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What has helped more with your sleep?

Messages
38
Mianserin does the trick for me and has been working for around a year now. Mirtazapine worked equally well, but I gained a lot of weight within weeks (which was unusual for me - still trying to get rid of the extra kilos).
I've tried numerous prescription and over-the-counter drugs prior to those two. Nothing worked more than a couple of nights. I'm still taking L-Tryptophane and GABA in addition to the Mianserin.
SRT did have an effect on my sleep as well (I don't usually wake up at night any more), but I had to quit after four weeks as my CFS got considerably worse due to the sleep deprivation.
 
Messages
45
FWIW , Several members (5) of my family are taking Jarrow Curcumin 95 - C3 Complex with great results for sleep, 500 mg, daily. Fall asleep fast, stay asleep, wake up
rested.
 
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digital dog

Senior Member
Messages
646
After twenty years of insomnia i have realised that nothing works for me that doesn't come with side effects that are worse than the sleep deprivation.
I live in perpetual hell. I either don't sleep or feel anxious and sick from selling meds or supplements. I choose to live with the sleep deprivation but to be honest I would rather be dead.
Such fun.
 

Arius

Senior Member
Dr. John Bergman has some great youtube videos on sleep. One is just called Deep Sleep.

FYI, sleep drugs inhibit REM sleep, which is the sleep we need the most. I did a sleep study and found out that I'm not getting a fraction of the REM sleep I need, which is probably a significant contributing factor to my illness.

Everyone seems to recommend the following:

No TV / Computer screens for an hour or two before bed. Meditate, bathe, journal, do yoga, or read a book instead.
No caffeine after about 2pm.
No sugar.
If possible, use your bed only for sleeping. Have sex in the kitchen or on the floor.
Keep your bedroom cool at night - about 15 to 20C (65 to 70F).
Sleep in the darkest darkness you can create.
Minimize exposure to artificial light. Maximize exposure to natural light.
Go to sleep by 10:30 / 11:00pm at the latest; get up early. Human beings evolved to function in harmony with the sun.
Go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
 

MeSci

ME/CFS since 1995; activity level 6?
Messages
8,231
Location
Cornwall, UK
Go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
What - get up at the same time you go to bed...?

:lol:

BTW I think that the evidence for 'sleep hygiene' - at least for ME/CFS - is non-existent or virtually so. I suspect that it was just plucked out of the air by a psychiatrist who doesn't understand the illness - like CBT and GET.
 
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hellytheelephant

Senior Member
Messages
1,137
Location
S W England
The best thing about the 'going to bed and getting up at the same time' rule is that it stops you needing to make a bloody decision about it when you're exhausted.:lol:

The rule about using the bedroom ' for sleep ONLY' makes a tonne of sense too- I usually visit the East Wing if i need some daytime shuteye, the Library for reading, and the fainting couch in the Day Room for staring at the shadows on the ceiling .....then there is the Meditation Suite for meditation ( obivously), the Petting Zoo if I need to stroke an animal for relaxation, and my private cinema for eating biscuits and watching old Friends reruns.... ;-)
 
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MeSci

ME/CFS since 1995; activity level 6?
Messages
8,231
Location
Cornwall, UK
The best thing about the 'going to bed and getting up at the same time' rule is that it stops you needing to make a bloody decision about it when you're exhausted.:lol:

The rule about using the bedroom ' for sleep ONLY' makes a tonne of sense too- I usually visit the East Wing if i need some daytime shuteye, the Library for reading, and the fainting couch in the Day Room for staring at the shadows on the ceiling .....then there is the Meditation Suite for meditation ( obivously), the Petting Zoo if I need to stroke an animal for relaxation, and my private cinema for eating biscuits and watching old Friends reruns.... ;-)
Don't forget the Aquatic Centre for a bit of aquatic therapy.

I'm puzzled as to why one would have sex in the kitchen rather than the living room. In front of a log fire might be good...if one felt inclined at all/could be bothered/had the energy/had a partner.
 

hellytheelephant

Senior Member
Messages
1,137
Location
S W England
Don't forget the Aquatic Centre for a bit of aquatic therapy.

I'm puzzled as to why one would have sex in the kitchen rather than the living room. In front of a log fire might be good...if one felt inclined at all/could be bothered/had the energy/had a partner.


It would be silly to use the Aquatic Centre when I have my own private beach ;)
 

realturbo

Senior Member
Messages
143
Thought it might be useful to summarise some of the possibilities mentioned in this thread:

Trazodone
Baclofen
Clonazepam 0.5 mg
Melatonin 3mg sublingual
lemon balm and hops
progesterone cream
resist the urge to take naps
high dose curcumin
Swanson Valerian Root 1 hr before bedtime
GABA
acupuncture
Chinese herbs
valerian
kava
Xanax

I'm sure I've missed some...
 

MeSci

ME/CFS since 1995; activity level 6?
Messages
8,231
Location
Cornwall, UK
Thought it might be useful to summarise some of the possibilities mentioned in this thread:

Trazodone
Baclofen
Clonazepam 0.5 mg
Melatonin 3mg sublingual
lemon balm and hops
progesterone cream
resist the urge to take naps
high dose curcumin
Swanson Valerian Root 1 hr before bedtime
GABA
acupuncture
Chinese herbs
valerian
kava
Xanax

I'm sure I've missed some...
None of mine are there, but I didn't list all of them by name in my posts, referring to some just as sedating antihistamines. Mine are listed here.
(Yes - they include melatonin, but 5 mg and not sublingual.)
 

Beyond

Juice Me Up, Scotty!!!
Messages
1,122
Location
Murcia, Spain
I think its kind of cool to be the father of this thread, notwithstanding that I haven´t solved my sleep issues at all in these years... :meh:

I am on Mirtazapìne 15 mg now, branded in the USA as Remeron, this stuff is the best for sleep as far as meds that I have tried, sadly has zero effects in fragmentation, or in regards to the refreshing factor... It just makes you sleep and be very able to fall asleep again from nightime and morningtime wake ups... Actually, you can easily get 10 hours on this thing, and more. I slept once 12 hours on it... Made me feel like shit. :cautious:

I am the one that mentioned melatonin sublingual, it works but makes you get more REM, makes me feel even less rested having all those dreams about fist-fights and what not.
 

Tired of being sick

Senior Member
Messages
565
Location
Western PA USA
I take Amitriptyline and it will knock you out..
I have been on everything else besides Xyrem to no avail.

But if you have POTS it will make it worse
But if you take ADDERALL first and foremost it will counter it.
Midodrine will also counter but not nearly as effective as ADDERALL
 
Messages
5
I took Trazodone for years, with varying success. It worked great initially, but less so over time. Just recently, I started taking Elavil (Amitryptiline) and I'm pretty impressed. With trazodone, if I didn't go to sleep during a brief window when it made me sleepy, I still had trouble falling asleep. With the Elavil, I can take it a couple of hours before bedtime, and when I hit the pillow, I am out in minutes. I feel like it's magic, after years of fighting to fall asleep.

It's only been a couple of weeks - hoping the magic will last!

I've tried herbals, melatonin, 5htp, phosphatidyl serine, theanine, magnesium, taurine, etc., and never felt they did anything. Elavil has been a small miracle.
 

Tired of being sick

Senior Member
Messages
565
Location
Western PA USA
Elavil, I can take it a couple of hours before bedtime, and when I hit the pillow, I am out in minutes. I feel like it's magic, after years of fighting to fall asleep.
Lol,I know right?

The amitriptyline hits me in about 4 to 6 hours
And when it does I become paralyzed litrerally.

So if Im not in bed my legs will not work
I have to practically crawl to my bed,LOL..........
 
Messages
5
The amitriptyline hits me in about 4 to 6 hours
And when it does I become paralyzed litrerally.

So if Im not in bed my legs will not work
I have to practically crawl to my bed,LOL..........

Wow - that's a pretty strong reaction. I don't think it hits me quite that hard. Last night was the first time I took it that I didn't sleep soundly for at least 6 or 7 hours. I was up a few times throughout the night, but fell back to sleep - lots of crazy dreams.

How much do you take? I've just started and I'm still trying to figure out the best dosage for me.