What drugs are you taking to help you fall asleep as an ALS patient

[bssofro]

My father's health is rapidly declining.
Diagnosed around 2 months ago.
He is now in full blown ALS.
-muscle atrophy (legs, arms, and breathing muscles)
-nasal voice, then raspy voice
-Lung function down to 37%
-Blood gas is fine at 92%
-Suffering from Frontal Lobe Dementia

Anyway....obviously he is having trouble sleeping. He has been prescribed Xanax as an "anti anxiety" medicine, as he is having trouble when he is out in public. Most likely occurs when he is going out to lunch and is in a crowded place.

Anway, he needs something to take before bed, to keep him sleeping.

Some people have mentioned
-ambien

Anyway, looking for what people are taking in order to have a good nights sleep.

thanks

 

[freddiesnetty]

Freddie took Ambien. It really helped him a lot, and when they are sleeping so can you!

 

[bssofro]

Freddie took Ambien. It really helped him a lot, and when they are sleeping so can you!

Thank you for your prompt response.
Any adverse effects with ambien?

 

[freddiesnetty]

None at all, It will help them rest. I never had any problems with this drug. I hope this helps.
netty

 

[ZenArcher]

It's good to hear from you Netty. I haven't seen you in awhile

I'm fighting this same issue right now. 10mg of Ambien will knock me out within a half hour. The issue in my case is I wake up during the night. I am able to go back to sleep in short order but I still wake my wife. I tried Lunesta and other than being expensive it did nothing and I mean nothing for me. Next for me is Ambien CR 12.5mg. It is time release and helps keep me asleep. My issue with it is that it takes me longer to fall asleep and I can't crush it for use in the PEG. I haven't noticed any adverse side effects on any of these but everyone is different.

 

[abbas child]

I take Librium to fall asleep and amitriptylene to get deep, full night's sleep.

 

[brooksea]

My husband takes Ambien. The Ambien CR made him sleep walk and act goofy. It will affect some people that way, just be aware. He has no problem with the regular Ambien.

He tried amitriptylene, but he got a terrible drug hangover.

 

[helpinhand]

My FIL has FTLD/ALS and we have tried Ambien, Amitriptylene, over the counter nothing has worked as of yet still up all hours of the night just seems unable to let himself fall asleep. Catnaps allday due to exhaustion. If anyone can relate and has any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. We have tried keeping him up all day and that has no effect, we have tried taking him out and wearing him out as everyone knows PALS dont due well with the wearing out thing, but not even then would he sleep at night.

 

[Miss]

Sorry helpinghand. I know where you are coming from. Cutting all of the catnaps seems like it might help. We are on day 3 of that, and I for the last two nights, I have been able to get a couple of 4 hour stints of sleep

 

[Al]

Ativan helps me sleep and I'm on bipap so depressed respiration is not an issue.

AL.

 

[guguy]

I have been taking Ambien nightly for years and it works great for me. Lunesta didn't work for me. It gave me a headache, left a bad taste in my mouth and didn't help me sleep. I take the Ambien controlled release 12.5 and I cut them in half. I take both halves at the same time orally. It seems to work better (faster) if I cut them in two. There is a generic form of the 10 mg non-controlled release version but not a generic of the controlled release. They say over time you will need to increase your dose but that hasn't happened for me. The only drawback (and maybe for people with poor apetites it is a good thing) is that about 1 hour after I take mine I will get up and raid the refrigerator then go back to sleep. It doesn't happen every night though. My appetite has been nearly non existant for the last 4 months so I don't worry about the extra calories I'm getting if I eat before I sleep. I do take an acid reducer pill in the evening and keep tums next to the bed in case I get acid indigetstion. It doesn't affect everyone this way you would have to try it yourself. You will know whether Ambien works the first time you try it. It is not a narcotic so doctor's will refill it easily.

 

[irismarie]

Bromazepam which is very like ANnie's librium; realxes and deals with anxiety too

 

[Judith]

My hospice nurse is ordering me some amitriptylene this week. I sure hope it works for me to give me a good deep sleep. I have no problem falling asleep, it is staying asleep that is my problem. I wake up every couple of hours.

Judy