Posted by yxibow on March 1, 2006, at 0:53:02
In reply to Re: 2 med questions » ed_uk, posted by LegWarmers on February 23, 2006, at 20:21:48
> Hi Eddy
>
> >
> > Benzos such as lorazepam (Ativan) are probably not a suitable treatment for your insomnia.
>
> I meant to ask... what kinds of reasons do people get insomnia, and/or is that what drugs like lunesta are for?
>
> LeggyInsomnia can be caused by a variety of reasons -- genetically predisposed to insomnia, which I think I am - I know my mother is. Transient insomnia can be caused by transient stressors in life, like worrying about an upcoming event or a tragedy. And insomnia can be caused by anxiety in general. Also, insomnia can be caused by the side effects of medicine, such as Wellbutrin or Prozac, in some people.
I never found Lunesta to be effective until I hit 3mg, but I am not benzodiazepine naive, and though Lunesta isnt a benzodiazepine it is quite similar. Nice metallic taste :) Some people claim the taste lasts beyond the night but I never sensed that.
Ambien can be used longterm though it isnt officially noted for that -- however Ambien CR was essentially a patent extender and has shown that it can be used longterm.
Benzodiazepines such as Ativan or Valium may help in small doses for some people, for sleep, provided they are not predisposed to dosage escalation -- that really depends on the person.
But personally I would go for one of the three (well if you're in the US) on the market -- Lunesta, Ambien/AmbienCR, and Sonata (which I didnt find as effective and some people get temporary wierd side visual effects, however it might be good for some others).
In general, if you dont want to take sleep agents in the long term, though they have been proven to be reasonably safe and effective -- good sleep hygiene is important. It means either taking your sleep medication, or not, and going to bed at the same time pretty much every day. It may also mean not doing stimulating things like computer games or watching some stimulating TV show, and especially avoiding caffeine in the last hours of the day. It also means using the bedroom for only what it is -- sleep -- and well, if you have a partner, you can fill in the details.
To better sleep
Cheers
-- Jay
poster:yxibow
thread:611974
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060227/msgs/614545.html