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Getting to Sleep

Discussion in 'Your Living Room' started by Jimmy Alvin, Mar 1, 2017.

  1. Jimmy Alvin

    Jimmy Alvin Member

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    I have been using Xanax (0.5mg) for the last three months to get me to sleep at night. I ask my GP about this because I read somewhere that Xanax can help tinnitus and help me sleep. My GP doctor reluctantly gave me Xanax but tells me today, that he is not going to prescribe anymore because of its highly addictive nature and because he put me on Prozac as a "mood lifter" and the two just don't mix well. I have one week left. I asked him about Klonopan and he said it was a related drug just as dangerous. I was on Klonopan (1.0mg) (sp?) for a while and have three refills left from a neurologist. I don't know what to do.....Should I switch up or ask my ENT for a prescription of Xanex, or should I try other methods to get to sleep. Am I flirting with danger possibly getting hooked on this stuff? I use a noise generator, which doesn't help much and sometimes hurts to hear. I don't want to tell the GP about the Klonopan, but can it be dangerous to mix these? I tried herbal sleep remedies, but they do not stop the roaring/vibrating thunder that I get often. Should I just get exhausted and try to sleep? Thanks for any advice.
     
  2. BumbleBea

    BumbleBea Fallen Angel

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    Have you considered Ambien?
    Also, some OTC sleep aids work well.

    Damn Drs.
     
  3. scott tom

    scott tom Active Member

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    Yes, you are flirting with danger by taking any benzo on a daily basis. They are more addictive than heroin. By far. Go to benzo buddies website to read about them before continuing their use. Some people take months and even years to taper off.

    Your doctor is trying to save you a lot of heartache.

    Have you tried melatonin?
     
  4. zotjen

    zotjen Member

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    Always tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking as well as herbal remedies since many of them have drug interactions as well. You mentioned you use a noise generator but didn't indicate what kind of noise it generates (e.g. nature sounds, running water, etc.). Have you tried just a regular white noise generator?
     
  5. Jimmy Alvin

    Jimmy Alvin Member

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    I did try Melatonin, but read where it can effect the absorption of steroids which I am on. I will try Ambien and some other OTC stuff. The noise was so bad last night it woke me up at 5:15am and I did not get back to sleep. Ok, I did try 1/2 of a xanex and that didn't do it either. I am in a very loud period today. You know someone said recently on this site that at least Meniers's won't kill you. They are wrong, it does kill you many ways over.......sorry for being so negative, just a bad day. I have my headphones on trying to escape...God please help me!
     
  6. Cricket

    Cricket Member

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    Jimmy, I too have been taking steroids, now 10mg per day and it still affects my sleep and causes some anxiety. How long have you been taking steroids and does your doctor not want you to taper off those as well? I would recommend the lowest dosage of cannabis if you are willing and able to acquire it, as it should help with anxiety, insomnia and definitely nausea if that too is an issue. YMMV
     
  7. tornadito68

    tornadito68 Member

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    Jimmy Alvin,
    The loud days are the worst. I'm sorry you are feeling so terrible.
    It looks like you are taking a LOT of things including RX, herbal, and supplements. My body is very sensitive to things I take.
    3 months ago I had surgery on my shoulder from a bike crash. I then developed a blood clot from the brace and was put on blood thinners. After 10 days on the blood thinners my Meniere's came back worst than ever. I started taking all kinds of holistic meds and the symptoms got worst and worst. I was able to get off the blood thinner because the blood clot dissolved early. I also stopped taking lots of holistic and RX meds I was taking for my stomach, sinus, etc. I started feeling much better fast. I gave it a couple of days to clean my system and started the Valacyclovir. Things are getting better everyday thank god.
    My point is that during the holidays this past year I was feeling just like you. I was taking way to many things and was under lots of stress from my surgery and other surgeries in my family. Try to make a list of all the stuff you take that may be to much for your system. I hope I make sense.
    wish you the best.
    Karina
     
  8. Jimmy Alvin

    Jimmy Alvin Member

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    Thanks to all the very sweet people who responded. Steroids, been on them now four separate times. This latest attempt involves a tube in my left ear and drops three times a day, 20 minute rests each time. I am also doing steroids in a nasal bath. I am not having luck with this...and becoming discouraged. The steroids end on March 14. My diagnosis is still not confirmed, as one ENT told me yesterday (seen on an emergency basis due to hearing loss), it could be Meniere's, hyrops, Eustachian tube malfunction, severe allergies of some type, or another series of diagnoses that "cut across simple definitions" and is not "classifiable." I had tests related to balance (hot air in the ear) and it was inconclusive! What the heck does that mean? The only thing I consider myself lucky, is that I have only had two bad vertigo episodes in four months, but many mini-dizzy spells. I can't bend over without huge pain in the head. I have my anti-viral ready to go when I see my regular ENT on March 15. I have been going now on day three with horrific tinnitus, and a low groaning growl that ebbs and flows. One dental drill in each ear and a low groaning machine running. My hearing tonight has been reduced to virtually nothing. I have no interest in watching TV, it is too painful. Karina and Cricket thank you for sharing your experiences. My grandfather use to call me Cricket when I was five years old. By the way, I want to start on the anti-viral, but want to talk with my doctor first.
     
  9. BumbleBea

    BumbleBea Fallen Angel

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    I can't sleep Tonight. I am so very tired. I've been up since 5:30 am with a 1 hour nap. I wonder if it's a seasonal thing or a bipolar thing.
    Whatever it is less sleep makes mm rear it's ugly head.

    How many people here don't take benzos?
     
  10. Steve

    Steve New Member

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    I just started using Prednisone 10mg. It is affecting my sleep. My doctor recommended that I reduce it to the lowest possible dose and still get relief from the dizziness. I find if I can get it down to 7.5mg I sleep but have less relief. I have found exercise really helps. When the dizzyiness gets really bad I take a .5mg Ativan. This really helps. I have also had some success with focusing on a single fixed point when the dizzyiness and vertigo get really bad. It keeps me from getting nausious. I find you may want to close your eyes but you will be a lot happier if you don't. Before I was told of this by a vertibular rehab physio I was violently sick pretty well every episode. It was so bad I had my doctor prescibe injectable gravol shots. My wife is a trooper and learned to give me the injections. Since doing the single point exercise along with the Ativan I have not required an injection. Living with MD seems to be a slow learning process. The doctors have been little help. This group and the internet are good places to start. I would recommend finding a vestibular rehab physio. I find they actually know more about the problem than either ENT I've seen.
     
  11. scott tom

    scott tom Active Member

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    Benzos are ok for "as needed" basis. Just avoid taking them every day.
     
  12. BumbleBea

    BumbleBea Fallen Angel

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    Jimmy How did you sleep last night?
     
  13. Jimmy Alvin

    Jimmy Alvin Member

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    Bumblebea, it was a disaster. I went to bed at 12:30pm and rolled and tumbled the entire night. I did sleep for two hours between 3 and 5pm and awoke to the horrific roar yet again, now unabated for four days. I stayed in bed until 11:00am and got up dizzy and completely in a fog. My family (my sister is here as well) sent me back to bed with oatmeal and a xanex--I tried not to take--and I slept three more hours. I did walk a little over a mile with my sister and felt better. I think my mind is having a toll take on it, after five months of this horror. I got so paranoid and delusional just laying in the bed...it was scary. My family is taking to a counselor tomorrow, I suppose sort of an intervention. I am so sad I am disappointing them, but I am trying. Strangely, my hearing is much better than yesterday's nightmare of distorted voices and base sounds. I love you for thinking about me......If I could reach out and give you a hug I would. My sister leaves in two days, and tears are rolling down my face thinking about it....
     
  14. scott tom

    scott tom Active Member

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    You are not disappointing anyone. You are surviving a really raw deal that nature has put on you. You're doing your best.
     
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  15. Jimmy Alvin

    Jimmy Alvin Member

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    Thanks TomScott! I am trying, but to see the terrified look on my families faces is so, so, so very hard when I go into these weepy dizzy hazes. I just retired six months ago, after 36 years and my partner, sister, and I were suppose to be traveling the world and we are dealing with this. I only had one week of tinnitus and dizziness some 21 years ago and now this, since November. I just lost it this morning when they asked me to pray. I left religion, but found myself begging to the God I knew as a Kid for help. I wrote a Children's story last week to help me....it did (my sister's suggestion).
     
  16. Jimmy Alvin

    Jimmy Alvin Member

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    Bumblebea, I hope you are sleeping well tonight, and I know you have found a quiet peace...
     
  17. AnneT

    AnneT Well-Known Member

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    I really want to behave myself with benzodiazepines because they are such awesome rescue drugs for vertigo. I don’t want to lose the ‘privilege’ of access to these drugs.

    Three things that have helped my sleep, and to get off years of imovane (like ambien):
    1. Amino acids as per The Mood Cure by Julia Ross.

    2. Mindfulness meditation - my fav book on this is Full Catastrophe Living.

    3. Say Good Night to Insomnia by Gregg Jacobs. This one especially was sooooo helpful, how to wean down gradually and sanely to avoid rebound insomnia. I didn’t have to do the extreme limiting-time-in-bed thing but staying up a little later helped me sleep longer in the morning, avoiding lying awake and getting anxious.

    Hope this helps someone.
     
  18. Peter rabbit

    Peter rabbit Member

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    I've just learned that tinnitus is your friend that comes with this disease. It's like a friend that no matter what you do it hangs around and never goes away. Sometimes it's like a friend that really has a extremely bad attitude and really shows himself by getting loud. It's weird but you get use to it kinda. I use a fan at night to sleep. I can't sleep without the noise. The noise kinda masks the tinnitus.....untill it becomes the friend that gets mad at you. We menierians have to love thy neighbor tinnitus.
     
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  19. justsaiyan

    justsaiyan Member

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    The tinnitus is really the only thing I can 'live with' that's part of this disease. Eventhough so many people around the world hate it and have problems with it, I've become friends with mine . Hate every other aspect of the disease though.
     
  20. Blakeh

    Blakeh Active Member

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    I do not take benzos! They can put you in a world of hurt....
     
    • Agree Agree x 1

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