Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 2854

Shown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

wish me luck + a sleep-related question

Posted by Elizabeth on February 5, 1999, at 19:12:49

I've just started taking amoxapine (25mg q.d.) on top of Parnate (10mg b.i.d.). I really hope this one works. (The alternative idea which I discussed with my doctor would be kind of logistically difficult.) The Parnate has me rapid-cycling between normal and moderately depressed, switching about once every 1-3 weeks (definitely better than being severely depressed all the time, however).

So far (n = 2) the amoxapine seems to be causing strange, vivid, vaguely disturbing dreams - anyone know why this might be?

 

Re: wish me luck + a sleep-related question

Posted by Anita on February 9, 1999, at 20:28:59

In reply to wish me luck + a sleep-related question, posted by Elizabeth on February 5, 1999, at 19:12:49

Hi eliz,

Good luck! Re sleep, maybe amoxapine is somehow reinstituting REM sleep and/or you are
having REM rebound? Nightmares are one of amox's possible side effects.

Personally I've found that if I take meds too close to bedtime my
nightmares become more vivid (even tho technically-speaking I'm not supposed to have
nightmares on Parnate or Nardil - ha!), so maybe if you take amox at night you can try
taking it during the day.

I'm having some possibly bipolar-like reactions to Parnate myself. My new psychopharm is
pushing Depakote -- have any mood stabilizers helped with the rapid cycling?

anita

 

Re: wish me luck + a sleep-related question

Posted by Elizabeth on February 10, 1999, at 17:21:57

In reply to Re: wish me luck + a sleep-related question, posted by Anita on February 9, 1999, at 20:28:59

> Hi eliz,
>
Hi Anita. I ended up stopping the amoxapine because I was getting the sugar cravings from hell. I've only been off it for a day but I can already feel the difference (which is a relief because I don't know what I'd do if I were stuck feeling like a sugar addict).

> Good luck! Re sleep, maybe amoxapine is somehow reinstituting REM sleep and/or you are having REM rebound? Nightmares are one of amox's possible side effects.

So's everything else! :-) I didn't really think to look up possible side effects; I just made certain assumptions based on its pharmacological profile (and the fact that it's pretty much a tricyclic). Are nightmares a particularly common side effect, or is this one of those "...and Prozac makes some people hallucinate" things? The vivid dreaming didn't happen again after I posted here (guess that's one way to get rid of it); now I'm stuck in my dreamless state again.

> Personally I've found that if I take meds too close to bedtime my nightmares become more vivid (even tho technically-speaking I'm not supposed to have nightmares on Parnate or Nardil - ha!)

You don't just dream during REM. I should look up exactly what MAOIs do to sleep architecture.

> I'm having some possibly bipolar-like reactions to Parnate myself. My new psychopharm is
> pushing Depakote -- have any mood stabilizers helped with the rapid cycling?

They *love* Depakote, for some reason. :-] I've never had any success with mood stabilizers, but it is true that I haven't tried them for this particular episode. What exactly is going on for you?

-Elizabeth

 

Re: wish me luck + a sleep-related question

Posted by Anita on February 14, 1999, at 18:46:09

In reply to Re: wish me luck + a sleep-related question, posted by Elizabeth on February 10, 1999, at 17:21:57

> > Hi eliz,
> >
> Hi Anita. I ended up stopping the amoxapine because I was getting the sugar cravings from hell.

I sympathize -- might as well be on nardil then, eh? ;-)
>
> > Good luck! Re sleep, maybe amoxapine is somehow reinstituting REM sleep and/or you are having REM rebound? Nightmares are one of amox's possible side effects.
>
> So's everything else! :-) I didn't really think to look up possible side effects... Are nightmares a particularly common side effect...

Well, it's listed as a side effect in a book I have that only lists the major side effects of ADs, so I assume it's not unusual.
>
> > Personally I've found that if I take meds too close to bedtime my nightmares become more vivid (even tho technically-speaking I'm not supposed to have nightmares on Parnate or Nardil - ha!)
>
> You don't just dream during REM. I should look up exactly what MAOIs do to sleep architecture.

Apparently you can have particularly vivid nightmares during SWS.
>
> > I'm having some possibly bipolar-like reactions to Parnate myself. My new psychopharm is
> > pushing Depakote -- have any mood stabilizers helped with the rapid cycling?
>
> They *love* Depakote, for some reason. :-] I've never had any success with mood stabilizers, but it is true that I haven't tried them for this particular episode. What exactly is going on for you?
>
Well, personally I think I periodically go into an amphetamine-like withdrawal when I sleep for 12+ hours (and thus haven't taken a dose in 18 hrs.) No one seems particularly fond of this theory, but I did
find a few papers on Parnate withdrawal I'll have to read soon. Otherwise, on days the Parnate seems to have an effect, I'm full of activity and motivation :-) but my anxiety in certain situations is sky-high.
Ativan helps, but I hate the idea of taking it on a regular basis. Any non-benzo antianxiety med recommendations? I'm not fond of tricyclics either...


Anita

 

Re: wish me luck + a sleep-related question

Posted by Elizabeth on February 16, 1999, at 14:27:26

In reply to Re: wish me luck + a sleep-related question, posted by Anita on February 14, 1999, at 18:46:09

Anita,

MAOI withdrawal pretty much *is* amphetamine (and cocaine) withdrawal. No joke. Look it up in DSM-IV, see if that's what's going on for you. Ambien was the only thing that helped me.

How are you dividing up the Parnate dose?

(Sleeping for 12 hours? I'm lucky if I get 6! Unfortunately, "sleep disorders" is the last unit in my sleep class!)

-Elizabeth


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