So I’m at an all-inclusive resort and after 4 years of sobriety gave into temptation and got drunk (and vomited into our hotel room toilet :-/) I’m afraid to take my venlafaxine tonight (usual dose 50mg) because of the alcohol still in my system. What should I expect from skipping one night? Thanks.
I usually can’t sleep without cyamemazine, an atypical antipsychotic. It makes me skin itch and burn terrible in the sun even if I wear SPF50+. I’ve taken to wearing long sleeves and spandex pants and a broad-brimmed hat for going out at all, even for just driving or swimming. Anyone can relate? Any tips?
Anybody else have a school-aged kid with low sleep needs? My 8-year-old son E can go to bed at 11pm and still always wakes up before 7am, always before me. I know his IQ is much higher than mine or my husband’s (school made us have him tested for ADHD, he doesn’t have it but there was an IQ test in the process) and people with high IQ often naturally don’t need as much sleep. My sister has high IQ and low sleep, only sleeps 5.5-6 hours per night and functions happily.
Here’s what I’ve thought of so far but would love anyone else’s tips:
-After I put his little brother to bed at 8pm I let E stay up in the guest bed reading as late as he wants. His teeth are already brushed and his pajamas on, he can get himself water to drink if he’s thirsty but no food, just reading. I myself go to bed around 9pm usually because I need 9 hours’ sleep per night. I trust E to go to his bed when he’s tired enough to sleep. If it’s a weekend night during this time my husband and I may be watching an episode of an adult TV show (we love murder mysteries) and E is upstairs reading.
-I taught E how to make toast and pour juice. Oftentimes if I stayed up late watching a show with my husband E wakes up before either of us and we want to sleep in until 7:30 or 8.
-We told E “never wake up your brother” and we told both of them “don’t talk to people who are asleep.”
-We tell both children they can play legos or other toys or draw quietly and stay inside until my husband or I wake up.
-I make sure to wake up by 7:30am but seriously E often wakes up at 5:30am so we’re talking about a period of 2 hours or less unsupervised.
Any other tips? Just trying to respect everyone’s physiological needs <3
I just wanted to share my family sleep arrangements that have worked well for several years.
Husband never wanted to wake up at night to fetch or feed baby A so he slept in a separate room and I slept in the marital bed with my 2 year old son E and my newborn A in a bassinet attached to the bed.
Then my firstborn E and I slept in his big boy full sized bed in his own bedroom with baby A in a crib in the same room.
At 6 months old I sleep trained A while bed sharing with E. E said “A is crying” and I said “it’s ok, he’s safe in his bed, go back to sleep.” Within two nights of cry it out A stopped crying in the night and slept through until a 5:30am bottle feed.
When A turned two we got him a full sized bed and I slept in it with him until he turned 5. My husband says I snore but my kids don’t mind. All my friends have toddlers waking up in the night several times for snuggles or to go potty and it drives them crazy. A and E both slept great through the night with me there. When A got a stomach flu I was there to hold his head over the pot next to the bed so he wouldn’t mess up the sheets or the mattress. If he had to go potty I was right there to take him.
Now A turned 5 and I sleep in my own room in my own bed. At 8pm I leave a lullaby album playing for A and say “I’ll snuggle you for two songs and then leave and if you call for me or cry for me I’ll take away the music” so he always just complies and sleeps before the album ends. E goes to bed an hour later because he’s almost 3 years older. He reads with me in my bed until 9pm.
This is just to show that cosleeping can take many forms and we can all do what works best for our families. I feel that those years sleeping in my boys’ room really connected us. And we all slept through the night every night, no tears or calling for me.
I just wanted to share my family sleep arrangements that have worked well for several years.
Husband never wanted to wake up at night to fetch or feed baby A so he slept in a separate room and I slept in the marital bed with my 2 year old son E and my newborn A in a bassinet attached to the bed.
Then my firstborn E and I slept in his big boy full sized bed in his own bedroom with baby A in a crib in the same room.
At 6 months old I sleep trained A while bed sharing with E. E said “A is crying” and I said “it’s ok, he’s safe in his bed, go back to sleep.” Within two nights of cry it out A stopped crying in the night and slept through until a 5:30am bottle feed.
When A turned two we got him a full sized bed and I slept in it with him until he turned 5. My husband says I snore but my kids don’t mind. All my friends have toddlers waking up in the night several times for snuggles or to go potty and it drives them crazy. A and E both slept great through the night with me there. When A got a stomach flu I was there to hold his head over the pot next to the bed so he wouldn’t mess up the sheets or the mattress. If he had to go potty I was right there to take him.
Now A turned 5 and I sleep in my own room in my own bed. At 8pm I leave a lullaby album playing for A and say “I’ll snuggle you for two songs and then leave and if you call for me or cry for me I’ll take away the music” so he always just complies and sleeps before the album ends. E goes to bed an hour later because he’s almost 3 years older. He reads with me in my bed until 9pm.
This is just to show that cosleeping can take many forms and we can all do what works best for our families. I feel that those years sleeping in my boys’ room really connected us. And we all slept through the night every night, no tears or calling for me.
Anyone have a similar experience? I just wanted to share my family sleep arrangements that have worked well for several years.
This is just to show that cosleeping can take many forms and we can all do what works best for our families. I feel that those years sleeping in my boys’ room really connected us. And we all slept through the night every night, no tears or calling for me.
I take either an antipsychotic or ambien to fall asleep. Ambien works great if I had no more than 1 morning dose of ritalin before 9am and I go to bed on an EMPTY stomach. Like, 0 food for 4 hours before bed.
Problem 1– I don’t know how to get through the afternoon slump and occupy my kids and cook and clean without redosing ritalin after lunch.
Problem 2– my anxiety is starting to abate, I’ve been underweight, and I’m starting to get serious evening munchies. Full box of mochi ice cream, popcorn while watching a movie with my kids, maybe nutella spread on baguette around 9:30pm (we live in France.) My husband thinks it’s great because he thinks I’m prettier with “more to hold onto” and he wants me to gain weight.
But I wake up much better and easier on ambien than the antipsychotic, which is what I have to take if I take afternoon ritalin and/or eat after 6pm. I also get sun sensitivity on my skin when I take the antipsychotic more than a few days in a row. Over time it could give me skin cancer. I tried seroquel and became very ill.
Any tips?
Hi everyone, so I take 80mg ritalin (max dose in France) around 6:30am and feel it’s gone by after lunch. I can’t redose because then I’ll have trouble sleeping and I already take either ambien or an antipsychotic for sleep. I don’t want to spread my 80mg out throughout the day because then my sleep meds won’t work.
I know my body needs these 6-7 stimulant-free hours. But I still have kids and lots to do (pack a picnic, bake a cake, make supper…)
What do you do later in the day for energy?
I took seroquel for 2 nights in a row, was dizzy and faint all day yesterday, didn’t take any last night but I’m still dizzy when standing or sitting. It makes me feel seasick.
What fixes this? Diphenhydramine? Caffeine? Thanks.
I took seroquel for 2 nights in a row, was dizzy and faint all day yesterday, didn’t take any last night but I’m still dizzy when standing or sitting. It makes me feel seasick.
What fixes this? Diphenhydramine? Caffeine? Thanks.
Antidepressants (all kinds) made me too drowsy during the day. Quetiapine makes me dizzy whenever I’m standing or sitting. Like, everything goes black and someone has to lead me back to bed. It’s orthostatic hypotension. Melatonin is too weak. Cyamemazine works but gives me intolerable sun sensitivity. Diphenhydramine isn’t strong enough. Ambien works but I run out early because 10mg doesn’t always work.
So…what is there left to try for sleep, please?
I took seroquel for 2 nights in a row, was dizzy and faint all day yesterday, didn’t take any last night but I’m still dizzy when standing or sitting. It makes me feel seasick.
What fixes this? Diphenhydramine? Caffeine? Thanks.
I took 150mg quetiapine at bedtime for next day anxiety along with my regular sleep medication, cyamemazine, because I discovered 200mg quetiapine doesn’t make me sleepy by itself.
This morning everything turned black every time I stood up, it hurt my head to even sit up, and I’ve felt drunk and hungover all day. I couldn’t leave my bed until 10:30 am, physically couldn’t stand up without getting incredibly disoriented.
Should I give up on this med or try just 50mg?
Hi, my dr prescribed me 50mg ER quetiapine pills and said try 2, then take 3 or 4 at night to sleep. Then next week tell him what dose worked to sleep and he’ll write that for me.
Last night I took 200mg and nothing happened. 2 hours later I took 5 ambien and slept 5 hours. I was afraid to try more quetiapine but I don’t want to take ambien anymore.
How much seroquel knocks you out? Thanks.
Hi, I’m changing antipsychotics (for sleep
and anxiety) because of a skin reaction and just got 50mg ER pills of quetiapine. My dr said take 2, 3, or 4, he said “it really knocks you out”, see which dose puts me to sleep and come back in a week and he’ll write me that dose. So it’s try-and-see this week.
I took 200mg (4 pills) at 8:45pm last night and nothing happened. At 10pm I got up and took ambien and only slept until 3am. I want to stop taking ambien, just quetiapine.
So, what quetiapine dose makes you fall asleep? Thanks.
I bet you know what it’s like to do anything for a good night’s sleep.
I was desperate. I took ritalin (prescribed, if that matters) way too late in the day, to deal with supper, cleaning, kids, then at bedtime my 10mg ambien pill was doing nada and I just kept taking more until I felt sleepy. Yes, 20 days’ worth in one night.
I vomited but then fell asleep at 3am and slept a solid 5 hours and can take care of my kids today and drive them to piano lessons.
Now I have to see my doctor early to ask for more ambien and I’m going to ask for my old antipsychotic (Tercian, cyamemazine, available here in France) back again as a back-up. The antipsychotic always worked for sleep at safe doses but if I take it a few days in a row my skin becomes ultra sensitive to any sun exposure even through car windows even with sunscreen, it hurts and itches within minutes. But I liked it better for sleep. It works even on a full stomach, unlike ambien, and I’m sick of going to bed hungry.
I’m thinking rotating the antipsychotic and the ambien is my best bet for the future, plus no ritalin after noon, my family will have to just accept if I don’t do the dishes until morning etc.
I had no intentions of hurting myself by overdosing on ambien, I literally just wanted enough real, unconscious sleep to function for my kids today. And…it worked. But I can’t do it again.
Thoughts? Experiences?
Go ahead and tell me I’m stupid if you want. I was desperate. I took ritalin (prescribed, if that matters) way too late in the day, to deal with supper, cleaning, kids, then at bedtime my 10mg ambien pill was doing nada and I just kept taking more until I felt sleepy. Yes, 20 days’ worth in one night. I vomited but then fell asleep at 3am and slept a solid 5 hours and can take care of my kids today and drive them to piano lessons.
Now I have to see my doctor early to ask for more ambien and I’m going to ask for my old antipsychotic (Tercian, cyamemazine) back again as a back-up. The antipsychotic always worked for sleep at safe doses but if I take it a few days in a row my skin becomes ultra sensitive to any sun exposure and even through car windows even with sunscreen, it hurts and itches within minutes. But I liked it better for sleep. It works even on a full stomach, unlike ambien, and I’m sick of going to bed hungry.
I’m thinking rotating the antipsychotic and the ambien is my best bet for the future, plus no ritalin after noon, my family will have to just accept if I don’t do the dishes until morning etc.
I had no intentions of hurting myself by overdosing on ambien, I literally just wanted enough real, unconscious sleep to function for my kids today. And…it worked. But I can’t do it again.
Thoughts? Experiences?
I’m prescribed 10mg ambien/night to sleep but I took early evening ritalin to get through the end of the day (supper, showers, bedtime etc) with energy and last time I did that 5 pills put me to
sleep. I have extra pills from several months of early refills. 5 pills didn’t cut it this time. I read up and discovered fatal doses are much higher than a month’s supply. I went ahead and took 10 pills. I just need to sleep tonight so I can function tomorrow morning. The ritalin will wake me up
and then I’ll have to be disciplined about not redosing (crumbs on the floor? I’ll vacuum tomorrow. Laundry finished? I’ll fold it later. Like, give myself permission to procrastinate and go
slowly so I don’t turn to pills.)
If you’ve seen my other posts you know I’m
a mess—ritalin rx misuse, Generalized Anxiety Disorder with xanax rx not usually misused and never to feel “high.” panic attacks at times not necessarily associated with ritalin comedown (like 4am panic attacks, no ritalin in my system yet.)
Obviously I can’t make this a regular occurrence but I hope 10 pills knock me out for 7 hours this time and then I can get on a healthier regimen again. My sister is flying in for a month and she knows about my GAD mental health issues and frequent Ritalin misuse. I know I can be open and honest with her when I’m having a craving and she can help me practice mindfulness and distraction. She’ll also remind me that just because my husband has a good job and I stay at home doesn’t mean I always have to be a Stepford Wife. I’m human, going through mental illness and substance abuse, it’s time to give n
myself grace and that’s what she’ll be here for <3
I’ll let you all know how I slept and woke up. Wish me sweet dreams 😴
My anxiety got out of control the last few weeks, panic attacks every morning at 4am about summer vacation with my kids, I tried antidepressants which made me hyper-somnolent, which made me suicidal, and I went to bed early every night and texted and called my family back home in America saying that I’m in a crisis.
My big sister bought flights right away to come stay with me here in France for a month <3 My kids love her. We’re going to pick her up Thursday morning and it’s a total surprise for them. We haven’t seen her in 2 years.
Just knowing I won’t be ALONE in charge of my kids all day every day is such a relief. If I have a panic attack Aunty will be there to play games with the kids while I calm down in a dark room. If I feel too overwhelmed to make sandwiches she can.
My kids are used to me “being tired” or “having a headache” or “not having the right vitamins.” I’m sure someday when they’re older I’ll tell them about my Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I’m still figuring out what meds and what doses can work for me and having someone who loves me here changes everything. It’s not the same as my husband. My sister doesn’t expect anything from me. She’ll help me cook supper, clean up, etc.
Family can be so important. Unconditional love can change everything.
Hi everyone, I’ve been prescribed 4 different antidepressants (SSRI, SNRI, atypical) and they all made me somnolent around the clock for weeks so I had to stop taking them (I’m responsible for my young children.) I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder. My dr and I have decided to stop trying antidepressants and I take xanax daily. I know xanax isn’t recommended long term.
So, what are your solutions for panic attacks when medications fail? Thanks :-)