How to approach doctor about sleep medication

Hi, I've had insomnia for about 4 years now, and I've tried various OTC sleep aids and now recently it's got so bad and detrimental, as I am at university and need all the sleep I can get that I've been taking Nytol for over 2 weeks now. When I bought my second packet the lady told me to wean myself off them as they are for short term use.

My concerns are with having to buy packet after packet until I become immune to its effects with the staff telling me pointedly "It's for short term use only" and of course, becoming immune to it.

Even with Nytol I do not fall asleep straight away, and I still wake up during the night. However, it's not as bad as it was but it's still apparant.

I'd much rather take something that will knock me out so that I can stay asleep all night and get to sleep straight away.

How do I approach my doctor about this without sounding like a druggie or totally crazy or something?

Can I just go to my doctor, explain the problem and say "Can you give me something that will just knock me out for several hours?"

Please help!

Hi,

If you say that to your doctor, then I suspect he/she would laugh at you. The ideal situation here would be not to rely on any form of drug/tablet to help you sleep. So, just answer me these:

- Do you eat anything before bedtime?
- Are you stressed?
- Is your bed comfortable?
- Are you depressed?

Kevin

There are ways to help insomnia without medications.

One thing that i find when i'm becoming an insomniac is that I only go to bed when i'm tired, if I wake up through the night I get out of bed, do something boring. I get up at the same time each day no matter how tired I am, exercise helps too.

You need to be careful with over the counter drugs, or just those in the pharamcy because it's not just the idea of becoming immune to them, but the addiction part isn't good. Also if you have any addictive personality you wont be perscribed any sleep medication.

I was perscribed Serax for insomnia only take as needed and I've not taken it yet, only once to see how I'd react to it.

I don't think you sound crazy telling a doctor that, you're letting them know that you are having broken sleep and insomnia symptoms.

No I wouldn't suggest telling your doctor to give you something to knock you out for several hours, they definately wont perscribe anything for you if you said that.

I don't eat anything before bedtime (obviously I eat earliar on like dinner but I avoid eating before going to bed).
Stressed? Not sure.
Depressed? Most likely.
And my bed is comfortable enough.

My problem is, I'm always tired, but I always have trouble sleeping. In the morning I end up oversleeping due to not sleeping during the night. I try to
go to bed at the same time every night but getting up is an issue.

Something else that worries me is sometimes I wake up but I can't move?

What about setting your alarm? Get up no matter how awful you feel , try to get out and get some fresh air, my sleep is awful as well and I as well over sleep, I did today actually.
Depression can cause you to have some pretty awful sleeps.

Do you get out of bed when you can't sleep or do you stay tossing and turning ?

I set my alarm and then just switch it off when it goes
I just can't get myself out of bed but I know I should.
Have you ever had all your muscles aching apon waking (that rhymed lol) because I get that most of the time and it doesn't help!

I just stay there, I don't get up. Would you reccomend getting up instead?

Maybe if I purposely tried to stay awake I'd fall asleep?

Another thing I do is make sure not to do anything that will stimulate the brain waves or give me nightmares, so I don't watch anything or listen to music before bed.

Move the alarm, move it out of your reach, I've done that too.
I've moved it to the other side of the room so I have to get up and turn it off. See if that helps.

You may be aching because you might be sleeping tense?

Ya when you are tossing and turning get out of bed.
My pdoc always told me to do that, even my other doctor, get up and do something boring, like read a book, watch something on tv, do something that helps get your mind ready for bed. Staying in bed when you are awake is the worst thing you could do.

You might be purposely staying awake, but why is that?


I can't shut my brain off at night, hense why I deal with broken sleep, and have trouble falling asleep.

I read a lot before bed, try to get up at roughly the same time each morning, and only go to bed when I'm ready and not before.

My pdoc said the only time you should ever be in bed is when you are sleeping at night, or *cough* to be intimate with your partner, being in bed anytime other then that can cause you trouble falling asleep.

Do you get nightmares a lot?

Do things relaxing before bed, something that doesn't take a lot to think about.

When I was really bad I actually took out my boyfriend's photography book, I'd force myself to read it, though it bore me and it helped.

Hello Butterfly

Have you not heard of the tactic of trying to stay awake? Thinking I must fall asleep, I must fall asleep will only cause anxiety. If you try to purposely stay awake you wont get the anxiety and sleep will happen. It worked once for me. I hadn't slept for 3 days. I thought it was brave of me.

If you have any psychological issues that can be addressed in therapy, do that. Then after a few weeks (10 sessions) see how you sleep and see a psychiatrist for a consultation. You may get antidepressants or benign medication ( albeit effective) to help with sleep.