Addiction

[sl1000794]

I am working thru an addiction problem - maybe if I talk about it I can keep the rest of you from having a problem. First my addiction has nothing to do with any narcotics - it was ADVIL PM. I started using it after my hip surgery at Xmas in 2015. I didn't want to take the strong prescription narcotic pain pills the DR prescribed for me. So I started taking 2 Advil 200's in the mornings and 2 Advil 200's PM's at night to sleep. Worked great. Fast forward 6-1/2 years to last weekend when I ran out of PM's and decided to quit them. Found that I was hooked and haven't been sleeping much the last 10 days and have not felt good for a lot of that time ... but I'm going to stick with it and quit them.

 

[riverview]

why take them for 6 years? i have trouble getting to sleep took melatonin for a few months then figured out i was getting anxiety from them stopped and only every once in a while i have trouble getting to sleep

 

[sl1000794]

why take them for 6 years? i have trouble getting to sleep took melatonin for a few months then figured out i was getting anxiety from them stopped and only every once in a while i have trouble getting to sleep

I talked to my Dr's - both surgeon and personal and they didn't have a problem with it when I started. Probably didn't keep up with my DR on my twice a year appointment and that is my fault, but neither told me to limit my usage. My bad I'm sure.

I'm going to get over my addiction. Don't want to live like this any more.

 

[db-2]

Sometimes i sleep at night and there are times i do not sleep. Too many times.
Its crab when i finally do fall asleep around 4 in the morning.
PM do work and sleep pills did not. But i prefer not to take as i was concern with the effect but not sleeping i am sure was not good either.
Normally go to bed around midnight or later (Gunsmoke is on the set) and wake up by 7 in morning.

So i live with it. Retire so if i sleep in which is rare it is fine. Am 75 and soon one day i am sure that's all i will do is sleep due to old age. db

 

[1lessdog]

I am working thru an addiction problem - maybe if I talk about it I can keep the rest of you from having a problem. First my addiction has nothing to do with any narcotics - it was ADVIL PM. I started using it after my hip surgery at Xmas in 2015. I didn't want to take the strong prescription narcotic pain pills the DR prescribed for me. So I started taking 2 Advil 200's in the mornings and 2 Advil 200's PM's at night to sleep. Worked great. Fast forward 6-1/2 years to last weekend when I ran out of PM's and decided to quit them. Found that I was hooked and haven't been sleeping much the last 10 days and have not felt good for a lot of that time ... but I'm going to stick with it and quit them.

I dont know what the big deal is, There is nothing wrong with taking a few Advil. To sleep or ease the pain. It is not hurting you physically so why stop. If your addicted to them it just means you have a addictive personality. To stop because you think or are hook on them is no big deal,

 

[snow1]

Agree with river....,Lite sleeper here,usually take 12mg of melatonin couple nights/week, lights out,not groggy in morning hours,ready to roll,advil can cause stomach issues so beware.

 

[KDM]

A good day of exercise outside is the best sleep assistance I know of. Maybe some time spent outside moving around at the end of the day would help put your lights out. Either that or read an Economics book. Even in College, an Econ book would slam my eyelids shut in a flash. All kidding aside, I wish you all the best in your effort to wean yourself off this crutch you feel you have. Pray to Heavenly Father for strength and lay this at His feet. Good things will happen.

 

[Lycanthrope]

Ive got a buddy that is very addicted to both caffeine and nicotine, but hes dead set against marijuana legalization, cracks me up...

GL with your PM addiction, ive never heard of that one but you can get hooked on all kinds of strange things.

 

[Up Y'oars]

More movement and fresh air is usually the ticket for me, personally.

I do have a bottle on non-addictive sleep aide from Walmart. Think about this as an alternative option. If I think I'm not too tired I might pour myself a 1/2 or 3/4 dose just to help out. I think it's a better option than Tylenol PM or Advil PM. I used to have a bottle of those, too, but ended up tossing them as they were long past their expiration date.

 

[PrairieGhost]

Years ago with all my knee pain my doctor said I could have up to 12 ibuprofen a day. I stuck with four. After that doctor left my new doctor put me on 800mg of Naprosyn, then two years later 200mg of Celebrex twice a day. I cut back on my own to only one in the morning. Now after replacing both knees I still have inflation in the knee caps. So it's been anti inflamatories for me for 25 years. However my only addiction is shooting. If I don't get out twice a week I'm a wreck.

 

[Shockwave]

Addictions are a SOB. I smoked for many years and finally kicked the habit about 8 years ago. In addition, I drank pretty heavy for a few years and also cut that way back. Now the only thing I'm addicted to is my family and the great outdoors.

 

[snow1]

These sleep aid add's on the tube....good grief,forget the name mike huckabee is promoting but he claims not addictive but in the same breath says he's been taking this stuff for 15years...politians just can't help it .

 

[JayKay]

I give you full credit for talking about this. I have found that addictions can be in MANY forms, and there will always be people who don't have the same troubles you have, so they think it's no big deal.

I personally have had all kinds of troubles with alcohol, but have been off the stuff for years now, and it's a good thing. Not a drop. I know better. And yet for instance, I have no gambling issues, and I know people who do.

So, good for you for taking a real look at your life.

And yes, admitting it, or talking about it, is a great first step in making a change. Even making others aware of it, helps to keep yourself accountable. If nobody knows you're struggling, then it's easy to simply keep doing what you've been doing.

Best of luck!

Jaykay

 

[jdinny]

most sleep aids in meds like you describe ( advil pm) you speak of is just benadryl or some other antihistimine very very rarely are they abused. advil can be hard on stomach and liver if taking too long.

 

[guywhofishes]

Good luck 794 - praying for you. Great decision!!!

 

[NDbowman]

https://youtu.be/uUPHlAbAf2I

 

[Ruddy Duck]

If you are going multiple days without sleep, you could try rotating a different sleep aid every few days to make sure you get some nights of sleep and gradually space your days further apart. When I am having trouble falling asleep I rotate between Redcon1 fade out (muscle supplement company-lol don't make fun of me it works), benadryl, melatonin, and ambien (need a prescription). That being said, I typically don't take anything more than once a week even if I am having trouble falling asleep because it's easy to get reliant on it.

Good luck.

 

[johnr]

Roger the old lady just before bed, always makes me sleep like I ate a big thanks giving dinner.

 

[Skeeter]

Roger the old lady just before bed, always makes me sleep like I ate a big thanks giving dinner.

Well if you insist.

 

[wjschmaltz]

Good on you for addressing it and making it public always helps with accountability.

Microdose some edible Mary J. I had a hard time getting my brain to a place where I could sleep over the last year or so. Started to take little nibbles of MJ in the evening from time to time and it works awesome. Prescriptions for sleep or depression were a HUGE hell no for me and OTC stuff doesn't come without a long list of side effects either. Only side effect of the MJ was that I was in a better mood a lot of the time and could concentrate much better for days after. Sure beats the side effects of other sleep pills which include liquid blood sharts and the urge to murder people while blacking out. But somehow I'm the one on the bad stuff......