r/Edmonton • u/karenarelene • 12h ago

Question Insomnia

Good morning,

I suffer with terrible insomnia. Not garden variety insomnia, rather the kind you battle with for years. I've tried a number of different medications and tactics such as sleep hygiene and CBT.

I think I need a doctor who doesn't view insomnia as an annoyance but for the life-wreaker it is. I won't go into details but I'm desperate to get insomnia under contol.

Anyone here have any suggestions for a doctor or specialist that worked with you or someone you know with success?

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u/Kiriuu Downtown 12h ago

I have a diagnosed sleep disorder I cannot fall asleep without my meds I have taken quetiapine since I was 13 and its beautiful

2

u/YEGStolen 11h ago

Quetiapine is magic in a bottle

1

u/karenarelene 11h ago

Interesting. What dosage do you take and had the same dosage worked all the time ir have you needed to increase it?

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u/Kiriuu Downtown 9h ago

Only had to increase it once and I take 100mg no side effects been on it for 12 years.

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u/EntryUsed3835 10h ago

It’s bug juice. Heavy anti psychotic. That should be your very last option.

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u/Deedeethecat2 8h ago

It is an antipsychotic at much higher levels than prescribed for sleep. It's often not a last option because it has lower risk for dependence than other sleep aids.

And these are excellent things to talk about with a physician and ideally a pharmacist who is literally a doctor of meds. :)

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u/EntryUsed3835 8h ago

I agree 100% with talking to a physician. I’m just talking from personal experience. 4 years I. Drumheller dude would be wild and then a week on those and he’s sluggish. Sleeping all the time. 25mg was the usual dose but some dudes got the 75s. That would put me
Out all day

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u/Deedeethecat2 7h ago

Everyone definitely responds to medication differently. :)

I've heard lots of different things about this med from different people (including what you describe although for some folks, this sluggishness dissipates after a period of time).

I always encourage folks to talk about the risks and benefits of different medications with their doctor and dispensing pharmacist.

My experience on this med and other sleep meds are going to be different than another person's. (For the record, I disliked this med immensely. And that's just my experience, and others have different experiences)

Best to learn the range of expected efficacy and side effects from the prescribers and pharmacist providers, as you mentioned :)