[col888]

hi everyone,
this is the first time iv been here, or any other insomnia forum, but i could use some good advice from some fellow creatures of the night.
its 145am, iv been up since 230am yesterday morning nearly 24hrs, the last bit of sleep i had was 5 measly hours, and before that i was up for 30+ hours. and yet i still cant sleep, im not really even tired dispite the fact i took some sleeping pills (amatryptaline) about 2hrs ago, iv been to bed a couple times tonight, i just could not silence my thoughts, so i got up, make a pot of tea, and build a joint that will hopefully knock me out.
iv had insomnia since i was a young kid (im 23 now), i never slept well. but its getting worse and worse, i used to need sleep after about 24hrs, but over the last couple of years, iv been staying up unable to sleep for longer and longer, the longest iv ever gone without sleep is 45 hours, that was about a month ago.
iv tried all sorts of treatments over the years (pills/restrictive diets/exercise) and more, nothing seems to work.
its also totally screwed up my work life, iv been unemployed for 3 months or something now, i cant hold down a job when im going days without sleep. im a pc techie by trade, i could be earning an half decent salary but my damned insomnia keeps screwing it up.
i last went to go see my doctor about it around 4 month ago, she was totally and utterly unsimpathetic, she gave me four sleeping pills and told me to return in two weeks, i never bothered going back. sorry about the long rant people, im just pi**ed off with the fact im still awake,
does anybody know of any sleep speacialist or sleep clinic or anything like that in the UK, i really need to get this sorted out.

[neilep]

Hi Col888....welcome ..........At the ROYAL BROMPTON (london)they have a sleeping study clinic, also at GUYS and ST THOMAS HOSPITAL (London)they have a sleeping disorders clinic too....go to your GP and see if you can get a referal.....it didn't help me but it might help you.....good luck....there's always the Clinical Psychologist route too to help you retrain your body to get to sleep.....*sigh*....hope it all works out.....For your info, I've been a long sufferer too, since I was 6...(that's 34 friggin years !!!!) usually sleep a 2-3 hours a night and then go without sleep at all a couple of nights a week.......let us all know how you get on eh ?

Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

[Kittycat]

Hi Col888,
Welcome to the forum, Sorry to hear that you are having such a struggle with sleep. Now and then I have had insomnia also. One time I went two weeks without sleep and started hallucinating (without drugs [:p]). It took me a month taking benedryl to get back into a regular pattern of sleep. A couple of things that have helped me are 5-HTP and taking melatonin. There are so many things that can cause insomnia and I am wondering if anyone has been able to pinpoint the reason for the insomnia you struggle with? I am aware of some of the things that have caused mine and try to work with my body to alleviate them. I hope this helps, Cathy

His ways are higher than mine

[neilep]

Unfortunately melatonin is only available on prescription here in the UK......I went on a course for three months....did nothing but that of course does not mean it won't help Col888....,......again, you'll have to get it prescribed if you want to try it.

For me, Nitrazepam is the only thing that works (so far)....but the lastthing  you want to do is to take sleepy tabs regularly.

Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

[col888]

thanx for replying people, i got to sleep at about 4am, iv just woken up (its 6pm, another day down the drain)
the clinic and hospital in london sound exactly what im looking for, im going to see if i can find some more info on them later tonight (im off out with the family for a bit first)
but maybe il speak to some of u later,,
cheers.

[neilep]

well I'll be up till at least 5am tomorrow, though, I doubt I'll be here...(as much as I love this site, we're just engaged not married !!).........I'll be playing hunt the ZZZZZ's in front of the TV !!

Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

[roberth]

I'm guessing all you non sleepers don't drink alcohol. A bottle of red wine with/after dinner will not only improve your health (ever heard of the French paradigm), you'll sleep like a kitten. If that doesn't help, a quarter of whiskey will. I'm sure as drugs go, these are better for you than Nitrazepam etal.
You don't need a prescription or a doctor, either.

[neilep]

If I could find a red wine that I could like (remember , I'm a tea totaller)..one that doesn't give me chronic indigestion and actually tastes nice...then I would red wine away , as far as the whiskey/scotch/bourbon  and other spirits are concerned...oh my word !!..how disgusting are they ?...YUK !!.in fact, I think the whole world hates these drinks but nobody has the guts to say so !!

Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

[Ylide]

quote:Originally posted by neilep

If I could find a red wine that I could like (remember , I'm a tea totaller)..one that doesn't give me chronic indigestion and actually tastes nice...then I would red wine away , as far as the whiskey/scotch/bourbon  and other spirits are concerned...oh my word !!..how disgusting are they ?...YUK !!.in fact, I think the whole world hates these drinks but nobody has the guts to say so !!

Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

I'll admit when I don't like a drink.  I don't like tequila.  But damn do I love the burn of a nice shot of Wild Turkey followed by a cold beer.  It'll put hair on yer chest and make sure you sleep well that night.  

Seriously though, I can't recommend drinking alcohol regularly to fall asleep.  Dependency issues aside, going to sleep drunk causes restless sleep which really isn't much better than not sleeping at all.  Might I suggest trying a nice 5-HTP supplement instead?  Its a direct precoursor to seratonin.  If seratonin levels are low you can have difficulty falling asleep.  5-HTP can help if that's the reason.  



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[roberth]

C'mon Ylide. If it's got letters and numbers after it instead of % ALC/VOL it won't really help you sleep. Dependency issues aside, I've never had a restless sleep after a few beers and a bottle of red wine. What is 5-HTP, anyway? Like most things that our bodies need that are "natural", they must be processed from an organic source. Where do they come from, and why not suggest eating that instead. Supplements are both expensive and completely unnecessary if you eat/drink/inhale (and I like the last one) all the stuff you need without it chemically enhanced or processed.

[Donnah]

Roberth, at risk of sounding like a pessimist, good luck finding and paying for food that was grown from non GM seeds in fertile soil without the use of artificial fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides.

"Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms." - Audrey Hepburn

[roberth]

Donnah, I'm not really after organically grown foods. I'm happy to eat the meat and veges sold at the supermarket. It was more a statement on where the supplements came from. Maybe I shouldn't make posts after work, during beer o'clock.