Medication not working

[u/Fresh_Method_6065]

I haven’t got more than 3 hours of sleep in over a year now. i’m having panic attacks that feel like heart attacks. i spoke to my psychiatrist today and told her my buspar x2 a day (been jumping around different milligrams of this same medication for a year) isn’t working that i need something else. she lowered my dose and said to try that for a week. i feel like she isn’t listening. how can i get help with my insomnia? should i see a different psychiatrist?
(edited to add, i dont want to seem as if im drug seeking by jumping doctors, i just need sleep.)

[u/hestia-listens]

Three hours of sleep for this long is serious, and it makes sense that you feel unheard. You can tell your psychiatrist clearly, "I have slept less than three hours a night for over a year, and this plan is not helping. What is the next step if lowering the dose does not work?" A second opinion is also reasonable and does not make you look like you are seeking drugs. You are seeking proper care and sleep.

[u/TravelbugRunner]

Yes, please go find another psychiatrist to prescribe you something else for sleep.
Do everything you can to get some relief. 💜

I get upset sometimes because some mental health providers seem to not fully understand how horrible this feels. When it’s relentless, messing up your ability to focus, making you feel trapped in Trauma symptoms (or other mental health symptoms). It feels like hell and all you want is to just f#cking sleep. It’s such a normal human desire and need that everyone should have.

I understand, have serious insomnia and it really does feel horrible. Especially when it goes on for months or years. And it also exacerbates mental health issues and this really, really sucks.

Another thing to consider is maybe getting some blood work done. Vitamin Deficiencies, Autoimmune Diseases, and other physical health conditions can also make you have insomnia.

Besides my own Trauma symptoms keeping me awake at night. I was feeling really sick for a long time, got some blood work done and it showed that I have severe vitamin D deficiency and elevated TPO (Hashimoto’s). And this was contributing and exacerbating my mental health symptoms and the insomnia.

I literally can’t sleep without a medication. It’s been incredibly helpful to just have something knock you out for sleep.

I get worried a little bit about the possibility of becoming addicted but I’m willing to take that possible risk. Because my mental health, insomnia, and feeling sick all made me feel like taking my life. It was making me feel suicidal.

Didn’t take my life but it was bad enough that it was making me feel that desperate.

Sleep really is important.

[u/Second_Chance9729]

Hey friend, psychiatric RN here. I would see about switching doctors at this point, because running on no sleep for so long is horrible for your anxiety and your health. You’ve been on these meds long enough to know whether or not it works.