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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Janelle on March 26, 2003, at 16:24:50
I currently take 100 mg of Seroquel at night which sedates me, but it also seems to make me have a hard time waking up and then feeling awake the following morning. (then again, I'm on quite a cocktail so it could be something else, but I don't think so).
My pdoc wants to take me off the Seroquel, and possibly try Trazadone, but I've heard that Trazadone is super sedating and leaves a bad *hangover* effect in the am. I've also been told it is an a-d (though weak), with SSRI properties and I'm already on one a-d, and have to be VERY careful about mood swings which can be induced by some of the a-d's.
Soooooooooo, does anyone have any suggestions of what might be a good sleep aid - NOT Ambien or Sonata, I override those, they are just TOO weak. I toss and turn and don't get drowsy in the least from either of those.
Thanks for any suggestions, even if someone could tell me what a relatively low, starting dose of Trazadone would be.
Posted by sienna on March 26, 2003, at 16:34:08
In reply to Recommendations for SLEEP assistance, please!, posted by Janelle on March 26, 2003, at 16:24:50
hi
i think like 25 or 50 mgs of traz is low starting dose. i started at 100 but hear that others start lower and increase slower. i use klonopin too somtimes.
good luck
sienna
Posted by janejj on March 26, 2003, at 16:41:33
In reply to Re: Recommendations for SLEEP assistance, please!, posted by sienna on March 26, 2003, at 16:34:08
Hi jannelle,
I've used Trazodone, I found it did help me sleep, but also gave me palpitations and a hangover! Also the worst thing was it was like having the munchies when you're stoned, I'm sure if I had continued taking it i would have agined weight.
Anyway I use Ativan when i can't sleep now, 1mg. it does the trick, but don't get into the habit of taking it too often it gets really addictive and loses it potency.
Good luck
janejj
Posted by Questionmark on March 26, 2003, at 17:36:42
In reply to Re: Recommendations for SLEEP assistance, please!, posted by janejj on March 26, 2003, at 16:41:33
i've found that melatonin is by far the best thing for sleeplessness & insomnia i've ever used, without any real noticeable side effects. Note that there is not enough information about what kind of effects melatonin may cause in the long-term, but i doubt it's any worse than prescription sleep aids (especially if it's taken intermittently).
Posted by wendy b. on March 27, 2003, at 8:04:15
In reply to Recommendations for SLEEP assistance, please!, posted by Janelle on March 26, 2003, at 16:24:50
I don't know, but instead of pulling out the big guns like seroquel or trazodone, why not start with something that's been around a long time, the benzos, specifically, Xanax, or alprazolam, my favorite for sleep problems. I find I don't have to take much to get sleepy... of course, everybody's different...
But why not that first? It's worth a shot. Your doc could start you on a week of that, for ex, and then see how you do on it...?Just a suggestion -
I hope your sleep situation gets better -love,
Wendyps: where's that email? (no rush, but do write if you care to, I'm happy to hear from you)
> I currently take 100 mg of Seroquel at night which sedates me, but it also seems to make me have a hard time waking up and then feeling awake the following morning. (then again, I'm on quite a cocktail so it could be something else, but I don't think so).
>
> My pdoc wants to take me off the Seroquel, and possibly try Trazadone, but I've heard that Trazadone is super sedating and leaves a bad *hangover* effect in the am. I've also been told it is an a-d (though weak), with SSRI properties and I'm already on one a-d, and have to be VERY careful about mood swings which can be induced by some of the a-d's.
>
> Soooooooooo, does anyone have any suggestions of what might be a good sleep aid - NOT Ambien or Sonata, I override those, they are just TOO weak. I toss and turn and don't get drowsy in the least from either of those.
>
> Thanks for any suggestions, even if someone could tell me what a relatively low, starting dose of Trazadone would be.
Posted by Lawrence S. on March 27, 2003, at 8:55:46
In reply to Recommendations for SLEEP assistance, please!, posted by Janelle on March 26, 2003, at 16:24:50
I have a sleep aid that I use quite often that works almost as good as my Klonopin. I take about 600mg. of Ibuprofen with food to help me sleep. You have to take a break from it every few weeks.
Lawrence
Posted by Janelle on March 27, 2003, at 11:47:02
In reply to Re: Recommendations for SLEEP » Janelle, posted by wendy b. on March 27, 2003, at 8:04:15
Thanks for the suggestions. Believe it or not I take 2 mg of Klonopin (clonazepam) a benzo, for anxiety, in fact, one of the Klonopins is at night with the Seroquel and before I added in the Seroquel, the Klonopin did NOTHING to get me even drowsy!
And during my first hospitalization, the gave me like 6-8 mg of Klonopin one night and NOTHING, NADA, ZIP. I was up at like 2:30 am watching a video (7 days/6 nights - pretty good one!)
I am a tough one to put to sleep - I have to be slammed with something, but then I have tremendous difficulty waking up and feeling awake the following day. :-(
I did e-mail you. But check the social board where I put up a question about your address - it is different from the previous one I had and I am wondering about it ... check that board and also check your email!
Posted by Janelle on March 27, 2003, at 11:49:59
In reply to Re: Recommendations for SLEEP assistance, please!, posted by Lawrence S. on March 27, 2003, at 8:55:46
Interesting ... a number of years ago I took *too much* Ibuprofen for cramps and found that it made me quite drowsy.
However, now I'm on Lithium so I basically cannot take anything like Ibuprofen. Well, I still do once a month, but that's all I can really do safely. Apparently, meds like Ibuprofen can raise Lithium levels.
Also, taking Ibuprofen regularly can do a number on the stomach - I know someone who got stomach ulcers from taking it regularly for pain.
Thanks!
Posted by Viridis on March 27, 2003, at 14:02:58
In reply to Recommendations for SLEEP assistance, please!, posted by Janelle on March 26, 2003, at 16:24:50
For relatively mild sleep problems, the over-the-counter pills that contain diphenhydramine can be helpful (although I'd check for interactions with your other meds).
I tried Trazadone for insomnia for a while, when I was in a state of very agitated depression, and it was OK. I started with 25 mg, but found that the real drowsiness kicked in around 50 mg. My pdoc is a big fan of Trazadone for insomnia, because he says it doesn't interfere with normal sleep cycles. However, it did leave me feeling quite groggy the next morning and just slightly weird, so I stopped it. By the way, the AD Serzone is a very close "improved" relative of Trazadone, so might be worth asking about.
I find Xanax best for insomnia. I take 0.25-0.50 mg occasionally for anxiety. At that level, the Xanax isn't sedating for me, but 1 mg really makes me sleepy.
My pdoc doesn't like people to use benzos regularly for insomnia, because he says that tolerance to the sedating effects can develop quickly, requiring higher and higher doses (although tolerance to the antianxiety effects appears much less likely, and hasn't occurred for me). Also, apparently benzos can interfere with sleep architecture, so you don't go though the regular, necessary sleep cycles.
However, he's fine with me using Xanax occasionally to help me sleep, and it leaves me feeling very rested. Luckily, with the Klonopin and other meds I take regularly (Adderall, Neurontin), insomnia is rarely a problem any more. But when it is, Xanax is a big help.
Posted by HenryO on March 28, 2003, at 0:33:42
In reply to Re: Recommendations for SLEEP assistance, please! » Janelle, posted by Viridis on March 27, 2003, at 14:02:58
Are you getting decent sleep when you finally do get to sleep? I had a sleep study done recently. I was told that I have severe sleep disturbances. Now I am fitted out with a CPAP machine and it makes a huge difference.
Posted by Janelle on March 28, 2003, at 14:02:01
In reply to Re: Recommendations for SLEEP assistance, please!, posted by HenryO on March 28, 2003, at 0:33:42
Yes, thankfully I AM getting good sleep; it's just that it is *drug-induced*, meaning I do not fall asleep naturally. I'm awake one minute, out cold the next. Prior to taking meds for sleep I would kind of gradually relax and drift off. I seem to have *lost* that. But once I'm out, I am OUT!
This is the end of the thread.
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