Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 1926

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effexor - sleeplessness?

Posted by v on December 31, 1998, at 5:29:51

if one of the side effects of effexor is sleeplessness, then why take a divided dose late in the day?

i'm currently only on 75mg once a day but have just started... next week the dose goes up again and i will have to take it twice a day...

does it have to be taken 12 hours apart? if not, how close together can it be taken so i can get to sleep? and can it be taken only once instead (my 75mg is time release)?

i currently take it at 5am when i get up.

thanks... and here's to a good new year for us all!!!!

regards,
v

 

Re: effexor - sleeplessness?

Posted by alan on December 31, 1998, at 21:03:21

In reply to effexor - sleeplessness?, posted by v on December 31, 1998, at 5:29:51

> if one of the side effects of effexor is sleeplessness, then why take a divided dose late in the day?
> i'm currently only on 75mg once a day but have just started... next week the dose goes up again and i will have to take it twice a day...
> does it have to be taken 12 hours apart? if not, how close together can it be taken so i can get to sleep? and can it be taken only once instead (my 75mg is time release)?
> i currently take it at 5am when i get up.
> thanks... and here's to a good new year for us all!!!!
> regards,
> v

Maybe you could ask your Doc about the slow release Effexor. I take it once a day. (Insomnia seems to me a great pleasure; I wish you could send me some of yours. I have hypersomnia.)
Good luck.


 

Re: effexor - sleeplessness? THANKS

Posted by v on January 1, 1999, at 4:49:35

In reply to Re: effexor - sleeplessness?, posted by alan on December 31, 1998, at 21:03:21

thank you for your response...

i'm currently taking the 75mg time release dose once a day but at the end of the day i get suddenly exhausted and feel like i must go to sleep - like i've "come down" from it. i'm fine with this but am concerned that on a divided dose i will stay awake at night and drive myself crazy - a common occurrence through much of my life.

you do not say what your dose is but i will check and see if i can take the higher dose in a time release once a day as well

thanks again...
regards,
v

 

Re: effexor - sleeplessness?

Posted by Shirley on January 1, 1999, at 13:13:28

In reply to effexor - sleeplessness?, posted by v on December 31, 1998, at 5:29:51

> if one of the side effects of effexor is sleeplessness, then why take a divided dose late in the day?
>
and can it be taken only once instead (my 75mg is time release)?

V:
I've been taking Effexor XR for about 3 mos., but I noticed the opposite effect as far as sleep: it made me drowsy. I have always taken it at night, in just one dose (187.5 to 225mg). The drowsiness issue seems to have improved, and I don't notice it much anymore. It is my understanding that the time-release (XR) version of this medication eliminates the need to take a divided dose--I was told it wasn't necessary.

You might be helped by the addition of Trazadone, which I have found to be helpful for insomnia. A small dose of 50mg might help.

Take care, and Happy New Year!
~Shirley

 

Re: effexor - disclaimer

Posted by Shirley on January 1, 1999, at 14:15:24

In reply to Re: effexor - sleeplessness?, posted by Shirley on January 1, 1999, at 13:13:28

In reading over past Effexor and Trazodone posts, I'm struck by the widely divergent responses and recommendations with these medications (indeed for all of the AD's).

My disclaimer: It's always best to take your physician's advice first, since most of us are not medical professionals. Maybe I'm just stating the (duh) obvious. That being said, I find this site to be an outstanding source of "real life" information about the psychopharmceuticals and related illnesses.

Everyone seems to respond differently to these drugs, and I have come to understand that finding the right med for depression is equal parts art and science.

I have noticed something frustrating, though, about relying upon my doctor (and therapist) to help me: They don't always seem to have much in the way of advice. I have been adjusting my own meds up or down as I see fit, and they both approve of this. I'm at a point now where I have exhausted my own limited understanding of how to proceed with treatment, and I'm not sure what to do next (I have experienced a dramatic relapse after having felt better on Effexor). Does anyone else have this experience with their medical professionals? I WANT my doctor to tell me what is best, but he seems to think I know what I'm doing. My therapist told me to come back on an "as needed" basis after a couple of weeks of feeling better. I'm sort of amazed that a person trained to be providing mental health counseling doesn't seem to know (or doesn't want to know?) what questions to ask.

I went off on a tangent. Sorry....

Shirley

 

Re: effexor - sleeplessness?

Posted by Jef on January 10, 1999, at 14:43:58

In reply to effexor - sleeplessness?, posted by v on December 31, 1998, at 5:29:51

I am also experiencing insomnia on effexor(225mg) even though I take up to 15mg Ambien at midnight to try to get some sleep. I'm taking Dexadrine also(20mg) but didn't have any problem until the effexor was added! I take effexor in the morn and stop the dex early in the day(short acting) Need sleep help!

 

Re: effexor - disclaimer

Posted by Jef* on January 11, 1999, at 20:48:22

In reply to Re: effexor - disclaimer, posted by Shirley on January 1, 1999, at 14:15:24

about relying upon my doctor (and therapist) to help me: They don't always seem to have much in the way of advice. I have been adjusting my own meds up or down as I see fit, and they both


Shirley, I had a Dr like that. I felt like a drug dealer. I could ask for anything I thought might work and he would write the script. He would just agree with things I came up with.
I traded him in for a new Dr who actually gives me advice. GOOD LUCK!

 

Re: effexor - sleeplessness?

Posted by Angie on March 19, 1999, at 11:02:13

In reply to Re: effexor - sleeplessness?, posted by Jef on January 10, 1999, at 14:43:58

Hi. I just started taking Effexor 2 nights ago, and I am experiencing restless sleeping also. I was instructed by my pharmacist to take it at bedtime, since there may be drowsiness involved. Is there another time of day that would be better to take it? I am on 75 mg once a day.
Anyone who has been on this please email me if you have any advice, and thanks. =)

Angie, Louisiana

 

Re: effexor - sleeplessness?

Posted by anne on March 19, 1999, at 21:38:15

In reply to Re: effexor - sleeplessness?, posted by Angie on March 19, 1999, at 11:02:13

I too had problems staying asleep at night when I started Effexor, and I was only taking 37.5 mg once a day. When my dose was increased to 75 mg, it became even worse. As it seemed to be helping depression-wise I added 10mg Elavil at bedtime and sleep quite well now. It does take a week or two not to feel groggy in the AM with Elavil. It seems now that the Effexor makes me sleepy by afternoon, a problem I've never experienced. It must have something to do with when and how the extended release version works.

 

Re: effexor - sleeplessness?

Posted by Toni on March 28, 1999, at 2:44:08

In reply to Re: effexor - sleeplessness?, posted by anne on March 19, 1999, at 21:38:15

> I too had problems staying asleep at night when I started Effexor, and I was only taking 37.5 mg once a day. When my dose was increased to 75 mg, it became even worse. As it seemed to be helping depression-wise I added 10mg Elavil at bedtime and sleep quite well now. It does take a week or two not to feel groggy in the AM with Elavil. It seems now that the Effexor makes me sleepy by afternoon, a problem I've never experienced. It must have something to do with when and how the extended release version works.

I've been on Effxor twice over the last 6 years. The first time was about a year after I had a bad back injury that left me with chronic pain, which in turn led to deperssion. After atarting at 37.5 mg twice a day the dose was increased slowly to 150mg twice a day. At any dosage I had truble getting to sleep. They Dr. tried both Trazidone and Elavil with very limited success. As both of these cause mild to severe drowseness the next day I stoped taking them and just moved the second dosage to about "dinner time". I've always been a night person any was so this meant that the dosage was not always at the same time each day but usually the same amount of time apart. This went on for about 3 years. I had to stop because of the cost.

Just about a year ago I started taking the Effexor again and was doing the same, first dose when I got up and last dose about 12 hrs later but at least 6 hours before I thought I'd be getting to bed. This time I also was having trouble with anxiety and was taking Benidryl for that. I found that this helped the sleeplessness quite a bit, and would be out of the system long before waking.
One of the best "side effects" of Effexor though is that it reduces chronic pain by almost half.

A word on other side effects; I have just had to go off Effxor because of hypertension. I just started taking Remeron and the jury is still out. Might not be too bad if I can just get my head to stop spinning!


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