Posted by dove on April 22, 2000, at 11:35:44
In reply to Re: most sedating a-d's, posted by JohnL on April 22, 2000, at 5:49:59
The three meds I have found that enhance sleep the best are Melatonin, Amitriptyline (Elavil), and Nefazodone (Serzone).
Melatonin can and will add to depressive symptoms, but it can easily help falling asleep and remaining asleep. Which can be such a boon that some will see a brightening of mood and not have to visit other sedating script meds.
Amitriptyline (Elavil) really works well for improved sleep. It can help even in small dosages, such as 25-50 mgs. With initiation some will find dry mouth, constipation, dizziness, but these effects quickly left for me, after two weeks. I have found myself a little foggy in the morning after upping the dosage the night before, but I have quickly adapted to the symptoms which, once again, quickly disappear.
Nefazodone (Serzone) has been an incredible plus for my quality of sleep. I take Serzone with Amitriptyline, the largest dosage of the day taken before bed. It enables me to shut off my mind and relax, which is the major cause for most of my sleep problems.
The SSRI's, (prozac, zoloft) don't seem to help with sleep problems at all, actually they seem to make them worse for many people. St. John's Wort made my sleep considerably worse, and wouldn't readily recommend it from my personal experience.
The three meds I described are the only ones I have ever found that helped me, but as you can see from this board, Your Mileage May Vary.
Best of luck to you!
dove
poster:dove
thread:30915
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000420/msgs/30961.html