Wakefulness Finds a Powerful Ally

NY Times ^ | June 29, 2004 | ANAHAD O'CONNOR

[neverdem]

PING

[JmyBryan]

Let's make it illegal so narco-terrorists can profit from it.

[Rodney King]

I'd buy some, but it costs like 3 bucks per pill on the internet.

[AHerald]

I've had a lifelong insomnia problem (tried light therapy, hypnosis, medications up the ying-yang to no avail), so this is interesting news. But I'd like to know more. Are there any FReepers who've taken this drug who would care to comment?

[1066AD]

You might try melatonin. Melatonin is also useful for jet lag, helps get your clock reset to local time.

[expatpat]

Ms. Coots should have dropped the caffeine and stimulants - then she might have been able to sleep! If she'd just let her body alone, she'd sleep when she really needed to.

[AHerald]

You might try melatonin

Tried it. It provided some relief in the short-term, but ultimately had little impact on my insomnia.

[ChewedGum]

Although this doesn't sound much like an insomnia cure...its the opposite - an insomnia pill.

Gum

[AHerald]

doesn't sound much like an insomnia cure...its the opposite - an insomnia pill.

Thanks for the link, Gum. Yeah, the irony. Being an insomniac, of course, eventually means having to fight to stay awake and focused during the day. Caffeine and other stimulants give me headaches and make me a jittery, often inchoherent mess of a fellow, so this modifinal drug sounds promising to me.

[AHerald]

Almost forgot: That's a damn nice site you have there, Gum. Gonna have to start keeping tabs on it.

[foolscap]

Like you I have the same problem. I have done everything from all the overcounter meds to pharmaceuticals. For me it seems to come and go in jags. Like right now I am coming off of a 72 hour period with getting only about 5 hours sleep in that time. They say that the human body can really not go very long without sleep. Well, guess again I have done this for weeks at a time. I am interested in this drug too. It's one thing to be awake. It's another thing to be awake and able to function. Usually what I get is so overtired all I can do is sit a stare at the wall. I went in for a test in a sleep lab and came away with the diagnosis that I am an insomniac. Gee, thanks for the insight. They gave me some meds but none of them work. The closest I have come to to finding something is 75-100mg of Trazadone taken with melatonin. This is such a frustrating problem and makes my life very difficult. It is hard to take in any information when you are sleep deprived. Also the headaches can be a killer. I am happy to hear that there is a fellow sufferer here on FR

[Dacus943]

"I'd like to know more. Are there any FReepers who've taken this drug who would care to comment?"

Come on... they tested it on the french! What more do you need to know???

[ChewedGum]

Ok, I understand how it would be useful for insomniacs. Thanks for not pounding me for my ignorance. See how much better and informative the discussion is when we are all nice and civil?

Oh, and a big thanks for the compliment!

Gum

[nothingnew]

I am happy to hear that there is a fellow sufferer here on FR

Think ya want to reword that?..heh heh heh

FMCDH(BITS)

[iamtheauthorita]

I'm currently using provigil because I work graveyard and go to school full time.

Provigil doesn't replace sleep, it just delays your need to sleep. What's great about it is you can be up for 24-36 hours straight and still feel like a million bucks. After, 36 hours, at least for me, the effectiveness of the drug decreases rapidly.

What I basically do is get by with 3-4 hours a sleep during the week and sleep like 12-16 hours straight from fri night into sat afternoon. I will then be up maybe another 8 hours and sleep another 12-16 hours again sat. going into sunday.

This drug has other positive effects and no negative effects that I have seen. It seems to work as a anti-depressent, appetite suppressant, and seems to help you concentrate better, even if you are rested up.

The drug costs $4/pill if you get it off the internet or don't have insurance to pay for it. My prescription costs my insurance company $240/month and I pay only $15 co-pay.

[iamtheauthorita]

Another thing that is great about provigil is that you don't get any of the jitteryness, nervousness, nausea that you can get with caffiene pills.

With caffiene, it prevents you from sleeping but doesn't relieve your desire to sleep. With provigil you feel normal and feel like you don't need to sleep, at least for the first 36 hours. Another thing that is great about provigil, is that you can sleep whenever you want to. You choose when to sleep and be sleepy.

I probably sound like a advertisement now from the evil, big pharmecetical industry (Big Drugs).

[AHerald]

It's one thing to be awake. It's another thing to be awake and able to function.

Is that ever true. I long ago was able to get past the almost nightly frustration of not being able to fall asleep, realizing that the negative thinking ("Oh my God, I can't sleep. Woe is me, etc.) it was merely compounding the problem. But the inability to function normally in day to day life due to the lack of sleep remains the most difficult part of the problem for me.

I'm with you in spirit, knowing just how awful and debilitating insomnia can be. You say a prayer for me while I send some your way. There's a better day ahead.

[AHerald]

LOL!

[foolscap]

Since you have the same problem there is a question I'd like to ask. When you are coming off of a prolonged period no sleep do you find that when at last you begin to sleep again you fall instantly into a dream state? It seems as if the brain has a back long of dreams it needs to process. The problem with that is is that I will begin to dream within 15 minutes or so of starting to sleep. My mind may be sleeping but my body is not ready. This will instantly shock me back into wakefulness. I usually have to go through a period of retraining myself to sleep. Even if the full out insomnia has ended it takes about a week before I can sleep for more than two to three hours because of this problem. Even at my all time best sleep wise I never sleep more that four hours without waking up. I can not even picture in my mind what it would be like to sleep a full eight hours. I am comparing notes because I have not spoken with another who has an insomnia problem as sever as mine

Like you I have just learned to accept it. When it starts up I just figure there is not sense in fighting it. That only makes it worse. I will usually get up and go do something. I have found that 3:00 in the morning is a great time to get some housework done or organize that closet I've been meaning to get to. Thank God for Coast to Coast. Believe me Art Bell, George Noory and I have spent many a night together.