Posted by Jakeman on May 27, 2005, at 20:35:58
In reply to Re: Renewtrient » andrewb, posted by SueInCincy on May 26, 2005, at 8:02:53
I've read that Xyrem is the only medication that will get you in stage 3/4 deep sleep, which is apparently lacking with fibro patients and many insomniacs like myself. This stage (the way I understand it) provides the restorative sleep that the body needs to repair and refresh itself. But GHB has many other effects such as affecting dopamine levels. At least now there is some serious research going on. You mention arthritis-like symptoms...does Orphan list this as side effects for Xyrem?
best wishes, J
> I have been taking GHB (Xyrem) for fibromyalgia about two months. 3 grams twice a night was prescribed. A pretty stiff dose, I understand.
>
> I have taken antidepressants for over 20 years, and I would still say that I suffer from it, although it is reduced greatly by the meds.
>
> When I started taking GHB (as a treatment for the sleep disorder that my doc thinks is present in all FM patients) I was directed to take it only while in bed, because the drug acted so quickly that I might not have time to brush my teeth before I passed out.
>
> Weeeeeellllll, this just hasn't been my experience. I still have to take 1-2 mg of Lorazepam to actually GET to sleep, although I do think the GHB does improve the quality of my sleep.
>
> I find your note that depressives don't fall asleep from GHB interesting. I had not heard or read that before. My own experience supports that, especially when I have wanted to take a nap in the daytime and taken the drug to sleep deeply. (These two or three experiments have failed dramatically -- I couldn't sleep at all.) What is your source of that info?
>
> Another thing I have noticed is that while I think my FM is improving -- maybe -- it seems as though I have a lot more places in my body with arthritis-like symptoms. I haven't read about that as a side effect, but I would be interested to know more about that.
>
> Cheers, Sue
poster:Jakeman
thread:14288
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050527/msgs/503910.html