melissaw72's Blog

Anyone Taking Sleeping Pills?

I was reading about Ambien and other prescription sleep aids (because I just can not take them due to side effects, and wanted to know more about them), and how dangerous it (is) can be.  Apparently taking 18 sleeping pills or more a year is linked to a higher death rate.  Even less than 18 times can in some cases lead to death.

http://todayhealth.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/28/10529503-could-ambien-increase-your-risk-of-death?lite

(I'm not suggesting a lawyer, just this has some good info at the beginning):

http://www.floodlawgroup.com/ambien/

http://www.natap.org/2012/newsUpdates/022912_01.htm

These links give an overview of what I am referring to about death rates in people taking Ambien and other prescription sleep meds 18 times or less per year.  I hope this brings some awareness to the problem. (there is much more info out there, just google 'ambien 18 pills a year', and you'll find more information on it all.

Melissa.

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GreenFish
Look at Heath Ledger. Such amazing talent, and he just wanted to get some sleep, and he put all his trust in doctors as well as Big Pharma. It seems like every other commercial on TV is a pharmaceutical commercial, which subconsiously makes people think that all drugs are safe to take.  (The # of commercials have dramatically increased from when I was growing up in the late 80s early 90s, then something happened and now every other commercial is a drug commercial, desensitizing us more and more to the dangers of drugs.) Drugs are chemicals.  Man-made.  They are toxic. Some are necessary to take long term, such as my synthetic birth control hormone. I just make sure to arm my diet with the proper detoxifying fruits and veggies to counterbalance the toxic effects. I can go on about this forever, but I only have 2000 character limit!
GreenFish

Better ways to beat insomnia:  Cutting out caffeine, especially in the afternoon, sleeping in pure darkness, eating foods that contain melatonin or L-tryptophan (think cherries for melatonin, and turkey for L-tryptophan! Many other foods, just google!)

I would recommend small, teeny tiny dose of melatonin if you are having trouble falling asleep.  I've tried them all, and the higher doses of 3 to 5 milligrams gave me weird nightmares and woke me up fully at like, 3 in the morning.  Not good.  I then tried 0.5 milligrams with success.  No nightmares and slept thru the night.  Here's what I used: http://www.amazon.com/Chewable-Peppermint-Flavored-Melatonin-Supplement/dp/B0040IJJ82

Here's an interesting site on melatonin and cancer prevention by the American Cancer Society: http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/PharmacologicalandBiologicalTreatment/melatonin

melissaw72

Thanks Greenfish .. my neuro just mentioned to me the other day about how a low-dose melatonin (specifically 0.5 mg) might help more than a higher dose.

Melissa.

GreenFish

You're welcome!  I don't want people to have to go thru what I went thru with the strange dreams.  I was the guinea pig for everyone out there!  Low dose is better in this case, for me.  I think it's okay to up the dose by 0.5mg if the original 0.5mg  dose is not quite working (so, 1mg), but you would have to consult with your neuro. 

Also, I noticed, if you have the lights on after you take it, it might not be as effective.  Which could be good, lets say in case of emergency, you can wake yourself up by turning on all the lights, you won't be drowsy like when you are on another sleep medication.

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