Many years taking sleep medications

I am an 71 year old woman and have been experiencing insomnia for 5 years. I had been taking 25 mg Trazodone for 3-4 years prior to the onset of this debilitating insomnia because I worked different shifts and it worked beautifully until it stopped working-at any dose. Since then I have tried Ambien, Lunesta, Belsomra, Dayvigo, Mirtazapine, Xanax, Sonata, Amitriptyline, Gabapentin and Doxepin. Most had too many side effects for me to continue them or didn’t work. I tried supplements (CBD, Gaba, Ashwagandha etc) with limited success but the life altering effects of sleep deprivation were slowly affecting my health and sleep studies and multiple sleep doctors offered no help. The last one I saw said sometimes there is no other option but to stay on sleep medicine forever. For women, often the lack of hormones in menopause trigger insomnia. Sleep is so important and my thought is why go off now? It is a fact that most seniors don’t get the quality sleep we once did. I am currently on 200 mg Gabapentin which does help me sleep 6-8 hours but I have to deal with a slight dizzy/spacey feeling all the next morning. I am otherwise healthy and walk 3-4 miles outside everyday and so I deal with this side effect and hope it may go away in time. Many people do not have this side effect. If you take other medications, make sure that insomnia is not a side effect. My thought is, after 24 years of taking medication for sleep, it would be difficult to sleep without it. What are your prescribing doctors thoughts? Some sleep medications are contraindicated for seniors due to memory loss and other side effects such as dizziness.
In the words of my last sleep doctor, “insomnia is a marathon” and we just have to keep running the course. Try to stay healthy however you can and get your sleep however you can even if you have to take a medication.

@toren123
Have you had an updated sleep study? Have you talked with a psychiatrist or your doctor about taking antidepressants for anxiety?

What medications have you tried? Have you tried Calm magnesium before bed ? Warm milk? Melatonin? Do you have a dark and cool/comfortable room, good bed/pillows, white noise or calm music in the background, etc.?

I’ve done all these things and none of them worked. Sleep is a battle for many of us.

I’ve taken trazadone, sonata, temazapam, Ativan, diazepam, mirtazapine, rozerem, belsomra, melatonin and other OTC pills including magnesium, doxepin, seroquel, ambien, and lunesta, which I take now. Trazadone worked for a few years but then stopped. Sonata only helped for about 2 hours. Doxepin helps a little bit but not very well, even if I double the dose. I couldn’t handle the side effects of seroquel. Ambien puts me to sleep, but the side effects are also an issue with it. Blurry vision and depression. All the benzodiazepines work, but doctors here in San Angelo, Texas, where I live, won’t prescribe them. I guess they think it’s better if I just don’t sleep. We moved back here 3 years ago from Georgia. At that time I was alternating nights with lunesta and temazapam and it was working fine. But after moving here, temazapam was out. So I was left with Lunesta, but only 1 mg. I went to a neurologist, advertised as a sleep specialist. She would only prescribe doxepin and when I ask for something more effective, she wouldn’t help me anymore. So I finally had to drive 90 miles to see a neurologist in another town. He upped the lunesta to 3 mg. It still works, but not as well as it used to. He said those with chronic insomnia will always have to take medication. I don’t know what he’ll say when I see him again. I also follow the guidelines for CBT-I. So I’m still searching.

I am 70 yrs old and have taken Tylenol PM for many years. I still can't seem to get to sleep before at least 4 am, but once I'm asleep I at least slay asleep for 8+ hours.

I'm sorry that it is so hard for you to sleep. I have had insomnia for many years; 40? I am going to a therapist and with her help have greatly reduced my anxiety and depression. I am taking trazodone to help me sleep but I am off Zoloft for anxiety/ depression which I started taking to help with work stress and menopause symptoms.
Besides the therapy to help me be happier and the trazodone, I listen to a mindful meditation/ hypnosis podcast before I go to sleep. My bedroom is really dark too and sometimes having a sound machine helps as I have pulsing tinnitus which is annoying. I only slept 5 last night but that is not usual when it was the normal... There are a lot of sleep podcasts that I find helpful to help me wind down at night. I really do hope you get some rest and relief.

I take a variety of sleep meds, all of which work for awhile.
As others have suggested, you needs to find a doctor and / or a
therapist to work with so you can develop a plan unique to you.
Sleepless nights are the worst! Don't give up & good luck.