Re: severe insomnia

[Guest guest]

I have a long history of sleep disruption that, untreated, sounds a

lot like what you are going through. Two medications helped me a lot;

one is amitryptiline and the other is trazadone.

I am wondering why the doctor took you off the amitriptiline? 75 mg is

a dose for treating depression; 10 to 25 mg is usually enough to

facilitate sleep. The nice thing about amitryptiline is that it

enhances stage 4 sleep, which is the stage in which healing occurs.

Trazadone is an old fashioned antidepressant (not related to prozac,

zoloft, etc.) that has a side effect of sleepiness. If taken at

bedtime, it can help sleep.

When I am in really bad shape sleep-wise (under a lot of stress, which

I am now learning is probably related to adrenal fatigue and I hope

the worst of the symptoms will get eased throught treatment) I can

take as much as 300 mg of trazadone and 25 mg of amitryptiline. But

you wouldn't start at that high dose. Many people find 50 mg of

trazadone enough for sleep.

My understanding is that neither of these medications have serious

side effects even with long term use.

a

>

> Hi peeps

> I thought I would ask the list for advice re this.

> I cannot get to sleep and then wake up really early and so the

> cumulative effect is that I am heading towards sleep reversal, a

> place I do not want to revisit.

> I am wondering if it is anything to do with my meds, Armour and/or

> Pred. and h/c.

> I increased the Armour up to three grains and then, only three weeks

> later, made another eight grain increase.

> I waited 10 days and then reduced the h.c which I have been taking

> along with Pred. I am in the process of getting to all h/c and had

> been taking 10 mg Pred for a few months. The last cut was from 5 Pred

> + 10 h/c to 5 mg Pred + 5 mg h/c.

> Don't know if anything here is the cause.

> I took amitryptiline for about 10 weeks at 75 mg and the GP said I

> could taper over 2 weeks. I wonder if this is a protracted withdrawal

> but cannot source any info on this.

> Going from the frying pan into the fire, I accepted a prescription

> for Zopiclone (Zimovane) last night from the emergency doctor as I

> was going out of my mind from disrupted sleep. I took 3.75 mg and it

> did not work.

> So sleep at 2 am, up at 6 am. Would be lovely if it were sufficient

> for my needs but it is not and so I sleep in the afternoons which

> means I then cannot get to sleep when I go to bed and so it has been

> going for weeks and weeks now....... the downward spiral.

>

> Mo

>

[Guest guest]

Me too. particularly if it had been a busy or stressful day

Jen (up at three am b/c of a nice long saturday nap this afternoon

>

> >>Should I

> take the 5 mg h/c at bedtime? instead of afternoons? Or should I cut

> back on the Armour?<<

>

> I would try the bedtime dose, it sure helps me.

>

> --

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>

[Guest guest]

Hi a

It is good to hear from others with this same problem and I am glad

what you are doing is working well for you. So important to at the

very least get a good night's sleep.

>

> I have a long history of sleep disruption that, untreated, sounds a

> lot like what you are going through. Two medications helped me a

lot;

> one is amitryptiline and the other is trazadone.

>

> I am wondering why the doctor took you off the amitriptiline? 75 mg

is

> a dose for treating depression; 10 to 25 mg is usually enough to

> facilitate sleep. The nice thing about amitryptiline is that it

> enhances stage 4 sleep, which is the stage in which healing occurs.

I took myself off a because of the side effects. I wasn't warned

about this but the doctor who prescribed the recent script for

Zimovane told me that Amitryptiline is notorious for having many,

many side effects.

I developed severe anxiety and a stutter, could not speak at all very

well at times as my throat would tighten and this was not related to

who I was talking to, it was sporadic and the GP agreed with me that

this is a possible side effect. Trouble is I was under such extreme

stress from other areas that it took me a while to become objective

and realise what was going on.

>

> Trazadone is an old fashioned antidepressant (not related to prozac,

> zoloft, etc.) that has a side effect of sleepiness. If taken at

> bedtime, it can help sleep.

I have heard of this.

>

> My understanding is that neither of these medications have serious

> side effects even with long term use.

See above.

Mo