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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Tabitha on March 11, 2003, at 2:31:52
My morning dose of celexa causes insomnia. I'm going to try taking it at night instead. Maybe I'll get to sleep before the insomnia kicks in.
Has anyone had success with this kind of approach?
Posted by Tabitha on March 11, 2003, at 13:49:13
In reply to SSRI insomnia--might bedtime dosing help?, posted by Tabitha on March 11, 2003, at 2:31:52
worse than ever. just lying there with buzzy agitation. Maybe cut the dose in half again?
Posted by Jaynee on March 11, 2003, at 14:03:23
In reply to SSRI insomnia--might bedtime dosing help?, posted by Tabitha on March 11, 2003, at 2:31:52
How long have you been taking Celexa?
I am on 20mg for the 2nd time. I have the opposite problem. I tend to sleep about 12 hours a day on it, or I feel like I want to sleep that long.
The first time I took Celexa last year, I had difficulty getting my sleep back on track. It took about a month or so. I took ativan to help with the sleep at that time.
If you have just started Celexa, give it some time, and maybe try something that will help you with the sleep.
Posted by Krissy P on March 11, 2003, at 14:05:25
In reply to SSRI insomnia--might bedtime dosing help?, posted by Tabitha on March 11, 2003, at 2:31:52
Hi there,
Yep! I always took my Effexor-XR in the AM- Since I started taking it at bedtime (like some awesome person posted here as a suggestion:-))
I have not had insomnia. But, I also started 75mg now, of Lamictal, also at night and that may be helping also, but I still feel this Effexor at bedtime approach is helping.
All the best :-)
Kristen
==================================================================================================> My morning dose of celexa causes insomnia. I'm going to try taking it at night instead. Maybe I'll get to sleep before the insomnia kicks in.
>
> Has anyone had success with this kind of approach?
>
>
Posted by Krissy P on March 11, 2003, at 14:07:29
In reply to Re: experiment failed, posted by Tabitha on March 11, 2003, at 13:49:13
Oh noooooooo I just posted above. What happened? My change of Effexor dose at bedtime took at least 4 days to kick in for the insomnia I was experiencing by taking mine in the AM.
Give it another night.
Keep me posted:-)
Kristen
==================================================================================================> worse than ever. just lying there with buzzy agitation. Maybe cut the dose in half again?
Posted by Tabitha on March 12, 2003, at 0:25:45
In reply to Re: SSRI insomnia--might bedtime dosing help?, posted by Jaynee on March 11, 2003, at 14:03:23
Wow, it's so odd that the same med has opposite effects on different people. I got that 12-14 hour sleep effect from 600mg neurontin. Celexa has always been activating for me.
I'm on 10mg celexa now and have been on it for years. I get both delayed sleep onset and early-morning-awakening type of insomnia from it. I've been fighting with it for years. Here are my results...
Neurontin 200mg: no help with sleep onset but helps EMA, but too hard to get up in the morning. If I go to 100mg, it no longer works. I refuse to split capsules to get to 150mg.
Benadryl, Unisom, Doxepin: helps both issues but too hard to get up in the morning, plus antihistamine effect all day long.
Seroquel: helps both issues but severly constipated next day, plus I'm afraid to stay on an AP longterm.
Melatonin, Ambien: helps sleep onset but not EMA. No hangover.
Valerian, Magnesium: no effect.
I've about had it with experimentation and trying to balance meds-- I think I'll switch to a non-activating antidepressant or lamictal. I'm just afraid, since activating SSRIs are the only ones that have worked well on my depression.
Posted by Tabitha on March 12, 2003, at 0:29:20
In reply to Re: experiment failed » Tabitha, posted by Krissy P on March 11, 2003, at 14:07:29
Thanks Krissy, you know I think I might have seen a previous post of yours that gave me the idea to try this. I'm afraid to try it again though, I felt like I'd just drunk a double espresso. Even the ambien, which normally knocks me out in 10 min, took a longer time to work. Maybe I'll try a quarter celexa instead of my usual half.
Posted by Ritch on March 12, 2003, at 9:47:10
In reply to Re: SSRI insomnia--might bedtime dosing help? » Jaynee, posted by Tabitha on March 12, 2003, at 0:25:45
> Wow, it's so odd that the same med has opposite effects on different people. I got that 12-14 hour sleep effect from 600mg neurontin. Celexa has always been activating for me.
>
> I'm on 10mg celexa now and have been on it for years. I get both delayed sleep onset and early-morning-awakening type of insomnia from it. I've been fighting with it for years. Here are my results...
>
> Neurontin 200mg: no help with sleep onset but helps EMA, but too hard to get up in the morning. If I go to 100mg, it no longer works. I refuse to split capsules to get to 150mg.
>
> Benadryl, Unisom, Doxepin: helps both issues but too hard to get up in the morning, plus antihistamine effect all day long.
>
> Seroquel: helps both issues but severly constipated next day, plus I'm afraid to stay on an AP longterm.
>
> Melatonin, Ambien: helps sleep onset but not EMA. No hangover.
>
> Valerian, Magnesium: no effect.
>
> I've about had it with experimentation and trying to balance meds-- I think I'll switch to a non-activating antidepressant or lamictal. I'm just afraid, since activating SSRIs are the only ones that have worked well on my depression.
Tabitha, have you tried another short-acting but less sedating antihistamine (than Benadryl) such as Vistaril (hydroxyzine)? Also, could you take the 200mg of Neurontin a couple of hours sooner to avoid the zoned-out feelings in the morning? That might improve the sleep-onset effectiveness of it as well.
Posted by Tabitha on March 12, 2003, at 14:00:55
In reply to Re: SSRI insomnia--might bedtime dosing help? » Tabitha, posted by Ritch on March 12, 2003, at 9:47:10
I haven't heard of Vistaril, is it OTC? I'll Google it.
Earlier dosing with the neurontin might help. The problem there is I often work really late, so there's not enough time between getting home and going to bed. I don't like to take neurontin before driving since it causes some dizziness.
There just ought to be a sedating med that kicks in in 30 min or less and works for exactly 8 hours.
Posted by Jaynee on March 12, 2003, at 19:47:43
In reply to Re: SSRI insomnia--might bedtime dosing help? » Ritch, posted by Tabitha on March 12, 2003, at 14:00:55
Tabitha, I am sorry to hear about your experience with Celexa. It is interesting how we can have such different experiences with the same drug. I don't think I could stand to have insomnia, I "need" my sleep. I think I would try a different AD if I was you.
I don't know what to suggest. If you are in Canada, maybe you could try Zopiclone. My sister has used that on and off for about a year. It has worked very well for her. I have a girlfriend who has used Trazadone for about 8 years now to sleep. She is also on Prozac.
Have you tried passion flower? It takes a few weeks to work, but it has helped me in the past.
Good luck.
Posted by Ritch on March 12, 2003, at 23:09:59
In reply to Re: SSRI insomnia--might bedtime dosing help? » Ritch, posted by Tabitha on March 12, 2003, at 14:00:55
> I haven't heard of Vistaril, is it OTC? I'll Google it.
>
> Earlier dosing with the neurontin might help. The problem there is I often work really late, so there's not enough time between getting home and going to bed. I don't like to take neurontin before driving since it causes some dizziness.
>
> There just ought to be a sedating med that kicks in in 30 min or less and works for exactly 8 hours.Lol! I think there was such a thing back in the '70's....methaqualone! I think they found it caused nerve damage and that is why they yanked it. There was another one from what I remember... I think it was called Placidyl. The generic name was ethchlorvynol or something like that. They probably zap your sleep cycles horribly as well....
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