Mstringer,
Hi, I know how you feel when it comes to getting sleep. I lay away at night, hoping that maybe I will fall aleep for at least an hour, and IF i do sleep, its not a deep, sound sleep like I use to get before the T came, and its the same during the day, if I lay down I dont sleep, I just get frustrated and upset, and give up trying. It seems like my brain is set in the "awake" mode all the time, what I mean is I never feel tired anymore, (l remember getting that way before T came), regardless if I get any sleep or not. Is there anyone else like this out there? I dont take any medicine anymore, because like you, that is what caused my T. I miss those wonderful days, before T, when I slept all night long and took naps in the day. And yes I to know that doctors will not admit to the drugs causing our T even when you know and show them evidence of it . When my doctor diagnosed me with T, he laughed and said "Oh you have nerve damage ". I was so upset at him I just wanted to hit him, because of his attitude and because he's the one who gave me the drugs that started this nightmare! I am sorry, I did not mean this to be such a long post, I am just so frustrated and wish we all could have peace and quiet again.

Indeed some anti-depressants may cause or exacerbate tinnitus. So does a benzo withdrawal together with other symptoms (even though ambien is not a benzo it still might cause the same problems). A lot of doctors don't even know they might cause tinnitus. But tinnitus from meds might lessen or disappear after months or few years, though it might not.

Buzzin:
It would be impossible for me to naturally get some sleep even without tinnitus if I'm not tired.
Tinnitus doesn't really affect me in a sense that I don't wake up in the middle of the night or not sleep enough. I sleep well.
The noise affects me more during the day.

Sometimes when I feel like it I pop Melatonin, bring a portable PC nearby with a video and set it on timer.
Again these things won't work if you're not ready to sleep. Perhaps you could first figure it out why aren't you tired and solve it?

If I don't get enough sleep in one day, I will be tired for the next night and no noise will prevent me from sleeping.

One drug that "fixed" my insomnia problem is Amitriptyline. Been on it for over 11 years now and I still call it a wonder drug. Also stopped my daily headaches.

Serass and Deltadart

Like I stated in my prior post. Before my T started about two years ago I used to get tired an was able to take naps and sleep thru the night. Now no matter how busy my life is or is not it just seems like my brain won't shut off. In the last two years since T started I will be up real late and then lay down hoping to sleep but don't. The next day you would think I would be tired, and able to sleep, but I am not. I really dont know why, the only reason I think of is because of the T. I hope some day I will be able to sleep at night again. I will not take any drugs like Ambien or Amitripyline because they are listed as causing hearing loss /T. I did try Melatonin, but it did not work for me. Serass, I am glad you are able to sleep well. May I ask how long you have had T and what was the cause of it?

> May I ask how long you have had T and what was the cause of it?

It's been around 10 months when things got bad. The prime culprit is noise.
I actually had it for 13 years after a loud firework exploded in my hands in a closed space environment. It was the kind heard only at night or by plugging the ears. It was an absolute non-issue. It then got exacerbated twice within a month either because of the headphones at low-medium volume or because of the particular computer fans. None of these were loud enough to cause hearing damage or tinnitus in normal ears.
Slept well during the first month because it was similar to what I had, but just louder. Slept not so well afterwards due to new noises. Took Xanax and other benzos for a few weeks, but that wasn't an answer.
I haven't used masking since after the last time it got changed, it started to "react" to all sorts of masking noises, making particular tinnitus sounds louder.

Tinnitus shouldn't make you not want to sleep, unless you are stressed about it. If you are not tired, perhaps that's something else?

What med did you take, when and for how long? Perhaps the insomnia is another side-effect?

I couldn't have described my sleep problem better than Buzzin, I can lie awake all night and not sleep at all, and the next day I am wide awake all day. I hope in the last three days I have figured out the medication that is the culprit. I am or was still taking medication for diabetes, Metformin 1000 mg twice per day, and I have not taken any for 3 days. The last 2 nights I have slept and have fallen asleep rather quickly. Also my T has been very low for the past 2 days. Yesterday morning when I woke up I could barely hear any ringing at all. This morning I was getting a little ringing so I immediately put in my hearing aids with maskers. I am going through TRT at the present time. I also noticed the two prior days my glucose readings were lower than the have been in years. I started walking over 2 miles a day at a fast pace.
I was taking Ambien, Trazadone, Metformin, Zestril, and Lipitor when my T started last October. I got off all medications for about 3 months and my sugar went through the roof and my left foot was swolen so bad I could not walk. I got off Ambien and Trazadone but had to start back on Metformin or not walk. I have had blood pressure issues so I got back on the Zestril. My blood pressure still runs a little high, I check every morning. I had my doctor to change Lipitor to Crestor. I am now only taking the Zestril and Crestor waiting to see if the Metformin is the cause of my sleep issues. My doctor prescribed Remeron for sleep and this is an antidepressant. I take this occasionally when I have to have some rest, but not more than once about every 2 weeks. I do not sleep well with this medication.
The past couple of nights have been about 75% normal before T struck, and I could live with this the rest of my life. But, I am even hoping for better days.
I have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, neuropathy (caused by diabetes), and have had these conditions some time. I am going to work on getting off all medications. My goal is to lose 30 pounds and lower my blood sugar to normal. I am hopeful for a cure or medication that will help us all lead a normal life again.

What I failed to mention is that for over 2 years, I have been going through an emotional ordeal going through a custody battle for my grandson. My daughter took my grandson and moved to another state with a lunatic off the Internet. We have been fighting in court for over 2 years to get him back home where he had been for 5 years(all of his life to this point). This caused sleep issues for months and may have been the cause of T starting. It was definitely why I was taking Trazadone to sleep. I have not seen him for over 2 years and it has been worse more than 100 deaths of a close family member. My heart and brain have suffered since.

Serass,

I stopped taking any medicine when the tinnitus started. That has been about two years ago. the medicines that started my tinnitus was a pain medicine and a medicine called plaquenil. I took it three days, and on the fourth day the tinnitus started. These meds are listed as causing tinnitus, but no one told me that before hand, otherwise I would not have took them. I did not know what tinnitus was or anything about tinnitus until it happen to me. I dont think you understand about my sleep problem, its not that I dont want to sleep. I just dont sleep.

mstringer,
Yes I agree with you I too think medicine also caused your tinnitus.

I forgot that I was taking gabapentin (300mg) that was raised to 600 mg when my T started. I must be brain dead to have forgotten that one. This has been such a trial that I don't sleep right and am always tired.

Hi,
Have you thought about alternatives to your prescribed meds.
150mgs of CoQ10 for high BP
1200mgs of Lecithin for cholesterol levels. Apple pectin binds to cholesterol & removes it from the body
400-600mcgs Chromium Picolinate for decreasing blood sugar levels
As a sleep aid you could try a combination of the following herbs,
Passionflower, Skullcap, & Chamomille.
I take herbs & generally have no problems with my sleep anymore.( I have loud screaming T) I put in Wood Betony as well that helps with the stress that it creates for me.
Good Luck

I stopped sleeping well about 6 months before I got my T. I was fine on 4-5 hours a night. Then I got my T last September and it became even harder to sleep. I was put on 100mg Nortryptaline, 1600-2000mg of Gabapentin, and 1mg of Klono for my T and even that didn't help me sleep through the night--maybe 5 hours still. I added melatonin or Ambien or Lunesta on top of that and that helped a little, but I was still waking up in the middle of the night and taking more melatonin or a bit of Benedryl to finish the night. Alterill with Valerian root, melatonin, and L-tryptaphan in it worked about the same as the prescription drugs.

I tried Remeron but it made me groggy the next day no matter what dose I took.

I've been to my GP and 2 endocrinologists and they've all run tests and say all my numbers are fine and they don't know why I can't sleep. I've even considered going to one of those sleep study places. I now take the most melatonin I could find--20mg pills--and just bought L-Tryptophan pills to add to that to see if that will get me thru the night without always waking up after 4 hours and having to take more stuff to sleep more. My T gets worse when I nap, so as tired as i am the next day, I can't do that.
I really miss naps! :(

I don't think it's good for my T to get 4 hrs then 2, 3, or 4 more after that. I think my T thinks that second stint is a nap.

Ricepaper, how much of the herbs you listed do you take each night? : )