Sometimes I know what I need to do, but it's like I need someone to SHOVE me. You know when you see those people in an airplane with the door open and parachutes on their backs, and they're supposed to leap out, and someone's reluctant so the guy in charge just SHOVES him?
Er, wait. I don't want this to go in this direction, where I imply that you shoved me out of an airplane, when what I really mean to say is that I found your comments on the fretful vent post very bolstering, like being propped up and also gently encouraged to go forward, and in fact I was bolstered enough to call the psychiatrist's office and leave another message, which HAD to be done. I did it Monday morning, first thing, before the kids were up.
When I have to use the phone, I rehearse and rehearse beforehand so I don't sound mental, and what I did in this situation was semi-rehearse, so that I would sound semi-mental. This is perhaps the perfect situation for sounding mental, but I didn't want to be fully mental or I wouldn't remember to leave my name, my phone number, or the reason why I was calling. I also took an Ativan, even though those make me sleepy afterward.
Anyway, that was Monday morning, very early. TUESDAY AT DINNERTIME, the phone rang and I picked it up (if I pick up fast, I'm better than if I have to return a call), and it was the doctor herself. Also, if I remember correctly, she's not in on Mondays, although maybe I'm thinking of Fridays. She said she got my message from a week ago, but that the message she was given said I was requesting a refill on the temazepam. Sigh.
She prescribed Ambien. Wellllll, crap. On one hand: yay! I love having a supply of Ambien! I still have a bottle from 2002, and half a tablet is enough to knock me out, so I save it for special occasions, so I'm glad to replenish the supply. But no way---NO way---am I taking Ambien routinely every night. Some insurance companies won't even pay for more than 7-14 tablets a month, because it's HIGHLY ADDICTIVE. Also, it's very very dangerous to take anywhere near alcohol. Also, it's hard to wake up from it, and I still get up in the night fairly often with child-related stuff.
So, okay. I'm going to fill the Ambien. I'm going to take it a couple of nights a week, and I'm going to take Benadryl on another night and see if that helps or if it just makes me groggy and dry-mouthed in the morning. Maybe I'll also try melatonin or one of those other sleep things. At my next appointment, I'll try one more sleep aid. If that doesn't work, I'll ask to try something other than Prozac.
Probably I need to stop PANICKING and instead see this as a long-term process. I'm over-inclined to think "OMG IT'S CONFUSING/DIFFICULT SO LET'S GIVE UP!" And I'm GLAD she's not hyper-active about changing medications: the last time I tried psychiatry, the reason I stopped was that I felt like the psychiatrist put me on something new every time I went. ...Or maybe the reason I stopped was "OMG IT'S CONFUSING/DIFFICULT SO LET'S GIVE UP!"
I have a pretty healthy respect for Ambien after I doubted its potency the first time I took it. I took it at a friend's house (stupid) but we lived a mile away from each other and left to go home ten minutes later. When I missed the driveway, almost hit my husband's truck and our house and he had to undress me and put me in bed and tell me all about it the next morning because I didn't remember, I didn't take it for a looong time. But I have serious sleep issues, so now I take it when I've gone several weeks without decent sleep, as a last resort and usually on the weekend. I think your plan might work and after you build up a small tolerance to it, hopefully you won't suffer from the groggies the next morning. Those are the worst.
ReplyDeleteHang in there. At least she's willing to work with you to find the best solution that is specifically designed for you. Which is how it should be. At your next appt be sure to mention all that you just wrote about about Ambien (see, writing it down was like rehearsing!) b/c I don't think you should have to rely on Benadryl or melatonin or whatever to get you through the night. Tell her you'll give it X more month(s), then you'd like to try something other than Prozac b/c it just isn't working for you.
ReplyDeleteBIG hugs and kisses! I'm so proud of you!
I have to tell you that I've had great luck this year with one Benadryl per night. It helped greatly to ward off the seasonal sinus stuff I suffer and helps me get great sleep. By taking one it wears off in the middle of the night while I'm good and asleep. I find that if I make sure to take it with at least a 1/2 glass of water then I don't have AM cotton mouth.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
Have you tried using the sleepytime tea? Sounds crazy I know,I figure you probably have... but it really helped my little brother when he was in rehab for his meth addiction and couldn't sleep so I thought I'd throw it out there.
ReplyDeleteOne of the MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS I have learned from the internet, is that SO MANY people have that phone phobia thing. I really (really!) thought is was just me before.
ReplyDeleteGood for you! And I'm glad that you have a good doctor who is willing to work with you. I hope you can find a solution that works for you.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that you got a phone call back. Be sure and tell her (again) at your appt that phone's are not your thing.
ReplyDeleteDoes Ambian make you (or anyone else) nauseated? I have a script and it makes me nauseated. It didn't the first two times I took it but now, it does.
Did you TELL her your concerns and previous experiance with Ambien or did you just let her prescribe it again with out a word?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous- I had only a brief phone conversation with her, not an appointment, and she said she would "call something in." Then I found out it was Ambien. Of course I will tell her my concerns at our next appointment. But in the meantime, it seems reasonable to try it: last time, I took it for insomnia; this time, it has been prescribed for bad dreams.
ReplyDeleteAnd, as I said in the post, I'm glad to replenish my supply of Ambien, regardless of whether it works on the dreams.