Posted by yxibow on January 21, 2007, at 3:43:11
In reply to Re: INSOMNIA - PLEASE HELP!!! FRUSTRATED!!!, posted by mindevolution on January 20, 2007, at 16:36:27
>
> > We just recently discussed Cogentin (b/c I also have mild restless leg) - do you think this might help w/ sleep?
>
> are you kidding? if you wanted a drug to make you mentally ill you found a beauty, it can even creates a toxic psychosis: look at the side effects and don't underestimate their potential: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anticholinergic
> http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?id=895
>
> its the treatment they used to give people with parkinson's before they developed levodopa and dopamine agonists and is generally thought to accelerate a patients mental decline in return for a minor improvement in muscle control. "Acetylcholine is also involved with attention, the sleep-wake cycle, and other aspects of cognitive functioning."
> http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/408593_5
>
> ME
I've taken 3 of the 4 major anticholinergics on the US market and I have yet to become more mentally ill than the burden on me.They serve a valuable purpose and are still used in Parkinsons and neuroleptic EPS managment as well as treatments for things like idiopathic or drug induced sialorrhea.
Par, a subunit of Abbott discontinued Akineton in the US (leaving 3 - Artane, Cogentin, and rarely procyclidine, if it is still available), which was an anticholinergic with the least side effects I've encountered, I touched on this before.
Nonetheless, anticholinergics should be taken in incremental doses slowly as yes, they are related to atropine and can cause atropine toxicity which can include a type of psychosis in large doses; more frequently temperature regulation (chills) or fever and other nasty things can happen if one takes more than their body can handle, which, is unpredictable from person to person, and one usually works up to a dose level if they are using it consistently instead of PRN.
As for insomnia, I would not use the partial antihistamine/anticholinergic Cogentin for that purpose -- an antihistamine like Atarax or even better OTC doxylamine succinate (Unisom) would be viable candidates.
poster:yxibow
thread:724283
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070119/msgs/724703.html