Posted by g_g_g_unit on April 7, 2012, at 8:34:27
In reply to Re: Adding Parnate and prazosin. » g_g_g_unit, posted by SLS on April 7, 2012, at 6:18:13
> Do you suspect that the choppy sleep will improve the longer you stay on Parnate?
>
> Perhaps. I am not sure how things will play out at this point.
>
> When I was younger, I experienced total sleep deprivation when Parnate was combined with desipramine, but not when taking Parnate alone. For me, insomnia has been a good prognosticator of positive response to treatment. For the entire time I was on combination treatment, I don't think that the insomnia mitigated over time. However, it would be difficult for me to know for sure because the treatment of my insomnia was so effective.
>
> triazolam (Halcion) 1.0 mg
> lorazepam (Ativan) 4.0 mg
>
> Later in my treatment history, the Parnate + desipramine combination treatment no longer produced insomnia. It also never worked again. Now, if I am losing too much sleep, I will take a combination of zaleplon (Sonata) and lorazepam (Ativan). If initiating sleep were to be refractory to this treatment, I would have to convince my doctor to use triazolam in place of zaleplon. Doctors are squeamish about prescribing triazolam. The drug got developed a reputation for having amnestic effects. However, I think zolpidem (Ambien) is just as bad as triazolam with respect to producing amnesia.
>
>
> - Scott
>Right now, I'm able to fall (and stay) asleep with 0.3mg of Clonidine and 5mg of Valium. But I just raised my Parnate dose to 30mg (finally) and things are a little worse now. One of my hobbies involves niggling over every prospective thing that could go wrong with a med trial, and reading through the archives, it seems like there are very few people who've managed to successfully remain on Parnate without an adjunctive sleep aid. It's a pity there isn't much available that actually preserves sleep architecture (aside from Xyrem and Trimipramine?). I know it's a bridge I'll have to cross when I get to it, but I'm just a little concerned about the long term effects of benzodiazepines on sleep and health. I know Zolpidem is less intrusive, and can supposedly be used in the long-run without rebound insomnia, but I suffer terrible withdrawal anxiety/depression on it. However, I've wondered if - pending I respond to Parnate - it might mitigate the next-day withdrawal.
poster:g_g_g_unit
thread:1005781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20120328/msgs/1015114.html