Posted by Robert_Burton_1621 on July 1, 2015, at 6:08:43
In reply to parnate and sleep, posted by baseball55 on June 12, 2015, at 20:07:02
> I recently started parnate again after being off it for two years. I got severely depressed and ended up in the hospital again (had been hospital free for four years). The problem with parnate is the sleep disturbance. I generally fall asleep okay around 11-11:30, but I am awake at 3:30-4 and can't get back down again.
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> The funny thing about parnate is that I am not tired during the day. My normal sleep has gone from 8-9 hours to 4-5 hours and I feel fine. I just don't like being awake when the world is sleeping and there's nothing to do (of course, this morning, I can start binge-watching Orange is the New Black, 3rd season).
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> In the past when I took parnate, I also took a benzo for sleep. But I don't rally want to go there again and, as I said, I'm not unrested.
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> Has anyone had this issue on parnate and did anything help?I most definitely experienced sleep disturbances on parnate - intitially (first month). My experience was identical to yours: very early morning waking *without* diurnal hypersomnolence (until about 5pm, when I used to have a one hour deep sleep).
Parnate prevents the oxidisation of a number of monoamines and trace amines, not just the big three. It also prevents the breakdown of metalonin.
I used a benzo for the first two or three weeks when first starting, but gradually did not need it anymore. It took two months to regularise sleep, and now I have no problems at all on 130mg / day.
Note that parnate pretty much eradicates the REM phase of sleep. This is not necessarily a bad thing for someone who has suffered long-term depression. REM facilitates the consolidation of feelings and perceptions of negative valence, in effect perhaps entrenching depressive traits. Therefore, some sleep disruption to the REM phase especially may be beneficial. There are studies which have shown that short, periodic phases of sleep-deprivation assist in relieving the symptoms of depression.
Therefore, if you are not feeling chronically fatigued and cognitively-compromised during the day, I would be waiting for your sleep to regularise. Plan something to do in advance when you wake at 4am - reading, watching a TV series, etc.
If, however, you cannot wait, perhaps a small dose of mirtazapine or the TCA doxepin (if, e.g., tempazepam is not an option)?
poster:Robert_Burton_1621
thread:1079716
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