Posted by JohnL on April 22, 2000, at 5:49:59
In reply to most sedating a-d's, posted by paul on April 21, 2000, at 23:42:19
> a friend of mine's lifelong sleep problem-falling asleep and staying there-was completely solved by serzone. i like what s does, but i haven't had the sleep-luck he's had. is there another a.d. out there -NOT paxil or zoloft-that might be worth trying? i'm trying to put as little of this junk into my life as possible so i'm looking for that miracle a.d. any help tearfully acknowledged.
> pclYou might consider one of several choices.
Remeron 7.5mg (half the minimum dose) is absolutely great for sleep. At this dose, there is no carryover into the next day after the morning's first coffee. I've tried all diffferent doses of Remeron, and a lot of different drugs, over the past year, and nothing for me is better for sleep than 7.5mgRemeron.Some people like Trazodone. It's an earlier ancestor of Serzone. Personally I hated it. Actually worsened sleep, nightmares, headaches. Yuck.
A tricyclic like Nortriptyline or Amitriptyline or Imipramine. But even at small doses you will likely have bothersome dry mouth and constipation, or other discouraging side effects. These are great meds, but one must be able to endure certain given side effects.
This might surprise you, but something good for both sleep and depression is available over the counter...St Johnswort. No kidding. Some people--like me--really do respond nicely to SJW. And believe me, I've tried just about ALL the prescripts out there over the years. I mention SJW because there are controlled scientific sleep studies on it that have shown how it influences brain waves and improves sleep architecture. On the other hand, I have heard a few cases of SJW insomnia. We're all different. But due to the ease and the inexpense, I think it's certainly worth trying for about 2 or 3 weeks. It takes longer than most drugs to build up in the body. So disregard the first week. Look for benefits in week two or week three. If nothing by then, move on to something else.
Another natural for sleep and depression is 5HTP, the precursor ingredient for the body's production of serotonin.
In your shoes, knowing what I know and being able to reflect back on dozens of trials and combinations, I would suggest the following options for immediate trial:
Remeron 7.5mg alone, an hour before bed.
Remeron 7.5mg an hour before bed, with SJW during the day (stick with brands Movana, Nature's Way Perika, Kira, or Ricola). Dosage could range from 2 to 3 pills a day, depending on how you respond. Maximum is 9 pills a day. Take the last dose before late afternoon. I think you might find that having some SJW in your system improves sleep structure. It isn't sedating, and it won't cause you to fall asleep (the Remeron will do that), but once you are asleep the quality of that sleep will be high quality. I noticed sleep benefits by my second day.
Either of the above with 5HTP added is a third option.These options I think stand a real good chance of improving your sleep, improving your depression, and satisfying your preference to avoid as much medication in your body as possible. They certainly aren't the only options, but they fit the description of what you are looking for. JohnL
poster:JohnL
thread:30915
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000420/msgs/30939.html