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Permalink Reply by Jenny Foerst on December 23, 2010 at 5:49pm

Oh, sorry to hear that, Mary.  I'm an insomniac, too, but mainly when female sex hormones are acting up (since my 20s this has been the case) right before my monthly.  Serzone was so soporific that I totalled my car after taking my daytime dose, so too much of a good thing (perhaps if my OSA had been diagnosed back then . . .)--never had a sleepless night on it, but also never felt awake during the day.  Cymbalta and Elavil helped with my sleep, esp. Elavil, but thyroid medication for longtime undiagnosed Hashimoto's disease helped more than all else--the change was dramatic.  I'm sure you've tried melatonin?  Had thyroid anti-TPO tested (most doctors will not test for this as part of thyroid sceening, which is why I went undiagnosed for many years)? Melatonin helps in getting to sleep, but not necessarily in staying asleep.

Mary Callahan said:

I took both Elavil and Serzone and neither one ever helped with my sleep. I have had insomnia for near 40 years. And I take 5-HTP and L-Tryptophan as well and I can't say I sleep more with those either. But I am afraid to stop taking them, thinking that maybe my sleep would be even worse.

 

And my sleep study did not show any central apneas, but I'm getting anywhere from 5 to 12 an hour while using my new APAP machine.

 

So you can't go by me! Be curious to see if taking tryptophan or antidepressants would work for others though. I am thinking that maybe I have an insomnia gene that just can't be fixed.

Jenny Foerst said:

Hmm.  My neurologists have always told me that the antidepressants have take (Elavil, Serzone, and currently Cymbalta) actually repair sleep architechture and produce more restorative sleep.

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Permalink Reply by Mary Callahan on December 23, 2010 at 5:58pm

Jenny, sorry to hear you totaled your car with Serzone. That stuff didn't even make me sleepy! Elavil made me feel like a zombie but never made me sleep, and then I had to take the next day off from work because I was still feeling like a zombie and just could not function.

I take melatonin also, but only a small dose of 1mg (3mg or more makes me nauseous), and then I can take another 1mg midway thru the night too. I have had thyroid levels checked and even put on Armour Thyroid at several points in my life, but got heart palpitations after awhile, go figure! My sleep/insomnia is just awful. However, I am trying yet another new sleep doctor here in NYC in the hopes they can help with my treatment resistant insomnia/sleep apnea. My current doctor is totally useless.

Jenny Foerst said:

 I'm sure you've tried melatonin?  Had thyroid anti-TPO tested (most doctors will not test for this as part of thyroid sceening, which is why I went undiagnosed for many years)? Melatonin helps in getting to sleep, but not necessarily in staying asleep.

Mary Callahan said:

I took both Elavil and Serzone and neither one ever helped with my sleep. I have had insomnia for near 40 years. And I take 5-HTP and L-Tryptophan as well and I can't say I sleep more with those either. But I am afraid to stop taking them, thinking that maybe my sleep would be even worse.

 

And my sleep study did not show any central apneas, but I'm getting anywhere from 5 to 12 an hour while using my new APAP machine.

 

So you can't go by me! Be curious to see if taking tryptophan or antidepressants would work for others though. I am thinking that maybe I have an insomnia gene that just can't be fixed.

Jenny Foerst said:

Hmm.  My neurologists have always told me that the antidepressants have take (Elavil, Serzone, and currently Cymbalta) actually repair sleep architechture and produce more restorative sleep.

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