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(@unk-p)
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@lisabella123

i pulled the Ace of Cups!

 

peace&love to you both

 


   
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(@lovendures)
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@lisabella123

Cari Elana, what a beautiful name.

I am sure being so far apart must be heartbreaking for you right now. I can feel  how difficult it is for you to be separated from Cari Elana right now.  We want to be with our children in their time of need, their time of need is also our time of need.  

I am only a beginner reader or I would pull a card for you tonight.  @jeanne-mayell, perhaps you or someone else can offer some inside?

23 is young to have melanoma.  My step-sister had melanoma at the age of 21 and my parents were so worried for her.  She is 45 now and doing well.  She gets checked often and has had additional pre-cancerous  moles removed over the years but nothing was as serious as that melanoma.  I don't recall what type of melanoma it she had but she is healthy today.  I am sure a lot of progress for treatment has been made in 24 years too.  

May Cari Elana feel at peace tomorrow and be held with loving light.  May you feel peace and the presences of a host of angels watching over you and your daughter.  May you be reunited soon so you can hold her in your arms.  May her surgeon be guided to  take care of everything that needs to be found and addressed.

Sending you a great big hug mama.  This community will be sending healing energy to Cari Elana, I just know it.  

 


   
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(@bluebelle)
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@kksali  I’ve just noticed in the past few months that when I’m meditating for healing, I often have a vision of a warm red light.  Not always, though.  When it happens, it is my sense that healing energy is being transmitted to the person I’m caring about and the light lasts as long as I’m focused on healing.

 


   
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(@kksali)
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@bluebelle Thank you.  

 


   
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(@lovendures)
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@lisabella123

How did things go for Cari Elana yesterday and how are you doing today?

 

 


   
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(@ghandigirl)
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The ambien(zolpiderm) is giving me a metallic taste in my mouth. Athough I normally take very little and it works really great, I feel scared.

I am afraid to stop using it and be awake. To lay awake is to panic. It is a trade off. But this new weird feeling in my lips and the aftertaste are concerning.  I did have to use quite a bit a few nights ago which precipitated the aftertaste, but most nights it is about 2.5 or so which is a tiny sliver. and I sleep well, fall asleep within half an hour, or even sooner some nights, and get eight hours of sleep. I even have been dreaming. 

I am going to try to skip a night if I can. Perhaps I can use less frequently and still reap the benefits?

Perhaps I will fail miserably.

Perhaps my excellent sleep hygiene and daily habits will help. I go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each morning. No alcohol, No caffiene (goodbye chocolate :( ) or drugs.  Don't eat usually after 6 pm.Walk every single day, rain, shine, hot or cold. Never nap and try to physically stand up if I start to nod off.  And use so many coping techniques that have helped make bedtime less anxious. I am truly doing everything I can to help myself. 

I see a lot of mixed reviews for long term use. I stopped using medical mj 4 months ago because I was dependent on it and coughing..am asthmatic. I seemed to have swapped one substance for another. 

I have read horror stories and glowing testimonials both about using zolpiderm/ambien long term. It's now been 3 months for me. I need to stop reading though, because it is truly frightening me.

I think though this new side effect is telling me to try to wean off again if I can.  So I will try . I may not be able to but it can't hurt to try...

 

 


   
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(@bright-opal)
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@ghandigirl

I'm sorry you are going through such a difficult time with your sleep.  It is frustrating.  Please keep in mind I am not a pharmacist, medical person.  

Have you tried herbal tea to help you with sleep?  It is not Ambient, that is for certain.  But if you want to ween yourself off of it or if you would like to try something else first before using your medication, that could be something that would help.

As for your sleeping hygiene, I think you are doing great!  The only thing I would add is this.  If you decide to not take ambient and you are not sleeping after 40-45 minutes, get up, out of your bedroom.  Do not turn on any lights, TV or any other electronic.  Just stay up for 5 minutes, no more.  Just empty your mind, do nothing else.  Then go back to bed. 

That's something that helps me.  More often than not, I only have to get up once.  But it has happened where I had to do it a couple of times.  I would then take a herbal tea on the second try.

My aunt makes a pitcher of herbal tea every evening.  She takes a cup about an hour before bed and brings the rest on her bedside table.  She wakes up often through out the night.  when she wakes up she drink the tea from her bed to ensure she doesn't get out of bed and wake up completely.  That has helped her as well.

Just keep in mind, your doctor has prescribed something to help you sleep for a reason.  So talk to him/her with the problems you are experiencing with your meds.

I hope this helps.  Good night!

 


   
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(@lovendures)
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@ghandigirl

Following on the heals of @Bright Opal, try not to use any electronics or tv before bed.  Including phone.  Blue light waves can make it difficult to sleep.  Make sure to adjust your phone and computer setting at night to the evening warmer light setting.  Also, if you have digital clocks or other light sources that are blue or green ( not red or warm colored) block them.  It can disrupt sleep.  I block my DVR clock and humidifier light every night.  

 


   
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(@ghandigirl)
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@bright-opal

Thanks for responding.

I do have things I do if I still can't sleep. I get out of bed after 15 minutes and have warm milk and a visit with the cat. I read this forum for a bit, and then switch to a book. If I am still awake and not sleepy after another 15 minurtes or so,  I take another sliver.

I notice I am not having to do that as often and I am less panicked over all. So I am making some progress. I am learning to retrain my brain and choose better thoughts. I do have a long ingrained pattern of panicking over insomnia but I keep at it. Mostly I work at self forgiveness to give myself a chance to feel well enough to sleep.

It is nice to feel so cared for here in this forum. I appreciate all of the kind comments I receive and have been posting more and more, feeling more able to communicate clearly as time goes on. 

 


   
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(@ghandigirl)
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@lovendures

Thanks. I do watch tv w muted sound for a bit but then turn everything off except for the music. Not sure I can give that up as it distracts and calms me, helps me pretend I am not trying to get ready for sleep.... but I appreciate the advice. I'll think about that.

 


   
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(@suspira44)
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hi if anyone happens on this board - it's 11:54 p.m. on the east coast. We foster kittens and one is en route to the emergency vet due to breathing problems. If you can send any healing and light, please! Thank you so much.


   
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(@elaineg)
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@ghandigirl

When my home burned in December of 2018, I had trouble sleeping. I thought it was stress (I found out later that Simvastatin can also cause sleeping problems.)

I went to the doctor for an anxiety pill Lorazepam. He didn't want to give it to me. He wanted to give me Ambien.  I told him Ambien is addictive and leaves a hangover, and if I had been taking Ambien when my trailer caught fire, I wouldn't have woken up. I said Lorazepam calm's my mind so I can go to sleep. He only let me have it for sixty days. Now when I have trouble I take Alka Seltzer Cold with aspirin which also helps my leg pain.

 


   
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(@ghandigirl)
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@elaineg

Thanks Elaine.

I was unsuccessful last night skipping the ambien. Tried for an hour.

BUT most importantly, I did not panic (hardly at all). I was (mostly) calm. so in that way it was a success. I will keep building on these successes. 

I appreciate all of the suggestions.  I tried no tv or electronics last night. I will try to begin to add this to my sleep routine. I'll try reading a book in low light instead and see how it goes. 

If I can find a non habit forming med to replace the ambien I will do so gladly. So far hydroxy and melatonin didn't work at all and neither did increasing my seroquel so I weaned back down to the originally prescribed amount.

 I am going to visulaize myself being able to sleep without it and practice the law of attraction.

I am also going to calmly allow myself the use of it if I can't, until hopefully one day I can.

In my head, I see big letters spelling out, "This Too Shall Pass."

Thanks for the support. i am grateful for every word and take nothing for granted.

 


   
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(@elaineg)
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@suspira44

I'm sorry I wasn't up when you asked for help. I hope your baby is doing better.

 


   
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(@ghandigirl)
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@suspira44

Prayers for your little kitty. I hope she made it through the night and is breathing better. 

 


   
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(@deetoo)
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@ghandigirl, It sounds like you're doing well, in spite of your challenges. I can imagine how exhausting this is for you, and I really admire your faith, courage and tenacity. And your man sounds like a true gift. You are clearly moving forward.

You commented about the metallic taste from taking the Ambien. I've never taken Ambien, but when I am on certain antibiotics, I will sometimes have a nasty metallic taste in my mouth. Since I've generally not had to be on them longer than a week, I don't know whether that metallic side effect would have eventually gone away. Another time I wanted to try 1/2 pill of a particular medication, so rather than cutting it, I got lazy, bit it in half and took it that way. My mouth became numb and my lip swelled. That lasted for hours. My pharmacist told me that could have been the interior coating on the pill and/or the medicine itself, both which was supposed to reach my stomach without making contact with my mouth. So I guess if I wanted to try 1/2, I was supposed to cut the pill, place the half at the back of my tongue, and swallow with some water. You live and learn!

When I was going through my period of chronic insomnia, I found that I could easily fall asleep in front of the tv. But when I retired for the night, just the thought of going to bed and becoming quiet created anxiety for me and I'd be up. So I went through a period where I felt less stress when I slept in the spare bedroom. I think that psychologically, I associated sleeping in the master bed with insomnia. I can't recall how long it took for that to resolve, but eventually it did. I was also on clonozepam during that time.

I mentioned in an earlier post some of the things that can help me to sleep, but I do realize we're all different with how we respond to things. I have found doing the vagus nerve exercise I shared with you in an earlier post helps to downregulate my nervous system. I know it looks silly, but there is science behind it. I do the exercise a few times a day, and whenever I'm feeling anxious and/or disoriented. There are a few variations of that same exercise that you could also try. I can also share those with you if you're interested, but I don't want to overwhelm you with information. I recently purchased Stanley Rosenberg's book, Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve, which explains the neuroscience behind the polyvagal theory. Rosenberg also focuses a lot on the direct correlation between trauma and autonomic dysfunction.

I'd just continue to follow whatever that little internal voice is telling you to do.  I'd also avoid too much research on the internet.  Sometimes when I do that, I ended up not being able to sleep!

Love and blessings to you, my friend.


   
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(@deetoo)
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@suspira44, I'm sorry that I wasn't up to see your post.  Please let us know how your little kitty is doing.  I'm keeping all of you in my prayers.  


   
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(@deetoo)
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My husband is sick again -- fever, bad upper and lower respiratory problems, infection.  This is the third (or is the 4th?) time he's gotten sick since mid-December.  I don't think he ever fully recovered from the last one.  This bout seems worse than the first one. 

If you have the healing energy to spare, please send some his way.  And also my way -- I feel like I'm fighting something, and don't want to catch whatever he has.  My immune system is already compromised.  

Thank you, my friends.


   
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(@ghandigirl)
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@deetoo

I'm interested in the vagus nerve things.

Thank you for your post. 

I do have a pill cutter but was lazy and bit the pill a few times this week. Maybe that's all it was. Great information!

 

 

 


   
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(@suspira44)
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@deetoo I have vagovagal syncope so I'm interested in anything having to do with the vagus nerve.

 


   
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