Posted by Toby on August 12, 1998, at 12:02:03
In reply to Re: ambien, posted by Levi on August 11, 1998, at 2:47:54
Levi, don't make me hurt you....
I still say avoid Ambien and the benzodiazepines for sleep because of tolerance to their sleep effects. Some people do not become tolerant and that's dandy. But why risk it when there are other, not pharmacological means by which to get a good night's sleep. And another thing: Do you really want a medication that is going to put you in a trance and give you amnesia for what you say and do? Do you really want a medication that may prevent you from acting appropriately in case there is a fire or you kid gets sick in the middle of the night?
By all means, if there is depression or anxiety present, prescription meds can be very helpful. But one also needs to use the behavioral changes along with the medications.
If prescription meds are required, I say try a sedating antidepressant first like trazodone or doxepin. Generally tolerance does not develop and you can stop it cold turkey without withdrawal and it won't show up as an ilicit substance in a urine drug screen at work. You could also try Visteril (hydroxyzine) which is a relative of Benadryl but I find that it doesn't make you feel like you've been hit with a hammer in the morning.
Everyone reacts to different medications differently. That's why there are so many medications on the market. But when you are just starting out, you need to start with meds that do the least harm (primum non nocere), not put someone on a potentially addictive medication for a potentially short term problem.
poster:Toby
thread:93
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19990501/msgs/287.html