Insomnia Forum Posting

Posted by MadKnight on October 10, 2003 at 15:32:38:

In Reply to: combating stress posted by Cecilia on October 10, 2003 at 06:15:14:

Cecilia hello!! I have been reading your posts
with interest. You have a comment in a
previous post that "Insomnia can't kill you."
It can!! I read your post above about health foods etc. Good thoughts, meditation etc. I
am 61 and have been a controlled insomniac with
anxiety disorder which is also controlled. I
have done quite well with my life. We raised
a family, and I managed to retire at the ripe
old age of 55. Why am I telling you all this?
I had a heart attack about 11 years ago now.
That was my wake call [funny for an insomniac].
I had to do something about my stress level
and the resulting insomnia or it would kill me.
My cardiologist and family physician both
said that my heart attack was brought on by
high anxiety and a stressful life as well
as heredity. Many in my family have problems with anxiety but do not realize it. Hard to
see when you are in the middle of it.

I look at insomnia and anxiety as one in the
same. In that one feeds off the other. Can't sleep because my mind is at work or with problems. Mores anxiety results from the inability to sleep and so on. Heredity because it has been shown this behaviour runs in families and is probably caused by lack of certain brain chemicals, serotonin being one.

Eleven years ago I was put on Elavil with
1mg of Xanax. All taken about 2 hours before
bedtime. I have been taking the same dosage
for 11 years, every night. As a result
I have had a relatively great 11 years. I
have my bad nights but they ar not nearly
as numerous as they were in the years preceeding
11 years ago.

Many here would say that Xanax is addictive.
Yes, it is if you let it be. I never changed
my dosage in 11 years. I am dependant on
my Elavil and Xanax just as I am dependant
on my blood pressure meds and my Zocor to
control my blood lipids post heart attack.

In the past 11 years I have tried Ambien.
For me that was a drug that is far worse than
Xanax. I tried Zoloft for 1 year but I came
back to my original formula of Elavil and Xanax.
Nothing else worked for me. I stress "for me".
We are all different.

I read the posts by many others and I get the
feeling that many are afraid to take meds
because of the side effects. Many people
think that insomnia is a natural occurence
and can be controlled "naturally". For
some that may be the case. Not for me!!
I have read here where some have said
"Just lay down and close your eyes...."
Never worked for me. :-]

Insomnia and the stress that results almost
killed me. I will not let it have a second
chance. I enjoy life and all the things
that I do. I have a lot more things that
I have planned to do and will do my utmost
to do.

I take my meds like clockwork, every night
at 9PM and most of the time I fall asleep
when I finally go to bed at 11 PM. I
do not feel ashamed of medicating myself to
sleep I do it because tomorrow I have a
fishing trip or a chess game to play. Without
my proper sleep it just is not possible.

Yours, MadKnight

Follow Ups:

• Re: combating stress beth 10:42 10/13/03 (4)
  • Re: combating stress waterboy 12:36 10/14/03 (0)
  • Re: combating stress MadKnight 11:13 10/13/03 (2)
    • Re: combating stress beth 13:13 10/13/03 (1)
      • Re: combating stress MadKnight 13:49 10/13/03 (0)
• Re: combating stress otis 09:50 10/13/03 (0)
• Re: combating stress Cecilia 04:59 10/13/03 (1)
  • Re: combating stress MadKnight 10:31 10/13/03 (0)

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