Psycho-Babble Medication | about biological treatments | Framed
This thread | Show all | Post follow-up | Start new thread | List of forums | Search | FAQ

Re: Xyrem once mentioned here

Posted by utopizen on February 12, 2006, at 14:47:14

In reply to Re: Xyrem once mentioned here, posted by jerrympls on February 10, 2006, at 3:37:08

> I will probably ask my new psych doc about Xyrem >to treat my severe insomnia.

I tried it for my "severe insomnia" (what was actually my early stages of depression, but god forbid I allowed myself to admit that depression and insomnia are inseparable).

Since it will indeed (and is clinically proven to do so) aggravate any existing depression, no matter how benign, it will basically make you more depressed in the long-run, worsening your depression.

I eventually caved after Ambien, Xyrem, Klonopin, you name it didn't work, and realized the reason why insomnia occurs is because obsessing about insomnia causes insomnia.

In the case of Xyrem: I literally was vomitting every night (not uncommon side effect) and when I woke up the next day, my friends told me "I look like Death."

They couldn't be more accurate. My eyes, at the age of 20, looked like a dying 90 year old's. Depression was written on my face.

Feel free to take it, but keep in mind it's not only contraindicated in depression...

******************

8% of patients taking Xyrem reported insomnia in clinical trials.

***********

For me, it caused insomnia as well. I would have to mix it with a benzodiazepine just to get any sleep. This is... better than Xyrem-induced insomnia... since it gets rid of the rumination Xyrem will cause, and the dysphoria and all...

but it's also risky, as benzos + Xyrem are a big risk for respiratory depression, which you can die from.


Um, no.

Drugs do not treat insomnia at your level, unless you combine it with CBT. But that's for a different board.

In the meantime, focus on the thing insomnia is distracting you from-- your mood. Up the dose of your SSRI, or change it, and add a sedating Seroquel or some other sedating atypical...

I don't care what side effects you're anxious about with any other med...

vomiting every night and having amnesia while doing so until 2 weeks into doing it and having such dysphoria that night I felt God was punishing me for my sins and "connected with all sins of all mankind" is not a way to treat your insomnia.

Trust me, it might be annoying and seem less "proven," but there's a limit to what drugs can do. Your case warrants not limiting yourself to psychopharmacology. CBT board can help, ask people what helps them there. You've already admitted drugs can only go half way yourself, and I highly doubt my testimony will convince you to go on a quest for Xyrem.

Insomnia drugs aren't suppose to knock you over the head.

They're not meant to turn your body off like you're some laptop that needs to enter sleep mode.

Treat the depression, the anxiety, and insomnia will be treated in the process.


Share
Tweet  

Thread

 

Post a new follow-up

Your message only Include above post


[608945]

Notify the administrators

They will then review this post with the posting guidelines in mind.

To contact them about something other than this post, please use this form instead.

 

Start a new thread

 
Google
dr-bob.org www
Search options and examples
[amazon] for
in

This thread | Show all | Post follow-up | Start new thread | FAQ
Psycho-Babble Medication | Framed

poster:utopizen thread:607120
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060212/msgs/608945.html