NeuroTalk Support Groups - Desperate for help. Chronic insomnia following a concussion. PLEASE HELP.

Have you tried amitriptyline (brand name Elavil)? As you may know, it is an older tricyclic antidepressant which does not work very well on depression, but turns out to be a very effective sleep med for some (a lot of chronic pain patients use amitriptyline at bedtime to counteract insomnia). Physical dependence is not an issue, and it's very inexpensive as well.

Benzos are not only highly addictive, but are extremely hard to get off of - it can take more than 18 months to titrate down and off, and the withdrawal symptoms are simply horrendous. You're quite right to be wary of this class of med.

Another med chronic painers use is trazodone. Did not work for me, but I am a hard case! It's also nonaddictive and very affordable.

I believe there is a Sleep Disorders forum on NT, which might give you some more alternatives. Just scroll down and I'm sure you'll find it easily enough. (Sorry, I'd post the link to it for you here if I were more proficient on the computer!)

Good luck with your continued recovery.

Alison

Quote:

Originally Posted by tampasailor (Post 1100488)

Xanax works for me or the generic brand by Greenstone. Other Generics seem weird. I have the same problem from a Motorcycle accident 6 years ago. Baby Benedryl and Melatonin also help for a short time. Xanax is a benzodiazepine drug and there is now talk of it increasing chances of Alzheimer’s in the long term. I am 70 and still working as an engineer but will never have the concentration powers I had before the accident.

This is now a common problem with Football players and we are seeing more research into the problem of Post Concussion Syndrome.

If anyone has a better solution than Benzoids, I would sure like to know.

There are books on Coping with Post Concussion Syndrome at **