I am beginning to think that I will just keep using the ambien. I don't think the tiny amount I am on is going to give me any more side effects. By letting this go maybe I will get to the place where I no longer need it. Focusing on it so much makes me feel like a failure and once that Pandora's box gets opeened I am back in the past , where I can't change anything.
So for now, I am just going to take it. I have dropped other addictive meds before. It has been suggested to me that something else might get prescribed that works.
All i know is I trust my new doctor and my boyfriend held my hand when I cried today about it and told me, "You are not alone." Just like you did. When you hear something twice it means you have to listen.
Thanks for reaching out. this too shall pass. Keep the Faith. Stay in today. That's my best advice, to me and to you.
I tried a few before Designs for Health Cannabis FS 300 hemp oil finally helped me.
land definitely no caffeine after 2.
Anita
@ghandigirl, I held back from responding to your post because I've never been on sleep meds (I tried one and didn't like the side effects, so I was afraid to try another). But my gut feeling was what you just expressed, i.e. let your concern about the Ambien go for now. You're going through significant changes in your life, which I imagine is quite taxing on your body. So it's even more important that you get proper sleep. Since I have a history of insomnia, I know how lack of sleep can affect everything -- your moods/emotions, cognitive skills, physical health. I was on clonazepam for a few years, until I was able to wean off. In an earlier post I'd mentioned the oddball combination that currently works for me. It's not perfect, but it helps most of the time. It was a lot of trial and error to get there.
I am glad that you have a supportive boyfriend and doctor, as well as the support of this community. And yes -- you are not alone, my friend.
If you decide the Ambien is not right for you, I have had very good success using a CBD/THC combo essential oil with an 18:1 ratio (18 CBD: 1 THC), and in dire straits a 4:1 oil. 1mL is enough to calm me down and/or knock me out. And the only caffeine I use regularly is in the form of green tea, and even that never after 4pm.
I'm actually allergic to caffeine after having cdiff many years ago. I don't drink soda,coffee, or tea so it never mattered much and only used to eat chocolate. I realized though that the chocolate probably triggered insomnia in the past. so no chocolate for me anymore.
Thanks for all the suggestions. When I am feeling less anxious I may check them out.
I wanted to share a Godwink here. I have been really depressed the last few days. Lost in the forest, so I talked to my (deceased ) dad. In the past he has shown me roses in a couple of different ways, once being predicted by a medium. I have not talked to him since becoming medicated in April, as I feel my psychic abilities are walled off now a bit. I don't believe in spirit the way I once did. I thought I saw his ghost but I was on the wrong meds and had a prolonged psychotic episode and was, I believe, hallucinating. But I talked to him anyway yesterday and asked him to show me a rose this weekend if he was there. And then forgot all about it.
We went shopping today and found a bargain discount store. It was our last stop and our last outing of the weekend. We hadn't noticed this particular store the last two weekends we were out. When we walked in there were at least six bouquets of different colored roses. Then I remembered asking my dad to show me a rose this weekend. As we left I imagined him saying, "You are not alone." His photo came up in my fb memories yesterday too, one of the last I ever took of him before he passed.
What is this: CBD/THC, and the oil? I sometimes need a little help.
CBD is Cannabidiol, THC (forget the long name) is the psychoactive component, both derived from hemp and marijuana. They come in many forms: smokeable, vapeable, edible and sub-lingual. The oils are sublingual, come in a dropper bottle so you can easily adjust dosage.
You can get plain CBD oil online, I like Charlotte's Web brand. For CBD/THC (or just THC) you have to live in a state with either medical or recreational marijuana access. CA is recreational, so I can literally just walk into a store with my photo i.d. and buy whatever. I rely on the salespeople to guide me, they usually know what's what.
Hi @ghandigirl
I feel part of your insomnia comes from not being able to stay grounded at night. Because you are psychic you are highly sensitive to external energy flows that come with the phases of the moon as well as various other astrological events. A racing mind and an amped up buzz in my body are two symptoms I've noticed when I start to get ungrounded. Here are a few things you may want to try, to see if they help:
Before going to bed, ground yourself by lying on the floor (sitting is also ok, but the more body contact the better) focus on your heartbeat or breath, in order to center, and then feel your body merge with the ground. You can also visualize sending red light to your root chakra. Do this until you feel you have calmed.
In order to help stay grounded while you sleep, try wearing something made from earth materials; metal, stone, etc. Skin contact is optimum, so a ring or bracelet is best.
And finally, food can have a very big impact on maintaining groundedness:
Root vegetables: beets, potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, tumeric, ginger, etc
Fermented and preserved foods: Yogurt, cheese, kombucha, pickled vegies, wine, beer, vinegar, bread, dried fruits, soy sauce
Red foods: beets, tomatoes, berries, chiles, etc
Earth's recyclers: Mushrooms, shellfish
Minerals: salt, calcium, magnesium, potassium, etc
BTW, pickeled red beets are like a super trifecta of grounding power, lol.
Hope this helps