[Latchkey Princess]

I'm dying here. Well, that's a bit dramatic, but I do feel like the walking dead most days. I'm on Zoloft for my depression, I started it again about 4 months ago when my youngest child was born, only 50mg once a day, so not a huge dose. But it gives me insomnia something horrible! I get up every morning with my three kiddos around 7am and by the time bedtime rolls around at 9 or 10pm I'm exhausted, but I lay in bed until 3am, sometimes even 5am just not able to get to sleep. When I first started taking Zoloft years ago I was prescribed Lorazepam as well to take when the insomnia got really bad (also for my anxiety attacks). It helped me get a decent nights sleep every once in a while. But I can't take it now as I'm breastfeeding my children and it's one of those drugs you absolutely cannot take while breastfeeding. So any ideas? I'm really starting to feel the effects of sleepless nights, and with three kids running around I have to be more on the ball than I am right now. I already limit my caffeine intake to 1 or 2 caffeinated drinks a day (usually 1 cup of coffee and 1 diet soda) and don't drink either of those after 2pm. I have a fan in my bedroom for white noise and I've tried every sleeping position imaginable. Please please please lend me your tips and tricks for getting to sleep! Thanks!

[Ashley777]

I am sorry to hear your dilemma of no sleep, I sympathize with the no sleeping problem and was on cymbalta for depression, the insomnia was so very bad for me I ended up going off the medication as i could no longer function properly due to no sleep. I am in noooooo way telling you to go off the meds and I know how breastfeeding can be so important to many moms, my daughter is also breastfeeding her third so three kids under 4 as well. When I was under great stress for several years with a very mentally stepdaughter and working full time and hubby was drinking most days and could not take care of her I also started taking alprazolam to help me cope and sleep, to me it was such a miracle pill. I still take it sometimes to help me sleep when it gets bad. I was lucky to get 1 or 2 hours a night for weeks on end then have to work 7:30 -5 and deal with my family as well.

I dont want to discourage you in any way but you may need to make a decision to continue on as you are, stop breastfeeding so you can take and anxiety pill as well, or go off the zoloft. I just wanted to encourage you in some small way that you are not alone.Life is hard sometimes and all we can do is take it one day at a time.

[catgirl]

hi,
i'm on wellbutrin, and i know that's activating...and i have insomnia too...i am trying (not hard enough) to have good sleep hygiene.. the bed is only for sleep and sex ...and no leaving things on the bed (i tend to leave books and papers and my calendar on it)... the white noise is good. have you tried any of those REM sleep CD's? if i could find mine, i'd be using them, i think they're great..and do you sleep with your husband? i find that sometimes being with someone who's sleeping makes it harder for me to fall asleep...and getting up and breastfeeding in the night must be hard....i find that when i stay up at night--that's my worst time for eating because i'm desperate to do anything to fall asleep...