Ok, here I go into the world of insomnia, or I call it scattered sleep again.

About 4 years ago I had anxiety, brain fog, and some bad sleep and found it is related to hormone changes in my middle age female body. So, I learned about 5-htp 200 mg, L-theanin mg, and Gabba 500mg, and I take those at night before bed -- These supplements have helped me find better sleep in the past. (not perfect, but better)

Lately, I find I am waking up at 3AM or 2:30 AM and sometimes not getting back to sleep -- Sleep is so essential now for healing the brain. I usually go to sleep around 9 or 10 pm now.

I try not to get upset about scattered sleep or feel angry, because that will do nothing to help it. I know that fully.

Last night I did get back to sleep after I got up, had some fruit, took my fishoil -- Omega 3,6,9 complete (which I usually have with breakfast) Then I put an icepack on my neck, and I did find the land of nod again. Ah.....sweet, healing, sleep

I am wondering what any of you do for better sleep PCS. I hope not to take a prescription med for this --but if need be, I will. Even so, wondering how you get back to sleep if you wake up in the middle of the night.

Sincerely,

Poetrymom

I take melatonin to put me to sleep and magnesium (Cal-Mag Citrate) The melatonin is good for naps. I use it to put me to sleep and then the Mag works together. I just posted a discussion about Magnesium from another thread that is very interesting. And seems very beneficial to TBI/PCS

I have used that too -- have it in liquid form. I will look into this with magnesuim -- can't spell it, but that's ok.

Thanks for you post!

Poetrymom

I had very bad insomnia for the first three months, some nights I would only get 3 hrs sleep, I tried sleeping tablets but even woke with these. It all changed once I was prescribed an SNRI. Once the Cymbalta was in my system I have slept throughout the night every night.

Mouse I can relate with the SNRI. I had insomnia for I think 9months (because no diagnosis)At one point it took 4 sedative muscle relaxers range from 750mg to 300mg plus Benedryl to knock me out.(what a great PCP lol)

Now with a diagnosis I am on the SNRI(Pristiq)Everything has been a lot better and I have to take Valium at night as well for my PTSD.

Melatonin is a tricky one, in my experience. It is often dosed way higher than it's really ever produced by the body, so it's like OD-ing on a hormone. That doesn't sit well with me anymore since I tried 5mg at bedtime in second month PCS.

I read that in children, an overdose of melatonin can cause seizures. Well, I found that interesting, and can look back and see (after the fact) that I was having my most disturbing "seizure like" symptoms (burning smells waking me from sleep, grinding teeth uncontrollably even once awakened) when I was regularly taking melatonin. I know it works for some people with zero issues, but I thought I'd share. I stopped taking it because I felt it left me very foggy... But later attributed the weird symptoms that had gone away once I discontinued using melatonin.

I was prescribed amitriptyline (Elavil) for increased sleep, and to "assist" with some pain relief. (My best interpretation of that function of the drug is that it works on nerve pain and has even been shown to assist in new growth of nerve fibres) Someone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong there.

Long story short, Elavil works for me. I'm on 20mg at bedtime, but I find that it takes a couple hours to kick in so I try to take it mid-evening. May be worth bringing up with your doctor. Someone else told me that, but luckily my doctor suggested it on his own... They always seem to like their own ideas much better. Lol

Sorry for your insomnia. It sucks. I forgot to take my Elavil at the right time (I forget often... Another wonderful PCS symptom, no matter what reminder tools I use!) so now it's past midnight here and I'm up. Blah.

Less than three hours of sleep last night. I haven't had it much with PCS, but I've always had cyclical insomnia--usually two or three times per month. It's no fun, but I know it's got to be harder for those with worse symptoms than mine right now, so I'll think of all your strength and suck it up!

I did use mine last night and thanks for the reminder of how it can have side effects. I don't use it very often.

I did sleep all the way through the night -- no 2 or 3 AM waking up and just being awake,

but I do take melatonin with caution.

I, too, have had insomnia off and on during different times of my life. Ugh. I am (sort of) used to it, but always looking for ways to destress and/or rest, and actually sleep. Sleep is so wonderful.

I do believe I am caffeine free though -- not having any in my tea, so that's a huge plus.

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

Here's wising you all a good day.

Poetrymom

What I would do with the melatonin is get the 300mcg and split them in half.At one point when I was having "trauma seizures" just 2times it could of been from the melatonin because I was taking 10mg whole. Or I was thinking it was from the first vestibular therapist I was seeing that had NO IDEA WHAT HE WAS DOING!!!I switched that therapist out to one of the best in my area now. Like Rio said use with caution

http://www.alteril.com/WhatIsAlteril.htm

My son likes this stuff, can take about 40 mins to an hour to kick in but it seems to work well for him, he usually sleeps around 10 hours. I take Ambien and 200 mg 5-HTP, works great for me, at least 6 hours and then I can usually drift off again for a couple more hours. You just have to try different things to see what works for you.