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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 spierson1253 on November 19, 2005, at 5:19:44
I do not know what's going on. Was doing great for awhile. Feeling rested and 'alert' during the day, sleeping 4-8 hours at night. But, I was taking Xanax at night, it's highly addictive, and I asked to be taken off it. Instead, we are trying the new Ambien CR. It's time-released, and most chemicals only give me 2 hours sleep and then I'm awake the rest of the night. Took it last night. Slept two hours BUT was really stressed over the assassination of a CHP officer friend that day. Okay, so I'm giving it a try tonight. It's 3:14am PST, and I'm awake and watching some stupid show called elimiDATE where women so who can out-slut each other. Wow. What fun. I've been warned that Ambien acts fast and to be near the bed. Um . . . how fast is fast? Well, I am very stressed today also. Sat here and sobbed for about 45 min. Eyes burn like heck, but feel "unburdened". (I'm so glad I'm a girl and it's okay to cry.) Now, to be fair, the doctor did recommend 1-2 5mg tabs *as needed*. I've only taken one each night to give it a fair trial. Will try two -- geez, that would be tonight as it's in the wee hours of today -- provided I don't pass out from exhaustion before then.
And why am I crying? I was having anger issues again so we added 37.5mg at night to the 75mg I take in the morning. I'm not acting out anger, now my eyes look like I was in a bar fight.
Think I'll channel-surf for awhile. Oh, please anything but elimiDATE.
Posted by willyee on November 19, 2005, at 11:53:34
In reply to Almost Functional, posted by spierson1253 on November 19, 2005, at 5:19:44
Ambien has different qualities than xanax,it might very well be possable the ambien is actualy worsening your depression the following day.Ambien is a very strong hypnotic which is why its only use is for sleep,not anxiety or mood except for those who get high off it.
Xanax however for many many people provide anxiety relieaf,sleep,mood stablization.......and unlike many other drugs of its kind i.e klonopin,xanax for many people show anti-depressant qualities.
You might have been benifiting off xanax more than u relaised.
I personaly find xanax to provide anxiety relieaf with a minor mood lift,while i find klonopin to provide a much more sound anxiety releiaf but with the burden of depression.
Id give ambein a few more days,if you notice your depression getting worse personaly id quickly drop it,and go back to xanax.
As far as addicting goes,i know its a scary scary thought......BUT ask yourself this,can u think of any drug which WORKS WELL based on majority opinion,that is NOT addicting.
Im starting to believe a drug being addictive is a marker on whether or not its effective.In my case im concerned about treatment first,addiction later,i cant and dont want to live a life under so many restrictions,the right med can eliminate these for me,anyway good luck
Posted by Lucia Francisca on November 19, 2005, at 12:56:14
In reply to Almost Functional, posted by spierson1253 on November 19, 2005, at 5:19:44
Hi spierson1253. I'm so sorry you aren't able to sleep. I know that's one of the things I suffer from the most--not being able to sleep all night, and then I have racing, very negative thoughts. It's awful.
I took Xanax a few years ago for sleep, and it helped me get a full night's sleep, but yes it's only short-term; it is addictive. I didn't really like Ambien; it only helped me sleep a couple of hours. I used Amitryptyline along with Celexa for my depression for a while; the Amitryptyline did help me get a good night's sleep, with the help of the Celexa too. I've also used Trazodone with Lexapro (I had to switch from the Celexa when I started not sleeping again) and the Trazadone did help sometimes, though sometimes I still couldn't sleep. Now, I've been on Seroquel for 2 weeks, and since Seroquel is a sedative, that's been really good for my sleep. (I'm taking Seroquel for my new dx of bipolar II).
May I ask what your diagnosis is, if you don't mind? Perhaps you need a medication to address the underlying condition that might be causing you not to be able to sleep?
Also, I know when I can't sleep or am just feeling icky in general, exercise can help; sometimes I have to exercise twice in 1 day.
Warmly, Lucia
> I do not know what's going on. Was doing great for awhile. Feeling rested and 'alert' during the day, sleeping 4-8 hours at night. But, I was taking Xanax at night, it's highly addictive, and I asked to be taken off it. Instead, we are trying the new Ambien CR. It's time-released, and most chemicals only give me 2 hours sleep and then I'm awake the rest of the night. Took it last night. Slept two hours BUT was really stressed over the assassination of a CHP officer friend that day. Okay, so I'm giving it a try tonight. It's 3:14am PST, and I'm awake and watching some stupid show called elimiDATE where women so who can out-slut each other. Wow. What fun. I've been warned that Ambien acts fast and to be near the bed. Um . . . how fast is fast? Well, I am very stressed today also. Sat here and sobbed for about 45 min. Eyes burn like heck, but feel "unburdened". (I'm so glad I'm a girl and it's okay to cry.) Now, to be fair, the doctor did recommend 1-2 5mg tabs *as needed*. I've only taken one each night to give it a fair trial. Will try two -- geez, that would be tonight as it's in the wee hours of today -- provided I don't pass out from exhaustion before then.
>
> And why am I crying? I was having anger issues again so we added 37.5mg at night to the 75mg I take in the morning. I'm not acting out anger, now my eyes look like I was in a bar fight.
>
> Think I'll channel-surf for awhile. Oh, please anything but elimiDATE.
Posted by spierson1253 on November 19, 2005, at 13:44:19
In reply to Re: Almost Functional, posted by Lucia Francisca on November 19, 2005, at 12:56:14
To answer both of the previous posts on this thread:
I have acute stress brought on by 18 months of severe verbal abuse by my boss. (I'm an over-achiever, afraid of failure, but always set myself up for it anyway.) I also have depression, which seems to be mildly bi-polar and cyclic.
You know, you're right, since starting the Ambien CS, each night and subsequent day has been worse. I cried for two solid hours in the wee hours of this morning, and I haven't really cried since I started taking Effexor about 4 weeks ago. And the anger and impatience are returning. Hmmmmmmmm -- it may just be lack of sleep. Only got 2 hours the night before, and it took me 10 hours to get about 5 hours of broken sleep last night.
I'm going to try two 5mg tablets tonight. The Rx is for 1-2 tablets, as needed.
I've also been in an almost chronic state of hyperventilation for the past 3 or 4 days. Feels like a Mac loader is sitting on my chest.
I just want to feel good. I want to be happy in a normal way, not so forced I become almost wired in behavior. And does anyone else have a problem drinking coffee since starting Effexor? I've found that one cup starts the chest-crushing feeling.
Posted by Lucia Francisca on November 19, 2005, at 15:48:49
In reply to Re: Almost Functional » Lucia Francisca, posted by spierson1253 on November 19, 2005, at 13:44:19
Hi spierson 1253. Honestly, your symptoms sound similar to mine, although of course I'm not a pdoc and maybe I'm just projecting my own experience....I just had an "episode" or experience that sounds similar to what you're experiencing about 2 weeks ago. I couldn't sleep for 2-3 nights, and just feel incredibly anxious. That "boulder" on your chest--I just felt like I had a big knot in my stomach, felt like total worry and anxiety. I'm concerned because, like you, I was only taking an antidepressant (Lexapro), and then Trazodone for sleep. When that combination didn't work for sleep at all, my pdoc said he suspected I had bipolar II all along, and switched me to Seroquel, which is technically an "atypical antipsychotic," but used as a mood stabilizer for bipolar II. I took it an hour before going to sleep, and slept for a good night, 8 hours at least. And I've been feeling very good for the last 2 weeks.
My concern is this: My pdoc said SSRIs can cause rapid cycling in people who are bipolar, which means hypomanic or manic states can be brought on by the SSRI. He said my insomnia periods and anxiety and irritability and agitation were basically hypomanic periods. So, all said and done, I'm optimistic the Seroquel will help me feel better than the SSRI. It's really helping with the insomnia and irritability. Again, I'm no pdoc or therapist, but I wonder if a change of meds might help you? I'm concerned about your not sleeping, because when I'm like that, I know it's horrible, and the anxiety or whatever it is sounds bad too.
Ok, a longish post. But I really hope you feel better. Hopefully taking 2 tablets will help you sleep. I know I always feel better the next day when I've had a decent night's sleep; it helps with the anxiety.
And I'm so sorry about the verbal abuse. That sounds terrible.
Lucia
> To answer both of the previous posts on this thread:
>
> I have acute stress brought on by 18 months of severe verbal abuse by my boss. (I'm an over-achiever, afraid of failure, but always set myself up for it anyway.) I also have depression, which seems to be mildly bi-polar and cyclic.
>
> You know, you're right, since starting the Ambien CS, each night and subsequent day has been worse. I cried for two solid hours in the wee hours of this morning, and I haven't really cried since I started taking Effexor about 4 weeks ago. And the anger and impatience are returning. Hmmmmmmmm -- it may just be lack of sleep. Only got 2 hours the night before, and it took me 10 hours to get about 5 hours of broken sleep last night.
>
> I'm going to try two 5mg tablets tonight. The Rx is for 1-2 tablets, as needed.
>
> I've also been in an almost chronic state of hyperventilation for the past 3 or 4 days. Feels like a Mac loader is sitting on my chest.
>
> I just want to feel good. I want to be happy in a normal way, not so forced I become almost wired in behavior. And does anyone else have a problem drinking coffee since starting Effexor? I've found that one cup starts the chest-crushing feeling.
Posted by Phillipa on November 19, 2005, at 22:19:10
In reply to Re: Almost Functional, posted by Lucia Francisca on November 19, 2005, at 15:48:49
Sleep is very important for your mind and body. It is the time when your brain sorts things out. So I would take whatever it takes to get a good nights sleep. I'm sure that's why you are so emotional. It happens to me also when I'm overtired. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by spierson1253 on November 20, 2005, at 12:08:05
In reply to Re: Almost Functional, posted by Lucia Francisca on November 19, 2005, at 15:48:49
I've found that coffee also exacerbates the "boulder on the chest" feeling. Horribly. Me, the connisseur (spelling?) coffee drinker, who was too good to drink Folgers or Yuban. I've found that first, I must eat first thing in the morning, before any coffee at all. (That may be partly due to my Type II diabetes.) And that if I limit it to 1/3 cup, instead of 3 full cups in the first two hours. And the same the rest of the day, with absolutely no coffee after 5pm. I have to have some coffee. I hate the headache and the sleepiness I feel all morning otherwise. Now mind you, I've cut back from about 10 cups of strong coffee a day to about two cups of regular coffee over about an 8-hr period. The heaviness is now greatly relieved, but not completely gone (I wake up with it.) Will see my workers comp doc on Wed. and discuss it with him, if he'll listen.
Posted by Lucia Francisca on November 20, 2005, at 23:50:49
In reply to Re: Almost Functional » Lucia Francisca, posted by spierson1253 on November 20, 2005, at 12:08:05
I imagine, if that heaviness could be anxiety or worry, that the stimulating effect of coffee could exacerbate it. I know what you mean about good coffee--my favorite is Peet's, although it is really strong--don't let me encourage you here! :)
Good luck with the doctor.> I've found that coffee also exacerbates the "boulder on the chest" feeling. Horribly. Me, the connisseur (spelling?) coffee drinker, who was too good to drink Folgers or Yuban. I've found that first, I must eat first thing in the morning, before any coffee at all. (That may be partly due to my Type II diabetes.) And that if I limit it to 1/3 cup, instead of 3 full cups in the first two hours. And the same the rest of the day, with absolutely no coffee after 5pm. I have to have some coffee. I hate the headache and the sleepiness I feel all morning otherwise. Now mind you, I've cut back from about 10 cups of strong coffee a day to about two cups of regular coffee over about an 8-hr period. The heaviness is now greatly relieved, but not completely gone (I wake up with it.) Will see my workers comp doc on Wed. and discuss it with him, if he'll listen.
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