Bipolar with Insomnia

bluejude · July 29, 2006, 4:57pm

I am bipolar at 29 and was diagnosed years ago. Spent these years experimenting with different "cocktails". I am now on Wellbutrin and Neurontin. I have tried Trazodone, Ambien, Lunesta and Dalmane for sleep. All have worked for awhile, then I become tolerant and back to Insomnia. When I don't sleep I start to cycle very fast. My doc, which I am not fond of says I need to reset my internal clock. What a joke, that clock hasn't been set my whole life. I am currently looking for a new doc, but you know how it goes, not taking new patients etc. etc. I guess I just want to know if anyone has similar problems or advice. Since being on no sleeping pills I get Valium or Xanax from people I know have them to at least relax.

Ellie_1 · July 29, 2006, 5:36pm

Hi Bluejude
Will your dr. not prescribe a benzo to help you rest? I usually stay hypomanic and have never slept very well. I feel best with 4 or 5 hours, tops. Anything over 6 hours leaves me feeling groggy. I've found that Klonopin helps me sleep a little deeper and wake up less often during the night. Ativan worked even better. You might want to discuss this with your dr.
Take care
Ellie

Good judgement comes from experience and alot of that comes from bad judgement.

wmnak · July 30, 2006, 4:26am

i, too, have been diagnosed as bi polar and have trouble sleeping. i try not taking sleeping pills bacause, as you say, you become tollerant. ambian didn't work for me at all. i am also in chronic debilitating pain, so one night i took a few lortab and darvocet. my doc was not amused. but i slept and didn't have any pain. now, however, i use temazepam 30 mg if i just can't sleep and start panicing about it. better than the narcodic drugs

bluejude · August 1, 2006, 3:09pm

thanks for reply. just got so frustrated. i need sleep u know makes me cycle if i dont and that causes mania and anxiety attacks.

bluejude

olivia_of_course · August 1, 2006, 11:19pm

Blue,

I hope your insomnia is getting better. My insomnia was terrible at times too. I used to go on little to no sleep and then would crash at the end of the week. I felt like I was dying, plus that could be bad for my BP symptoms. Like you all the sleep aid did not work. I now take Trazadone (which works for the most part, even though not all the time) which did not work for you. I have also taken benzos, but they did not work all the time. The only other things left would be benzo like ativan, valium... The only thing about benzos is that they are for short term treatment, no more than 2 weeks. Because they can be habit forming, and their withdrawl syptoms can be pretty unpleasant. Good luck on finding the best med that helps you sleep.

~Olivia

"Don't let your yesterday ruin your today."

Ellie_1 · August 1, 2006, 11:23pm

Wow, I've been on Klonopin for months. In fact I know of some in the anxiety forum that have taken them for years. Of course I don't take them any where near as often as they're prescribed. I'm allowed up to three mgs a day and I usually don't take more than half a mg in any 24 hr. period.

Good judgement comes from experience and alot of that comes from bad judgement.

zinster · August 2, 2006, 1:57am

Yes, I too suffer from insomnia with my BP. I take Melatonin or benedryl. I switch back and forth so I don't get tolerant to them.