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Re: If you've used Elavil successfully

Posted by maryflo on December 15, 2003 at 18:47:09:

In Reply to: If you've used Elavil successfully posted by LindaO on December 15, 2003 at 12:06:53:

Well, I for one am stumped. But have some very random ideas.

One is, is there any kind of post traumatic stress component? The reason I ask is that that is the biggest piece of my own insomnia puzzle, but it took years for me to make the connection. Story was: trauma as a kid, repression, life is fine for years, then mysterious and severe sleep problem shows up when one of my own kids is having a hard time -- __20 years later__. All kinds of therapy (for years) sheds light on the situation, but sleep remains bad -- until I find a therapist who specializes in post traumatic stress and uses this technique called EMDR, which is used for phobias.

Another idea: It might be worth doing a consult with a psychopharmacologist, if you're as hugely sensitive to meds as it sounds. One I worked with was quite a bit more knowledgeable than the sleep docs. (After all, it was her profession!)

Progesterone cream -- I found prometrium (natural progesterone you get by prescription) to be sedating, and the health food store version (ProGest) not to be. I have no clue why. Theoretically I was getting about the same quantity of the hormone.

Is Estazolam a benzodiazapine? I found taking ativan (a benzo) that about 5 or 6 nights after taking it I would get a night where I'd never fall asleep. Took me a long time to make the connection -- after 5 days I would be starting to go into withdrawal. So is there any chance that might be complicating your picture?

Have you given sleep restriction a try? Have you consulted with any other sleep docs, just to pick their brains? Are your sleep lab scores normal except for the insomnia and restless legs?

Just brainstorming here.

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