Re: Post SSRI sleep disorder

[Guest guest]

That is really interesting thanks for sharing that.

Hi Group,

I haven't posted in a while, but do keep up with the group reading messages.

My now nearly twelve years of post- Prozac genital numbness remains more or less the same. I have managed to adjust to this loss as well as I can, and although I am incapable of feeling much of anything sexually, I still find the idea of sexual intimacy exciting and maintain a positive relationship with a partner who accepts my problem in a supportive but non-intrusive way--- what I mean is he does not ask 'how was that' when we are intimate, and somehow has the ego strength to not personalize my problem. So that is the status quo.

Concurrently with genital anesthesia, I have also had a sleep disorder since stopping Prozac. The quality of my sleep has never returned to what it was prior to Prozac when I never had any sleep problem whatsoever. I had vivid nightmares on Prozac, but nevertheless felt that I got deep and restful sleep. Since stopping, I have had gradually increasing difficulty falling and staying asleep. Over the past year, It has gotten so bad that I have been fortunate if I could get two or three hours of even poor quality sleep. I feel that some systemic breakdown cannot be far away, as the difference between being awake and being asleep has become very slight-- both are states of wakeful exhaustion-- either with my eyes closed or open, that's it. I am not manic and don't know how I am functioning-- going to work every day in something of a daze. The local sleep clinic has a wait list until October. I have tried nearly every prescription remedy-- all of the hypnotics such as Lunesta or Ambian simply make me dizzy-- even horribly dizzy with the feeling that my bed is spinning, but still have not put me to sleep. I've used Benedryl over the years and the drowsy side-effect has been the most helpful of anything, but even that has been ineffective in the past year. Progesterone cream was at first helpful as I am nearing peri-menopause. I assume the hormonal changes have exacerbated the post Prozac sleep problem in some way, and now make my case of both PSSD and the sleep disorder more complicated.

All of this is to say that last week I tried 50 mg. of 5-HTP prior to bed and I have gotten the best sleep I've had in years. Deep sleep. 5-HTP converts to serotonin, so I would say that this may be support for the idea that a serotonin problem has been contributing, if not causing my sleep disorder. Since starting 5-HTP, I've done a lot of reading about it and I now believe it may not be safe for very long and should be taken at the lowest possible dose. Supposedly, it will not get through the blood-brain barrier, and having a lot of serotonin metabolites in the bloodstream can eventually damage the heart valves. Tryptophan is safer and also converts to serotonin, but as far as I know is not available. Wikipedia says 5-HTP should be taken with vitimin B6, but then I found convincing evidence elsewhere that this would actually be contra indicated. All I can say is that 5-HTP has affected my sleep more positively than anything I've tried. I don't know if this is a topic of interest here, but I am wondering about how many others have experienced sleep disorders post SSRI along with the PSSD? I don't know how 5-HTP might affect sexual functioning either-- presumably it would negatively affect it just like SSRIs (no change for me there). But it still may be something to consider trying that is short of going back on a brief trial of an SSRI to see if it jump starts any changes, as has been recently discussed.

Warm regards to all,

Velden

[Guest guest]

After I abruptly stopped the SSRI, I stopped dreaming during sleep

and had loss of dream recall. This past week I have been taking 50mg

5-HTP one hour before bedtime and I have started to dream again and

even had two dreams of a sexual nature.

I read that 5-HTP crosses the blood-brain barrier and converts to

serotonin, and that serotonin triggers the brain to dream. Melatonin

(available from health food stores) can also be used to fall alseep

quickly.

If I remember correctly, the long-term use of SSRIs can cause

serotonin deficiency or depletion.

http://www.smart-publications.com/depression/5htp.php

> >

> > Hi Group,

> >

> > I haven't posted in a while, but do keep up with the group reading

> > messages.

> >

> > My now nearly twelve years of post- Prozac genital numbness

remains more

> > or less the same. I have managed to adjust to this loss as well

as I can,

> > and although I am incapable of feeling much of anything

sexually, I still

> > find the *idea* of sexual intimacy exciting and maintain a

positive

> > relationship with a partner who accepts my problem in a

supportive but

> > non-intrusive way--- what I mean is he does not ask 'how was

that' when we

> > are intimate, and somehow has the ego strength to not personalize

my

> > problem. So that is the status quo.

> >

> > Concurrently with genital anesthesia, I have also had a sleep

disorder

> > since stopping Prozac. The quality of my sleep has never returned

to what it

> > was prior to Prozac when I never had any sleep problem

whatsoever. I had

> > vivid nightmares on Prozac, but nevertheless felt that I got deep

and

> > restful sleep. Since stopping, I have had gradually increasing

difficulty

> > falling and staying asleep. Over the past year, It has gotten so

bad that I

> > have been fortunate if I could get two or three hours of even

poor quality

> > sleep. I feel that some systemic breakdown cannot be far away,

as the

> > difference between being awake and being asleep has become very

slight--

> > both are states of wakeful exhaustion-- either with my eyes

closed or open,

> > that's it. I am not manic and don't know how I am functioning--

going to

> > work every day in something of a daze. The local sleep clinic

has a wait

> > list until October. I have tried nearly every prescription remedy-

- all of

> > the hypnotics such as Lunesta or Ambian simply make me dizzy--

even horribly

> > dizzy with the feeling that my bed is spinning, but still have

not put me to

> > sleep. I've used Benedryl over the years and the drowsy side-

effect has been

> > the most helpful of anything, but even that has been ineffective

in the past

> > year. Progesterone cream was at first helpful as I am nearing

> > peri-menopause. I assume the hormonal changes have exacerbated

the post

> > Prozac sleep problem in some way, and now make my case of both

PSSD and the

> > sleep disorder more complicated.

> >

> > All of this is to say that last week I tried 50 mg. of 5-HTP

prior to bed

> > and I have gotten the best sleep I've had in years. Deep sleep.

5-HTP

> > converts to serotonin, so I would say that this may be support

for the idea

> > that a serotonin problem has been contributing, if not causing my

sleep

> > disorder. Since starting 5-HTP, I've done a lot of reading about

it and I

> > now believe it may not be safe for very long and should be taken

at the

> > lowest possible dose. Supposedly, it will not get through the

blood-brain

> > barrier, and having a lot of serotonin metabolites in the

bloodstream

> > can eventually damage the heart valves. Tryptophan is safer and

also

> > converts to serotonin, but as far as I know is not available.

Wikipedia says

> > 5-HTP should be taken with vitimin B6, but then I found

convincing evidence

> > elsewhere that this would actually be contra indicated. All I

can say is

> > that 5-HTP has affected my sleep more positively than anything

I've tried.

> > I don't know if this is a topic of interest here, but I am

wondering about

> > how many others have experienced sleep disorders post SSRI along

with the

> > PSSD? I don't know how 5-HTP might affect sexual functioning

either--

> > presumably it would negatively affect it just like SSRIs (no

change for me

> > there). But it still may be something to consider trying that is

*short*of going back on a brief trial of an SSRI to see if it jump

starts any

> > changes, as has been recently discussed.

> >

> > Warm regards to all,

> >

> > Velden

> >

> >