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Circadian Rhythm Problems

Dufresne

almost there...
Messages
1,039
Location
Laurentians, Quebec
I haven’t read through the thread, but saw the title and thought I’d mention an interesting discovery of mine. I fell effortlessly into a natural circadian rhythm while taking Baclofen. I’m not sure at what dose this happened. Unfortunately I had to come off the drug but I intend to go back on it. I’ll make sure to note the point at which the circadian rhythm normalizes and report back.

Ocean, I've never had any problem sleeping whatsoever; eight to nine hours a night, just without any schedule.
 
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Little Bluestem

All Good Things Must Come to an End
Messages
4,930
Dufresne, Please do let us know at what dose your circadian rhythm normalizes.

I was recently given a prescription for Baclofen, at my suggestion, which I have not yet filled. Since this is an off-label use, I did not know what dose is appropriate. My doctor wrote it for 10 mg, 1 or 2 per day. I doubt that will be sufficient. It is much better than an overdose, though. At least she believes in start low, go slow (or start low, stay there). She knows from previous experience that I react to small doses. By the third day of the last sleep med she gave me, I did not make it out of bed.
 
Messages
759
Location
Israel
I have been warned that a person can get used to Baclofen. I think it is a great muscle relaxant for pain....As well as helping sleep. But I only use it on rare occasions because I am the type of person that gets easily addicted to drugs and sleeping pills.

It does not sort out the circadium rythm for me... But maybe taking sleep inducing drug like Baclofen can sort out the circadium for others, like Dufresne. When I take it, I take 10 mg at night only.
You just have to be careful with getting too used to it.
 

minkeygirl

But I Look So Good.
Messages
4,678
Location
Left Coast
I think it is a great muscle relaxant for pain....As well as helping sleep.

.

I got an RX of Baclofen and it was like taking speed for me. Not what I need to initiate sleep. So you should try it to see if it even helps you before you decide how to take it.

I also recently tried Tizanidine and at 8mgs it did nothing to get me tired.
 

Dufresne

almost there...
Messages
1,039
Location
Laurentians, Quebec
I have been warned that a person can get used to Baclofen. I think it is a great muscle relaxant for pain....As well as helping sleep. But I only use it on rare occasions because I am the type of person that gets easily addicted to drugs and sleeping pills.

It does not sort out the circadium rythm for me... But maybe taking sleep inducing drug like Baclofen can sort out the circadium for others, like Dufresne. When I take it, I take 10 mg at night only.
You just have to be careful with getting too used to it.

I was taking 80 mg of Baclofen. It produced neither fatigue nor speediness. One does get somewhat used to the dose but that’s a good thing. It made me far more motivated, and normalized my circadian rhythm. My girlfriend claimed that even after 3 years together she’d never seen me that ‘healthy’ and active. I was at that dose for months without any sign that the benefits might vanish.

The normalization of my circadian rhythm had nothing to do with drowsiness that might be caused by such a drug. I’d like to know if this would work for more PWC’s. Seeing as the drug’s mechanism of action is pretty well understood, this might shed some light on why the disrupted circadian rhythm is so common in our population.

I’ll just add that the drug does little for me at 10-20 mg. As I said I’ll post again when the sleep schedule normalizes and at what dose.
 
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ukxmrv

Senior Member
Messages
4,413
Location
London
I've glad to here how well you got on with Baclofen Dufresne, I'm been taking 10mg at night for a couple of years now. When I try to get increase the dose something "funny" happens in that the jerking of my limbs and restless legs increases instead of calming down on the lower dose. at 10mg, or 20mg or 30mg it does nothing for my sleep rhythm problems but that is just a small amount of what you are taking. I'm also from a family of night owls so there may be a genetic thing going on as well.

How did you end up trying such a high dose to start with as it seems well out of the range that doctors prescribe? (and congratulations for finding something that words so well for you)
 

Dufresne

almost there...
Messages
1,039
Location
Laurentians, Quebec
I've glad to here how well you got on with Baclofen Dufresne, I'm been taking 10mg at night for a couple of years now. When I try to get increase the dose something "funny" happens in that the jerking of my limbs and restless legs increases instead of calming down on the lower dose. at 10mg, or 20mg or 30mg it does nothing for my sleep rhythm problems but that is just a small amount of what you are taking. I'm also from a family of night owls so there may be a genetic thing going on as well.

How did you end up trying such a high dose to start with as it seems well out of the range that doctors prescribe? (and congratulations for finding something that words so well for you)

I’ve had some experience with the jerking limbs. For me it was my thumb and wrist. This occurred on higher doses of GBL/GHB, which work on the same receptor (GABA-B) as Baclofen. I also felt it once on Baclofen but it was transitory.

I’d never heard of Baclofen until reading the Health Rising article by Marco. Much of what he wrote was in accord with the way I see my illness. I went on to read up on Baclofen and its new off-label use in treating alcoholism. Seeing as I’d had success treating my ME/CFS with benzodiazepines in the past I figured this might be a good way of sustaining a similar benefit. As I said, it does different things than a benzo, but what it does seems to be sustainable.
 
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Messages
13
hi, I thought I'd tried everything until I saw the info about the blue blocking light idea--I feel like screaming because there are so many of you that have the same problem with sleep--I feel so frustrated and alone--upside down-- with sleep (now that I finally get some since I didn't sleep for the first couple of years except for about an hour and a half a night-- omg that was hell) cfs since 2001

- now it's later and later i get to sleep at about 6-7am and wake around 3pm. it's winter- I only see the sun go down every day...feeling like a vampire. This has been going on for years. I tried staying up all "night" (24 +hrsday) but would get more sick with cfs crashing. that doesn't work-so had to take what sleep I could and then of course boom right back to the upside sleep sched.
my brain just can't process the info here most of the time-that underwater flu thing brain fog makes it hard to follow the info but I really need/want to get back on a day/night sched with the rest of the world.

I can't take heavy duty prescription drugs that are addictive. I tried melatonin, (along with with trytophan and magnesium) years ago it worked for a while. two wks ago i started with 25 mg of elavil at bedtime (taking it around 2am) but its not taken effect (yet) still hoping. I go to bed and read at about midnight hoping to get sleepy. Then falling asleep in the morning at about 6-7am until 3-4pm that is the best sleep, anything from 8am to 1pm--with all light blocked out of my room or there's no way I'd get any sleep at all ever.

so I have to wear glasses -amber/yellow? and block light from my monitor,--ipad, and tv too?
 
Messages
13
thankyou so much ~I'm on it
hope! is the little flame of faith that things will get better
 

*GG*

senior member
Messages
6,389
Location
Concord, NH
I can't take heavy duty prescription drugs that are addictive. I tried melatonin, (along with with trytophan and magnesium) years ago it worked for a while. two wks ago i started with 25 mg of elavil at bedtime (taking it around 2am) but its not taken effect (yet) still hoping. I go to bed and read at about midnight hoping to get sleepy. Then falling asleep in the morning at about 6-7am until 3-4pm that is the best sleep, anything from 8am to 1pm--with all light blocked out of my room or there's no way I'd get any sleep at all ever.

so I have to wear glasses -amber/yellow? and block light from my monitor,--ipad, and tv too?

@BeBe The only choice for sleep is not "heavy duty" scripts. I take Remeron, up to 60mg a night, which is the max, have been on it for 4 years now, hopefully I don't have to find a new med soon!

GG
 

*GG*

senior member
Messages
6,389
Location
Concord, NH
@BeBe The only choice for sleep is not "heavy duty" scripts. I take Remeron, up to 60mg a night, which is the max, have been on it for 4 years now, hopefully I don't have to find a new med soon!

GG

Hope you see this and perhaps it helps? I thought I would start a Conversation with you, to point out my response, since it seems you are not on this site much? But for some reason I cannot start a conversation with you, I guess it can be turned off? Learn something new every day!

GG
 
Messages
1,082
Location
UK
Does blue-blocking help most people? I like wearing my glasses but it did nothing to change my sleep pattern. I tend now to just wear them for fun outdoors in the park as it looks like you're on an alien planet. The colours of the grass etc are insane