severity and frequency of migraines, it also has given me tinnitus.

World's King · 11-03-2007, 10:15 AM

I've been looking into sleeping aids for a few weeks now...

But I've been looking for something that's over-the-counter...

Any ideas?

Plan9 · 11-03-2007, 12:35 PM

Unisom w/ Wild Turkey 101.

World's King · 11-03-2007, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crompsin

Unisom w/ Wild Turkey 101.

That's what I do now. Put I rub one out as well.

Plan9 · 11-03-2007, 01:51 PM

Hahaha... alcohol and masturbation: the original sleep aids.

Seriously? Ambien worked really well for me after OIF in 2003.

ShaniFaye · 11-03-2007, 01:58 PM

those perscription ones you mentioned give me horrible horrible nightmares. I have found taking unisom (like snowy) its the bomb. Beware when buying unisom though, they come in two dif formulations, the gelcaps are like tylenol pm, they have benadryl in them...make sure to get the reg ones with doxylamine succinate in it.

I've taken then tylenol pm's, they give me a morning hangover, advil pm doesnt do crap...of all the PM pills, goody's pm are the best there is no morning drugged hangover....but I still prefer the unisom

Glory's Sun · 11-03-2007, 03:53 PM

I love Ambien and have used Lunesta. All sleepids including Rozerem have the risk of dependency. The OTC's suck IMO. But I guess it's whatever works for you.

Now that I've been on Ambien so much it has lost some of it's effectiveness but I try to stop it every couple weeks and sleep naturally. It doesn't really work, but it does help when I start the Ambien again. As far as Ambien goes, I hate CR. It just doesn't work as well for me; plus with there being a generic form of regular Ambien now, it helps on the expense.

spectre · 11-03-2007, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craven Morehead

Unfortunately, while it did lessen the severity and frequency of migraines, it also has given me tinnitus.

Yeah, I'm not having as many migraines either, but the tinnitus is a problem, unfortunately. Still, it's better than trying to make it through the day on only an hour or two of sleep.

ziadel · 11-05-2007, 12:08 AM

I can't believed no one has pointed out the Green Death.

This stuff is awesome. Two or three shots and you'll be shitfaced.

josh10524 · 11-05-2007, 04:12 AM

Melatonin and 5-Hydroxy Tryptophan sort of work for me, but the melatonin gives me some of the most vivid and exciting dreams, the majority of which turn into nightmares, so I stopped using it. Plus, it doesn't really make me sleepy unless I've been lying in bed for a good while staring at the ceiling. It does work, because in the same instance without it I'd be staring at my ceiling for a lot longer, but it's not the most effective thing I've tried. The most effective tools are all illegal.

Craven Morehead · 11-05-2007, 07:11 AM

Thanks to everyone. I am going to try Unisom in the future and continue to use Ambein when a good night's sleep is a must.

From this thread and in threads in the past here at TFP, looks like quite a few of us are plagued with insomnia. Lack of sleep really effects your performance, both phycially and mentally. I was surprised to see how much physical effect it had on me until I realized that when I work out on days following a sleepless night I had much less strength. In some cases, I couldn't complete the reps.

Redlemon · 11-05-2007, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziadel

I can't believed no one has pointed out the Green Death.

This stuff is awesome. Two or three shots and you'll be shitfaced.

Wired Magazine has a great writeup on what's in Nyquil and why it works.

What's Inside: Nyquil, Fortified With Powerful Narcotics! click to show

ShaniFaye · 11-05-2007, 07:48 AM

let us Unisom fans know how it works for you!!!

ziadel · 11-05-2007, 02:49 PM

Nyquil has all that!?

No wonder I drink it by the gallon. :

snowy · 11-05-2007, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craven Morehead

Thanks to everyone. I am going to try Unisom in the future and continue to use Ambein when a good night's sleep is a must.

From this thread and in threads in the past here at TFP, looks like quite a few of us are plagued with insomnia. Lack of sleep really effects your performance, both phycially and mentally. I was surprised to see how much physical effect it had on me until I realized that when I work out on days following a sleepless night I had much less strength. In some cases, I couldn't complete the reps.

Look for the generic doxylamine succinate next to the Maximum Strength Unisom on store shelves--you'll save $$$.

And yes, doxylamine succinate is the stuff in NyQuil that helps you sleep like a baby. It's also good for the sniffles. There isn't that much of it in NyQuil, compared to pills. Doxylamine succinate is also really great for anxiety. Half a pill is relaxing. A whole pill will put you out for at least 8 hours.

It's seriously one of the best discoveries I've made in over the counter pharmaceuticals.

Juley · 11-06-2007, 11:42 AM

I've tried Rozerem, Ambien CR, and Lunesta. I stuck with Lunesta and take it about every 3-4 nights for a solid night's sleep. Ambien CR and Lunesta will help you to fall asleep and stay asleep for 8 or so hours. Rozerem is intended more to just help you to fall asleep, but not necessarily stay asleep. I found that to be true when I tried it...fell asleep, but then woke up around 4am.

ngdawg · 11-06-2007, 07:13 PM

Interesting write-up about Nyquil. I take it if I'm sick and I do fall asleep, but I wake with a start after 4 hours.
The part about alcohol not working, though...when I'm sick, I put a half shot of whiskey in my tea and drink it while bundled up in sweats and blankets; the combo of the booze and being snuggled in makes me heat up and get sleepy and that makes me feel better the next day.
Unisom doesn't work for me. Tylenol PM does, but I feel draggy the next morning. Now if I know I won't sleep well, I take a Benadryl.
Not sure if this is at all related to sleeping well or poorly, but...I have been trying to lose a few pounds, so I won't eat now after 9:30 (I'm in bed about midnight) and lately, I've been sleeping pretty damn good.

blahblah454 · 11-06-2007, 07:23 PM

Link to Nyquil did not work for me.

I have never taken a sleeping pill in my life but am thinking I should try something. I have a horrible time sleeping and its killing my school.
I get about 4 hours of sleep a night if I am lucky and I am useless during the days, I can't concentrate at all and my work has really started slipping because of it.

Craven Morehead · 11-07-2007, 07:37 AM

OK, I took doxylamine succinate last night. I can't say that I fell asleep any faster however I can say that I slept more soundly than before. I really feel rested even though I got maybe 5 hours of sleep. So that's good. I'm flying overseas tomorrow and will pop one on the plane in hopes that I'll be able to drowse off for a while. Its difficult for me to sleep on planes so maybe this will help.

Thanks all.

ShaniFaye · 11-07-2007, 07:47 AM

Yeah Dave just took my stash with him for his flight to china today lol

Keep in mind with the unisom (generic kind or not) it will not necessarily make you feel sleepy, and it takes about an hour for it to kick in, but once you lay down and get still....it should make you go right to sleep

snowy · 11-07-2007, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShaniFaye

Yeah Dave just took my stash with him for his flight to china today lol

Keep in mind with the unisom (generic kind or not) it will not necessarily make you feel sleepy, and it takes about an hour for it to kick in, but once you lay down and get still....it should make you go right to sleep

In my experience, it's more that it turns off the anxious part of my brain. I can't keep a worry in my head when I take it. Kind of nice.

sapiens · 11-08-2007, 08:01 AM

The New York Times recently had an article about behavioral methods to reduce insomnia. I thought that it might be pertinent. It is pasted below

Curing insomnia without the pills click to show

Quote:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/1...out-the-pills/
Better sleep doesn’t have to come in a pill.

For people with chronic insomnia, studies show that simple behavioral and psychological treatments work just as well, and sometimes better, than popular medications, according to a report in The Journal of Family Practice.

The medical journal Sleep last year reported on five high-quality trials that showed cognitive behavioral therapy helped people suffering from insomnia fall asleep sooner and stay asleep longer. Another American Journal of Psychiatry analysis of 21 studies showed that behavioral treatment helped people fall asleep nearly nine minutes sooner than sleep drugs. In other measures, sleep therapy worked just as well as drugs, but without any side effects.

The behavioral strategies for better sleep are deceptively simple, and that’s one reason why many people don’t believe they can make a difference. One of the most effective methods is stimulus control. This means not watching television, eating or reading in bed. Don’t go to bed until you are sleepy. Get up at the same time every day, and don’t nap during the day. If you are unable to sleep, get out of bed after 15 minutes and do something relaxing, but avoid stimulating activity and thoughts.

So-called sleep hygiene is also part of sleep therapy. This includes regular exercise, adding light-proof blinds to your bedroom to keep it dark and making sure the bed and room temperatures are comfortable. Eat regular meals, don’t go to bed hungry and limit beverages, particularly alcohol and caffeinated drinks, around bedtime.

Finally, don’t try too hard to fall asleep, and turn the clock around so you can’t see it. Watching time pass is one of the worst things to do when you’re trying to fall asleep.

It may be hard to believe, but studies show these simple steps really do make a meaningful difference for people with sleep problems. These interventions are based on the notion that thoughts and behaviors can “hyper-arouse” the central nervous system and deregulate sleep cycles, resulting in chronic insomnia, reports Family Practice.

If these steps don’t work, talk to your doctor about a referral to a sleep therapist, who can also teach you additional relaxation techniques to help bring on sleep. Sometimes, a therapist might work with you to reset your sleep-wake schedule, a more involved process whereby patients adjust their bedtime each night over the course of a few weeks.

There was also a recent article about the effectiveness of sleeping pills:

Sleep Drugs Found Only Mildly Effective, but Wildly Popular click to show

Quote:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/23/he...gewanted=print
Your dreams miss you.

Or so says a television commercial for Rozerem, the sleeping pill. In the commercial, the dreams involve Abraham Lincoln, a beaver and a deep-sea diver.

Not the stuff most dreams are made of. But if the unusual pitch makes you want to try Rozerem, consider that it costs about $3.50 a pill; gets you to sleep 7 to 16 minutes faster than a placebo, or fake pill; and increases total sleep time 11 to 19 minutes, according to an analysis last year.

If those numbers send you out to buy another brand, consider this, as well: Sleeping pills in general do not greatly improve sleep for the average person.

American consumers spend $4.5 billion a year for sleep medications. Their popularity may lie in a mystery that confounds researchers. Many people who take them think they work far better than laboratory measurements show they do.

An analysis of sleeping pill studies found that when people were monitored in the lab, newer drugs like Ambien, Lunesta and Sonata worked better than fake pills. But the results were not overwhelming, said the analysis, which was published this year and financed by the National Institutes of Health.

The analysis said that viewed as a group, the pills reduced the average time to go to sleep 12.8 minutes compared with fake pills, and increased total sleep time 11.4 minutes. The drug makers point to individual studies with better results.

Subjects who took older drugs like Halcion and Restoril fell asleep 10 minutes faster and slept 32 minutes longer than the placebo group. Paradoxically, when subjects were asked how well they slept, they reported better results, 52 extra minutes of sleep with the older drugs and 32 minutes with the newer drugs.

“People seem to be getting a lot of relief from sleeping pills, but does getting 25 minutes of sleep really give you all that relief?” asked Dr. Wallace B. Mendelson, the former director of a sleep disorders unit at the University of Chicago. “A bigger aspect of this is that they change a person’s perception of their state of consciousness.”

Dr. Mendelson is semiretired and is a consultant for pharmaceutical companies.

Dr. Karl Doghramji, a sleep expert at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, agreed. “Sleeping pills do not increase sleep time dramatically, nor do they decrease wake time dramatically,” he said. “Despite those facts, we do find patients who, when they take them, have a high level of satisfaction.” Dr. Doghramji has disclosed in the past that he is a consultant to pharmaceutical companies.

Most sleeping pills work on the same brain receptors as drugs to treat anxiety. By reducing anxiety, the pills may make people worry less about not going to sleep. So they feel better.

Another theory about the discrepancy between measured sleep and perceived sleep involves a condition called anterograde amnesia. While under the influence of most sleep medications, people have trouble forming memories. When they wake up, they may simply forget they had trouble sleeping.

“If you forget how long you lay in bed tossing and turning, in some ways that’s just as good as sleeping,” said Dr. Gary S. Richardson, a sleep disorders specialist at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit who is a consultant and speaker for pharmaceutical companies and has conducted industry-sponsored research.

Sleep, after all, causes a natural state similar to amnesia, one reason toddlers often forget their violent nightmares by the next morning. If you stay in bed, as most people taking sleeping pills do, amnesia is not a bad thing.

Even some people who sleepwalked while taking Ambien, which was implicated in cases of odd, sometimes dangerous behavior while sleeping, believed they were having a good night’s sleep. Rosemary Eckley, a graphic artist in New London, Wis., said she thought she was sleeping well on Ambien but woke to find her wrist broken, apparently in a fall while sleepwalking, she wrote in an e-mail exchange.

Reports of sleep-eating and sleep-driving on Ambien are reminiscent of problems nearly 20 years ago with Halcion. Some people who took that drug to sleep on airplanes developed a condition known as traveler’s amnesia. They landed at their destinations, then got lost or forgot where they were, prompting the authorities in several countries to withdraw Halcion from the market.

Reports show that Ambien and similar drugs, advertised as safer than benzodiazepines like Halcion, can cause similar problems. The reports prompted the Food and Drug Administration to ask manufacturers to develop warning guides for distribution with virtually all sleep drugs. Despite such problems, most specialists say sleeping pills are generally safe. Dr. Mark W. Mahowald, director of the Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center, which is involved in documenting cases of sleep-eating under the influence of Ambien, said serious side effects were rare and should not discourage the use of the pills.

The class of drugs known as nonbenzodiazepines, sometimes called “Z” drugs, includes Ambien, Lunesta and Sonata. Ambien and its generic equivalent, zolpidem, are the most widely used, together accounting for 40 percent of the market.

Newer drugs like Lunesta and Ambien CR, a controlled-release formula, cost about $4 a pill. Zolpidem recently sold for $2 a pill on walgreens.com.

Of the three drugs in the class, Sonata, which also retails for about $3.50 a pill, remains in the body the shortest time and, therefore, is normally used by people who have trouble falling asleep but no problem staying asleep. The advocacy organization Public Citizen’s Health Research Group says its benefits are so minimal it should not be used.

King Pharmaceuticals, the maker of Sonata, did not respond to several messages seeking comment.

A study by an Oregon State University group that reviews the safety and effectiveness of drugs found that Lunesta offered little benefit over generic Ambien or older benzodiazepines, but cost more. Jonae Barnes, a spokeswoman for Lunesta’s maker, Sepracor, said the company strongly disagreed and added that the Oregon group did not adequately consider waking time after falling asleep, an area in which Lunesta performed better.

Users also sometimes report that Lunesta leaves a bad taste in their mouths, according to studies of the drug.

Dr. Mahowald said the older drugs, including Halcion, also known as triazolam, offered better value than the newer ones.

“We tend to use the old benzodiazepines,” he said of his practice. “They appear to be as effective as some of the newer ones, and they’re infinitely less expensive.” Dr. Mahowald said that his center participated in industry-sponsored clinical research, but that he did not personally work as a consultant or adviser to pharmaceutical companies.

Such drugs, which include flurazepam, brand name Dalmane, and temazepam, Restoril, sell in generic versions for 30 to 50 cents each.

Another inexpensive alternative, and one of the most widely used sleep medications in this country, is the antidepressant trazodone. It works well in many patients, but some people say it leaves them groggy the next day, according to Dr. Daniel Carlat, a psychiatrist in Newburyport, Mass., who publishes The Carlat Psychiatry Report and declines industry financing. In men, trazodone has been linked to rare cases of priapism, prolonged and painful erections.

Some patients who fear using sleeping pills turn to over-the-counter remedies like Tylenol PM and Advil PM. Those contain the painkillers acetaminophen and ibuprofen combined with an antihistamine, diphenhydramine, the ingredient in the allergy medication Benadryl.

Antihistamines are known to make people sleepy, but there is little evidence that they improve sleep. They can also cause next-day sedation that impairs driving, as well as racing heartbeat and constipation. The Medical Letter, which reviews drugs, recommends against using antihistamines for sleep. Some doctors say users of Tylenol PM may be taking acetaminophen they do not need. Acetaminophen overdoses can cause liver failure.

Rozerem, with its unusual advertising campaign, has at least one benefit over other medications. Because it works by a different mechanism from the others, it is not a controlled substance and apparently does not affect the ability to form memories. It may be the sleeping pill of choice for elderly people who have trouble falling asleep, but suffer memory problems.

Still, researchers and drug companies have yet to find a holy grail. “The problem is, there is no ideal hypnotic,” said Dr. Manisha Witmans, a sleep medicine specialist at the University of Alberta’s Evidence-Based Practice Center. “The magic pill for sleep has not been invented yet.”

I'm not a proponent of "Better living through chemistry." I don't like to be dependent on drugs. The thought of being dependent on drugs to get a good night's sleep scares me. The behavioral methods described in the first article helped me. (I realize that they may not help everyone).

Glory's Sun · 11-08-2007, 08:07 AM

I've tried some of those behaviorial ideas.. but I never thought about turning the clock around. I'll try that.

I picked up some of that doxylamine succinate last night.. and it didn't do a damn thing for me. Maybe I'm just too used to the Ambien or something :shrug:

sapiens · 11-08-2007, 08:17 AM

Some of the behavioral methods will take a while to start working. For example, it will take a while to extinguish the other associations with your bed (television, reading, work, etc.). The addition of bedtime rituals and a regular sleeping and waking time will take a while to show an effect as well.

uncle phil · 11-08-2007, 04:16 PM

i am such a minority, and yes, i have been around for a while, but i have never needed any pharmaceutical to put me to sleep...

11-02-2007, 08:26 PM	#1 (permalink)
Craven Morehead Custom User Title	Ambein, Lunesta or Rozerem I've been fighting insomnia for about 10 years. My Dr. would give me pills from time to time that really didn't do much. I'd feel like I weighed 800 lbs. lying in bed but my mind would be racing. Last year he perscribed Ambien. Wow! What an amazing drug. For the first time in years, I hit the bed and was out nearly immediately. The next day I woke up totally refreshed and ready to go. I looked forward to going to bed again. Then 30 days later I tried to get a refill and the nurse at my Dr.'s office about shit! I didn't know I wasn't to take it each day. So, since then I've been going through 30 pills about every 6 months. Whenever I must have a great night's sleep, I hit the Ambien. I'd like to try Rozerem as supposedly you can take it each night without any side effects, like dependancy. Has anyone had any experience with it? Curious to hear.

11-02-2007, 08:34 PM	#3 (permalink)
snowy Kick Ass Kunoichi Location: Oregon	I take doxylamine succinate when I can't sleep--OTC maximum strength Unisom. It's exactly what I need--something that calms my mind so I can sleep. When I take it I can't focus on any one thing and can't fixate myself into a panic attack (all too common without the doxylamine succinate). I've been working on using mindfulness instead of it, but when that fails...better living through chemistry. I've also taken Sonata. It's similar in that it really just...relaxes you to sleep. But yeah, you're not alone in having to take pills to sleep. My brain would keep me up 24/7 if it had its way. But I have to sleep sometime, and more often than not, I need some help. __________________ If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

11-02-2007, 08:51 PM	#4 (permalink)
xxxafterglow Crazy Location: Berlin	There's an herbal formula also called Calms Forte (avail. at Whole Foods) - no dependency, no risk of overdose (the boyfriend takes up to 3 at a time) and best of all, no hangover! It just chills you out to sleep... fine for alleviating anxiety also. I've been prescribed Seroquel for sleep aid and for bipolar. You build up a dependency and it gives the worst hangover plus 10 hours of solid sleep. Wonky dreams sometimes, too. __________________ Uh huh her.

11-02-2007, 11:36 PM	#6 (permalink)
spectre Junkie	I usually become very tolerant of what's prescribed to me. I took Ambien for a little while, but it stopped being effective after a couple weeks. I was then changed to the Rozerum which worked once every few nights. Now I'm on Amitriptyline and the difference is amazing. I've been on it for a few weeks now and it feels as strong now as it did the first time I took it. __________________ "Fuck these chains No goddamn slave I will be different" ~ Machine Head

11-03-2007, 07:03 AM	#7 (permalink)
bubbaspike Psycho Location: neither here, nor there	Have you tried Melatonin?You can use it for two months then give it a break for a week. Works great for me. Also works good for jet lag and it is an over the counter drug __________________ Y'all watch this.......

11-03-2007, 10:15 AM	#9 (permalink)
World's King Here Location: Denver City Denver	I've been looking into sleeping aids for a few weeks now... But I've been looking for something that's over-the-counter... Any ideas? __________________ heavy is the head that wears the crown

11-03-2007, 12:35 PM	#10 (permalink)
Plan9 I Confess a Shiver	Unisom w/ Wild Turkey 101. __________________ *Whatever you can carry.* "You should not drink... and bake."

11-03-2007, 01:51 PM	#12 (permalink)
Plan9 I Confess a Shiver	Hahaha... alcohol and masturbation: the original sleep aids. Seriously? Ambien worked really well for me after OIF in 2003. __________________ *Whatever you can carry.* "You should not drink... and bake."

11-03-2007, 01:58 PM	#13 (permalink)
ShaniFaye Submit to me, you know you want to Location: Lilburn, Ga	those perscription ones you mentioned give me horrible horrible nightmares. I have found taking unisom (like snowy) its the bomb. Beware when buying unisom though, they come in two dif formulations, the gelcaps are like tylenol pm, they have benadryl in them...make sure to get the reg ones with doxylamine succinate in it. I've taken then tylenol pm's, they give me a morning hangover, advil pm doesnt do crap...of all the PM pills, goody's pm are the best there is no morning drugged hangover....but I still prefer the unisom __________________ *I want the diabetic plan that comes with rollover carbs. I dont like the unused one expiring at midnite!!*

11-03-2007, 03:53 PM	#14 (permalink)
Glory's Sun Registered User	I love Ambien and have used Lunesta. All sleepids including Rozerem have the risk of dependency. The OTC's suck IMO. But I guess it's whatever works for you. Now that I've been on Ambien so much it has lost some of it's effectiveness but I try to stop it every couple weeks and sleep naturally. It doesn't really work, but it does help when I start the Ambien again. As far as Ambien goes, I hate CR. It just doesn't work as well for me; plus with there being a generic form of regular Ambien now, it helps on the expense.

11-05-2007, 12:08 AM	#16 (permalink)
ziadel Myrmidon Location: In the twilight and mist.	I can't believed no one has pointed out the Green Death. This stuff is awesome. Two or three shots and you'll be shitfaced. __________________ Ron Paul '08 Vote for Freedom Go ahead and google Dr. Ron Paul. You'll like what you read.

11-05-2007, 04:12 AM	#17 (permalink)
josh10524 Upright	Melatonin and 5-Hydroxy Tryptophan sort of work for me, but the melatonin gives me some of the most vivid and exciting dreams, the majority of which turn into nightmares, so I stopped using it. Plus, it doesn't really make me sleepy unless I've been lying in bed for a good while staring at the ceiling. It does work, because in the same instance without it I'd be staring at my ceiling for a lot longer, but it's not the most effective thing I've tried. The most effective tools are all illegal.

11-05-2007, 07:11 AM	#18 (permalink)
Craven Morehead Custom User Title	Thanks to everyone. I am going to try Unisom in the future and continue to use Ambein when a good night's sleep is a must. From this thread and in threads in the past here at TFP, looks like quite a few of us are plagued with insomnia. Lack of sleep really effects your performance, both phycially and mentally. I was surprised to see how much physical effect it had on me until I realized that when I work out on days following a sleepless night I had much less strength. In some cases, I couldn't complete the reps.

11-05-2007, 07:48 AM	#20 (permalink)
ShaniFaye Submit to me, you know you want to Location: Lilburn, Ga	let us Unisom fans know how it works for you!!! __________________ *I want the diabetic plan that comes with rollover carbs. I dont like the unused one expiring at midnite!!*

11-05-2007, 02:49 PM	#21 (permalink)
ziadel Myrmidon Location: In the twilight and mist.	Nyquil has all that!? No wonder I drink it by the gallon. : __________________ Ron Paul '08 Vote for Freedom Go ahead and google Dr. Ron Paul. You'll like what you read.

11-06-2007, 11:42 AM	#23 (permalink)
Juley Upright Location: Southeastern US	I've tried Rozerem, Ambien CR, and Lunesta. I stuck with Lunesta and take it about every 3-4 nights for a solid night's sleep. Ambien CR and Lunesta will help you to fall asleep and stay asleep for 8 or so hours. Rozerem is intended more to just help you to fall asleep, but not necessarily stay asleep. I found that to be true when I tried it...fell asleep, but then woke up around 4am.

11-06-2007, 07:13 PM	#24 (permalink)
ngdawg peekaboo Location: on the back, bitch	Interesting write-up about Nyquil. I take it if I'm sick and I do fall asleep, but I wake with a start after 4 hours. The part about alcohol not working, though...when I'm sick, I put a half shot of whiskey in my tea and drink it while bundled up in sweats and blankets; the combo of the booze and being snuggled in makes me heat up and get sleepy and that makes me feel better the next day. Unisom doesn't work for me. Tylenol PM does, but I feel draggy the next morning. Now if I know I won't sleep well, I take a Benadryl. Not sure if this is at all related to sleeping well or poorly, but...I have been trying to lose a few pounds, so I won't eat now after 9:30 (I'm in bed about midnight) and lately, I've been sleeping pretty damn good.

11-06-2007, 07:23 PM	#25 (permalink)
blahblah454 Let's put a smile on that face Location: On the road...	Link to Nyquil did not work for me. I have never taken a sleeping pill in my life but am thinking I should try something. I have a horrible time sleeping and its killing my school. I get about 4 hours of sleep a night if I am lucky and I am useless during the days, I can't concentrate at all and my work has really started slipping because of it.

11-07-2007, 07:37 AM	#26 (permalink)
Craven Morehead Custom User Title	OK, I took doxylamine succinate last night. I can't say that I fell asleep any faster however I can say that I slept more soundly than before. I really feel rested even though I got maybe 5 hours of sleep. So that's good. I'm flying overseas tomorrow and will pop one on the plane in hopes that I'll be able to drowse off for a while. Its difficult for me to sleep on planes so maybe this will help. Thanks all.

11-07-2007, 07:47 AM	#27 (permalink)
ShaniFaye Submit to me, you know you want to Location: Lilburn, Ga	Yeah Dave just took my stash with him for his flight to china today lol Keep in mind with the unisom (generic kind or not) it will not necessarily make you feel sleepy, and it takes about an hour for it to kick in, but once you lay down and get still....it should make you go right to sleep __________________ *I want the diabetic plan that comes with rollover carbs. I dont like the unused one expiring at midnite!!*

11-08-2007, 08:07 AM	#30 (permalink)
Glory's Sun Registered User	I've tried some of those behaviorial ideas.. but I never thought about turning the clock around. I'll try that. I picked up some of that doxylamine succinate last night.. and it didn't do a damn thing for me. Maybe I'm just too used to the Ambien or something :shrug:

11-08-2007, 08:17 AM	#31 (permalink)
sapiens Junkie Location: Some place windy	Some of the behavioral methods will take a while to start working. For example, it will take a while to extinguish the other associations with your bed (television, reading, work, etc.). The addition of bedtime rituals and a regular sleeping and waking time will take a while to show an effect as well.

11-08-2007, 04:16 PM	#32 (permalink)
uncle phil comfortably numb... Super Moderator Location: upstate	i am such a minority, and yes, i have been around for a while, but i have never needed any pharmaceutical to put me to sleep... __________________ "We were wrong, terribly wrong. (We) should not have tried to fight a guerrilla war with conventional military tactics against a foe willing to absorb enormous casualties...in a country lacking the fundamental political stability necessary to conduct effective military and pacification operations. It could not be done and it was not done." - Robert S. McNamara ----------------------------------------- "We will take our napalm and flame throwers out of the land that scarcely knows the use of matches... We will leave you your small joys and smaller troubles." - Eugene McCarthy in "Vietnam Message" ----------------------------------------- never wrestle with a pig. you both get dirty; the pig likes it.