Longterm use of sleep aids/remedies may do you more harm than good...

[Kenjie]

Ya know the kinds made from flower extracts and the like etc.

Longterm use perhaps not recommended.

I used over the counter herbal remedies for relaxation and sleep for a long time.

I stopped using any over the counter products in the last few months knowing I no longer need them to help me relax just before sleeping.

And now that the last 11 days I seem to be a lot less tired it makes me wonder if longterm use over 3 years could have possibly contributed to chronic fatigue outside of having viruses most of last year.

It's just kind of ironic how I feel better rather spontaneously.

Perhaps longterm use of over the counter herbal remedies have adverse effects?

Has anyone else relied on herbal remedies from local pharmacy or supermarket for sleep or other purposes longterm? Have you stopped and noticed any difference?

 

[minkeygirl]

There is a difference between insomnia and sleep disorders and pre sleep anxiety. Maybe calming yourself down without something is what is helping you? Who knows?

For me, I don't know what can be more adverse than not sleeping. People die from not sleeping.

If I don't take something to sleep, OTC and RX I absolutely will not sleep. It has nothing to do with anxiety for me. It's the classic tired but wired.

I find when I add passion flower, suntheanine kava and otc antihistamines to Rex's they help me sleep better. Just when I'm in the edge of sleep they nudge me over.

as I've said before I'd take rat poo if it'd help me sleep. Or feel better.

 

[belize44]

I can rarely sleep unless I take something. @minkeygirl; I find that I need something to nudge me over, too. Otherwise I just lay there and listen to the wheels turn in my mind, over and over and over...When I am in pain and have to take a prescription med, I have to add antihistamine and Melatonin or the pain med will keep me awake. I find passion flower tea soothing and relaxing, as well as Kava. Valerian is tricky and can give me that "tired but wired" feeling if I take it too many nights in a row.

 

[AaroninOregon]

They probably are doing me harm, but not sleeping makes me crazy, so I'll take the harm.

 

[minkeygirl]

@belize44 I've posted before all the stuff I take. I need a sleep initiator, sleep sustainer. other stuff to add.

Just recently it's been taking me a lot longer to get to sleep (maybe tolerance?) but when I add Kava or passion flower around 11:30 I sleep almost straight through to 7 and feel better.

It's hard to take a break from something when it's the only thing that shuts your brain off.

I can't even get near valerian. Just the smell alone gags me, and I don't think it helped much. Tryptophan gives me a headache. I never noticed much from melatonin. I recently stopped it because someone mentioned it can mess up OI (i'm looking into that). I've noticed no difference without it.

@AaroninOregon I hear ya!

 

[AaroninOregon]

@minkeygirl how much kava do you typically take or what is a good starting dose?

 

[minkeygirl]

@AaroninOregon I've settled on the cheap crap which is 500 mgs. There is stuff about kavatones (or something) which determines how much is in it. Too much for my brain.

I usually only take one and not every night. Maybe on rough nights I may take another but not too late because I need to sleep it off.

This is the kind of been using. You can get a box on eBay for a couple bucks.

I just bought 6 on Amazon for $11.

I got the caps pictured but didn't think they did much. I wasnt up for brewing the tea.

 

[PNR2008]

I've had 2-3 weeks of no sleep at night, yet sleep the entire day away like a zombie. I don't know if it's a POTS thing that messing up my nights and days because I absolutely can't function in hot sunny weather.(hold onto the door jamb when letting animals out).
Also the regular pain meds aren't working so no help with pain meds for sleep or pain. I get RLS, POTS pain in my arms and legs and back pain and try different meds or combination of meds, still no help.

Getting increases in these meds is almost impossible even though I've been on the same dosage for 10 years. Does anyone know if electrolytes cause sleeplessness?

 

[AaroninOregon]

@AaroninOregon I've settled on the cheap crap which is 500 mgs. There is stuff about kavatones (or something) which determines how much is in it. Too much for my brain.

I usually only take one and not every night. Maybe on rough nights I may take another but not too late because I need to sleep it off.

This is the kind of been using. You can get a box on eBay for a couple bucks.

I just bought 6 on Amazon for $11.

I got the caps pictured but didn't think they did much. I wasnt up for brewing the tea.

I have some Kava tea, but I hate drinking anything close to bed as my bladder won't make it through the night if I do.

They're cheap too, I like. Thanks again @minkeygirl

 

[minkeygirl]

@AaroninOregon Yea. I try not to drink at night. And I have to really start to unwind around 7. Im also lazy and I can't be bothered boiling twigs

There is a forum for kava efficienados who drink it daily for the buzz.

I also really like Passion flower. I get Solaray caps (green bottle) and alternate with kava.

For brutal nights I love phenibut. Only take that once a week.

 

[AaroninOregon]

@minkeygirl I have a box of Kava tea bags that a friend gave me...no way would I boil twigs either.

I haven't tried passion flower yet, but it's on my list along with kava.

I don't know if I've heard of phenibut before, but I see that it's sold as a psychotropic drug in the USSR. Is that the same thing as the supplement GABA?

 

[minkeygirl]

@AaroninOregon phenibut is more like w benzo. In fact it's supposed to be harder to come off than benzos which is why you shouldnt use it more than 2 days in a row then take a few days break.

I can't remember the brand I got but if you want to try a few www.powdercity.com has small bottles. And shipping is cheap.

The only reason I didn't buy from them this time is they are out of stock. Oh I got prime force I think.

I use both as an add on. Neither would put me to sleep on their own.

 

[AaroninOregon]

@AaroninOregon phenibut is more like w benzo. In fact it's supposed to be harder to come off than benzos which is why you shouldnt use it more than 2 days in a row then take a few days break.

I can't remember the brand I got but if you want to try a few www.powdercity.com has small bottles. And shipping is cheap.

The only reason I didn't buy from them this time is they are out of stock. Oh I got prime force I think.

I use both as an add on. Neither would put me to sleep on their own.

Well that's good to know before trying it. ( withdrawals)

I'll do some more reading up on it before I buy some. Thanks @minkeygirl

 

[Kenjie]

Its taken me 3 and half years to now be able to sleep naturally without needing anything. 3 years ago I was taking about 4 different over the counter herbal sleep remedies just to sleep. Nothing to do with prescription medicines. Then over time I slowly cut them back. The last one I was on was rescue remedy lozenges and then realised a few months ago I could finally relax my mind on my own.

I just think it's so strange that last Monday I started to feel okay again. Such an odd feeling to have energy after getting used to being so unwell then expecting to be that way for life when the doctor says there is no treatment for chronic fatigue.

So maybe it can be what we put into our bodies. Prolonging illness rather than making it better. Makes me wonder if all the stuff I was taking contributed to the chronic fatigue as anything you take can affect brain and hormones. That with a combination of body healing from having a baby and recovering from being run down and viruses etc. Body really took a beating having my son.

When I had him I developed insomnia.. One week prior and then it continued ... I was exhausted and finding out 3 months later i had hypothyroidism. Then went from there. It has been a physical roller coaster.

13 days and counting today that I can keep my eyes open and what I call not tired in comparison to that dreadful fatigue everday for a few years. And if I leave dishes for a couple days its still okay.. Easier to do them now but fear of a setback.

If I'm well for long time then I can relax more about actually being well. Takes some getting used to! Lol

 

[Kenjie]

Living with my mum and her controlling manner to say the least. while pregant and after having son was and has been a lot to do with my sleep issues. Simple solution don't live with her.

If I visit and stay the night its garunteed I won't sleep due to too many distractions...such as starting the washing machine at 11pm which is next to spare room and TV turned all the way up its so loud til 1.45am a couple weeks ago when I last stayed. And hanging the washing over the fire place in the kitchen next to spare room at 2am.

So I gave up on staying the night lol.

I have no sleep issues in my own home and I have never had any sleep issues anywhere else unless I did not know someone well enough.

Have any of you ever gotten down to the bottom of what's creating your sleep issues?

Taking things can prolong the issue and cover up the cause. Have you ever tried stopping even slowly over time and working on the things that started your insomnia??

Sometimes its easier said than done but also knowing the cause and minimising it can be helpful.