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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by malcolm664 on May 29, 2007, at 9:26:19
Since most of us have to work for a living and can't take a nap whenever we need one (regardless of how sleepy we get due to the meds), I'm just wondering how everyone deals with the constant tiredness or sleepiness caused by meds (in my case MAOI's) on their jobs?
I'm sure that everyone here knows the feeling well of being so tired due to meds that if you don't sleep you'll literally drop (or at a minimum, you're job effectiveness is compromised)
Do you tell your boss about the fact that the meds you're on can cause you to get tired? If so, are they accommodating or understanding? Do they allow you to take naps as needed? In many or most cases, there probably isn't a bed available to lie down on.
That's going to a real issue with me as I start an internship at an upscale gym (as a personal trainer) on June 11th.
In my case, working with clients while drowsy is likely to get me fired (or not every hired in the first place), so I'm just wondering how I can approach the issue in advance, so that there are no problems.
Also, just because your boss knows about the drowsiness, doesn't necessarily mean that your co-workers are also aware of it. So if they see or experience you as less than alert, they may complain (it's happened to me).
I realize that it's a difficult issue to deal with and there may not be any easy answers, but I'm curious how everyone here approaches that issue.
I'm on Parnate and as it is, I have to take several hundred milligrams of caffeine tabs (against my docs orders) in order to stay awake. And it seems like no matter how much I take I'm STILL tired. I just took 800 mgs about an hour ago, and I'm ready for another nap.
This is a very real issue, and I'm wondering how everyone here deals with it.
Malcolm
Posted by Phillipa on May 29, 2007, at 10:42:52
In reply to Dealing with med-induced drowsiness on the job, posted by malcolm664 on May 29, 2007, at 9:26:19
Uggg a personal trainer I would doubt that a job like that would have a sympathetic boss how long will the sleepiness last do you have any idea? Love Phillipa
Posted by Squiggles on May 29, 2007, at 16:18:31
In reply to Re: Dealing with med-induced drowsiness on the job » malcolm664, posted by Phillipa on May 29, 2007, at 10:42:52
Just by coincidence i was checking the
interaction between an AD and a benzo
on a drug interaction data base --
'Drug Interaction Database -- there are
many of them on the net. Though I did not
check Parnate, i was looking at Rivotril
and an AD-- high interaction, patient advised
to ask dr. to regulate the dosages of each.
Sleepiness is a common effect of benzos, and
esp. when interacting with other drugs, esp.
alcohol.Squiggles
Posted by nolegirl23 on May 30, 2007, at 21:21:48
In reply to Dealing with med-induced drowsiness on the job, posted by malcolm664 on May 29, 2007, at 9:26:19
If there is an answer to this, I would love to know about it! I get soooo tired at work, lots of times I go in a co-workers' office who has a couch in her office and sleep.. My boss knows about my psych issues, and about all the meds I'm on. NObody really says anything, but then again I have a really great group of co-workers..
Posted by Jedi on May 31, 2007, at 3:03:24
In reply to Dealing with med-induced drowsiness on the job, posted by malcolm664 on May 29, 2007, at 9:26:19
Malcolm,
It took three months, but my daytime tiredness from Parnate is finally starting to abate. At least I'm not taking two hour naps right after work anymore.
Jedi
Posted by Cybele on June 7, 2007, at 10:00:45
In reply to Re: Dealing with med-induced drowsiness on the job, posted by nolegirl23 on May 30, 2007, at 21:21:48
> If there is an answer to this, I would love to know about it! I get soooo tired at work, lots of times I go in a co-workers' office who has a couch in her office and sleep.. My boss knows about my psych issues, and about all the meds I'm on. NObody really says anything, but then again I have a really great group of co-workers..
I had the same problem with two antidepressants. My PDOC prescribed Provigil (which is used for narcolepsy, among other things) and it didn't make any difference at all. I could even drink coffee and take Provigil and not feel awake.
I think the sleepiness problem with certain ADs for certain people is that it messes up your sleep--i.e., too much REM sleep, not enough "restful" sleep, very short REM latency. For example, I would start dreaming as soon as my head hit the pillow. I know this because my family might wake me up not realizing I was asleep already, and they woke me from a dream. On one occasion when my husband was working late I laid down to read a book in bed and fell asleep before getting my young kids to bed. Fortunately I woke up a few hours later and found they'd just crawled in bed with me at some point and were sound asleep.
I found that if an AD makes you that sleepy and you have been taking it for a couple months, then it is not the right AD for you. In my case, the two ADs that caused this were Wellbutrin (but only after I had taken it off and on for 10 years) and Cymbalta.
This is the end of the thread.
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