Buspar...help me sleep?!
Question: Last fall i was prescribed 15 mg of Buspar for my anxiety. Reluctantly, ive only taken 1 out of the 60 count bottle i have in my drawer a few weeks ago at night. I know this med takes about 3 weeks or so to fully work. But since i suffer from insomnia, I took two tylenol pm's around 9ish...but ofcourse still awake at 1am (ambien is too strong/gives me headache the next day/i have tried all the home remedies to help me sleep). anyways, at 1am 4 hours after i took the pm's, i decided to take one 15 mg of my Buspar, since i saw "may cause drowsiness". not too long after, i did fall asleep. in your experience, did Buspar help you fall asleep? I know this medicine isnt classified under the benzo's like xanax which will make you groggy. but just curious if it actually does help you sleep? Also, only thing i havent tried is something called Melatonin. ive seen ppl advise that to others for trouble with sleeping. does that help? is it a naural pill? drug store? thanks in advance! God Bless
Answers: Last fall i was prescribed 15 mg of Buspar for my anxiety. Reluctantly, ive only taken 1 out of the 60 count bottle i have in my drawer a few weeks ago at night. I know this med takes about 3 weeks or so to fully work. But since i suffer from insomnia, I took two tylenol pm's around 9ish...but ofcourse still awake at 1am (ambien is too strong/gives me headache the next day/i have tried all the home remedies to help me sleep). anyways, at 1am 4 hours after i took the pm's, i decided to take one 15 mg of my Buspar, since i saw "may cause drowsiness". not too long after, i did fall asleep. in your experience, did Buspar help you fall asleep? I know this medicine isnt classified under the benzo's like xanax which will make you groggy. but just curious if it actually does help you sleep? Also, only thing i havent tried is something called Melatonin. ive seen ppl advise that to others for trouble with sleeping. does that help? is it a naural pill? drug store? thanks in advance! God Bless
I've been on melatonin for about 12 years. It doesn't work for some people, and occasionally it doesn't work for me, but I wouldn't consider trying a night without it. One time we got stranded in Washington DC and my pills were in my luggage and I had to do a night without my melatonin, and I never did get to sleep. Some people feel drugged all the next day and can't take it. You get it any place they sell supplements; it can range in price from $2.50 to $10 a bottle; I buy it where it's cheapest - as it's all the same stuff. I also take it with Tylenol PM and hydrocodone - I really have problems sleeping (BTW, this is under the care of a doctor) and I have fibromyalgia, hence the hydrocodone. Find something that works for you; it's very dangerous to be sleep deprived (besides being miserable). Good luck.
Oh, try the melatonin when you don't have to be alert the next day, say a Friday night - since you won't know how or if you react to it.
Avoid melatonin, as explained in section 3, below. See anxiety treatments, at ezy build (below) in section 6. Set yourself a fixed limit for worrying about any particular subject, (say; 10, or 15 minutes) after which, resolve firmly to refuse to even consider that subject again on that day: realise and accept that to do otherwise would be counterproductive to your mental health, and enjoyment of life. Use the technique for reprogramming negative thoughts and internal monologue (self talk), on pages 2, and 2L, to help you in this: some people carry a wide rubber band in their pocket: put it on their wrist; stretch, and release, as a means of reinforcing it, and speeding up the process, re-pocketing it afterwards, but I regard this as being purely optional. Practice one of the relaxation methods on pages 2, 11, 2c, or 2i, daily, and when needed. Also, give the EFT a good tryout, to see if it helps you. There is also a version for use in public places, (if you like, you can claim to have a headache, as you massage/lightly tap your temples, but you would then be restricted to subvocalising: saying it to yourself in your mind). Section 53, and pages 2, 2.q and 2.o at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris also refer: "Even though I sometimes suffer from anxiety, I deeply and completely accept myself." ~~~ INSOMNIA: See insomnia treatments, in section 3, at ezy build, below. Use one of the relaxation methods, in bed, after lights out, on pages 2, 11, 2.c, or 2.i, but they can take some time to learn, (progressive muscular relaxation excepted) so learn and become proficient in their use during the day; an alternative is to use the EFT, in section 53, and pages 2.q, and 2.o, saying to yourself: "Even though I currently have a sleep disorder, I deeply and completely accept myself." (or choose your own wording) while you use the acupressure tapping. Find out which works best for you, in the daylight hours, so you will be prepared, come bedtime. For many people, a good idea is to develop a set "wind down" routine for the last hour before bedtime, so your unconscious mind learns that it is time to put thinking aside, and prepare for mindfulness, (awareness, without cogitation/purposeful thought) or the EFT, in preparation for sleep, but the idea with mindfulness is to not even think about sleeping: just drift off, naturally, during exercising those techniques. http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris