You might try adding melatonin and see if that helps.

Also, I noticed a couple of years ago that at certain times of the month, I couldn't sleep to save myself. It seems to have been related to hormonal fluctuations as I'm going into menopause. On those nights, nothing seemed to help.

I've been taking ambien, too, and it helped me get to sleep but didn't last all night. I've used melatonin and valerian, but both gave me strange dreams. I've been taking amitryptelene for 2 months, and it's really helped. I sleep for 6 hours before waking, and can get back to sleep easily. I take 25mg, not a huge dose, but what a difference! I also take tryptophan.

I used to use Calms Forte, which is a homeopathic. It didn't put me to sleep but it helped my poor crazy brain calm down so I could sleep.

Hope you find something that works for you!

I take amitriptiline for sleep and headaches. Started with 1 25mg pill then my doctor upped it to 2 pills. Sometimes I still need to take 2 tylenol PM's when I've had a hard day and the headache is worse. But the amitripltiline works very well for me. Only side effect is weight gain and groggy the next morning. For me it's worth it to be able to sleep.

I was on ambien, then lyrica. I would do things I did not remember in my sleep. I started on amitriptiline for sleep and headaches. When I went to see the rheumy he took me off of those and put me on Halcion. I sleep better than I have in years.

Amitriptiline was my miracle to sleep, but then it was making my heart race, so I cannot use it. I have tried melatonin, but it doesn't help me stay asleep. I try to relax before bed and have lavender tea too.

When I have a flare though, I have a hard time sleeping regardless. My PCP won't allow me to take a sleeping med, so I don't know much else to do.

Since insomnia was a problem way, way before this I can honestly say I think i've tried everything. the ones that work make you gain weight, the ones that don't usually dont work after a time.
Doxepin was recently approved for insomnia (old trycylic) which..as I've bitched about before, but the price for generic went from $12 to at lease $50. I was taking 300 mgs of that for 3-4 years. Gained over 100 pounds, but I will accept half of that blame.

I had great success and minor weight gain with Remeron. Rozerem(sp?) worked okay but I had crazy dreams and would wake up kicking and screaming.
Ambien worked for one night.
Lunesta never worked at all.
Took Restoril with the Doxepin and a xanax at night and I would sleep most nights.
However, there aren't too many people that go without sleep for as long as I do. Oh, Dalmane..tried that...would probably work for someone else. Even medical cannabis would only let me nap, it was never used as a sleep aid..if it was it would replace Restoril.
Now with Elavil (amitriptiline) Restoril and Xanax I basically sleep off the medication, and sleep a few hours or so. Elavil has a groggier side effect, and for myself, it doesn't work well at all. But you can see I've tried alot. Melatonin, whatever..everything. I have tried them all.

And no..I don't drink coffee and I avoid caffeine. If I get the kind of rest I need (8-10hrs) I am a happy nice wonderful person =P If I've gone too long without sleep, like I have lately, I go nuts. I have never had a normal sleep cycle though. But the Calms stuff is pretty good. Not for me, but for others.
Usually I know the medical-generic names, but I'm really too tired to look them all up. ;-)
No tired next day feeling though..hmm.. I's say temezepam, and rozerem, but all bodies act differently, so I can just shoot out names. I had to laugh when someone (not here on this site) asked if the magnesium I take for leg cramp pain was helping me sleep. lol. A tranq dart maybe, but not magnesium. but hey..you can try that too..cheap and not bad for you at all.

Thank you all for your input. A lot of good suggestions. IAm anxious to try and see if they help. You are so kind. Thank you.

I take benadryl and 1/2 of xanax and I sleep well and I have done this for about 4 years.