Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 890071

Shown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Nortripataline giving me insomnia ?

Posted by rculater on April 12, 2009, at 4:42:38

I started on 25mg of Nort 2 weeks agao - I think i had 2 nights last weeek that i slept well but since then ive had worse sleep than when i started....i thought this was meant to help one sleep - am i a freak ? Maybe try taking in AM or upping my dose but im scars of the weight gain on high doses i read about.

 

Re: Nortripataline giving me insomnia ? » rculater

Posted by SLS on April 12, 2009, at 9:46:09

In reply to Nortripataline giving me insomnia ?, posted by rculater on April 12, 2009, at 4:42:38

> I started on 25mg of Nort 2 weeks agao - I think i had 2 nights last weeek that i slept well but since then ive had worse sleep than when i started....i thought this was meant to help one sleep - am i a freak ? Maybe try taking in AM or upping my dose but im scars of the weight gain on high doses i read about.

The insomnia is probably a good sign that nortriptyilne will act as an effective antidepressant. If your sleep doesn't improve with time, which it very well might, you can then start treating the insomnia with medication. I would not abandon nortriptyline because you are now having trouble sleeping.

With nortriptyline, you can probably manage any weight gain that *might* occur by simply watching your caloric intake. You probably won't have to "diet" per se. Some people do not have a problem with nortriptyline and weight-gain. However, I do. But I can control it by eating smaller portions of the same foods I always eat.

The dosage range of efficacy for nortriptyline is between 75-150mg, depending on how you metabolize the drug. Most people arrive at 75mg as the minimum effective dosage. I need 150mg. But it works well for me in combination with the other drugs I take. I don't think the weight-gain is dosage dependent. If it were me, I would make an earnest attempt to give this drug a chance to work rather than look for reasons why not to explore its use because of fears regarding insomnia or weight-gain.

I guess I should really ask first what you are being treated for and why you chose to use nortripyline to treat it.


- Scott

 

Re: Nortripataline giving me insomnia ?

Posted by rculater on April 12, 2009, at 10:15:45

In reply to Re: Nortripataline giving me insomnia ? » rculater, posted by SLS on April 12, 2009, at 9:46:09

Thanks - im atypical/dytshemic - sleeps always been a problem so phsyc thought we would try Nort....Tried all ssris some worked briefly but overall most made me fat/tired/lethargic/apthetic.

I do think Nort is doing something.

Im weighing myself daily, gaining weight is not an option for me. After being a terribly overweight teenager i lost it in my twenties only to gain it again when i was on SSRIs - A lifetime of dieting and exercise im finally at a stable weight.

Have'nt been down MAOI route yet exept for selective Moclobomide last year which didnt do much..

 

Re: Nortripataline giving me insomnia ?

Posted by SLS on April 12, 2009, at 10:45:59

In reply to Re: Nortripataline giving me insomnia ?, posted by rculater on April 12, 2009, at 10:15:45

> Thanks - im atypical/dytshemic - sleeps always been a problem so phsyc thought we would try Nort

If so, amitriptyline would have been a better choice. However, I think this drug produces weight-gain in most people. I like nortriptyline better.

What time of day is the worst for you?

25-50mg of Seroquel can sometimes be a very potent hypnotic. If you decide not to go down the benzodiazepine / pseudo benzodiazepine road, you might be served well by Seroquel at these low dosages. Personally, I am not afraid of this drug producing EPS when it comes to using such low dosages.

For TCA and sleep, I think doxepin or trimipramine are good choices.


- Scott

 

Re: Nortripataline giving me insomnia ?

Posted by Zana on April 12, 2009, at 14:32:06

In reply to Re: Nortripataline giving me insomnia ?, posted by SLS on April 12, 2009, at 10:45:59

I agree with Scott about giving the Nortrip a chance and treating the insomnia if it continues to be a problem.
Trazadone is a good sleep agent for some people. I take remeron and seroquel and klonopin at night. The remeron really knocks me out. I'm not so sure about the seroquel. It seems to me that I have been awakening earlier than I want to since I added the seroquel. I don't think I really need the klonopin at night with everything else I have just been to lazy and afraid of rebound anxiety to taper it.
Hope this helps. It's sometimes murder to get on meds that then turn out down the road to be helpful. Hang in there until you've given it a good trial otherwise you'll never know.
Zana

 

Re: Nortripataline giving me insomnia ?

Posted by sowhysosad on April 12, 2009, at 18:26:17

In reply to Re: Nortripataline giving me insomnia ?, posted by Zana on April 12, 2009, at 14:32:06

Dothiepin used to be popular with GP's over here for depression with insomnia.

It has a pretty powerful sedative effect, but it's not a very potent reuptake inhibitor for serotonin or norepinephrine.

 

Re: Nortripataline giving me insomnia ?

Posted by bleauberry on April 12, 2009, at 18:37:40

In reply to Nortripataline giving me insomnia ?, posted by rculater on April 12, 2009, at 4:42:38

I think SLS has a good point, that if sleep has always been an issue, then amitriptyline would be a better choice.

When amitriptyline is metabolized in your body, it turns into nortriptyline. Before it does, it has more of the antihistamine/sedative and anticholinergic stuff.

I never thought about it, but I wonder if someone could take the bulk of their treatment as nortrip, and then take a small dose (10mg-25mg) of amitrip for bedtime.

 

Re: Nortripataline giving me insomnia ?

Posted by desolationrower on April 14, 2009, at 1:28:39

In reply to Re: Nortripataline giving me insomnia ?, posted by SLS on April 12, 2009, at 10:45:59

> > Thanks - im atypical/dytshemic - sleeps always been a problem so phsyc thought we would try Nort
>
> If so, amitriptyline would have been a better choice. However, I think this drug produces weight-gain in most people. I like nortriptyline better.
>

wouldn't it be better to take something that does the H1 antaonism specifically at bed and with a shorter halflie, instead of abandoing nortr?

>
> 25-50mg of Seroquel can sometimes be a very potent hypnotic. If you decide not to go down the benzodiazepine / pseudo benzodiazepine road, you might be served well by Seroquel at these low dosages. Personally, I am not afraid of this drug producing EPS when it comes to using such low dosages.
>
> For TCA and sleep, I think doxepin or trimipramine are good choices.
>
>
> - Scott
>

i think picking a good specific sleep drug is better than trying to fit every quality you want into a single psychotropic

-d/r

 

Re: Nortripataline giving me insomnia ?

Posted by rculater on April 14, 2009, at 3:48:07

In reply to Re: Nortripataline giving me insomnia ?, posted by desolationrower on April 14, 2009, at 1:28:39

Its 2.5 weeks and i cant stop urinating. I think i went 30 times yesterday - help.

 

Re: Nortripataline giving me insomnia ?

Posted by desolationrower on April 14, 2009, at 11:27:53

In reply to Re: Nortripataline giving me insomnia ?, posted by rculater on April 14, 2009, at 3:48:07

hm thats weird, usually tca will cause difficulty urinating...although i had on a different drug dry mouth, that made me drink water all day, and also difficulty urinating, which was not a good combination....

do you just feel like your bladder is full all the time?

-d/r

 

Re: Nortripataline giving me insomnia ?

Posted by rculater on April 14, 2009, at 11:44:28

In reply to Re: Nortripataline giving me insomnia ?, posted by desolationrower on April 14, 2009, at 11:27:53

Its full and i have to wee. Today ive been about 8 times and its 6PM so a little better than yesterday..Seems im having the opposite effect on this drug than most. I do have dry mouth and am drinking a little more water than normal but i cant seem to hold any fluids.

 

Re: Nortripataline giving me insomnia ?

Posted by rculater on April 16, 2009, at 12:40:08

In reply to Re: Nortripataline giving me insomnia ?, posted by rculater on April 14, 2009, at 11:44:28

Still cant sleep - going to go up to 50mg see what goes on. Mood flat, bit drowsy all day today. Feel heavy but no weight gain yet.


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