snooter76
11-07-2003, 06:43 PM
I am sick and tired of my mother telling me the reason that I can't sleep is due to all the medication I am on. The only medication that I am on is Effexor XR for depression, Topamax for migraine headaches, Precivid for acid reflux, Singular for allergies, and HCTZ which is a fluid pill for high blood pressure. I have been on these medications for awhile now and I don't feel that this is contributing to me not sleeping. Also my boyfriend is telling me that it is all in my head. I also do not feel that this is why I can not sleep. This has just started to become a problem in the last month. I use to be able to lay down anywhere and go to sleep. And I could sleep all night long and not have any problems going to sleep or staying asleep. Last night 11-6-03 I tried to go to bed around 2:30am and it took me a long time before i feel asleep and then I was awake every hour, but all I did was catnap until 7:00am this morning. When this first started I would sleep 2 hours and then wake up, now I only sleep 1 hour and wake up. In between the hours I catnap, which I am not getting a restful sleep. I have made an apt with my dr on 11-11-03 about this sleeping problem and I hope that she can give me something other than the Trazadone the help me sleep. When I talked to her on the phone the other day she had said something about Ambien but I will have to wait and see what she decides to do. If anyone has any suggestions about the medication that I am on and the not sleep please let me know. Thanks
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Jennita
11-08-2003, 04:02 AM
Mom may have a point. But it's not in your head, so no score for your boyfriend, there is always a reason why sleep chemicals get messed up. Medications can definately effect sleep adversly, especially ones that work on brain chemicals like antidepressants such as Lexapro and anti-epileptics like Topomax. Best to download PDF's of the drugs you take and if insomnia or sleep disturbance is listed, it's there for a reason and should not be taken lightly.
Even if a drug doesn't effect sleep at first, it eventually will as the brain becomes more imbalanced....and yes, drugs can imbalance the brain chemicals because when they give drugs that are psychoactive, they are flying blind on theory since they don't have true tests to measure brain chemicals in the first place. So essentially, they could do more harm than good in the long run...
Ambien and other sleep meds will work at first but usually cause dependancy and will stop working, ultimately worsening insomnia.
Even if a drug doesn't effect sleep at first, it eventually will as the brain becomes more imbalanced....and yes, drugs can imbalance the brain chemicals because when they give drugs that are psychoactive, they are flying blind on theory since they don't have true tests to measure brain chemicals in the first place. So essentially, they could do more harm than good in the long run...
Ambien and other sleep meds will work at first but usually cause dependancy and will stop working, ultimately worsening insomnia.
dfrea
11-21-2003, 09:23 PM
I am currently taking Trazodone for my insomnia, and it's helped. Considering that it's an anti-depressant in large doses, I find it suprising that your Effexor isn't having the same effect. Talk to your doctor about switching to the Trazodone for both a sleep aid, and for your depression. I take 50mg, which acts more as an anti-anxiety than anything, but is effective for depression in about 150-200 mg doses.