Posted by rjlockhart04-08 on April 4, 2009, at 12:11:37
In reply to Re: Barbiturates for insomnia » yxibow, posted by metric on April 3, 2009, at 16:23:43
Ok,
Barbiturates where used from 1903 when Veronal (first barbiturate was made) but it lasted for days. Huge half-life.
Phenobarbital was released, by Bayer, (i believe) in 1912. It's been known in the past, very effective for siezures, and was used for anxiety till, the mid 1950's, when safer Meprobamate, was used alot. Until Librium came out in 1960, Valium 1963. After, benzodiapines where seen as effective as barbiturates, and they are safer, in one aspect, they don't shut down the respitory system, which caused many death's. Seconal, was very popular 1930's-1970, controlled substance act, made it known that they are more abuseable, and cause death on accident of taking more, or recreational use.
The only barbiturates, today, that are available, Phenobarbital (which is understandable, it's used at times for siezures, after standard medication's failed, it usally used with Phenytoin) but it has a long half life, 10-12 hours, it sedates, but pretty much i've read it causes "groginess". Seconal, very suprisingly is still used under some doctor's, who used it in past for pateints, and also went through the "barbiturate epidemic" in the 60's, death's from abusing, or accident by taking 2 more than what is "told" on the bottle take "1" capsule at night if needed. I guess, some people where blind, but also tolerance, develops high-fast with short acting barbiturates, Nembutal, Seconal, Amytal (not around any more, used only in hospital's i believe). And, they lose their "sedation" that makes you "put out". So, some people self-medicated and took 3-4, and respitory problems will happen then, dangerous.
Butabuital, is still used, and not considered, as a "peace-making sleep" like Seconal. Still, it's a barbituate, but it's intermitate acting 4-6 hours. Seconal is 4 hours.
Really, today, the best sleeping medication's used for insomnia, are Restoril (temazepam), Ativan (lorazepam, also used for anxiety), Prosom (estazolam). There safe, but still have abuse potiental. I took Restoril 30mg, 1 everynight for 1 (1/2) years, which, i was shocked, but a long time ago, i had alot of emotional issues, i couldnt sleep, etc. It didnt produce any tolerance...wierd, and i stopped it, just stopped taking it, because my new doctor wanted to lower the dose. I just stopped it, no withdrawl symptoms, but agitation happened, that's because i just think too much at night. Seroquel knocked me out of reality, stopped it.
Main point, it's just old, and known and well-documented in medical, and goverment assoications for abuse, and danger potiential by the death's it caused. It's still used....but only some doctor's ever would consider it.
Ativan, Xanax help with sleep, i suggest those, but Xanax last short, and wakes you up. Halcion is a "horror" drug, lasts 1 hour, read caused people to go "psychotic" after it wore off.
That needs to be taken off the market.
Trazadone, Ambien, Lunesta are the main used today at first. 1st standard treatment.
Take care
rj
poster:rjlockhart04-08
thread:887877
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090330/msgs/888649.html