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Severe brain injury and paralysis temporarily reversed with a sleeping pill

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Re: Severe brain injury and paralysis temporarily reversed with a sleeping pill

#171

Post by copperx »

Perceval wrote: post #131
in3d wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Take this with all the weight a message board advice from a non-doctor is worth but have you tried Trazodone instead? It’s used widely for sleep issues and it’s effective for many. And have you looked at something like Ketamine for a possible long-lasting solution?

I had a good experience with Trazadone. Very easy to get to sleep, eliminated anxiety about going to sleep, and got restful sleep, with only a little grogginess in the morning. No withdrawal when I stopped cold turkey after 2 years. Nowadays I just have valerian tea or magnesium before bed.

Trazodone has a mild side effect profile, but it is an anticholinergic. You don't want to do it long term; there is an association with dementia.

Re: Severe brain injury and paralysis temporarily reversed with a sleeping pill

#172

Post by copperx »

tyingq wrote: post #100

Different drug and underlying affliction, but the film "Awakenings" is worth watching if this story piques your interest. It's a true (though highly dramatized) story. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099077/

The book (Awakenings by Oliver Sacks) might be a better resource if you're interested in specifics and don't care for dramatization.

Re: Severe brain injury and paralysis temporarily reversed with a sleeping pill

#173

Post by copperx »

artur_makly wrote: post #116

sleeping pills are going to be our next pandemic. these drugs need to be reclassified as “fucking dangerous” here is just a list of shit to be prepared for when you take them for more than a few short weeks: https://youtu.be/IKNzL-eU650 please be VERY careful. ive been on then for years and it is a nasty and very long detox process.

They can be a lifesaver for an informed patient, though. I suffer from occasional insomnia (about once a month -- if working too late, got too emotionally invested in something, or if accidentally drank too much coffee), and Ambien has been incredibly helpful. I wouldn't dare take it on even a weekly basis, though.

Even though I haven't had any side effects, I still hide my car keys before taking it after having read stories of people driving while asleep on Ambien.

Re: Severe brain injury and paralysis temporarily reversed with a sleeping pill

#174

Post by jdkee »

in3d wrote: post #126
bxtt wrote: post #44

I’ve been taking Zolpidem for about 13 years now and suffer from addiction. I’ve sought treatment for this but it doesn’t work as now I cannot sleep without taking something. If you haven’t taken Z-type sleeping aids, I would definitely suggest not to start, as from experience the consequences outweigh the benefits. I’ve lost a considerable amount of friends/reputation/etc. from the abuse. Every experience that you h…

Take this with all the weight a message board advice from a non-doctor is worth but have you tried Trazodone instead? It’s used widely for sleep issues and it’s effective for many. And have you looked at something like Ketamine for a possible long-lasting solution?

Seconding Trazodone. It is not addictive but does have a rebound effect if you discontinue it without weaning yourself down.

Re: Severe brain injury and paralysis temporarily reversed with a sleeping pill

#175

Post by BuzzwordBingo »

bxtt wrote: post #44

I’ve been taking Zolpidem for about 13 years now and suffer from addiction. I’ve sought treatment for this but it doesn’t work as now I cannot sleep without taking something. If you haven’t taken Z-type sleeping aids, I would definitely suggest not to start, as from experience the consequences outweigh the benefits. I’ve lost a considerable amount of friends/reputation/etc. from the abuse. Every experience that you h…

Seriously, tell your doctor. They will stop prescribing these and help you find an alternative that works and has less potential for misuse.

Re: Severe brain injury and paralysis temporarily reversed with a sleeping pill

#176

Post by BuzzwordBingo »

smabie wrote: post #66
bxtt wrote: post #44

I’ve been taking Zolpidem for about 13 years now and suffer from addiction. I’ve sought treatment for this but it doesn’t work as now I cannot sleep without taking something. If you haven’t taken Z-type sleeping aids, I would definitely suggest not to start, as from experience the consequences outweigh the benefits. I’ve lost a considerable amount of friends/reputation/etc. from the abuse. Every experience that you h…

Try getting prescribed seroquel instead. A lot more powerful, and will help you sleep. Less (known?) downsides as well. I guarantee you that you will be able to sleep with it.

Use for sleep is off label but some psychiatrists still do it. Don’t expect anyone to offer it as a replacement without a very good reason.

Re: Severe brain injury and paralysis temporarily reversed with a sleeping pill

#178

Post by InfiniteRand »

grecy wrote: post #60
bxtt wrote: post #44

I’ve been taking Zolpidem for about 13 years now and suffer from addiction. I’ve sought treatment for this but it doesn’t work as now I cannot sleep without taking something. If you haven’t taken Z-type sleeping aids, I would definitely suggest not to start, as from experience the consequences outweigh the benefits. I’ve lost a considerable amount of friends/reputation/etc. from the abuse. Every experience that you h…

(Genuinely curious and not trying to downplay the seriousness at all) What would happen if you took a month off work and all your obligations and stayed home and didn't take anything for a whole month? My understanding is the human body can't go more than about 10 days without sleep [1]. So I assume at that point you would fall asleep, and then over the coming ~20 days hopefully you could normalize it and get back to…

I periodically used to periodically take a day off work and sleep pretty much the entire day to refresh myself during periods when I was having trouble sleeping at night. I found getting yourself back to sleep when you never get to 100% awake is a lot easier than getting to your initial sleep, of course this was with rather mild sleep issues related to stress and anxiety.

This isn’t really an option anymore as a father of young kids

Re: Severe brain injury and paralysis temporarily reversed with a sleeping pill

#179

Post by phobosanomaly »

intricatedetail wrote: post #154
stordoff wrote: post #144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've had some weird side effects from Zopiclone. They're effective, even when benzodiazepines haven't been, but the side-effects are concerning. On multiple occasions, I've woken up and the room appears to bathed in a yellow light (even though no lights were on and it was still dark outside), and on a few occasions I've been looking at the time on my phone, blinked, and it's suddenly four hours later. I've no idea wh…

I had a week course of Zolpidem and it only worked first two nights. The rest was what some describe as the visit of a walrus. I thought I was sleeping but I was doing things.

Could you elaborate on that phrase 'visit of a walrus?'

I googled around and found that walruses sleep in some pretty weird positions. Is that what you're referring to?

Super curious.

Re: Severe brain injury and paralysis temporarily reversed with a sleeping pill

#180

Post by Nexxius »

foxhop wrote: post #137
rdevsrex wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That really makes you question how much free will we have, if a drug can produce that kind of behavior and affect short term memory. But more fascinating still is what functionality in the brain even enables that.

I'm of the school of thought that we have at 2 minds, my guess is this drug inhibits our egoic executive mind and our unconscious mind takes over.

I've been witness two sleepwalking events with different peopl. Both were fully conversant and aware of their surroundings, they just did odd things and we assumed they were drunk. Later we found out about the ambien and how neither had any recollection of the event.
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