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A Special Report By
Fibromyalgia and Sleep: How You Can Finally Get A Great Nights Rest
A Special Report by Dr. Rodger Murphree
If youve been having trouble getting or staying asleep, then this is the most important report youll ever read. I am going to explain why youve been having difficulty, and exactly what you can do about it. Ive been treating patients with Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), and other conditions for many years. Ive helped more than 4,000 people with their issues of sleeplessness and other symptoms, and I bet I can do the same for you. For me to help you the very most, we have to be on the same page in terms of understanding how sleep works, how its often mismanaged by medical doctors, and how best to approach the goal of a good nights sleep.
Dr. Murphree has been in private practice since 1990. He is the founder and past clinic director for a large integrated medical practice located on the campus of Brookwood Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. Murphree is the author of Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; Heart Disease: What Your Doctor Won't Tell You; and Treating and Beating Anxiety and Depression with Orthomolecular Medicine. Dr. Murphree has treated well over 4,000 patients who suffered from fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, anxiety, and many other illnesses.
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"The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease." Thomas Edison
REM sleep, the brain and body return to Stage I and begin another sleep cycle. The differences between NREM and REM sleep are dramatic. As mentioned above, NREM sleep deals mainly with the regeneration of the body, especially Stages III and IV, while REM sleep has much to do with the inner workings of the brain. Researchers have speculated that NREM sleep (especially Stages III and IV) also functions to recharge the brain and body by allowing depleted glycogen supplies to be replenished.
Those drugs only temporarily help you get to sleepif they help at all; They cause severe side effects; Theyre often addictive; and They reduce your bodys own natural sleep chemicals, thus condemning you to more sleepless nights.
You do NOT need to suffer from this painful, fruitless cycle. You do not need to rely on potentially dangerous drugs. After all, no one has ever had a prescription drug deficiency; only a natural chemical deficiency. Therefore the real goal is to get you off any of these harmful drugs and restore your bodys own mechanisms for repair and sound sleep. Lets now look more closely at the wonder drugs your body wants to make, if its not interfered with:
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The pineal gland is located at the base of your brain. The ancient Greeks considered the pineal gland to be the seat of the soul. This thought may not be far off the mark: The pineal gland is responsible for releasing the sleepregulating hormone melatonin. Melatonin is the primary hormone of the pineal gland and acts to regulate the bodys circadian rhythm, especially the sleep/wake cycle. Over the last two decades, scientists have learned a great deal about melatonin. Once a curiosity, melatonin is now known to slow downor perhaps even reversethe effects of aging. Melatonin is also a powerful antioxidant thatunlike other antioxidants is able to cross the blood-brain barrier and attack any free radicals floating around in your brain. Melatonin protects the cells nucleus and the DNA blueprint of each cell. This is a major reason melatonin is able to fend off the adverse affects of cancer. In her book, 7 Weeks to Emotional Healing, Dr. Joan Larson discusses how melatonin and the immune system are connected. She states: Melatonin rejuvenates the thymus gland to protect our immunity. . . Melatonin will reset your immune system when it has been under siege from infections, cancer, stress, and so on. Such attacks disrupt its rhythms and diminish its effectiveness. Any disruption in our immune systems 24-hour rhythm lowers our immunity, leaving us prone to more illness.
Its easy to put two and two together: If youre deficient in melatonin, you cant get to sleep at night. If you dont sleep, you wont make melatonin. Its a viscous cycle. A deficiency of restorative sleep leads to accelerated aging, lowered immune function, increased pain, lowered metabolism, and susceptibility to cancer and brain oxidation. Chronic insomnia leads to a gradual disconnection to our own biorhythms. Once we become out of tune with our sleep/wake circadian rhythm, we begin to lose the ability to right ourselves through homeostasis. This in turn leads to further chemical, physical, and emotional stress. When at its worst, we lose the ability to sense anything our body is trying to tell us. We begin to lose the very essence of who we are. Restoring circadian rhythm must be the first priority in overcoming FMS and CFS. Deep sleep (Stage III and IV) initiates the pituitary to release human growth factor (HGH). HGH helps boost stamina, immune function, and stress-coping abilities, while repairing damaged or over-used muscle tissue. 80% of HGH is produced during Stage IV sleep. Low HGH levels will cause further fatigue, reduced capacity for exercise, muscle weakness, impaired cognition, depression, pain, and decreased muscle mass. The best way to boost HGH levels is to get 8-9 hours of deep, restorative sleep.
Here are other factors that can decrease Melatonin levels:
Exposure to bright lights at night. Exposure to electromagnetic fields, including electric blankets, clock radios, TVs, ceiling fans, etc.
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NSAIDs: Celebrex, Vioxx, Mobic, Aleve, Bextra, etc. SSRIs: Yes, the very same antidepressants that many take for FMS and CFS, including Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, Paxil, Effexor, Cymbalta, and Lexapro. Anxiety medications (benzodiazepines): Klonopin, Ativan, Xanax, Restoril, etc. Anti-hypertensive medications: Inderal, Toprol, Tenormin, Lorpressor, etc. Steroids Over 3 mg of vitamin B12 in a day Caffeine Alcohol Tobacco Evening exercise (for up to three hours afterwards) Depression Oats Sweet corn Rice Japanese radish Tomatoes Barley Bananas Fluvoxamine (Luvox) Despramine (Norpramin) Most MAO Inhibitors St. Johns Wort (acts like an MAO Inhibitor and may help raise melatonin levels)
Melatonin Supplements
If for some reason your melatonin levels are low, and you do not or cannot get enough melatonin from foods, you should consider a melatonin supplement. When administered in pharmacological doses (16 mg before bed), melatonin acts as a powerful sleep-regulating agent that controls the circadian rhythm. A low dose of melatonin has also been shown to be effective in treating insomnia and jet lag. In a recent study, volunteers were given a 0.3 mg or a 1 mg dose of melatonin or a placebo. Both levels of melatonin were effective at decreasing the time needed to fall asleep. Melatonin supplements are available at most health food stores and pharmacies. I personally like to use a special sublingual melatonin which dissolves under the tongue, is rapidly absorbed, and goes to work immediately. You can get it HERE or by calling my office at 205-879-2383.
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Helps regulate sleep, digestion, pain, mood, and mental clarity; Raises your pain threshold, so you have less pain; You to fall asleep and stay asleep through the night. Regulates your moods. Thats why its known as the happy hormone; Reduces sugar cravings and over-eating. Increases your mental abilities. Regulates normal digestion.
Looking at it another way, heres what happens when you dont have enough seratonin:
It's hard for you to go to sleep. You can't stay asleep. You often find yourself irritable. Your emotions often lack rationality. You occasionally experience unexplained tears. Noise bothers you more than it used to. It seems louder than normal. You "flare up" at others more easily than you used to. You experience unprovoked anger. You feel depressed much of the time. You find you are more susceptible to pain. You prefer to be left alone.
If you see yourself in three or more of the above statements, youre probably low in serotonin.
Your Stress-Coping Savings Account
You were born with a stress-coping savings account. This account is filled up with the chemicals you need for your body to work properly. These chemicals, which include serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, cortisol, DHEA, HGH, and others, help you deal with stress. Every time you are exposed to stress (chemically, emotionally, mentally, or physically), you make withdrawals from your stress-coping savings account. If you arent careful, you can bankrupt this account. Then you start to have health problems like those associated with mood disorders, FMS, and CFS. You make deposits into your stress-coping savings account by going into deep, restorative sleep. When youre into deep, restorative sleep, you make
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more serotonin, which then gets deposited into your stress-coping savings account. The more stress youre under, the more serotonin you will need.
A Vicious Cycle
You need a good deal of serotonin before you can consistently go into deep, restorative sleep each night. If you dont have enough serotonin, you wont be able to get into that deep state and wont make more serotonin. Individuals with fibromyalgia have low levels of serotonin. They also lack tryptophan and 5-HTP, which well discuss in a minute. Studies show that fibromyalgia patients have higher levels of metabolites, which diverts tryptophan away from serotonin production.
A Gasoline Additive Wont Work When The Tank Is Empty
Many of my patients are on Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). These drugs include Prozac, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro, Zoloft, etc. SSRIs are supposed to help people hang on to and use their naturally occurring stores of serotonin. Heres the problem: Thats like using a gasoline additive to help increase the efficiency of your cars fuelwhen youre out of gas! Most of the patients I see are running on seratonin fumes. Theres no gasoline in their tank (no serotonin in their brain). The gasoline additive (SSRI) wont help. SSRIs do not make serotonin. Unfortunately, most people with FMS dont have any serotonin. There is nothing to re-uptake.
Another study, conducted by the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, compared the sleep patterns and associated symptoms of 50 women with FMS. The study showed that a poor nights sleep was followed by an increase in the subjects symptoms, especially body pain. Sadly, the study also showed that a poor nights sleep, followed by an increase in symptoms, then went on to prevent the person from getting a good nights sleep the next night, even though the subject was exhausted. This vicious cycle continues and creates a pattern of declining health.
Walking has been shown to increase the efficient use of serotonin in the brain. Dr. Batmanghelidj states: There is a direct relationship between walking and the buildup of the brains tryptophan reserves. Dr. Batmanghelidj goes on to write about tryptophans importance: The brain tryptophan content, and its dependent neurotransmitter systems, are responsible for maintenance of the homeostatic balance of the body. Normal levels of tryptophan in the brain maintain a well-regulated balance in all functions of the bodywhat is meant by homeostasis. With a decrease in the tryptophan supply to the brain, there is a proportionate decrease in the efficiency of all functions in the body. I dont recommend you begin a strenuous exercise program. Even walking should be done with restraint until you become stronger and feel better on the supplements I recommend for improving sleep and building up your stress-coping chemicals. Exercise is a stressa good stress, but a stress, nevertheless. Until you build up your stress-coping savings account and are consistently sleeping through the night, I wouldnt recommend any exercise other than walking for 1020 minutes a day. Once you start to get stronger, you can increase your walking up to an hour a day. Dont push it. Start slowly and gradually increase the time you walk each day.
Method #2: Take 5-HTP
Tryptophan is one of eight essential amino acids or building blocks in your body. Tryptophan is absorbed from the gut into the bloodstream and
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then dispersed throughout the body. 90% of tryptophan is used for protein synthesis, 1% is converted to serotonin, and the rest is used to make niacin. In the formation of serotonin, tryptophan is hydroxylated to 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). The amino acid 5-HTP, along with certain B-vitamins and key minerals, produces the brain chemical serotonin. 5-HTP is great because it also can increase melatonin levels by 200%. When taken correctly, 5-HTP turns right into serotonin. To put it another way, using 5-HTP is like pouring gasoline straight into your tank. Theres no need for an additive when you can simply replace your serotonin stores any time you get low. It may take months to get well, but once you start consistently going into deep, restorative sleep, youll feel better than youve felt in years.
Research presented at the Endocrine Society in San Francisco, in June 2002, showed that sleep deprivation markedly increased pain-causing chemicals by a whopping 40 percent.
I recommend 5-HTP to most of my patients. Carefully controlled tests have shown that patients with FMS were able to see the following benefits from taking 5-HTP:
Decreased pain Improved sleep Fewer tender points Less morning stiffness Less anxiety Improved moods in general, including in those with clinical depression Increased energy
Depression
Studies comparing 5-HTP to prescription antidepressants generally used to treat FMS, including tricyclic (amitriptyline) and SSRIs (Celexa, Lexapro, Paxil, Prozac, etc.) show 5-HTP to be as effective or more effective than prescription medications. Furthermore, 5- HTP doesnt have some of the more troubling side effects associated with prescription medications. One European study showed that the combination of MAO Inhibitors like Nardil or Parnate, together with 5-HTP significantly improved FMS symptoms. On the other hand, other antidepressant treatments were not effective. The doctors conducting this study stated that a natural painblocking effect occurred when serotonin and norepinephrine levels were enhanced in the brain. More norepinephrine means more energy and improved mood.
Insomnia
5-HTP has been shown to be beneficial in treating insomnia, especially in improving sleep quality by increasing REM sleep (deep sleep).
Headaches
5-HTP has been used to successfully treat and prevent chronic headaches of
Copyright 2008 Dr. Rodger Murphree
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Clinical trials of obese individuals have demonstrated decreased food intake and subsequent weight loss with 5-HTP supplementation.
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If you do not suffer from low serotonin states, simply use melatonin supplements. More on that below.
How to take 5-HTP
Take 5-HTP on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before bed, with four ounces of grape juice. This allows it to get past the blood-brain barrier and be absorbed directly into the brain. 5-HTP will never leave you feeling dopey, drugged, or hung over. If you need to wake up in the middle of the night, you can. You should be able to go right back to sleep. One of three things will happen when taking 5-HTP with a beginning dose of 50mg: Scenario 1: You will fall asleep within 30 minutes and sleep through the night. If this is the case, stay on this dose. After a few days, if you start to have problems with sleep again, increase your dose of 5-HTP as described below. Scenario 2: Nothing happens. This is the typical response to such a low dose. Continue to add 50 mg each night (up to a maximum of 300 mg) until you fall asleep within 30 minutes and sleep through the night. You should stay at the minimum dose needed for deep sleep (up to a maximum of 300 mg per night). For example, lets say you take 50 mg of 5-HTP 30 minutes before bed on an empty stomach with four ounces of grape juice but dont fall asleep within 30 minutes or dont sleep through the night. If this happens, add an additional 50 mg for a total of 100 mg of 5-HTP. Take as directed above. If you dont fall asleep within 30 minutes or dont sleep through the night (7-8 hours of sleep), add an additional 50 mg for a total of 150 mg. Keep increasing as needed up to 300 mg or until you fall asleep within 30 minutes and sleep through the night. Scenario 3: The dose makes you more alert. This occurs more often in CFS patients and is due to a sluggish liver. If this happens, dont take 5-HTP at bedtime. Instead, take 50 mg with food for one to two days. Taking 5-HTP with food will slow it down and allow the liver to process it like any other food. Taking 5-HTP with food will usually not make you sleepy. If after one to two days you have no further problems with 5-HTP, you should increase to 100 mg of 5-HTP with each meal (up to 300 mg a day). Taking 5-HTP with food will help raise your serotonin and normalize your sleep/wake cycles. It may take a little longer to see positive results when taking 5-HTP with food (one to two weeks), but dont worry. You will eventually build up your serotonin stores and start to see an improvement in your sleep, pain, moods, any IBS issues, and energy.
If youre not low in serotonin (you dont suffer with anxiety, depression, or low moods) and dont have fibromyalgia, then melatonin is most likely the best supplement for you. Please see survey questions above or even better, take the Brain Function Questionnaire at www.BrainFunctionTest.com to see if youre low in
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serotonin. If you do suffer from anxiety, depression, low moods, IBS, or especially if you have fibromyalgia, you should take 5-HTP to boost your serotonin levels. Remember, serotonin increases deep sleep (by increasing melatonin levels by 200 percent), reverses IBS symptoms, boosts mood, reduces pain, and lowers anxiety levels.
Can I take 5-HTP along with antidepressant medications?
Yes. You can take melatonin, 5-HTP, or any amino acid along with antidepressant medications. In fact, 95 percent of my patients are already taking antidepressants when they come to see me. Most individuals are on selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro, and Celexa. These medications are trying to re-uptake serotonin in the brain (think gasoline additive). However, most patients taking these have little serotonin, due to their bankrupt stress-coping account. Therefore these medications dont provide much help. Once you start filling your brain up with serotonin (from taking 5-HTP), then prescription SSRI medications will have something to re-uptake.
Can I take 5-HTP with sleep medications?
Yes. I dont recommend that you discontinue taking your sleep medications. Instead, I suggest you start using 5-HTP and increase the bedtime dose until you sleep through the night. At some point, you should be able to work with your medical doctor and slowly wean off the prescription sleep medication. Remember, all prescription sleep medications have side effects. Interesting note: 5-HTP itself never causes a hangover. Taking 5-HTP with some prescription sleep medications may in rare cases cause a hangover, but taking 5-HTP alone does not.
Can I take 5-HTP with any medication?
Yes. 5-HTP can be safely taken with all prescription medications. I wouldnt recommend that 5-HTP be used for patients with bipolar depression or schizophrenia, however. These conditions are best referred to an orthomolecular psychiatrist who specializes in these complicated disorders.
What if Im taking a prescription sleep medication and sleeping all night?
If youre taking Elavil (or other tricyclic antidepressant), Trazadone, Ambien, or Flexeril (one of the prescription drugs that promotes deep, restorative sleep), and youre falling asleep within 30 minutes, dreaming, and sleeping 7-8 hours, then you should continue taking the sleep medication. You should add 5- HTP (50 mg) three times daily with food. If no problems arise after two to three days, you should then increase to 100 mg with each meal. Remember, the reason youre taking these prescription drugs is because you have a serotonin deficiency, not a drug deficiency. You want to build up your serotonin levels so that eventually you wont need prescription sleep medications. You may be taking a sleep medication that helps you go into deep sleep.
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This does help you to build up stress-coping serotonin levels. However, these medications dont actually produce serotonin. Instead, they help you to use serotonin more effectively. Youll quickly use up most of your serotonin from daily stress. So, even if youre using sleep medications that help you sleep through the night, the key is to build up serotonin levels with 5-HTP and the vitamin and mineral cofactors. Remember, 5-HTP and its cofactors are what make serotonin.
What if Im using sleep medications that dont promote deep sleep?
If you are using one of the sleep medications that does not promote deep, restorative sleep, then you will definitely need to take 5- HTP. Medications that dont promote deep, restorative sleep include the following: Zanaflex, Neurontin, Klonopin, Ativan, Xanax, Restoril, Dalmane, Doral, Halcion, Prosom, Buspar, Librium, Serax, Tranxene, Valium, Risperdal, Symbyax, Topamax, and all muscles relaxants (except Flexeril). Try taking 5-HTP with these medications. If this combination makes you feel hung over the next day, try reducing the dose or frequency of your prescription medication. I recommend that you consult your medical doctor about slowly weaning off these medications. Severe withdrawal symptoms can occur if these medications are discontinued too quickly. Another option is to try the following recommendations: If youre sleeping well, start taking 50 mg of 5-HTP with food. After a couple of days, increase to 100 mg with each meal. After a couple of weeks, you can try (with the help of your medical doctor) to slowly reduce your sleep medications and add 5-HTP at bedtime. You should start with 50 mg, and then increase each night until you fall asleep within 30 minutes and sleep through the night.
What if I have a Serotonin Syndrome Reaction?
Serotonin Syndrome occurs when a person gets too much serotonin. This can cause rapid heartbeat, increased pulse rate, elevated blood pressure, agitation, and, in a worst-case scenario, irregular heartbeats (arrhythmia). I have seen thousands of individuals on 5-HTP in my 7 years of recommending it, and have seen only one person with a Serotonin Syndrome Reaction. She was not a patient. She had a history of irregular heartbeats and chemical sensitivities, and also had CFS. I would have never recommended that she take 5-HTP at bedtime. Instead, I would have had her start with 50 mg with food, if I would have recommended it at all. Instead, she took 50 mg at bedtime. The first night, it made her more alert (a sign not to take it at night). She then increased to 100 mg the next night. She began having Serotonin Syndrome Reaction. This caused her to be anxious and have arrhythmia for the next few hours. This is not to scare you. I use 5-HTP with individuals with known heart conditions: MVP and heart disease. I always start with a low dose (50 mg) and warn the patient to stop taking it at bedtime if he or she has a funny reaction. These people are already on incredibly toxic heart medications that increase their risk for heart failure, stroke, and death. If I dont get them to consistently go into deep, restorative sleep each night, they will never get well. So, I dont worry about using 5-HTP. Once you start reading about the medications and
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combinations of medications youve been taking and their potential dangers, youll know just how safe 5-HTP is.
What are some of the other potential side effects of 5-HTP?
Other than some patients becoming more alert when taking 5-HTP at bedtime, I have heard very few complaints from patients. The literature says that individuals may have headaches and nausea from taking 5-HTP. I have had less than a half dozen patients with one of these side effects. The headaches and any nausea go away after a couple of days. Some patients will complain of fatigue when taking 5-HTP during the day with food. If so, I have them take 100 mg at lunch and 200 mg at dinner. If they continue to have problems with fatigue after taking the lunchtime dose, Ill suggest they try 300 mg at dinner.
What do I do when I still cant fall asleep and sleep through the night, even when taking 300 mg of 5-HTP?
Most people will be consistently sleeping through the night within a week of starting the 5-HTP protocol. However, there are always those who wont. First, make sure you are taking 5-HTP as you should be and at the maximum dose of 300 mg. If after two weeks you are not falling asleep and staying asleep through the night, add 3 mg of sublingual melatonin. It dissolves under your tongue for rapid absorption. Take it 30 minutes before going to bed, and up to 9 mg of sublingual melatonin if necessary.
What if I can fall asleep within 30 minutes but cant stay asleep?
Make sure youre taking 300 mg of 5-HTP at bedtime or 400 mg with food. Then, if youre falling asleep within 30 minutes but continue to wake up throughout the night, try taking 3 mg of timed-release melatonin. This will help keep your melatonin levels steady throughout the night. If needed, take up to 9 mg of timed-release melatonin. If needed, you can even take 300 mg of 5-HTP, plus 3-9 mg of sublingual melatonin at bedtime, along with 3-9 mg of timed-release melatonin. Start at a low dose and increase only if needed.
Can I take 5-HTP, melatonin, and prescription sleep medications at the same time?
If youre taking prescription sleep medications and not sleeping through the night, then follow the protocols above. Start with 5-HTP. If you dont consistently fall asleep and stay asleep while also taking your prescription sleep medication (preferably one that puts you into deep sleep, as discussed earlier) with 300 mg of 5-HTP, then you need to add melatonin. By the way, you should already be on my CFS/Fibro Formula (which contains 680mg of magnesium) or some other high-dose, broad-spectrum multivitamin and mineral formula with a minimum of 500 mg of magnesium. If you arent having a daily bowel movement, then youre probably still deficient in magnesium. Increase your magnesium by 140150 mg (use magnesium chelate, citrate, or taurate) at dinner each night until you begin to have normal bowel movements each day. If you start to have loose bowel movements, simply reduce the amount of magnesium youre taking.
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Magnesium is a natural muscle relaxant and sedative. A deficiency can cause low serotonin states, muscle tightness, constipation, fatigue, anxiety, and insomnia.
I get sleepy after dinner, and then catch my second wind right before bedtime. What should I do?
Some patients have trouble falling asleep because their cortisol levels are too high at bedtime. You get a little sleepy, then catch that second wind and cant fall asleep. You may be sleepy earlier in the evening but attempt to stay awake a little longer. After all, you may not want to go to bed at 8pm, but want to finish household chores, watch a movie, read, etc. An adrenal cortex test profile would help uncover any abnormal cortisol fluctuations. You can order this test from your doctor or through my office. You could also try phosphatidylserine along with L-theanine. Phosphatidylserine helps block the release of cortisol. L-theanine boosts alpha brain waves as it reduces mind chatter. You should take 200400 mg of phosphatidylserine at dinner or two hours before bed. Then take 100 mg of L-theanine before dinner and 100 mg of L-theanine 90 minutes after dinner (on an empty stomach).
The goal is to get as restful and natural sleep as this puppy enjoys every day. It is indeed possible, when you work WITH your bodys natural mechanisms. Dr. Rodger Murphree
Some patients have bouts of hypoglycemia during the night, and this wakes them up. Low blood sugar stimulates the release of cortisol. If youre waking up during the night, eating half a banana or other carbohydrate-rich food should help you go back to sleep.
Ive tried everything above. Now what?
I suggest you order a Comprehensive Melatonin Profile and an Adrenal Cortex Profile to find out why you cant get to sleep or stay asleep. Another option is to consult your medical doctor for a trial of prescription sleep medications that actually promote deep, restorative sleep (Trazadone, Ambien, Elavil, or Flexeril). I recommend that you continue taking 5-HTP along with the prescription medication. After a few months, you may be able to wean off your prescription sleep medication and just use 5-HTP and if needed, melatonin. Some of my patients have also had success using all natural herbal remedies. Ive taken three of the best herbal remedies for sleep and combined them into one formula, called my Herbal Sleep Formula. The relaxing properties of three standardized botanicals are often helpful in promoting deep sleep. Hops (Humulus lupulus), Passion Flower leaf (Passiflora incarnata), and Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) flower. You may also find similar products at your local health food store, or you can get it from me at www.HerbalSleepFormula.com.
Conclusion
Become a detective: Look for clues. I had one patient with a terrible problem with blood sugar levels. She was very sensitive to all juices. I missed this initially, but when she couldnt sleep, I started asking her questions. She just happened to bring up that she had trouble with fruit juices. Needless to say, I took her off juice and had her take 5-HTP with water. She started sleeping. In my many years of helping patients, Ive learned to be patient myself: I
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step back, sort through the facts, and look to see what Im missing. With all the tools and facts Ive mentioned above, I can assure you that theres a good chance help is available for you. We just need to spot all the clues. I look forward to helping you through your current situation. All the Best, Dr. Rodger Murphree, D.C.
Short-term memory loss, fuzzy thinking, sedation or next-day hangover, mood disorders (anxiety and depression), flu-like symptoms, muscle aches and pains, and lack of coordination. Ambien may also cause fatigue, headache, difficulty sleeping, and memory loss. Long-term use (two weeks or more) can result in constipation, upset stomach, joint pain, upper respiratory infections, sore throat, urinary infection, and heart palpitations. As it does with most drugs, the liver must work to process this drug. Therefore people with sluggish liver function should use this medication with caution. The most common side effects include dizziness and diarrhea. Some patients complain of loss of coordination or concentration. Ambien is known to cause amnesia (short-term memory loss). Patients are cautioned against abruptly stopping the medicine, because withdrawal symptoms commonly occur.
Lunesta (eszopiclone)
This drug is similar to Ambien.
Side effects
Allergic reactions (itchy, watery eyes, rash, difficulty breathing, swelling of face, tongue, or throat), confusion, anxiety, depression, hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not really there), lightheadedness, fainting spells, falls, sleepwalking or performing other activities while asleep, slurred speech or difficulty with coordination, vision changes, restlessness, excitability, or feelings of agitation, dizziness, daytime drowsiness (sometimes called a 'hangover' effect), headache, strange dreams, bad taste, and slight stomach pain.
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It does promote deep, restorative sleep. But, once again, consider the potential side effects.
Tricyclic Antidepressants
Examples are: Doxepin, Elavil, Trazadone, Amitriptyline, Despramine, Imipramine, and Pamelor. Tricyclic antidepressants block the hormones serotonin and norepinephrine. This produces a sedative effect and promotes deep Stage III and IV restorative sleep. But as youll read below, they are associated with numerous unwanted side effects. Like other antidepressant medications, these drugs are processed by the liver and can cause liver toxicity. They deplete the natural sleep hormone melatonin and CoQ10. Anyone taking tricyclic antidepressants, betablockers, or statin drugs should be taking CoQ10 on a daily basis. These drugs deplete CoQ10, which is vital for proper heart, brain, muscle, and liver function. Low levels of CoQ10 can cause a host of unwanted symptoms, including fatigue, muscle pain, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, brain fog, tingling in the hands and feet, swelling, and mood disorders. To find out more about CoQ10 please click here, or call my
office at 205-879-2383.
Trazadone (desyrel)
An antidepressant that increases a persons ability to hang on to serotonin. It reduces anxiety and promotes deep, restorative sleep. Ive found this drug to be quite helpful when 5-HTP or melatonin doesnt work.
Side Effects
Upset stomach, constipation, early morning hangover, bad taste in the mouth, heartburn, diarrhea, rash, rapid heartbeat, mental confusion, hostility, swelling in the arms or legs, dizziness, nightmares, drowsiness, and fatigue.
Elavil (amitriptyline)
An antidepressant that has become synonymous with treating FMS. It was one of the first drugs to be studied in the treatment of FMS. It can be very helpful in reducing the pain associated with FMS, but it has several potential side effects. It is also prone to lose its effectiveness over time. It does promote deep, restorative sleep.
Side Effects
Elavil may cause weight gain, early morning hangover, neurally mediated hypotension (low blood pressure), depression, poor sleep, anxiety, and irregular heartbeat. For more information on why antidepressant drugs are often ineffective and how you can naturally beat anxiety and depression please see my book, Treating and Beating Anxiety and Depression. You can get it by calling my office at 205-879-2383.
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Muscle Relaxants
Flexeril (cyclobenzaprine)
A muscle relaxant chemically similar to the antidepressant Elavil. It is sometimes used as a sleep aid. Flexeril does allow the patient to go into deep Stage IV (restorative) sleep. It is quite sedating.
Side Effects
Gastritis and a feeling of being hung over or out of touch, prevent most patients from remaining on this drug for very long.
Baclofen (lioresal)
A muscle relaxant similar to the natural neurotransmitter GABA. Does not promote deep, restorative sleep.
Side Effects
Fatigue, drowsiness, low blood pressure, weakness, dizziness, nausea, headache, depression, weight gain, and insomnia.
Zanaflex (tizanidine)
A muscle relaxant that has gained some popularity among physicians treating FMS. It is sedating, but it doesnt produce deep, restorative sleep. And it doesnt help increase serotonin levels; it only tranquilizes the nervous system. For this reason alone it should be avoided.
Side Effects
Zanaflex is associated with numerous side effects, including liver failure (at least three individuals have died from taking this medication), asthenia (weakness), somnolence (prolonged drowsiness or a trance-like condition that may continue for a number of days), dizziness, urinary tract infection, constipation, liver injury, elevated liver enzymes, vomiting, speech disorder, blurred vision, nervousness, hypotension, psychosis/ hallucinations, bradycardia (slow heart action), sore throat, and dyskinesia (defect in voluntary movements). The stuff is poison!
Abdominal pain, amnesia, dizziness, drowsiness, eye pain, headache, memory loss, menstrual pain, nausea, sleepiness, tingling, and weakness.
Ramelteon (Remerem)
It is the first in a new class of sleep agents that selectively binds to the melatonin receptors. This drug is designed to help people use their natural melatonin more effectively. No published studies as of the time of this writing have indicated whether Ramelteon is more or less safe or effective than melatonin, which certainly costs less. This drug does promote deep, restorative sleep. However, look at the
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Drowsiness, fatigue, dizziness, head pain, depression, acute infection of ear, nose, throat, joint pain, muscle pain, trouble sleeping, and diarrhea. I recommend that patients take melatonin and avoid all these potential side effects. The makers of this drug like to claim that this drug is standardized and is a higher quality product than the melatonin supplements you can get over the counter. What they dont say is that there are several high-quality, pharmaceutical-grade melatonin supplements available over the counter. And at $10 compared to $200 plus for a months supply of Remerem, melatonin is not only safer and often more effective, it is substantially less expensive.
GABA Inhibitors
GABA inhibitors include the drugs Gabitril (tiagabine) Lyrica, and Neurontin (gabapentin) They are anticonvulsant medications originally used to control seizures. They are now being used to block nerve-related pain (neuralgia), including pain caused by herpes zoster. These medications are also being prescribed for chronic headaches (with some success) and fibromyalgia (with little success). Ive not found them to be helpful for the diffuse extremity pains associated with fibromyalgia. They dont promote deep, restorative sleep and can cause many of the same symptoms associated with fibromyalgia, including fatigue, muscle aches, poor mental clarity, and mood disorders. Most patients can wean off these medications with the help of their physician within about four weeks with no problem.
Side Effects
Americans now take an average of ten prescriptions or more a year. However, side effects to these drugs now take the life of one American every five seconds. According to The Journal of the American Medical Association, prescription drugs are the #3 killer in the U.S. Only cancer and heart disease take more lives each year! Yet the pharmaceutical industry continues to spend over 200 billion dollars each year to remind us that we need to take even more drugs.
There are several side effects associated with their use, including somnolence (prolonged drowsiness or a trance-like condition that may continue for a number of days), dizziness, weakness, fatigue, double vision, fluid retention, ataxia (muscular incoordination), thought disorder, possible long-term ophthalmic problems (abnormal eyeball movements and disorders), tremors, weight gain, back pain, constipation, muscle aches, memory loss, weakness, depression, abnormal thinking, itching, involuntary muscle twitching, serious rash, and runny nose. Dont these side effects sound like some of the symptoms associated with fibromyalgia and CFS?
Beta-Blockers
Beta-blockers are drugs like Inderal (propanol), Lorpressor (metoprlol), Tenormin (atenolol), and Toprol (metoprolol). They are used for longterm management of angina (chest pain), mitral valve prolapse, irregular heartbeat, and high blood pressure. Beta-blockers slow the heart rate, which reduces cardiac output. This leads to low blood pressure and fatigue. The brain and muscles dont get enough blood and oxygen. This can lead to fuzzy thinking, poor memory, depression, anxiety, and physical fatigue.
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These drugs dont promote deep, restorative sleep. In fact, they prevent it. They deplete CoQ10, which is vital for proper heart, brain, muscle, and liver function. Low levels of CoQ10 can cause a host of unwanted symptoms including fatigue, muscle pain, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, brain fog, tingling in the hands and feet, swelling, and mood disorders. For more information about CoQ10, click here, or call my office at 205879-2383 for a free newsletter.
Side Effects
Mark Houston is an M.D. and Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt School of Medicine. Dr. Houston says that side effects associated with beta-blockers include congestive heart failure, reduced cardiac output, fatigue, heart block, dizziness, depression, bradycardia (decreased heart beat and function), cold extremities, parathesia (a feeling of pins and needles), shortness of breath, drowsiness, lethargy, insomnia, headaches, poor memory, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, colitis, wheezing, bronchospasm, Raynauds Syndrome (burning, tingling, pain, numbness, or poor circulation in the hands and feet), claudication, muscle cramps, muscle fatigue, lowered libido, impotence, postural hypotension, raised triglycerides, lowered HDL, raised LDL, and hyperglycemia.
These include poor sleep, seizures, mania, depression, suicide, ringing in the ears, amnesia, dizziness, anxiety, disorientation, low blood pressure, nausea, fluid retention, decreased sexual desire and performance, weakness, somnolence (prolonged drowsiness or a trance-like condition that may continue for a number of days), headaches and tardive dyskinesia. A mind boggling 40 percent of adults who are 60 or older experience druginduced tics or tardive dyskinesia (tremors or uncontrollable shakes) from taking a benzodiazepine drug. Sadly, for many, these tremors are permanent. Over 61,000 older adults have developed Parkinsons disease
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from using benzodiazepines and antidepressants. The crippling side effects and addictive nature of these drugs has been known for at least 40 years, yet doctors continue to prescribe them at an ever-increasing rate. Surveys show that over 5.6 million adults over the age of 65 are now taking benzodiazepines. An incredible 50 percent of all women 60 and older will be prescribed a benzodiazepine drug. And because addiction often occurs within 2-4 weeks of starting these drugs, the majority of folks are now dependant on these drugs. Tolerance to the initial sleep benefits of these drugs may occur within one week. Symptoms of tolerance are identical to drug withdrawal symptoms and may include anxiety, panic, severe insomnia, muscle pain and stiffness, depression, suicidal thoughts, rage, heart and lung problems, and extreme fear of public or crowded spaces. Tragically, only 10-30% of people are able to successfully stop taking these drugs. Most are addicted for life.
There ARE solutions to your sleep issues. This report just scratches the surface on the natural, bodyfriendly treatments available. Please contact Dr. Murphree at (205) 879-2383 if you want to pursue anything you saw in this report, or would like to arrange for a personal consultation.
These drugs can severely impair mental clarity, especially in the elderly. In a study in the state of Washington, in 46% of the patients with drug-induced mental impairment, the problem was caused by minor tranquilizers or powerful sleeping pills (benzodiazepines, Ambien or Lunesta); and in 11 percent, by antipsychotic drugs (antidepressants). How many of these folks are then erroneously diagnosed as having senile dementia, Alzheimers, or worse? Seniors taking benzodiazepines and tricyclic antidepressant medications (Elavil, Trazadone, Doxepin, Tofranil, etc.) are involved in a conservatively estimated 16,000 auto accidents each year. These same drugs cause over 32,000 seniors to fall and suffer hip fractures each year. Sadly, this contributes to the death of more than 1,500 seniors each year. Even though they are promoted as being safer than older drugs, Serotonin re -uptake Inhibitor Drugs arent without risk. Elderly patients taking Zoloft and other similar drugs had 80% more falls than those not on antidepressants. After learning more about benzodiazepines, doesnt it seem totally ludicrous for a sleep specialist to prescribe Klonopin after a failed sleep study? It never ceases to amaze me to learn how utterly incompetent some doctors have become. This is most likely from the propaganda promoted by their favorite drug rep who pays for 60% of their continuing education in exotic locations like Hawaii or Palm Springs, or aboard a luxury cruise liner sailing the Caribbean.
Weve covered a lot of ground in this report. If you want to find out more about any of the advice Ive outlined above, please call my office at 205-879-2383.
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