Strongest sleeping medication?

[melancholymallory03]

wish me luck I cannot even harbour enough sleep to do any kind of planning and when I do it's a long crash period I only take Xanax when it gets absolutely unbearable but I don't want to take them myself anymore. I have to see a doctor about these sleeping issues they are causing me to see things even out of the corner of my eye sometimes , and be quite agitated …. Also nausea so much nausea sometimes …. I don't know why my brain overpowers my body sometimes my thoughts keep me awake I think I'm going to need a strong sleeping medication and I'm terrified of doctors I don't want them to accuse me of trying to get them for recreational purposes because I just want to remember what it's like to have a normal sleep , yes I self medicate with marijuana to sleep but I don't smoke all day long, I'm afraid they will tell me that I have to stop this before prescribing me something. What should I say to them to actually get a good sleeping pill? Melatonin DOES NOT WORK FOR ME, neither does trazadone I've tried it . I feel so hopleless I can't even plan to ctb if I am erratic from not sleeping so I need to handle this issue , sleeping
I might try to call the hospital or just go to the emergency room today because sometimes you have to and it's difficult to make an appointment I will try to because I don't want to take up space from people who really need and sit in the waiting room for many hours so I am really going to try to do through my family doctor I just pray they have some sympathy for me because I've had such bad experiences with doctors and I don't wanna turn to the streets to get drugs for something like sleeping , I know when I'm rested I can carry on my plans better . My thoughts don't shut up, I'm always restless , it's fucked
daridorexant is what Google is saying


My issue is that I can't stay asleep longer than 4-5 hours at a time sometimes I am able to fall asleep and I am also on an SSRI

 

[madasco]

I feel you. Not sleeping is a bitch. I find all benzos come with side effects and tolerance, often leaving you drowsy, with low energy and cognitively impaired if used for more than a few days.

Have you tried quviviq? 50-75mg worked pretty well for me, although after a few days I experienced significant anhedonia. But it's "cleaner" than benzos and doesn't impair you that much the day after. It also doesn't knock you out like dormicum , so you need to be relaxed and have practiced some sleep hygiene during the day for it to work better.

Hope it helps!

 

[Otaku]

You're already getting Xanax, which is the strongest sedative from the benzodiazepine family pr 1mg of the most prescribed.
And taking them, as you said brings a lot with it( Side effects, tolerance, withdrawals and what not) . I get benzos myself. So i know it all too well.

You do not mention it, so i have to ask. Have you tried antihistamines? Like Promethazine/Phenergan. It worked well for me, a long time ago. The reason i am mentioning antihistamines, is because they are not addictive in the same way almost anything else is. There is also Gabapentinoids/ and the prodrug Lyrica.

 

[melancholymallory03]

I feel you. Not sleeping is a bitch. I find all benzos come with side effects and tolerance, often leaving you drowsy, with low energy and cognitively impaired if used for more than a few days.

Have you tried quviviq? 50-75mg worked pretty well for me, although after a few days I experienced significant anhedonia. But it's "cleaner" than benzos and doesn't impair you that much the day after. It also doesn't knock you out like dormicum , so you need to be relaxed and have practiced some sleep hygiene during the day for it to woke better.

Hope it helps!

Thank you so much! I've been dealing with these symptoms for a few months now…….. maybe going on four so I am absolutely at my wits end and I really appreciate you're advice I was worried about the benzos making me feel to much like a zombie but I was also guessing maybe that would be better than not sleeping at all, so I'm glad there is a better alternative . I live in Ontario, what do you think I should tell my doctor ? Im having a lot of anxiety , should I just outright ask for that medication?

I literally can't even function properly , most of the time now without crashing and sleeping for short times then waking up right now , I have no underlying health conditions and I know it's psychological , I really want this all to stop man,…. It's getting in the way of my ctb plans too even more!! :( I feel like such a mess I need to just get some sleep so I can plan things all better.


Is quvivig available near me, I'm gonna look into that haha

You're already getting Xanax, which is the strongest sedative from the benzodiazepine family pr 1mg of the most prescribed.
And taking them, as you said brings a lot with it( Side effects, tolerance, withdrawals and what not) . I get benzos myself. So i know it all too well.

You do not mention it, so i have to ask. Have you tried antihistamines? Like Promethazine/Phenergan. It worked well for me, a long time ago. The reason i am mentioning antihistamines, is because they are not addictive in the same way almost anything else is. There is also Gabapentinoids/ and the prodrug Lyrica.

Yes but when I take Xanax I take them irregularly and infrequently because they aren't always easy to get on the streets……
Also I'm able to take one for one night, and not take the next night I wouldn't say I'm dependant on them , atleast I am just dependant on some vice for sleeping ….. I am willing to do anything … I've tried alcohol too and that dosent work… greatly

Lyrica is a hard pass because I've heard awful things about it and someone close to me firsthand takes the shot and has very horrid side effects …. Should I try to get a prescription of Xanax? Do you think it's likely they will even give me that? Without suspecting me of abusing them? I honestly just wanna good nights sleep, my trauma and past keeps me awake and I'm restless like in my body….sorry for over sharing if I have lol I'm just not sure , I am scared that a medication being prescribed could also cause side effects and dependence because I like to have control I think it's a trauma thing, at the end of the day I'll do whatever I have to do to get a good night rest so I can continue planning, but don't wanna get laced off the streets or just cut to shit, and also rather have a deal prescription for convenience anyhow because this has been going on for months

 

[madasco]

You're welcome! Know that you're not alone in this suffering. Everything starts with restful sleep. Yes, I think you may want to ask for that medicine; explain your Dr. that you have tried everything else and that benzos leave you trashed and unable to function. He may not know about the medicine because it has been approved recently (at least in the EU), so you may have to inform him.

Or just go to a place where you can buy it without a prescription. I'm doing so in an EU country now.

Please remember that after a few days of using it you may experience lack of energy, anhedonia, even suicide ideation. No med is perfect, but this one can be interrupted cold turkey without any consequences. And if it helps you to catch some good sleep for a week then you may be on track to solve your insomnia by yourself.

Good luck and please tell us how it went when you try it!

 

[melancholymallory03]

You're welcome! Know that you're not alone in this suffering. Everything starts with restful sleep. Yes, I think you may want to ask for that medicine; explain your Dr. that you have tried everything else and that benzos leave you trashed and unable to function. He may not know about the medicine because it has been approved recently (at least in the EU), so you may have to inform him.

Or just go to a place where you can buy it without a prescription. I'm doing so in an EU country now.

Please remember that after a few days of using it you may experience lack of energy, anhedonia, even suicide ideation. No med is perfect, but this one can be interrupted cold turkey without any consequences. And if it helps you to catch some good sleep for a week then you may be on track to solve your insomnia by yourself.

Good luck and please tell us how it went when you try it!

Will do , ! I'm going to try to schedule something tomorrow I just hope they take me seriously , I am going to try to reassure myself though . Can hardly get much done , I feel like a failure right now, I'm sure the suicidal ideation can't be much higher than I have , I mean I hope ahh and will be better than the sleepless nights, it's the worst when you're just laying awake , telling yourself to sleep, and all you get in return from you're mind is the same repeats of situations , conversations and places looping back, you try to silence you're thoughts with music , distractions like reading / drawing but you can't. It's just total aloneness , you're paranoid because u already haven't gotten enough sleep , you know you're body and you're not truly like this it just floods into my days now I need to manage this problem ASAP, thank you so much for you're kind words ! Hopefully they are responsive and prescribe me something in good time , wishing and waiting. I'll go this morning and let you know! I'll cry if they recommended melatonin though lol , if I had a dollar for every time growing up a psychiatrist did I would prob be richer 500$

 

[Otaku]

Thank you so much! I've been dealing with these symptoms for a few months now…….. maybe going on four so I am absolutely at my wits end and I really appreciate you're advice I was worried about the benzos making me feel to much like a zombie but I was also guessing maybe that would be better than not sleeping at all, so I'm glad there is a better alternative . I live in Ontario, what do you think I should tell my doctor ? Im having a lot of anxiety , should I just outright ask for that medication?

I literally can't even function properly , most of the time now without crashing and sleeping for short times then waking up right now , I have no underlying health conditions and I know it's psychological , I really want this all to stop man,…. It's getting in the way of my ctb plans too even more!! :( I feel like such a mess I need to just get some sleep so I can plan things all better.


Is quvivig available near me, I'm gonna look into that haha

Yes but when I take Xanax I take them irregularly and infrequently because they aren't always easy to get on the streets……
Also I'm able to take one for one night, and not take the next night I wouldn't say I'm dependant on them , atleast I am just dependant on some vice for sleeping ….. I am willing to do anything … I've tried alcohol too and that dosent work… greatly

Lyrica is a hard pass because I've heard awful things about it and someone close to me firsthand takes the shot and has very horrid side effects …. Should I try to get a prescription of Xanax? Do you think it's likely they will even give me that? Without suspecting me of abusing them? I honestly just wanna good nights sleep, my trauma and past keeps me awake and I'm restless like in my body….sorry for over sharing if I have lol I'm just not sure , I am scared that a medication being prescribed could also cause side effects and dependence because I like to have control I think it's a trauma thing, at the end of the day I'll do whatever I have to do to get a good night rest so I can continue planning, but don't wanna get laced off the streets or just cut to shit, and also rather have a deal prescription for convenience anyhow because this has been going on for months

Well. I will say, that with your situation taking into consideration, it may be a very good idea to talk with a doctor.
It is ALWAYS best to get it from your doctor. Always.

Remember side-effects in one person, does not mean you are going to get it. Millions of people take Lyrica. It has become very popular. And it does not give the same intolerable withdrawals like xanax can give.

Xanax is a short acting benzo, so it produces more powerful withdrawals. I personally can feel it the day after just one dosage! With withdrawals.

It it also possible a Z benzodiazepine is more suited to you, like Zopiclone or zolpidem. I really do think the best would be,to talk with your doctor I cannot answer if he will prescribe it, but many people are getting them prescribed because they need them.

I do not know enough of your data and situation, to give you a more qualified answer.

 

[mellie5]

Hello -

my learned colleagues here are mixing the medications. Not sleeping is awful.

Xanax (alprazolam) is not the "strongest benzodiazepine", there are many others with different modes of action, duration and characteristics and "strongest" depends on the dosage. Each benzodiazepine is actually indicated in different conditions.

here you have some of them:

benzo.org.uk : Benzodiazepine Equivalence Table

benzo.org.uk - Benzodiazepine Equivalence Table

www.benzo.org.uk

this is not a complete list. Bear in mind too that some accumulate and others don't. Benzodiazepines are not true "sleeping pills", their goal is not to make you sleepy.

Lyrica is gabapentin, originally for pain but found to work in anxiety and is not a benzodiazepine.

The "Z" pills (zaleplone/zolpidem/zopiclone) are more true sleeping pills, they won't calm you down though. Zaleplone works quickly and makes you sleep for a short while (this is good for people who have trouble falling asleep), zolpidem works in around 30 mins and should keep you asleep for 4 hours but people can have automatisms (they go shopping in a "dream-like" state, which is very dangerous). Zopiclone takes the longest to work, makes you sleep the longest but you wake up with a horrible taste in your mouth. The newer eszopiclone doesn't taste so bad.

Sleeping problems are very complicated though and sometimes caused just by bad habits. Also people develop tolerance to the medication and it stops working for a while.

But like Otaku said change the dosage or medication under medical supervision. If you start taking it when you feel like doing so, it will make a mess.

Please please avoid taking anything "preventively", i.e. first try to sleep and take the pill when you actually can't sleep, because if you get used to taking the pill "just in case" or just to fall asleep faster, it's a big step towards addiction.

If you search for "sleep hygiene" you can find habits that help with sleep.

And if you are overweight you might have sleep apnoea, which is a completely different thing.

Anyway goodnight and sleep well :-)

 

[Esokabat]

I have a trick but it only works for women over 40+.
The hormone bioidentical progresterone in higher doses, such as 400mg, will make you sleepy, more or less similar effect to xanax, as it also acts on GABA receptors.
But since it is a bioidentical hormone, it is not addictive, has no side effects, in fact it has a lot of health benefits, it is anti-inflammatory, it is good for brain health, it even makes your bones stronger. I have tried diazepam and tried 400 mg progresterone, and I think the progresterone is stronger to put you to sleep. Its effect doesn't last as long as the diazepam though.

 

[final_countdown12]

Quetiapine + zolpidem is very effective.

 

[mellie5]

I have a trick but it only works for women over 40+.
The hormone bioidentical progresterone in higher doses, such as 400mg, will make you sleepy, more or less similar effect to xanax, as it also acts on GABA receptors.
But since it is a bioidentical hormone, it is not addictive, has no side effects, in fact it has a lot of health benefits, it is anti-inflammatory, it is good for brain health, it even makes your bones stronger. I have tried diazepam and tried 400 mg progresterone, and I think the progresterone is stronger to put you to sleep. Its effect doesn't last as long as the diazepam though.

except when the progesterone turns out to stimulate breast cancer cells.

full article below.

Summary: in some cases, progesterone stimulates the growth of breast cancer cells. It is not "neutral" and has side effects. Imo not a good idea.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7156851/

 

[willitpass]

While coming here for help on what to potentially expect is great, please remember that your doctor is the only one who can make the right decision for you. Many on here are speaking from personal experience and not from a healthcare background, and even those of us with a healthcare background can only explain how things may work. Only a doctor seeing you in person can tell you what to try and at what dose. Please don't start seeking out medications on here simply because they were recommended or have worked for other users. Forums are not physicians, always be cautious, do your own research, and use good judgment when reading medical advice here.

 

[mellie5]

you make nice posts :-)

 

[melancholymallory03]

you make nice posts :-)

Thank u wtfff lmaooo you make nice sentences !!

While coming here for help on what to potentially expect is great, please remember that your doctor is the only one who can make the right decision for you. Many on here are speaking from personal experience and not from a healthcare background, and even those of us with a healthcare background can only explain how things may work. Only a doctor seeing you in person can tell you what to try and at what dose. Please don't start seeking out medications on here simply because they were recommended or have worked for other users. Forums are not physicians, always be cautious, do your own research, and use good judgment when reading medical advice here.

I agree with you !!
, the reason i normally ask for advice on here is because i tend to avoid hospitals and such … and also authoritative people because in the past they have lied and taken advantage / done some weird things so i just fear going most of the time.

When I try to call telehealfh for a question or something


TW / BODY PARTS / blood?


Like once i had a tampon stuck inside me and i was starting to get symptoms of toxic shock syndrome but i was to scared to go in and i wanted to ask telegealfh to please offer some advise , but they just wanted my personal information …. Like my name , date of birth …. And my health card number
. I honestly wasn't comfortable giving it to them, I'm not sure why.

I think because the fear of what's happened in the past prevents me , but i always filter through the advice i get on here heavily because i am easily manipulated too, and probably a bit impressionable I don't wanna say weak …. But

if the shoe. Fits ..

Lmao I hate myself

 

[tsumihoroboshi]

the only sleep med that worked for me that i was on for a decade was seroquel/quetiapine. they try to market it like it's something you can take in the daytime, but i guess most psychs don't know that it has a very strong sedative effect so even on it's lowest dose (50mg usually) it just paralyses your body making it impossible to work. it's a sleep med. i don't know why they try to act like it isn't.

however it's also a med for bipolar/schizophrenia/depression and it's had some side effects on me like hallucinating strange things before finally falling asleep and keeping me very groggy. it could knock me out for over 10 hours. last i was on it, i was taking 600mg (two 300mg tablets they wanted me to take). they changed my meds a couple years ago so i'm not on it anymore, but in my personal experience and some acquaintances that have also been on it--it's very strong.

i experience bouts of insomnia and narcolepsy , not being able to sleep is a real killer. sleep deprivation is the worst form of torture. i hope you find something that works for you!

 

[exzźy]

I didn't see people mention it here but, I find zopiclone to be one of the most effective sleeping pills I've ever tried. It's a powerful hypnotic sedative designed for short-term relief from severe insomnia. However, it's not all sunshine and rainbows. The side effects can hit you like a ton of bricks, leaving you feeling dizzy, almost as if you drank a bit too much. And bitter taste in your mouth next morning is a real mood killer. Despite the drawbacks, there's no denying its efficacy as a sleep aid.

 

[ForgottenAgain]

I have tried Zolpidem and Zolpiclone, prescribed by my psychiatrists at the time. Zolpiclone I feel like it didn't do that much to me, I had a hard time falling asleep and on the next day didn't feel like I had good sleep.

With Zolpidem though...Best sleep of my life. Felt like I was 8 years old again, falling asleep fast, waking up energised and refreshed. I miss that medication, I start craving it if I think about it a lot. However, Zolpidem ruined my memory and concentration. Had to play memory games for months to try and repair it and I don't think I'm the same as I was before taking it. I didn't take it every day, mind you, just took it when I couldn't sleep.

 

[mellie5]

Hello - they ask your name etc. because if they keep a record they can see why you called before and the age helps a lot (18-y.o. with my chest hurts sometimes is different from 82-y.o. with three recorded reanimations with "my cheat hurts").

Here you can get anectodal evidence but sometimes heavily influenced by something else (this medicine didn't make me sleep - but they forgot to say they were going through a messy divorce), or this other medicine worked right away (they were biting the nurses and they had to use something fast), or nothing works (and I trink 3 big cups of coffee before going to sleep) or I wake up at 5 AM (but go to sleep at 9 PM).

This is why a good, serious psychiatric interview takes forever and needs blood tests.

Check the source of the advice. This tablet is good because link and link. Articles about a "study" are no good. We can make a study rn and have people repeat it the "news" and often the headline won't exactly match the text.

"Study finds that typing the letter "B" may help in insomnia"

then you read it's actually some weird study in a pay-to-publish journal. You can register in the Library of Congress anything - call it the "International American Society of Sleep" and get an ISSN and there you go, a journal :-D

Good medical sources are paid and require a subscription to stay ad-free and pharma-friend free.

But do get suggestions here ofc :-) then ask the doctor if they are sensible. The healthline is ofc better than nothing but a good psychatric history takes 1h-1h30 when done by a psychiatrist licensed in therapy (which are not all of them btw).

And questions like - alcohol? illegal drugs? herbal teas? otc medicine? what do you do before going to sleep? do you have a bf/gf? how long have you been lonely? how long have you been a couple? how is your phone use in the evening? etc etc etc.

 

[willitpass]

Thank u wtfff lmaooo you make nice sentences !!

I agree with you !!
, the reason i normally ask for advice on here is because i tend to avoid hospitals and such … and also authoritative people because in the past they have lied and taken advantage / done some weird things so i just fear going most of the time.

When I try to call telehealfh for a question or something


TW / BODY PARTS / blood?


Like once i had a tampon stuck inside me and i was starting to get symptoms of toxic shock syndrome but i was to scared to go in and i wanted to ask telegealfh to please offer some advise , but they just wanted my personal information …. Like my name , date of birth …. And my health card number
. I honestly wasn't comfortable giving it to them, I'm not sure why.

I think because the fear of what's happened in the past prevents me , but i always filter through the advice i get on here heavily because i am easily manipulated too, and probably a bit impressionable I don't wanna say weak …. But

if the shoe. Fits ..

Lmao I hate myself

If I'm honest, I'd say being easily impressionable is probably a stronger reason to stray from getting health advice from a forum than anything. Using it as a way to see what works for some is great, but again these are personal experiences or general tips from healthcare workers who aren't YOUR healthcare worker. I fully understand trauma and mistrust in the healthcare system, believe me I have plenty of it myself, even as a healthcare worker, but self medicating, especially with things as risky as sleeping meds, is a very bad idea. Nothing wrong with hearing people's opinions here, but they should not be your deciding factor, it should be what your doctor decides will work for you. Sleeping medications are not something to play around with. Many have side effects and contraindications as well as the ability for tolerance to build up, some are even addictive. The only way to know which one is right for you is to see a doctor either online or in person.

 

[mellie5]

@willitpass also power-levelling a little :-p I would add that current medicine is (or should be) leaving the model of "the doctor decides what is best for you" and getting into the model of "we will both decide what is best for you" in what is called ideally a "therapeautic alliance".

(in the same way "compliance" is being replaced by "concordance")

some medical newspeak seems a little strange to me - client instead of patient, even worse would be "customer" - because the idea is that they are "buying a service"

or the overuse of "healthcare provider" which then ends up not meaning anything, because it can range from toenail cutter to molecular biologist :-)

medicine ads are awful too ("ask your doctor about "ThinAway")

but take also negative reports with a grain of salt ("nocebo" also works) and while on a website where most people are depressed you will hear "I took X and it didn't work" very often, you won't hear here people saying they love life, they would never CTB and it all happened after they took one tablet for 6 months.

as for forgetting a tampon now that *is* dangerous in a bad way so don't do it again :-D I have no idea how to have a tampon reminder though :-D but since your already had TSS you learnt about that :-)

slightly unrelated but as info, there are OCP (pills) that suppress periods, good doctors should remind their patients that they exist when the patient says she(*) is going sailing alone for a month or on an expedition in the jungle where maybe things get complicated :-)

(*) yes ik it would be more politically correct to say "person with an uterus that sheds fluids at usually regular intervals" but statistically those are more often women