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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Sadaiya on April 10, 2009, at 17:44:15
Hi, it's been a few years since I posted and I was wondering what the latest sleeping meds are and how effective they are in comparison to remeron?
Posted by tensor on April 11, 2009, at 4:09:48
In reply to sleeping meds, posted by Sadaiya on April 10, 2009, at 17:44:15
I have used zopiclone for many years and I think it works great. I have also used Remeron for ten years and it doesn't really sedates me anymore. I guess the only way to really find out is to try it. I think zopiclone has a perfect half-life, it lets you sleep through the night without "hangover" in the morning.
Posted by raisinb on April 11, 2009, at 8:37:40
In reply to sleeping meds, posted by Sadaiya on April 10, 2009, at 17:44:15
I have found good success with Lunesta, with the occasional Xanax added if I'm especially stressed. Lunesta has worked long-term and doesn't give me the next-day hangover I got with Remeron.
Posted by Phillipa on April 11, 2009, at 11:52:51
In reply to Re: sleeping meds » Sadaiya, posted by raisinb on April 11, 2009, at 8:37:40
Strangely used to have very bad insomnia and at one time was on chloral hydrate, benzos, lunesta and they was hospitalized even added seroquel for one night almost fainted that got dc'd quickly. Now seems I need I bet nothing to sleep but stay up til 3am reading. Take 5mg of valium then and down to .25xanax. I wake in four hours no matter what and take my synthroid and another 5mg of valium. So I feel they all help with sleep. It's so individualized. Phillipa
Posted by sadaiya on April 13, 2009, at 10:52:59
In reply to Re: sleeping meds, posted by Phillipa on April 11, 2009, at 11:52:51
Have you tried trazadome ? my pdoc says its "guaranteed" to get you to sleep. I myself haven't tried it, i have been using remeron for three years now, and it's been working okay. I will stick with remeron unless it stops working for me in which case i plan on switching to trazadome. But someone told me if you stop taking a medication the tolerance you build will go away after a few months and you can go back to that med.. So i was thinking of alternating between remeron and trazadome if my remeron ever stops working.
Posted by CareBear04 on April 13, 2009, at 19:29:53
In reply to Re: sleeping meds, posted by sadaiya on April 13, 2009, at 10:52:59
i've tried pretty much all the sleeping meds out there. for the past six months or so, i've been on remeron, first starting at 15mg, then increasing to 30mg. at first, it knocked me out, but now i could just as easily take it during the day and not feel tired. the lower doses tend to be more sedating, so you might try going down to a lower remeron dose, although you might lose some antidepressant effect.
i've been on trazodone, too. somehow, it doesn't stick out in my memory, but i do remember feeling sort of hungover the next morning. i think it was pretty effective in putting me to sleep, though, and i think you can ramp up the dose pretty high without dangerous effects.
right now, i take 300-400mg of seroquel at bedtime. my last pdoc also prescribed 2mg of prosom (which is a benzo sleeping med) and 12.5mg of ambien cr, and i alternated between the two. he also prescribed 5-10mg of sonata for when i'd wake up in the middle of the night and couldn't get back to sleep, but my insurance didn't cover it, so the copay was prohibitive. i've generally found the benzo sleep meds to be effective, especially restoril and halcion (which I don't think is prescribed often if at all). ambien and ambien cr have always been pretty dependable, even though i've worked up a pretty high tolerance to them. i was so excited when lunesta first came out, but it didn't make me sleepy at all. maybe i didn't give it enough of a chance...
anyway, hope this helps.
cb
Posted by yxibow on April 13, 2009, at 23:15:51
In reply to Re: sleeping meds, posted by sadaiya on April 13, 2009, at 10:52:59
> Have you tried trazadome ? my pdoc says its "guaranteed" to get you to sleep. I myself haven't tried it, i have been using remeron for three years now, and it's been working okay. I will stick with remeron unless it stops working for me in which case i plan on switching to trazadome. But someone told me if you stop taking a medication the tolerance you build will go away after a few months and you can go back to that med.. So i was thinking of alternating between remeron and trazadome if my remeron ever stops working.
Remeron for some people will work for quite a long time at a low dose -- weight is something that has to be aware of and managed.
Trazodone I find sort of a hammerblow and not the best way to go to sleep -- however, for some people it is one of their only choices. Basically you're taking an antidepressant that I doubt anyone could stand an adult dose of.
Its usually about 50mg at night but some people get tolerant and go up to about 150mg like I did at one point and then have to back down again, and rinse and repeat.For males it does have a rare but possible effect of priapism; it can also make one hungry after it takes so its best to be in bed.
Rarely it can cause people prone to psychosis some odd effects, but in general there are a fair number of people with biochemical imbalances and insomnia who do take it because their doctors would rather give them something that isn't technically habituating.
Personally I think 10mgs of amitriptyline is better, but it has its caveats too.
-- tidingsJay
Posted by desolationrower on April 14, 2009, at 1:02:09
In reply to Re: sleeping meds » sadaiya, posted by yxibow on April 13, 2009, at 23:15:51
remember its not one-size-for-all it depends on what is wrong with your sleep waht drug will work best
-d/r
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