Not being one prone to insomnia.....
 

..... I ain't used to this 'body totally fried brain totally wired' stuff.

From a 30,000 foot view sort of perspective, I get it. Lots going on that is trying very hard to bring up all the ungodly baggage that was my family growing up - stuff that I've kept partitioned away, out of sight, moldering in the darkest corners of my not-even-close-to-conscious mind for so long.

I'd really like to just close those boxes back up, triple wrap 'em in gorilla tape, and get on with my life. Brain ain't cooperating yet.

I can sympathize.

Some reach for 80-proof when that happens.

Hope you are successful otherwise...sleep usually helps, if you can get it.

And we're back at square one. ;)

I find that speaking in tongues is an effective cure for insomnia.

Exercise bike works for me. Crank out a bunch of miles. Burns off a lot more than just calories. I need to do that real bad today.

Insomnia sucks. I've suffered sleep problems most of my life. I found the two most effective things are to not sleep at all for a complete day and night. So for example I don't got to sleep Thursday night at all. Then come Friday night I'm so tired I manage to crash and will likely be asleep till well into Saturday afternoon.

The other thing is listening to the right kind of music with a good set of headphones. This has worked for me quite well thru the years. Has to be the right kind of music that works on the central nervous system though. For me that's Wagner. Specifically the prelude and Libestod aus Tristan und Isolde. Solti, Chicago symphony. You can find it on youtube. No joke.

- Peter.

So do I. :D

Until the brain cooperates, don't wear yourself down. Do a sleep study to make sure there are no other issues like sleep apnea. Try Ambien CR or Lunesta.

Investigate using melatonin. This is an OTC sleep aid that works great. Start by taking about half of a tablet. As with all OTC meds, ask a doc first…

I’ve used this for years and it does a fabulous job.

Melatonin is for sleep cycle (traveling etc).

If there are any past issues with alcohol as OP has discussed, I would not use Ambien or any other sedative-hypnotics.

Not exclusively. It is a sleep and relaxation aid.

Sounds like good sense to me. Always check with a doc first. But of course, who discusses recreational drug use with a doc?

I've consulted with physicians at the U of MN sleep clinic re my clients with sleep problems and was told Melatonin should only be used for sleep cycle issues. It's also in the lit I've read along with being on my bottle of melatonin.

Some patients feel comfortable discussing alcohol problems (perhaps not illicit drugs) with thrir Docs. Also a competent Doc can spot alcohol or drug issues by liver fxn tests or from the usual screenings patients receive when they are in for a checkup.

Not what my docs stated but you are obviously a final authority on the topic :rolleyes:

Agreed. But of course, everyone lies. Most people do not feel comfortable disclosing anything to their doc that the doc doesn’t find independently, unless, maybe the patient is scared.

Sorry but this is total and complete BS. There is no definitive test that shows the causes of types of liver issues. I get liver function tests about 3x per year plus imaging, and my doc claimed at one point that my liver showed signs of alcohol abuse. The tiny detail is that I don’t drink, and never did.

Blood tests such as the typical liver function test, can reveal a number of chemical levels and imaging can show some physical problems, but neither can define the source of the problem(s).

Who said I was the final authority. Just because I present my case from years of experience in the the chemical health and mental health field? Not personal experience. No need to feel offended, that's not my intent.

I'm not aware of any studies that show patient's disclosing chemical health issues.

The MAST is a helpful screen many patients take when they are in for a check-up. It can tip off a Doc to a potential problem. Using this type of screen with and watching out for defencies in vitamins A and E, malnutrition, Hep C, high iron levels, fatty liver disease, head injuries, black and blue marks ... can be helpful as well. There's no definitive test, these are indicators...

You can read more about liver functions test. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1003260/pdf/westjmed00091-0095.pdf

These are all tools to help a physician determine if a problem exists-- one of many tools he/she has at their disposal - and a physician can be the first step in a getting a patient help. Ultimately it's up to the patient, if they want to BS their Doc, so be it.