how many hours do you sleep usually?
bobby

HI bobby,
I am embarressed to say that I sleep too much, actually just can't get out of bed.
I probably sleep -8-9 hours and then lay in bed for another hour or so, last night I took my meds at 9:45, then took a shower and little computer work, bed at 11:00 and sleep shortly there after. Slept soundly till storm hits at 5am and wakes us up, there were tornados that went thru our town, 3 of them. WEnt back to sleep and then slept off and on till 8;30 when alarm goes off, then hit snooze for half an hour then turned off and then finally got out of bed at 10 am. That was 11 hours in bed. :eek: makes me feel very lazy.
WE have a large limb down, it was dead and needed to come down didn't do any damage thank goodness.

Most people here who post sleep issues only geta few hours of sleep...like you...I wish you slept more....:(
bizi

please consider...
 

The meds you take may be a major cause of sleep disturbances.

For someone without the meds issue, tryptophan, B6 enable serotonin
synthesis. Serotonin is needed along with methylcobalamin B12 to make
melatonin. Given that Geodon functions like an SSRI --tryptophan is off limits for you, Bizi.

The atypical antipsychotics can cause many interferences with various
receptors in the brain.

from http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/ziprasidone_cp.htm

This may explain why Benadryl fails for you with Geodon there.
Also the inhibition of reuptake of norepi...would lead to some energizing effects.
Akathisia may express as insomnia, I think.

And depending on where you are in age and our "friend" the menopause....
I found at least for myself...that sleeping was the biggest negative symptom I had to put up with. I found the B12 very good for this. Too bad for me that I was late in discovering that link.

I find for myself, that I sleep much less as spring advances, and lesser still
in summer. I think it is the light factor.

I believe that bipolar patients react to light with more activity. So you might want to keep in the dark at night and resist the temptation to get up and turn on the lights and do things. This stimulates melatonin receptors in the retina to stop melatonin production.

So I don't think there is an easy solution to the sleep problem for you, Bizi.

Since I take the lamictal at night...I wonder how that would affect me during the day?
Some folks take it during the day.
The decrease in the ambien from 12.5mg to 6.25mg doesn't seem to make a difference yet.
Pdoc said I could cut it in half, so will try that next.
thanks Mrs.D...
bizi
wanted to add...that I am 45 so perimenopause is in the picture.
I have recently started taking in the evenings:

flaxseed oil 1000mg (450mg ALA)
primrose oil, 1500mg (135mg of GLA)
fish oil 1000mg (180mg EPA, 120mg DHA)
multi vitamin and mineral
small dose of magnesium
vit c 2000mg
folic acid 400mcg
calcium chews 500mg

on going psych meds ...just take at night:
200mg lamictal
40mg geodon
now 6.25mg of ambien

this sounds dumb but maybe you aren't a morning person. I am so relieved that you do get adequate sleep. there is a lot of freedom at night and you don't have to worry about people putting demands on you
bobby

hmmmm...
 

Please clarify for me... are you breaking the CR Ambien tablets up?
They are not designed for that you know.

I'd suggest you do a couple of things differently:

1) take the multi vit, and folic acid in the morning
2) decrease the GLA to every other day

3) the oils are best taken with food

How much magnesium, and what kind? Magnesium helps to calm you down.

Some people are stimulated by folic acid. But 400mcg is not alot.

My pdoc said it was ok to cut the ambien in half, my pharm said not to do that....so have not.....I think she forgot it was CR and not regular which you can cut in half.

I have been taking the multi twice a day...my feeling is that I don't have the best diet take it at night as do I take calcium at night because I am sleeping and not taking in any nutrients, I once heard that it was really important to take calcium at night for this reason.
mrs.D do you suggest to take the folic acid in the am because it is stimulating?
getting to sleep is not the problem for me while taking sleeping pills it is the next morning that is the problem. If I don't take my sleeping pill I can't sleep at all...and I have restless leg syndrome too. It would be wonderful if I could get off the ambien someday...am jsut afraid of the rebound insomnia....
Maybe I am having REM sleep problems?
Wonder if my insurance would pay for a sleep study?
Blah, blah, blah.....


forgot, do you think the primrose oil is bad for me at that high a dose?...why back off to every other day?
thanks mrs D

insomnia update.

Please Try not to judge me.....

I took the lower dose of 6.25mg of ambien for 3 nights and couldn't sleep so I thought that if I am not sleeping on the lower dose why not see if I could get off it completely....I was not sleeping at the lower dose so why not tough it out altogether.
I am not hypo manic.
I have had an awful time sleeping these last 3 nights now.
Very tired.
I am still taking my 40mg of geodon which is a very sedating drug!
and my regular 200mg of lamictal.

When I have tried to sleep My eyes are very sleepy
and my mind is not racing...I am still in bed for 10hours jsut not asleep.
I am just having rebound insomnia.....
I wonder how long it will take to retrain my brain?
The only side effect that I am having so far, aside from not sleeping...is itchyness.
The restless leg stuff has not returned...which I was afraid of.
Off I go to bed...I am so tired...hopefully I will post a great report tomorrow!
sweet dreams.
bizi

keep telling myself that I am doing this because I have been so groggy in the mornings that I can't get out of bed!

:hug: sweet dream bizi.

Biz..it's sympathy itch for my poison ivy. *grin I hope you are sleeping like a little baby. :hug: