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Can one get off sleep meds after many years?
I am 86 years old and not really a depressed person. Most of the anxiety I have is connected to sleep. I have chronic insomnia and have been on sleep medication for 25 years. I have taken the course in CBT-I. I believe my sleep hygiene is pretty good. But I can’t sleep at all without medication. But where I live, almost all doctors are associated with the same organization. After 25 years of trying and using many different sleep meds, it’s becoming more and more difficult to find one that works. When you do, it no doubt is a controlled substance and doctors here don’t like to prescribe them. One doctor even refused to help me after that. And some don’t like to because of my age and I might fall. So you are put in a category that basically says ‘all old people are the same’. So my question is, does anybody know if there is some sort of rehab facility similar to what there is for illegal drugs, for long time sleep med users?
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@toren123
I would think with your doctors assistance you would be able to discontinue them. But VERY VERY SLOWLY!
Jake
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7 ReactionsI have insomnia doc tells me cant get to sleep drives me crazy, I dont use computers etc last thing at night I stop caffeine at midday. etc , doc suggested melatonin but thats out of my price range. I am 66
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1 ReactionI buy 3 mg melatonin at Trader Joe’s for about four dollars a bottle of 100
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1 Reaction@tisme so you don't want to try sleep medications? Melatonin is pretty cheap at most stores... but it doesn't work for everyone. You should first try over the counter ( you can buy it at walmart) generic Benadryl. Just make sure the active ingredient is diphenhydramine. Take 2 25mg tablets. Works for most people. But if you're a tougher case... try Unisom. Stronger, more effective than the Diphenhydramine. Lots of older people have sleep issues. Some health stores have natural sleep aids... you could try those too. They didn't work for me. I take 2 different meds for sleep. It sucks to have sleep issues....because proper sleep is extremely important for a person's overall health. Good luck to you.
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4 ReactionsI'm wondering why you want to stop taking the sleep medication....if, as you say, you can't sleep without it. At 86 years old, I'd say just stay on the sleep med. I mean.. why not? Why put yourself thru the hell of not sleeping....
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3 Reactions@cindisue not in Australia
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1 ReactionThere is a group called”Taper Clinic”, that are professional at tapering folks of the sleep poison. But that aren’t cheap. But they know what they are doing and good at it.
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1 Reaction@cindisue
I really don’t want to, but would like to know if it’s possible. It seems that where I now live, people who use controlled drugs for sleep are considered almost as bad as people who use opioids or street drugs. One pharmacist was very rude to me when I asked to get a Lunesta prescription after 29 days instead of 30 days because I had dropped a pill on the floor and couldn’t find it. I guess she thought I was lying. I no longer use that pharmacy. Their policy was 30 days before you could refill although the law says 28 days.
Also I’m finding it more difficult to find sleep meds that work without side effects or a hangover effect. At one time that wasn’t a problem but now it is.
Also some meds have a caveat that says be careful with the elderly, it could cause them to fall. So some medical personnel may classify me in a category that says “all old people are the same”. Well we’re not. Many people my age have serious dementia. But I don’t.
Well cindisue, you may be sorry you asked. But these are reasons I asked the question.
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1 Reaction@stevej940
Thanks for the info.
@toren123 All of these things you have told me are very upsetting to me. That your pharmacist, doctor and community make you feel like you're just as bad as a drug addict. That's so unfair and just plain mean. I am not sorry I asked you that question. It's a seriously flawed world (or at least the state you live in) when a person who is responsibly taking sleep medication is treated badly. Sleep is soooo vitally important to a person's overall health. And some of us people have extreme difficulty with it, and if taking a sleep medication helps us to get that much needed sleep, then what the heck is wrong with that! As long as people aren't abusing the sleep med, they should be allowed to have it to help them get the sleep they need. Shame on doctors, pharmacists, and anyone in your community who thinks you're a bad person for taking a prescribed sleep aid. The pharmacy not giving you your prescription after 28 days should be fined and forced to give you your medication! They are breaking the law! I feel so bad for you, thar you have to deal with that. And you're exactly right. Not all old people are high risk for falls. Every single person is different. It's such a shame that our world treats people badly just because they need a sleep med to help them sleep. Many, many medications may make you dizzy as a side effect, but doctors have no problem prescribing other meds to people. The sleep medications are the "bad ones"... which is so extremely wrong to me. I am lucky to have a doctor who understands and prescribes me what I need. Maybe ask your doctor about the medication Amitriptyline... it can help with sleep. Have you tried over the counter benadryl or Unisom with active ingredient Doxylamine? If you haven't tried them , you should. One of them could help you and then you wouldn't have to worry about getting a prescription from your doctor and pharmacist. Good luck to you. I pray for you. 🙏❤