Not alone. If not for pain I would sleep, and if not for insomnia, I would hurt less. VIcious cycle. No memories here of any of those drugs.

Painless sleep would be best. No drug yet for that my docs have found....
Leo

For me the answer is no. I finally found the right mix of meds and routine to help me sleep really well at night, but I had no pain relief because of it. It's just nice to actually sleep well now.

I know that one member on here swears by xyrem for sleep and says it's dramatically reduced her pain. Is it Abotsd? That's her user name, I think.

I wake up at least once in the night to go to the bathroom, but other than that, I sleep pretty well. I still have pain, but maybe not as bad as it would be.

I think it's really important to work with your doctor to find something (or a combination) that works for you to help you sleep. There's a lot out there. Have you tried different things for sleep? I take a muscle relaxer and xanax for sleep.

Good luck!

I have tried so much for sleep. 300 mg trazodone, Mirapex, lorazepam, clonazepam, benadryl, melatonin... None get me to sleep and wake refreshed. I also talk in my sleep and cry out in pain. I was recently Dx'd with alpha wave intrusions in a sleep study and with an mslt nap test, the end Dx was narcolepsy. I've been on a beginning dose of xyrem (yes it is a form of ghb) since this past Saturday night. I withhold judgement bc it hasn't been long but so far no benefits. At least no major side effects either though. I will go up to 3 g twice nightly this next sat.

I use the same as fibrolizzy except that the dr added amitriptilene. Was afraid to take it and hated adding another pill to my small pharmacy but it works very well and I have noticed a sharp decrease in pain in just 2 days of using it.
I would gladly take it rather then all the pain meds-yeck!
So I am not sure if it is the increase in sleep that helps or the pill itself but I am glad I went ahead with it
I do know I go into fibro fog real quick when I aam not sleeping. Hope this helps

I have terrible, horrible insomnia as most of us do, but I've found a combo of drugs that work most of the time.

Even it I sleep 8 - 10 hrs I still have the same amount of pain, fog, IBS and everything else.

If I don't sleep then I simply can't function at all.

I don't remember the last time I slept all night! Like others, if I don't sleep enough I don't function. I lost my job a little more than a year ago and lost health insurance. Right now I'm taking meds that do not work as well for my pain, sleep, etc - but that I can afford easier than the others. Additionally I was just diagnosed a couple of weeks ago with RA and started yet another med for that (which isn't working yet). But the combination of the meds I take at night does help me at least get drowsy enough to fall asleep fairly quickly! And thank goodness for heating pads with shut off timers.

I just want to implore everyone taking a benzodiazapene (valium xanax clonazepam etc ect etc) of any sort to be so careful if/when they stop it.

I was never "addicted" to clonazepam but I certainly was dependant on it. When I tried to stop I did it cold turkey. I never believed in the slow stopping but with these it is SERIOUS. It is easier to get off heroin than a benzo. If you stop a benzo suddenly you can have a syndrome where you are basically not functional for up to 2 years. I sat on my couch for a year. The point to remember is that restarting the benzo WILL NOT fix it. Nothing but time can. I have insomnia and clonazepam works great for me. Even if I never slept a full night again I would not re-take it because I was so traumatised by the withdrawal period.

This is just my PSA. You are welcome to disregard everything I have said and I certainly respect the decision to use them. They work very well. I used them myself for a long time. I just want the information out there so you don't stop suddenly. I thought it was just like they say not to stop other meds suddenly. Its not.

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php

Check it out.

Once again, I am not disrespecting anyone's decision to use them. They work very well and are also cheap (always a bonus lol) I just want you to have the information I wished I would have had when I needed to stop them.

Gentle hugs
CoralieXXX

I take a Tramadol when I get home from work...then I take a .25 Xanax and I sleep pretty well. I sometimes feel break-through achiness and I think I moan and jerk around during my sleep.

You might see your doctor; sleep is important for us with Fibro.

Btw-

I've tried zolpidem- made me feel odd.
Clonazepam- read above post lol
benadryl- sometimes works maybe
endep- maybe works 40% of the time I used it.
Valdoxan
Melatonin
Herbals- don't work
I was even given a dose of zyprexa a psych drug that the doctors assured me would work... it woke me up!!
I was also given seroquel (supposed to calm me/ help me sleep) during the above withdrawal period. Did pretty much nothing other than make me put on 60LBS!!!!
I've been to sleep hygeine seminars as well.

Only the clonazepam worked but only in ever increasing doses.

Coralie X

I agree with you. I don't know when the last time I got a good nights rest was. At one time, I was taking so many meds they were making me sleepy and I was able to fall asleep pretty fast but after a few hours was awaken by the pain. Now, I think I'm immune to the flexeril because it doesn't seem to make me drowsy at all. I long for a restful, painless sleep.

Hi Coralie,

Have you seen a fibromyalgia specialist? Most of those I've been to and I've heard stories about always treat the sleep disorder first. You are absolutely right - studies have shown that sleep deprivation causes pain even in normal test subjects; in us it aggravates the existing pain to unbearable levels. Lots of different things are used to help us not just fall asleep, but get reliable, restorative sleep. That means not waking up every hour because of the pain as well.

I personally take a low dose anti-depressant. I've never been depressed, but the seratonin enhancing effects of the anti-depressants allow me to sleep for six hours. I also take a pain pill at bedtime to buy me some time before the pain wakes me up. It makes all the difference in the world.

Not only does the lack of sleep increase our pain levels, but fatigue lowers our tolerance... making an even bad situation worse. I can deal with the pain much better when I'm rested. A week of pain and no sleep puts me over the top.

Please do talk to your doctor. If he or she didn't address this already, perhaps you need to find someone who specializes in fibromyalgia to help you.
Good luck to you!
Toni

Yeppers, I've seen a rheumatologist and an immunologist- best in the state. The things that used to work 5 years ago to put me to sleep no longer work (see previous post). I'm running out of options.

I am going to the pain clinic in a few weeks. It has taken over a year to get in there. I have been waiting for 3 years though- had a pregnancy in between so they wouldn't see me and then they lost the referral!!! I was so p***ed off!

The first thing I will be saying when I get my appointment will be- My biggest problem is that I can't sleep. We will see.

Coralie X

My heart goes out to you coralie!
I suffer from chronic insomnia and have had 2 sleep studies and been to 2 sleep clinics.

Nothing I have found keeps me asleep for more than 3 hours tops. I usually wake up almost evey 2 hours and I feel horrid the next day Every DAY!
I wish there was something I could say that would help you but I am in the same sinking boat that you are in. It is a viscous cycle and I'd do anything for just ONE solid night of sleep!

I take a combination of herbs and meds and have tried almost everything. Nothing has ever helped me and the brain fog, fatigue and pain are constantly with me.

I've been using a Chillow (cold pillow), eye pads (to block light), ear buds hooked to soothing music ( to block noise) and have a tempurdedic mattress.

With all this help and then a combo of meds and herbs I still wake up almost like clockwork every 2 hours!! It's so frustrating and I know it is so BAD for my general health!!

Hang in there and don't give up HOPE!! That is all we have with this dreaded disease!!

Hi Coralie,
Yes, you did mention several sleep inducing drugs. However, you didn't mention the seratonin enhancing drugs like tricyclic antidepressants, SSRIs, or SNRIs. As far as I know they are considered the "standard" treatment for the FM sleep disorder - which is why I wondered if you'd seen a specialist. I'm surprised that a specialist wouldn't start with the most common treatments but instead with (what I consider to be) much more dangerous drugs.

I think expecting a "good night's sleep" might be unrealistic for any of us... if that definition is 8 hours of uninterrupted rest. For myself, even with the medication, six hours of sleep with only waking 4 or 5 times IS a good night's sleep. Sometimes it takes me 8 or 10 hours to get six hours of sleep. But it's much better than the alternative... which is no sleep at all.