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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by johnrussell72 on January 7, 2005, at 18:05:31
I've had anxiety related issues for 10 years or so, being treated for the majority of time with clonazepam. For a while now I've been taking Effexor at 75mg, in the morn', with a low dose of clonazepam. I'm considering kicking the clonazepam since it did'nt necessarily help induce sleep if I needed to work on day shift. I am a night person who has difficulty getting a good night's rest for working days. A doc suggested maybe Trazadone, while I was considering Buspar, or Ambien. What about a GABA med? What is a good med with Effexor to help induce sleep? Any suggestions.
Posted by linkadge on January 7, 2005, at 19:46:21
In reply to Good med with Effexor for sleep?, posted by johnrussell72 on January 7, 2005, at 18:05:31
Buspar is a nonsedating antianxiety med that takes a few months to produce an effect.
I don't know it to have sleep inducing qualities.
I would personally say go with the trazedone.
This is a sedating AD that is often used in low doses for sleep. Ambien will work, but a tollerance may develop over time.
Linkadge
Posted by King Vultan on January 7, 2005, at 20:21:11
In reply to Good med with Effexor for sleep?, posted by johnrussell72 on January 7, 2005, at 18:05:31
> I've had anxiety related issues for 10 years or so, being treated for the majority of time with clonazepam. For a while now I've been taking Effexor at 75mg, in the morn', with a low dose of clonazepam. I'm considering kicking the clonazepam since it did'nt necessarily help induce sleep if I needed to work on day shift. I am a night person who has difficulty getting a good night's rest for working days. A doc suggested maybe Trazadone, while I was considering Buspar, or Ambien. What about a GABA med? What is a good med with Effexor to help induce sleep? Any suggestions.
Trazodone would be close to ideal if it works, which it does for the majority of people (not for me, unfortunately). It is inexpensive, lacks the tolerance issues of the GABA meds, and may help to augment the antidepressant and antianxiety effects of the Effexor with some of its receptor blockades. I believe you would find that Ambien would work, but it is more expensive and has more insurance issues.Todd
Posted by Colleen D. on January 7, 2005, at 20:26:02
In reply to Good med with Effexor for sleep?, posted by johnrussell72 on January 7, 2005, at 18:05:31
I tried trazodone and it gave me a "hangover" effect the next day. I felt like I really tied one on the night before. After that my doc suggested a TCA, doxepin, 25mg, an hour before bed. It's a very low dose, and there are really NO tolerance/addiction issues with it as with benzos. It may even augment the anti-anxiety and anti-depressant effects of Effexor. It works great for me!
Good luck!
Colleen
PPD, GAD and OCD
Posted by jerrympls on January 7, 2005, at 22:13:35
In reply to Re: Good med with Effexor for sleep? » johnrussell72, posted by Colleen D. on January 7, 2005, at 20:26:02
I'd go with Ambien or the new Lunesta coming out in a week. Trazodone caused a lot of hangover for me and didn't help at all with anxiety.
Posted by KaraS on January 7, 2005, at 22:46:56
In reply to Good med with Effexor for sleep?, posted by johnrussell72 on January 7, 2005, at 18:05:31
> I've had anxiety related issues for 10 years or so, being treated for the majority of time with clonazepam. For a while now I've been taking Effexor at 75mg, in the morn', with a low dose of clonazepam. I'm considering kicking the clonazepam since it did'nt necessarily help induce sleep if I needed to work on day shift. I am a night person who has difficulty getting a good night's rest for working days. A doc suggested maybe Trazadone, while I was considering Buspar, or Ambien. What about a GABA med? What is a good med with Effexor to help induce sleep? Any suggestions.
When I was on Effexor, I took a small amount of maprotiline. It worked really well for me with minimal side effects - but any of the heterocyclics can cause weight gain unfortunately.
Posted by Emily Elizabeth on January 8, 2005, at 10:34:46
In reply to Good med with Effexor for sleep?, posted by johnrussell72 on January 7, 2005, at 18:05:31
I haven't been on Effexor, but I do take Ambien. I am a person w/ anxiety issues too and I find the Ambien to be very relaxing. I love it. I may name my first child Ambien. Just kidding. But seriously, if it is what your doc suggests, it might be helpful. I know that it was for me.
EE
Posted by broken on January 8, 2005, at 17:46:30
In reply to Re: Good med with Effexor for sleep?, posted by Emily Elizabeth on January 8, 2005, at 10:34:46
I'm currently taking efexor and use ambien as a sleep aid. I have never taken anything that has not given me the hangover effect the next day, until I took the Ambien that is. I really cant say anything bad about it at all.
Posted by borderliner on January 9, 2005, at 3:09:34
In reply to Good med with Effexor for sleep?, posted by johnrussell72 on January 7, 2005, at 18:05:31
My psych perscribed me Efexor and Seroquel. The efexor turned out to be a bad experience but the seroquel is perfect for sleep. You will have trouble getting this from a general dr because its used in 600mg+ doses to treat schitzofrenia. I find 25mg relaxes me, 50mg sedates me and 100mg will knock me out cold. It has a short half life so you dont wake up feeling like crap.
Ambien has too much off a euphoric effect and i found myself abusing it. Its excellent in what it does however. Just dont overdose or u will find u have wet pants in the morning and an extreme hang over.
Posted by Cairo on January 9, 2005, at 7:30:31
In reply to Good med with Effexor for sleep?, posted by johnrussell72 on January 7, 2005, at 18:05:31
I take trazodone 50mg for sleep along with Cymbalta. While I stay asleep all night using trazodone, sometimes I question whether I'm getting good quality sleep on the traz as a sleep study showed I don't get delta sleep. I would need to repeat the study. I recently added very low dose amitriptyline (5mg) to the mix and definitely seem to sleep deeper, but the hangover the next day is too much.
My daughter who has sleep onset difficulties once tried trazodone and it helped her to fall asleep and she seemed happier and less anxious also.
I think each person is different, but trazodone would be a good place to start.
BTW, I once tried some GABA like med given to me for sleep by a nutritional doctor. I had the worst nightmare of my life and woke up sobbing at 3 in the morning. I refuse to try it again unless a psychiatrist prescribes something. And I usually start at 1/4 the dose they would recommend as I am very sensitive to meds.
Cairo
> I've had anxiety related issues for 10 years or so, being treated for the majority of time with clonazepam. For a while now I've been taking Effexor at 75mg, in the morn', with a low dose of clonazepam. I'm considering kicking the clonazepam since it did'nt necessarily help induce sleep if I needed to work on day shift. I am a night person who has difficulty getting a good night's rest for working days. A doc suggested maybe Trazadone, while I was considering Buspar, or Ambien. What about a GABA med? What is a good med with Effexor to help induce sleep? Any suggestions.
Posted by johnrussell72 on January 9, 2005, at 11:18:30
In reply to Re: Good med with Effexor for sleep?, posted by Cairo on January 9, 2005, at 7:30:31
This is the end of the thread.
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