Posted by Tony P on February 7, 2008, at 17:31:06
In reply to Re: ssri's and anxiety » Maxime, posted by johnj on February 7, 2008, at 16:58:36
> seroquel caused akathisia in me. anafranil may be my last chance but I am scared. I may ask my doctor about lexapro too. I pray it would be sedating and help my sleep.
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> thank you.
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> johnjI found Lexapro was sedating only briefly, for a couple of hours and for the first week or so. It's generally recommended you take it in the morning as it can often cause insomnia. If it helps anxiety, I believe it's because it energizes one to get active and ignore the shaky feeling.
Re seroquel & akathisia, I had that too, also with Remeron amd Trazadone -- very nasty side-effect. Ask your Dr. about adding Requip (ropinirole), it works for me. It is now officially prescribed for Restless Leg Syndrome, which I think is just a variety of akathisia, and I find it usually very effective (.5 mg to 4 mg - there's a regime of titrating the dose up until it works). As a side-benefit, Requip is also (off-label) being testd as an AD adjuvant - it boosts dopamine, which can enhance mood, interest and activity level. It's been working both ways for me for a year now.
I have sleep probelms too. Remeron helped for a while then mostly pooped out. The best thing I have found for sleep is an old TCA - trimipramine. It gives a very natural-feeling sleep and has the added benefit of a mild A-D effect at low doses. Its one drawback is a very long half-life (up to 36 hrs.), which can mean oversleeping & hangover. When I take it, and have to be somewhere the next day, I set two alarms and (if I remember) put the coffee on automatic! (Phillipa - that's another reason for the coffee!!!). I take 50-200 mg, usually 100 mg, about an hour before bed, about one night in three or four.
Tony
poster:Tony P
thread:811306
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080207/msgs/811350.html