I always took something to help me sleep when I was in cycle, so I was able to go back to sleep. Do you take anything to help you fall asleep? If not, you might try that.

Hmm... Are you taking Melatonin? If not, it helps prevent night hits for some, and you could always take some after you get on the O2 and see if it might put you back to sleep.

I still have some melatonin, I'll try that again.  I've never tried any Rx sleep meds.  I go through boughts of insonmia, and of course ch makes it worse.  If that fails, I'll get out "Tale of Two Cities". 

thanks

Oops, forgot, but if you have not read the threads, most people are talking 10-12 mg of Melatonin to get any efficacy. There are some serious warnings on Big M, blood pressure, interactions, pregnancy, would pay to ask the doc, or at least do some serious reading up.

Not me.

For the last week or so, I've been having to hit the O2 for about 10 minutes - two to four times every night - but I fall right back to sleep in seconds.

Melatonin never seemed to do much in the past, but now I'm thinking I'll give it a stab tonight.

Marc

Sorry about the nighttime hits, Beth.  And the sleeplessness too!  Hope it gets better soon.

Jeannie

beth do you get on the o2 as soon as you open your eyes at a kip3 or do you wait until your at a kip7 or 8?

-johnny- wrote on Jan 1^st, 2009 at 2:38am:

I lay there in denial and get up when I can't stand it anymore.  I know I should get up at the first sign, but sometimes (not often enough) it's just a shadow and I can go back to sleep without hitting the 02.

Here is a good information source from the National Institutes of Health which I referenced in the article I wrote for an OUCH newsletter a while back.  It's a good place to start for people who want to know more about melatonin.  Again, personally, melatonin isn't consistant enough for my needs, and I've given it several tries.
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Jim,

Pattik's link is a good one, actually a dynamite one, I got much of my info off the bottle, and just researching some sites, NIH, Wiley etc.

Keep in mind, the doses we are talking about are times 2 or more "normal" doses.

Off my Melatonin bottle, brand name Natrol, they specifically mention depressants, (although they don't mention BP), and anticoagulants.
My MD, who I have a LOT of respect for, was concerned that Melatonin might mess up some of the other drugs that seem to be working, ergo Zomax and Relpax, so I have been off it for the cycle. Out of cycle, I use it every two or three nights, does seem to give me good night's sleep.

Keep in mind, on dosing and/or efficacy of any treatment, the nature of CH. For 37 years, my first line has always been hot showers, but if you read the CH.com survey, only 3% of us get the same benefit. That means one could read 32 straight emails from honest people who have tried them and can say they didn't work, but if you didn't read the one in 33 where they did work, you'd be out in the cold.

Try the popular stuff, it it doesn't work, try every single thing that even one person said helped them until you find a treatment or mix that works.

BTW, Beth, if there is a question on whether you're getting a shadow or the real thing, don't think about it, hit the O2.

Denial is a highly overrated emotion in CH..................

Best,

Chris