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Posted 12/22/2008 8:07 AM (GMT -8)
Kitty9309-

have you tried Rescue Sleep? What's your opinion on it?
Posted 12/23/2008 9:09 AM (GMT -8)

seeingstars said...
I'm still waiting for opinions on brand of garlic and chlorella.

Also, I just talked to my doc and he wants me to try Lorazepam. A BENZO. I'm a little freaked but, I am going to give it a try. I told my husband to keep an eye on me.

I do really want to try the garlic and chlorella tho.

   Pharmax freeze-dried garlic and Source Naturals Yaeyama Chlorella. I'd start with the garlic only since it's pricey by itself, but also seems to have the most pronounced effect on insomnia.
Posted 12/23/2008 10:31 AM (GMT -8)
Thank you Sulma
Posted 12/24/2008 6:30 AM (GMT -8)
SS- I have not. I did try Rescue Remedy by the same company and didn't feel a thing. I was very bad off and the time, though.
Posted 12/24/2008 7:58 AM (GMT -8)

In addition to Sulma's recommendation ~

If you have a physician who treats integratively, ask he or she about these two possibilities:

Combo recipe of:

  1. Ciancinamide - 500mg tablet - 2 @ bedtime
  2. L-tryplophan - 500 mg caps - 2 @ bedtime
  3. Melatonin - 3 mg (natural hormone only)

Take w/a healthy carb - apple slices for example to help transport it.

or

Aura Patches for Sleep.  You must go through your doctor for a script for these.  The company does not market direct.  http://www.aurapatches.com/science.html   Natural frequencies developed on quantum physics. 

Research and physician feedback seems to indicate positive results w/in the Lyme integrative treating community for their patients.  We're going to enter and test the waters to see for Heth under the care of her docs.  Some response to the sleep program (Sleep Patch and Rejuvinator 300GP 'chips') depends on the bacterial load and underlying causes.

Blessings,

Sojourner

Posted 12/25/2008 5:32 AM (GMT -8)
Melatonin,
L-triplophan and
I have been recommended to try Prolent or other Sanesco forumulations.
http://www.sanesco.net/products_tnt.php?product=prolent
Posted 12/25/2008 8:29 PM (GMT -8)
Here is some information that may help you. 

B12 deficiency is very common is lyme disease patients - the symptoms include insomnia, depression, memory loss, tingling in hands or feet, dizziness, tinnitus (ringing ears), headache, migraine, eye problems and fatigue.  If your body cannot absorb the B12 well, you can get shots from your doctor.  I am giving them to myself. It is very cheap and worth a try.  Lyme also depletes magnesium and you should be supplementing this several times a day with a chelated form.  Magnesium deficiency causes insomnia as well as cramps and nerve problems.

It is better to use herbs than chemicals to treat insomnia.

Some of the more common herbs used are Valerian, skull cap and passionflower. Rescue Remedy did nothing for me.  Neither does melatonin.

Herbsom, sold by Zhang, is the most effective herbal remedy I have ever used and I have tried everything!  It has no side effects and does not leave you groggy.  Here is a list of the ingredients as listed on the label.

1st - Chinese Corydalis - used for insomnia, restless leg syndrome, palsy, trembling, excitement, anxiety, to relieve nerve pain, abdominal cramps and to improve circulation.

2nd - Jujube seeds - used for insomnia, irritability, to deepen sleep and to calm the nervous system

3rd - Schisandra fruit - for coughs, night sweats, insomnia, to imporve the body's ability to respond to stress, antioxicant and as liver protectant.

You can buy these herbs at various sites online a lot cheaper than you can from Zhang.  I would give them a shot before resorting to drugs that can damage you over time.  I was given Ambien and told to take it for the rest of my life, every single night.  After about a month I was addicted to it and I also developed a lot of anger.  When the dog threatened to bite me, I realized just how out of control I was becoming and went online to check out all the side effects.  Anger and aggression are listed.  I quit with great difficulty and even though I was not sleeping I was not losing control of my emotions.  Always check out all the side effects of any drug you are taking.

Posted 1/26/2009 2:34 PM (GMT -8)
I am posting this so those that look back in the archives might benefit.

I tried the benzo. Worked once or twice but it's not doing it for me anymore. I am wondering if I would need a relaxant added to that. I'll have to ask my doc. Really tho, I don't want more poisons to put in my body. You would think something as simple as sleeping would not be that hard to achieve. Heck if my husband finds a quiet spot for 5 minutes he's sawing logs. I am back to square one. I have the garlic and chorella and will try that next.

I thought the other night I would give Rozerem another try. NOPE, did not work. It made the front part of my brain droggy but I laid awake all night. It's like the back of my brain won't shut off. That is where I need a med or herb to focus so I can fall asleep.

At this point benedril is the only thing that allows me some sleep. And that is only sometimes. It doesn't work all the time.
Posted 1/26/2009 5:27 PM (GMT -8)
Insomnia always has been a problem for me too -- lately with the Lyme it's definitely been worse. I have used Benadryl, or even Dramamine (for motion sickness) -- Trazadone worked for awhile and then I think I would have had to increase the dose and then I went off cold turkey -- not a good idea -- very anxious and agitated for a week.

One thing lately that seems to work for me is to use ear plugs! It's not that it is so noisy, but every little odd noise would alert me out of sleep. Now somehow with those plugs in, I can just go into my little world and drop off. Of course if you have kids or other things that you need to hear maybe not so good, although I think I could definitely still hear a baby crying, etc. it just shuts out a little of the background noise.
Posted 1/26/2009 6:19 PM (GMT -8)
I'm late to this conversation, but I have some input that might help.

Insomnia has been one of my worst symptoms. At its worst point, I could not sleep at all, literally. I had everything. I couldn't fall asleep. When I did fall asleep, I'd wake up every hour. I became a very light sleeper. Any sound would wake me up, though I used to be able to sleep through anything. I was groggy 24 hours a day.

The antibiotics I was finally put on helped at least get me to a livable situation, but it was a double-edged sword. If you read the instructions that come with antibiotics, you'll see that many of them actually have insomnia as a possible side effect. For me, it was Plaquenil (hydroxycholorquine) that caused me problems. It won't let me fall asleep. It almost makes me jittery, like a caffeine jolt. It's not noticeable during the day, but at night, it's maddening. Now, I only take it in the morning.

So, in other words, the antibiotics helped with one cause of my insomnia, but added a new cause on their own. Something to consider.

EDIT:

I should also add that I've tried every sleep aid in the book, and nothing has had the least bit of affect on me. I get all the side effects and absolutely no sleep benefit. Prior to getting Lyme, a Benadryl would knock me out cold. Lyme does something screwy with the sleep center of the brain.

Post Edited (IH8Ticks) : 1/26/2009 7:23:56 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 1/26/2009 10:57 PM (GMT -8)
When you wake up in the night at like 2am take just half an ambien under your tounge and it will work quite fast and you will sleep til morning. I do this often and it is a life saver.
Posted 1/27/2009 4:18 AM (GMT -8)

hopingToFindCure said...
Best thing for insomnia: Exercise, exercise, exercise.

Your in a LD forum.. Many of us are lucky to get out of bed let alone have the energy to exercise smilewinkgrin

You are correct though when I could excercise it helped out a lot.
I often wake up at 2 or 3 after taking ambian also. I find that a heating pad on my back helps.
Posted 1/27/2009 6:43 AM (GMT -8)
My doctor suspects my recent insomnia may be caused by a cortisol level that is too high at night.

Until my tests come back, he recommended PS-100 (phosphatidylserine) 2 capsules 2 hours before bed.

PS-100 will lower cortisol levels if they are high, but will not affect normal or low levels. It is the main essential fatty acid present in the brain and is good for memory and cognition as well.
Posted 1/27/2009 6:51 AM (GMT -8)
Thanks for your additional responses guys.

Kitty I will look into that. That may be my problem.

Does your doc think after the infection is under control the levels will return to normal?
Posted 1/27/2009 7:21 AM (GMT -8)
Yes, the theory is that the long term infection with Lyme has messed up my HPA axis. (hypothalmic-piuitary-adrenal axis). Treating and clearing the infection should, in time, fix it. Time will tell.

Lyme and it co-infections are good at messing with this system and causing many symptoms. I also got the official "Chronic Fatigue" diagnosis along with Lyme, hypothyroid and joint pain.

My endo did an ACTH Stimulation test that was normal. This doctor did saliva testing, which I now read is very reliable according to the NIH and WHO.

Luckily, my endo and Lyme doc are friends! Lyme doc plans on educating endo on saliva testing for adrenal function.
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