Fibromyalgia and sleep aids
by Diana
(NC)
One of the larger problems related to fibromyalgia is getting a good night’s sleep.
Taking some sort of prescription sleep aid is not uncommon. Some fibromytes have trouble falling asleep, and some have trouble staying asleep. I won the lottery and have both problems. I can usually fall asleep again, but wake up 10-20 times a night, which takes a severe toll on my mind as well as my body.
For years I tried different types of tricyclic antidepressants, which are commonly used for the drowsy side effect, I always increase the dose after a few months because my body adjusted to the medicine and it took more and more to fall asleep. I was finally switched to a class of sleep aids called hypnotics. This is most commonly known for Ambien and Rozerem. I finally got a prescription for Sonata. While Sonata is in the same class of sleep aids it has a shorter life, (which means it doesn’t stay in your system as long) and doesn’t leave me groggy in the morning like the others did. It still takes me close to an hour to fall asleep, but not nearly as long as it would take me to fall asleep with with any other medication.
I have been on 10 mg Sonata for several years, and it is available as a generic drug which greatly reduces the price.
