Posted by ayuda on December 20, 2002, at 8:11:27
In reply to Thanks dragonfly, posted by sleepyhead on December 20, 2002, at 5:19:34
Well, the bigger question is, do you suffer from depression and/or anxiety? If you don't, and you are being given this medication, it is going to mess with you as you described about your friends. Doctors don't realize that these medications are not to treat the symptoms -- they are to treat the underlying cause, and for those of us who suffer from the underlying cause, the symptoms go away.
I think you are right to question your doctor putting you on this medication if you do not suffer from clinical depression and/or generalized anxiety disorder. If your insomnia is due to one of these conditions, then your doctor should have made it clear that you are being treated for one of these conditions. But it seems to me, from your original question, that you are not sure that you do suffer from one of these conditions.
I personally do not take ANY medication until a doctor proves to me 1)that I suffer from the disorder the medication treats, and 2)it is the most efficient and least harmful way of treating that condition. I have refused medications from doctors because they do not meet these criteria. If you only suffer from insomnia, and not depression/GAD, then don't take the medication, go see another doctor.
Besides, like you said, Lexapro does not purport to cure insomnia. I take mine first thing in the morning, and I have bad insomnia at night. If you are going to take an AD that works on insomnia, then take Trazodone. It knocks you out, and then (at least for me) permits you to wake up at a reasonable time, with just a little grogginess and NO personality disruption.
ADs are supposed to increase the quality of life for people who suffer from depression and GAD. If ANY medication does not increase your quality of life when that is what it is supposed to do, you can't take it, it's not the thing to do to yourself. I'm glad that you questioned this Rx the way you did -- I would seek out a different solution if I was you. Good luck!
> > > I have just be prescribed Lexapro 10mg for insomnia. I have no other symptoms of depression, anxiety, OCD, or social dysfunction. I have read the complaints about lack of sexual drive, but I would gladly give up sex to get a good night's sleep.
> > > My question is: Does it make any sense to treat insomnia with Lexapro? One of the potential side effects is insomnia. Any opinions?
> > I have been on Lex for 5 weeks, 10 mg. I try to make sure I take it exactly the same time EVERYDAY! (7am). I was having a major problemm with insomnia. It was a little over two weeks before my sleep STARTED to get better. I was waking up only once or twice a night and not laying there for hours awake. After 3 weeks I was falling asleep easier and only waking once(damned bladder).Twice last week I even slept the whole night!
> > I have read where some are having a problem with getting very tired during the day. When I start to feel it coming on I try to move around, clean house garden or exercise bike. It has really helped me. I find a nap every day is very addictive and your body will get into that habit. So why not try the oppposite?When you feel tired get up!!! do something to get your blood moving!!! i ride my exercise bike and watch tv or read at the same time(nowhere close to walk)but I would suggest trying that instead of everyone jumping med to med
> >
>
> Thanks for the encouraging words. I don't sleep during the day at all. I never have. Right now, I can function on the 5-6 hours of sleep I am getting which is much better than the 0-3 hours of sleep I was getting over the summer. There were no meds involved in the improvement.
> After looking over some background information on Lexapro, I have discovered it is related to Prozac. I knew 5 people who took Prozac. All 5 went from unhappy but functioning to nonfunctioning and desparately depressed or psychotic. Two committed suicide. Prozac scares me to death, and Lexapro is similar in some way. I have decided to delay starting the Lexapro until after the holdiays at least. I am not going to ruin Christmas. I suspect I will wait until I am getting less than 4 hours of sleep per night to even consider Lexapro.
>
> Thanks again
poster:ayuda
thread:109458
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021217/msgs/132594.html