Posted by Quintal on December 31, 2008, at 13:36:07
Pdoc gave me Zyprexa and nitrazepam for severe insomnia yesterday. He insists on the full 10mg Zyprexa and warned me in no uncertain terms I may be hospitalized if I don't take my medication. I think he's over reacting. A few months ago I had an episode of severe insomnia and psychosis - I was almost begging for Seroquel, but he just left to get on with it. He says he can't give me Seroquel this time either because it's only available as extended release version and he isn't impressed with it as an antipsychotic.
He gave me enough nitrazepam for two tablets a night, but wants me to start out with one. I haven't taken any Zyprexa yet and don't intend to unless things get badly out of control. I took 5mg nitro last night and it was the worst sleep I've had so far. The only other time I've had nightmares like that was when I was on Zyprexa. The whole idea behind this combo is to give me restful sleep, so I'm stuck in a bind.
I also don't think it's safe to drive on 10mg Zyprexa, no matter what they say - especially when combined with a long acting benzo. I have to be able to drive (and even do some higher math over the next month), and I don't think it's managable on that amount of medication. I just can't afford to lose that much of my already deteriorating cognitive function.
He said he wants me to stay on Zyprexa for at least a month, posssibly longer "but I'm not suggesting you take it for 10 years or anything". I'm worried that his mind even wanders that far 'cos for me it's a strictly p.r.n med. He made a vague reference to Parstelin (an old combo of Parnate and Stelazine), which makes me wonder if he's thinking of adding Parnate to it next month. He was going to give me a script for Parnate last month, but with my recent sleep problems that idea has been scrapped. I'm thinking that with Zyprexa on board he might relent with a little persuasion, and with a powerful stimulant on board I might even consider taking a little bit of Zyprexa :-)
I don't want to be a 'difficult' patient, but I have a really bad feeling about this. I don't think I'd be able to work normally on that combo.
My current cocktail:
75mg lamotrigine
7.5mg zopiclone
37.5mg tianeptine
5mg nitrazepam
poster:Quintal
thread:871638
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20081223/msgs/871638.html