Norco, Sleeping pills or both?

[DSRIGGS]

So you know I have the messed up shoulders that are better but I still get a good amount of pain when laying on them and trying to sleep. I am also not sleeping well so I only take norco at night when going to bed (2- 10/325's) to help kill two birds with one stone. Ibuprofen really doesn't seem to help but I don't want to get dependent on pain meds to get sleep.. Still don't sleep great with them. Wakecup every hour or so..

What is your room xperience with Lunesta or ambien. I know both can be habit forming but I want some help staying asleep once I fall asleep.

Suggestions in this regard? I get by during the day without norco but I would want it available if needed on occasion at night, but if I could stay asleep through the night I won't notice the pain (I hope).

I know I am a needy whiner of a dude, and yes ladies I know guys are wimps when sick according to the wives of the world, but seriously your thoughts and experiences on the sleeping pills if you have any, and how to handle with the painful shoulders, is appreciated

 

[feeder]

When the pain got in the way of deep rem sleep I took action as I knew the body could not repair itself with out deep rem. I take Ambien. Been on it for 6 years. Works great for me. All body's are different and many medicine needed to address all the people. I have no side effects and wake up refreshed.

 

[DSRIGGS]

When the pain got in the way of deep rem sleep I took action as I knew the body could not repair itself with out deep rem. I take Ambien. Been on it for 6 years. Works great for me. All body's are different and many medicine needed to address all the people. I have no side effects and wake up refreshed.

Thanks. Do you take anything else for pain in combinstion with ambien?

 

[CaraOC]

So you know I have the messed up shoulders that are better but I still get a good amount of pain when laying on them and trying to sleep. I am also not sleeping well so I only take norco at night when going to bed (2- 10/325's) to help kill two birds with one stone. Ibuprofen really doesn't seem to help but I don't want to get dependent on pain meds to get sleep.. Still don't sleep great with them. Wakecup every hour or so..

What is your room xperience with Lunesta or ambien. I know both can be habit forming but I want some help staying asleep once I fall asleep.

Suggestions in this regard? I get by during the day without norco but I would want it available if needed on occasion at night, but if I could stay asleep through the night I won't notice the pain (I hope).

I know I am a needy whiner of a dude, and yes ladies I know guys are wimps when sick according to the wives of the world, but seriously your thoughts and experiences on the sleeping pills if you have any, and how to handle with the painful shoulders, is appreciated

You're not a whiner, I think you're a rockstar. And hello??? Night shift nurse for 17 years oh hell yeah I know sleep aids!!! My favorite is ambien. I've taken it for years. Not daily but sometimes when I'm trying to flip my circadian rhythms. You don't get sleepy on ambien, but do NOT be fooled. Lots of people have very weird judgment on it. My personal experiences are taking it and not going straight to bed. Instead I'm on eBay buying up lots of ridiculous crap I have no memory of when it arrives. So my rule is take it in bed only when laying down. And I'll sleep straight 6-7 hrs. Good tip is have Mrs. Scott monitor you at the beginning till you know how it works for you. Just do not take it and wait till you are sleepy. It doesn't happen. That's not how it works. It's a hypnotic type of med and not to be trusted till proven effective. I love it though.

 

[DSRIGGS]

You're not a whiner, I think you're a rockstar. And hello??? Night shift nurse for 17 years oh hell yeah I know sleep aids!!! My favorite is ambien. I've taken it for years. Not daily but sometimes when I'm trying to flip my circadian rhythms. You don't get sleepy on ambien, but do NOT be fooled. Lots of people have very weird judgment on it. My personal experiences are taking it and not going straight to bed. Instead I'm on eBay buying up lots of ridiculous crap I have no memory of when it arrives. So my rule is take it in bed only when laying down. And I'll sleep straight 6-7 hrs. Good tip is have Mrs. Scott monitor you at the beginning till you know how it works for you. Just do not take it and wait till you are sleepy. It doesn't happen. That's not how it works. It's a hypnotic type of med and not to be trusted till proven effective. I love it though.

Thanks sweetie.

Regarding Ambien it scares me a bit because Cameron my oldest with a medical history that is crazy stupid had a bad experience with doing weird things while on ambien with no recollection.

Thanks for the input and kind words, but I am no rockstar.

 

[k9ophile]

I've not had the bad experiences such as sleep cooking, binging on Amazon, etc. with Ambien. My biggest complaint is that while I fall asleep faster, I do not stay asleep. Lunesta was not any better for me. I agree with the advice to have your wife observe you. And it gets into your system fast, so go immediately to bed. I thought it might take a while for me to feel sleepy, so I was on the computer waitng to feel sleepy. I was told the next day I had my hand on the mouse, told hubby that I had taken a sleeping pill. Then I changed my clothes, brushed my teeth, etc. and went to bed. I didn't remember any of that. No harm for me, yet I've heard horrible stories of others who did much more dangerous things in their sleep.

 

[DianaCox]

I prefer Lunesta, but I cut the 3 mg pills in half.

But go get your damned shoulders fixed!! Lack of sleep because of my bad shoulder 10 years ago was what drove me to get surgery - I COULD NOT F'ING SLEEP and I felt like I was losing my mind!!! Within a couple of weeks, my sleep was SOOO much better. And it has been blessed relief to not have my shoulder hurt anymore - I got back full range of motion.

The funny thing is, when the orthopod did the CT scan, he said he wasn't SURE he was going to find anything to repair, but the symptoms suggested he would. And pretty much everything that COULD have been wrong, was: (1) torn labrum; (2) frayed rotator cuff; (3) arthritis at the acromioclavicular joint; and (4) chronic bursitis. He fixed all them arthroscopically, and after about 6 weeks of rehab (3x week for an hour, plus a little at home), I was CURED. And I've gone 10 years with no pain in my shoulder.

I'm having trouble sleeping now, but it's stress about selling the house, not pain in my shoulder.

 

[DSRIGGS]

I prefer Lunesta, but I cut the 3 mg pills in half.

But go get your damned shoulders fixed!! Lack of sleep because of my bad shoulder 10 years ago was what drove me to get surgery - I COULD NOT F'ING SLEEP and I felt like I was losing my mind!!! Within a couple of weeks, my sleep was SOOO much better. And it has been blessed relief to not have my shoulder hurt anymore - I got back full range of motion.

The funny thing is, when the orthopod did the CT scan, he said he wasn't SURE he was going to find anything to repair, but the symptoms suggested he would. And pretty much everything that COULD have been wrong, was: (1) torn labrum; (2) frayed rotator cuff; (3) arthritis at the acromioclavicular joint; and (4) chronic bursitis. He fixed all them arthroscopically, and after about 6 weeks of rehab (3x week for an hour, plus a little at home), I was CURED. And I've gone 10 years with no pain in my shoulder.

I'm having trouble sleeping now, but it's stress about selling the house, not pain in my shoulder.

I hear you but it isnt to that point yet and I have to get my guts squared away before I can consider shoulder surgery. Physical therapy has helped a good deal and I do exercises at home to keep them loose and strengthen. There is some arthritis as well involved. They really are better, especially after I had the right one injected in January, but they do flare every now and then. I don't need pain meds during the day and only at night... And if I can stay asleep I can probably get away without any most nights.

As far as sleeping, getting to sleep isn't usually a problem. It is staying asleep that is my issue. 1-3 hours and I wake up to go to the bathroom then it can be hours at times before I really fall back asleep. I think I heard that Lunesta is better for keeping you out, or maybe that was another one (can't remember the name.. Cameron tried for his insomnia). So here is the other question. Over the last month I have had some sharting and woke up one night to find I had an accident. With my absorption issues I will often have to go during the night so does this stuff knock you out so much that I wouldn't wake up if I need to crap?

 

[DSRIGGS]

BTW how long were you in a sling? Were both shoulders done at the same time? A guy I know had shoulder surgery and he just posted that after 5.5 weeks he is finally out of the sling.

 

[Clematis]

1. I've never taken Ambien but my father did briefly and he was a zombie as in getting out of bed, taking off all his clothes, eating a box of cookies and ice cream, and then trying to leave the house. The nurses and doctors I spoke with all felt the drug should be taken off the market.

2. As one ages, sleeping through the night can be a challenge. I had this problem -- I was waking at 3am -- and was prescribed Trazodone 50mg to be taken at bedtime. It is actually an antidepressant but is also used for sleep problems. I swear, you will not wake up unless you want to -- you will wake if you need to go to the bathroom. No morning grogginess, either. I took it for years but stopped it immediately after surgery as it is too bitter to be crushed and mixed with water and I wasn't allowed solid pills.

3. Have you tried physical therapy for your shoulder? It might help.

Sorry you're going through this. Pain that prevents sleep is the worst.

 

[southernlady]

I tried most prescription sleep aids...none worked. I was going to sleep but not staying asleep.

IF you are already on any prescription meds, esp for pain...check the side effects. Turns out that my amytriptyline that was for pain and SLEEP was waking me up about 3-4 hours into the night and keeping me awake. My doc said I was a zebra...well, DUH!

Shoulder pain...from what? I had two frozen shoulders and a horrid back all at once back in 2004/5...while PT helped the shoulders eventually it was because of them, I spent almost all of 2005 sleeping in a recliner and not in my bed.

Are you a side sleeper? That is harder on the shoulders...just by virtue of position. Sleeping on your back will help and keeping pillows around you to help prevent you from rolling to your side will also help.

And then there is the age component...as we age, we tend to have more broken sleep.

 

[DSRIGGS]

1. I've never taken Ambien but my father did briefly and he was a zombie as in getting out of bed, taking off all his clothes, eating a box of cookies and ice cream, and then trying to leave the house. The nurses and doctors I spoke with all felt the drug should be taken off the market.

2. As one ages, sleeping through the night can be a challenge. I had this problem -- I was waking at 3am -- and was prescribed Trazodone 50mg to be taken at bedtime. It is actually an antidepressant but is also used for sleep problems. I swear, you will not wake up unless you want to -- you will wake if you need to go to the bathroom. No morning grogginess, either. I took it for years but stopped it immediately after surgery as it is too bitter to be crushed and mixed with water and I wasn't allowed solid pills.

3. Have you tried physical therapy for your shoulder? It might help.

Sorry you're going through this. Pain that prevents sleep is the worst.

1. We had bad experience with ambien as well.

2. I will look into it

3. Yes I went through physical therapy and it has helped. I do home therapy on my own now

 

[DSRIGGS]

I tried most prescription sleep aids...none worked. I was going to sleep but not staying asleep.

IF you are already on any prescription meds, esp for pain...check the side effects. Turns out that my amytriptyline that was for pain and SLEEP was waking me up about 3-4 hours into the night and keeping me awake. My doc said I was a zebra...well, DUH!

Shoulder pain...from what? I had two frozen shoulders and a horrid back all at once back in 2004/5...while PT helped the shoulders eventually it was because of them, I spent almost all of 2005 sleeping in a recliner and not in my bed.

Are you a side sleeper? That is harder on the shoulders...just by virtue of position. Sleeping on your back will help and keeping pillows around you to help prevent you from rolling to your side will also help.

And then there is the age component...as we age, we tend to have more broken sleep.

Yes frozen shoulders. The one has frayed Labrum but the other has not been Mri'd. Therapy has helped.

With the Norco I feel very relaxed but sometimes not a deep sleep.

I sleep on sides and back. Typically start on right side then end up on back. I don't go the left side as much. I have two throw pillows that one goes between knees when on side and other I guess you would say I hug it against my upper chest and arms.

 

[chevtow]

I wrecked my shoulder. Labrum, rotator cuff, and they moved my bicep tendon so it quit pulling on the tear. I had that big sling/pillow thing for I'd say 2 months? Then PT forever. I was off work for a solid 9 months - slept in a recliner for at least a year. I'd recommend trying PT because the surgery sucks ass, the shoulder is better but not normal.

On the other note I have not tried sleep pills like that. Tylenol PM works so-so but not a long term fix. Had some decent luck with liquid Melatonin. I guess it depends on WHY you are waking up. Is it from pain? Apnea perhaps? Or screwed up sleep patterns?

 

[DianaCox]

"does this stuff knock you out so much that I wouldn't wake up if I need to crap?"
Nope. I get up at least twice a night to pee, and generally overnight pooping - which happens, though rarely - is much more noticeable. The only thing is - and I can't say this matters whether I've taken Lunesta or not - a slight shart might not be noticed, because I do fart in my sleep. I had a minor issue the other day, but I think I had a stomach bug.