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Treatment resistant insomnia—can the ER even help me?

Posted by oodlesofeep @oodlesofeep, Nov 25, 2025

I’d been sleeping fine for years(8+ hours uninterrupted) but on 10/28/25 I suddenly lost that ability. Now I can only sleep 30 minutes to a couple hours. Even with medication. Last night I had to take melatonin, lunesta, doxepin and unisom and I slept only an hour. I’m hallucinating and having seizures(I have MS and epilepsy) but my doctors don’t seem in any rush to fix this. I’m convinced there is a physical illness causing this but I don’t know what. I don’t have the PTO to keep seeing my doctor about this. What do I do? I’m desperate. I don’t think the ER would do anything for me, but I don’t know where else to go. I learned all about sleep hygiene with MS fatigue, so I know it isn’t that. I’m also already in therapy. My MS clinic has stated that insomnia isn’t associated with MS so they can’t help me.

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stevej940 | @stevej940 | Mar 31 5:59pm
In reply to @aureliorod "I've been a long time patient for apnea/PLMS (Periodic Limb Movement Syndrome) & have tried numerous..." + (show)
Profile picture for aureliorod @aureliorod

I've been a long time patient for apnea/PLMS (Periodic Limb Movement Syndrome) & have tried numerous drugs to help with the PLMS, which is a seizure disorder that makes for involuntary
"flailing" of arms & limbs (related to RLS). I take 3& 1/2 .5 mg of Clonazepam before bed. It is the only thing that allows me to sleep. Melatonin gave me Insomnia! Doxepin had side effects, but I can't remember what. Lunesta gave me nightmares. Haven't tried Unisom.
Doc's are reluctant to do Clonazepam because it is highly addictive & can lead to kidney/liver problems. I guess I've been lucky. I'm 73 & been using C. for 30 years, with none of those complications.
Good luck. Hope this helps

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@aureliorod so you have never become tolerant on Clonozapam where it stopped working after all that time.

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aureliorod | @aureliorod | Mar 31 7:38pm

When I stop taking it, I stop sleeping. Nothing that I have tried to substitute, works as well as Clonazepam.

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inquirer2 | @inquirer2 | Apr 1 12:50am

I had a similar problem. A false diagnosis caused me extreme insomnia. The only thing that helped me was Seroquel 150 mg. Maybe it will help you.

Having a diagnosis of MS and epilepsy would cause extreme ANXIETY in most people. Could this diagnosis be the cause of your insomnia? May you find the help you need.

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lauriefeenstra | @lauriefeenstra | Apr 12 3:28pm

Have you seen a sleep specialist?

If you haven’t I suggest you do.

All those meds you took scare me , did someone tell you to use them all at once?

Sounds like a lot of drug interactions with all those sleep aids.

Do any of the meds you use for your illness have insomnia as a side effect?

That’s a good place to start looking

I don’t think the ER is going to be much help.

Please See a sleep specialist

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