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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Mandy Roberts on January 5, 2004, at 12:41:00
Does that subside after the first few weeks? Because that's what wakes me up at night and keeps me awake...
Posted by bluesfan on January 5, 2004, at 13:04:40
In reply to But the anxiety on Lexapro?, posted by Mandy Roberts on January 5, 2004, at 12:41:00
I went through the same thing.......it seems the anxiety gets worse than before I started the drug. It went away for me after the first couple of weeks.
> Does that subside after the first few weeks? Because that's what wakes me up at night and keeps me awake...
Posted by nicky847 on January 5, 2004, at 13:11:23
In reply to Re: But the anxiety on Lexapro?, posted by bluesfan on January 5, 2004, at 13:04:40
Mandy-
Yes that goes away..probably will go away next week..you still may wake up a couple times during the night but youll be able to get back to sleep..and you wont feel all paniced when you do wake up..today i woke up at 2:15 am and whereas before i would be all upset thinking i wouldnt be able to get back to sleep i thought.."wow this is awesome i still have 5 hours left to sleep"..which is more what the real me would really think..i fell right back asleep..
> I went through the same thing.......it seems the anxiety gets worse than before I started the drug. It went away for me after the first couple of weeks.
>
> > Does that subside after the first few weeks? Because that's what wakes me up at night and keeps me awake...
>
>
Posted by LynneDa on January 5, 2004, at 13:39:44
In reply to But the anxiety on Lexapro?, posted by Mandy Roberts on January 5, 2004, at 12:41:00
Mandy - Yes, that is a common complaint from folks just starting on meds. My anxiety was over different things than before taking lex, oddly enough. It was more generalized nervousness/jitteriness I guess, and I would find myself very, very awake and alert during the night!
Anyway, from all reports, it subsides within a couple of weeks. Just take a deep breath and go easy on yourself right now. You'll feel better soon!
Let us know how you're doing and take care!
~ Lynne
Posted by KathrynLex on January 8, 2004, at 13:10:12
In reply to Re: But the anxiety on Lexapro? » Mandy Roberts, posted by LynneDa on January 5, 2004, at 13:39:44
Hi Mandy,
I'm on day 20 of 10 mg of Lex. Just recently I've stopped feeling anxious when I wake up in the middle of the night. I still wake up at odd hours, but the anxiety has subsided quite a bit. It's interesting that a drug you take for anxiety can make you feel anxious. But, lately I've felt noticably calmer. Hang in there and I hope you start noticing some positive results.
K.
Posted by Patient on January 9, 2004, at 8:58:18
In reply to But the anxiety on Lexapro?, posted by Mandy Roberts on January 5, 2004, at 12:41:00
Hi,
Yes, very common for most antidepressants to cause stimulation and/or anxiety during the first few weeks after starting. This usually, eventually, wears off. If the anxiety is troubling for you, then reduce dose of Lex. and stay on the lower dose for a few weeks before increasing back to what you are now taking. With Lex. in many cases a smaller dose (below the prescribed dose) works just as well as a larger dose. Make sure you take it in the morning helps, too. And, if you're still having problems, have your doctor prescribe the older antidepressant trazodone (Desyrel). Doctors commonly prescribe this when a patient has insomnia after starting on an SSRI antidepressant. I've taken 25mg at bedtime and it is the best sleep aid-helps me sleep all the night through without very early morning awakenings. Within a half-hour to an hour after taking it I'm sleepy and ready for bed. And, because it is a 5-HT2 antagonist it helps greatly with sleep by improving REM sleep patterns. SSRI's disrupt REM sleep patterns, especially during early treatment.
Posted by LynneDa on January 9, 2004, at 9:07:06
In reply to Re: Insomnia with Lexapro-try trazodone, posted by Patient on January 9, 2004, at 8:58:18
Hi! Do you know why SSRIs disrupt REM sleep? I started on 10 mg Lex in Oct., went up to 20 mg a couple of weeks ago. I am not sleeping well on this new dosage (but feel better anxiety/depression-wise). I do okay with either Melatonin or lately Midol PMS, which I take for PMS reasons but it also has something in it to make me sleepy. I dislike having to take too many drugs - I want my body to learn how to put itself to sleep, but maybe that's not an option being on an SSRI!
I wake up frequently, but fall back to sleep within 5 minutes or so. I'm just not sleeping soundly and then I'm sooo sleepy all morning (I take my Lex around 11am). By 2pm or so I'm awake and functioning fine.
I'm curious as to how all the chemicals interact to create sleep or no sleep. Thanks for any info. you can share!
~ Lynne
Posted by KathrynLex on January 9, 2004, at 11:17:06
In reply to Re: Insomnia with Lexapro-try trazodone » Patient, posted by LynneDa on January 9, 2004, at 9:07:06
I'd be interested in knowing how Lex "creates sleep or no sleep" also. It's done some very bizarre things to my sleep patterns.
The first few weeks I was waking up several times a night and found myself on the verge of a panic attack. Now, I'm asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow, but I still wake up a lot. I also feel tired during the day. It's very strange.
K.
Posted by zeugma on January 11, 2004, at 17:12:46
In reply to Re: Insomnia with Lexapro-try trazodone, posted by KathrynLex on January 9, 2004, at 11:17:06
most antidepressants, not just SSRI's, slow the onset of REM sleep. This is thought to be part of the antidepressant mechanism.
SSRI's, however, also "disorganize" sleep: they increase time spent in stage 1, which is the lightest, least restful stage of sleep, and block slow wave (stages 3 and 4) sleep, which is the most restful period of sleep.
IMO, this is the SSRI's single greatest drawback.
Posted by Patient on January 12, 2004, at 10:11:29
In reply to Re: Insomnia with Lexapro-try trazodone » Patient, posted by LynneDa on January 9, 2004, at 9:07:06
Hi,
Looks like Zeugma answered you.
Here is more reading on the subject from The British Journal of Psychiatry:
http://bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/full/180/6/528and from Dr. Ivan's Depression Central site concerning nefazodone, which is another 5-HT2 antagonist like trazodone:
http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.nefazodone.html and scroll or in-page search for:161-168 and
185-192
Posted by LynneDa on January 12, 2004, at 16:34:24
In reply to Re: Insomnia with Lexapro-try trazodone, posted by zeugma on January 11, 2004, at 17:12:46
Zeugma -
Hi! Thanks for your post on Lex and sleep. I'm trying to understand how it all works. Insomnia is my only lingering side effect - I wake up 2 or 3 times per night and am wide awake between 3am & 4am. I'm afraid it's becoming a habit now!Based on what you said, if I take melatonin, will that speed up my entrance into REM sleep do you think? 3 mg of melatonin only last me til about 3 or 4am, but taking 3mg again at 3am makes it impossible for me to get up at 7am!
I'm not ready to take sleeping pills yet, but wonder if I can do something with melatonin to help, since it does get me to sleep initially. Any thoughts?
Thank you!
~ Lynne
Posted by LynneDa on January 12, 2004, at 16:45:54
In reply to Re: Lexapro induced insomnia-technical reading, posted by Patient on January 12, 2004, at 10:11:29
Posted by zeugma on January 13, 2004, at 15:42:14
In reply to Re: Insomnia with Lexapro-try trazodone » zeugma, posted by LynneDa on January 12, 2004, at 16:34:24
> Zeugma -
> Hi! Thanks for your post on Lex and sleep. I'm trying to understand how it all works. Insomnia is my only lingering side effect - I wake up 2 or 3 times per night and am wide awake between 3am & 4am. I'm afraid it's becoming a habit now!
>
> Based on what you said, if I take melatonin, will that speed up my entrance into REM sleep do you think? 3 mg of melatonin only last me til about 3 or 4am, but taking 3mg again at 3am makes it impossible for me to get up at 7am!
>
> I'm not ready to take sleeping pills yet, but wonder if I can do something with melatonin to help, since it does get me to sleep initially. Any thoughts?
>
> Thank you!
> ~ Lynne
Hi Lynne,the problem you describe is very similar to what a friend of mine experienced on Effexor. She had no problems with initial insomnia, but was constantly waking up throughout the night.
I don't know much about melatonin. Trazodone does improve sleep tremendously (it's what my friend takes) but I understand not wanting to take more drugs to fix side effects of others.
it might be a good idea to see if taking a higher dose of melatonin might keep you asleep longer. Of course, first research it to see about the safety of a higher dose, and maybe try it on the weekend where you have more 'margin for error' as far as waking up is concerned.
Best of luck,
z
Posted by LynneDa on January 13, 2004, at 15:44:56
In reply to Re: Insomnia with Lexapro-try trazodone, posted by zeugma on January 13, 2004, at 15:42:14
Good thought, thanks so much!
~ Lynne
This is the end of the thread.
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