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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Ame Sans Vie on April 2, 2004, at 0:54:35
Haven't needed to take my Seconal for a while to help me sleep, so I let my prescription run out. I still have some chloral, but it only works when I'm having mild-moderate insomnia; Seconal is for when I need something heavy-duty... like tonight. I paged my doctor earlier and since he of course cannot call in a Schedule II script, he called in a few small prescriptions so that I could mix and match and try to find something that works. Restoril 30mg x 10, Halcion 0.5mg x 10, trazodone 100mg x 20, and phenobarbital 100mg x 20. His instructions over the phone were to start with the phenobarbital at 400mg (half my usual Seconal dose) along with 60mg Restoril, then add another 60 of Restoril or 2mg Halcion if that hadn't worked two hours later.
I anticipated that this wouldn't be enough, so I asked what to do if it weren't effective -- add 300mg trazodone after another hour and a half, he said. "And if that doesn't work?" Wait one hour and start over, this time doubling the dose of phenobarbital and Restoril, as well as adding another 2mg Halcion, he says. "But don't expect to wake up before noon tomorrow if you need to take all that phenobarbital -- it is much longer-lasting than Seconal." Ha. Beyond that, he said he trusts my judgment. So I followed all these instructions, and 1.5 hours after my last dose of 800mg phenobarb, 120mg Restoril, and 2mg Halcion I took a couple diphenhydramine 25mg and drank a tea of hops lumulin powder/California poppy/opium poppy bulb. Two hours later, nada.
My resistance to this crap is just laughable... looks like a sleepless night is in store.
The icing on the cake -- I just found out that he *could* have called in an emergency 72-hour supply of a C-II drug, but apparently he didn't know that!! Grrrr...
Posted by Sad Panda on April 2, 2004, at 1:17:19
In reply to Just a quick rant., posted by Ame Sans Vie on April 2, 2004, at 0:54:35
> Haven't needed to take my Seconal for a while to help me sleep, so I let my prescription run out. I still have some chloral, but it only works when I'm having mild-moderate insomnia; Seconal is for when I need something heavy-duty... like tonight. I paged my doctor earlier and since he of course cannot call in a Schedule II script, he called in a few small prescriptions so that I could mix and match and try to find something that works. Restoril 30mg x 10, Halcion 0.5mg x 10, trazodone 100mg x 20, and phenobarbital 100mg x 20. His instructions over the phone were to start with the phenobarbital at 400mg (half my usual Seconal dose) along with 60mg Restoril, then add another 60 of Restoril or 2mg Halcion if that hadn't worked two hours later.
>
> I anticipated that this wouldn't be enough, so I asked what to do if it weren't effective -- add 300mg trazodone after another hour and a half, he said. "And if that doesn't work?" Wait one hour and start over, this time doubling the dose of phenobarbital and Restoril, as well as adding another 2mg Halcion, he says. "But don't expect to wake up before noon tomorrow if you need to take all that phenobarbital -- it is much longer-lasting than Seconal." Ha. Beyond that, he said he trusts my judgment. So I followed all these instructions, and 1.5 hours after my last dose of 800mg phenobarb, 120mg Restoril, and 2mg Halcion I took a couple diphenhydramine 25mg and drank a tea of hops lumulin powder/California poppy/opium poppy bulb. Two hours later, nada.
>
> My resistance to this crap is just laughable... looks like a sleepless night is in store.
>
> The icing on the cake -- I just found out that he *could* have called in an emergency 72-hour supply of a C-II drug, but apparently he didn't know that!! Grrrr...
>
>Have you tried some potent antihistamines for sleep?
No sensible amount of Benzos allow me to sleep, but Remeron works for me.
Cheers,
Panda.
Posted by Ame Sans Vie on April 2, 2004, at 7:34:42
In reply to Re: Just a quick rant., posted by Sad Panda on April 2, 2004, at 1:17:19
Hi there,
Yes, I've tried a number of sedating antihistamines -- Atarax, Vistaril, Optimine, Codimal, Chlor-Trimeton, Tavist, Periactin, Phenergan, Alleract... and some others I'm sure I've forgotten. I've tried Remeron several times -- the first time it worked for a few weeks; it didn't do a thing any other time I've tried it. Same goes for Elavil and a host of other sedating antidepressants. Of course I've tried Ambien, Sonata, Imovane, Rohypnol, Dalmane, Doral, and ProSom. Xyrem works wonderfully for me, but I can't afford it.
I suppose it's nothing to worry about though -- now that I know my doctor can call in an emergency supply of Seconal, I'll just call him up when his office opens. Seconal, Amytal, Nembutal, and Tuinal are the only things that really work when I'm having serious trouble sleeping. The chloral hydrate helps for less severe insomnia.
Posted by joebob on April 2, 2004, at 12:31:41
In reply to Just a quick rant., posted by Ame Sans Vie on April 2, 2004, at 0:54:35
????????????
if you are, wow and ouch!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by Sad Panda on April 2, 2004, at 13:06:55
In reply to Re: Just a quick rant., posted by Ame Sans Vie on April 2, 2004, at 7:34:42
> Hi there,
>
> Yes, I've tried a number of sedating antihistamines -- Atarax, Vistaril, Optimine, Codimal, Chlor-Trimeton, Tavist, Periactin, Phenergan, Alleract... and some others I'm sure I've forgotten. I've tried Remeron several times -- the first time it worked for a few weeks; it didn't do a thing any other time I've tried it. Same goes for Elavil and a host of other sedating antidepressants. Of course I've tried Ambien, Sonata, Imovane, Rohypnol, Dalmane, Doral, and ProSom. Xyrem works wonderfully for me, but I can't afford it.
>
> I suppose it's nothing to worry about though -- now that I know my doctor can call in an emergency supply of Seconal, I'll just call him up when his office opens. Seconal, Amytal, Nembutal, and Tuinal are the only things that really work when I'm having serious trouble sleeping. The chloral hydrate helps for less severe insomnia.
>
>Are you taking something that keeps you awake? What other drugs are you on?
Cheers,
Panda
Posted by jms600 on April 2, 2004, at 14:50:42
In reply to Just a quick rant., posted by Ame Sans Vie on April 2, 2004, at 0:54:35
You doctor/pharmacist may advise against it, but I take Promazine and alcohol to help me sleep.
I don't take it any more due to the hang over it gives, but i've taken 150mg (you can take a higher dose) and 4 or 5 doubles of Scotch or brandy, and it really knocked me out.
I guess an advantage of Promazine is that its not adictive and you won't become tolerant to it.
Its just a suggestion, so you might want to discuss it with your doctor.
All the best.
Posted by greywolf on April 2, 2004, at 19:19:52
In reply to Just a quick rant., posted by Ame Sans Vie on April 2, 2004, at 0:54:35
You're kidding, right? All of this was prescribed over the phone, along with double dosing instructions? Wow.
I wish you luck. The pheno and 300mg Traz would have had me out til Monday.
Posted by snapper on April 2, 2004, at 21:53:26
In reply to Re: Just a quick rant., posted by greywolf on April 2, 2004, at 19:19:52
hey, as long as we are on the subject of what does and what does NOT work for getting sleep -check this out.... last aug. while was in the hosp. I was on this soupy insomniac cocktail---
10mg ambien
30mg restoril
30mg remeron
100mg trazadone
600mg seroquel
1mg klonopin---- I told the nurse "you know I am not going to get any sleep- and she said . "oh honey-beleive me you WILL sleep!! I think I was getting maybe 1/2 to 1 hrs. of sleep in that two week period of time!! I lost 27 lbs in hosp. in two weeks---- what a sh**y combo .....suicidal,homicidal,scared, and freezing cold and hot insomniac... I am going to do my best to try and not ever go back in hosp.
Only good thing was the weight loss! lol, I sure don't want to go back in to hosp to lose that kind of weight !!! Some times I just wish I could just go back to - Adderall- klonopin and some Alcohol, but I know this is'nt the answer ;)!
take care
Snapper
Posted by Ame Sans Vie on April 3, 2004, at 16:45:10
In reply to Re: Just a quick rant. » Ame Sans Vie, posted by Sad Panda on April 2, 2004, at 13:06:55
I take Adderall XR 60mg/day, Prozac 40mg/day, and Klonopin 8mg/day; I know the former two have potential to cause insomnia. I've taken a nap at the peak of my Adderall's effectiveness dozens of times, though. And I rarely need anything to help me sleep -- once or twice a month, usually. Anyway, I got the Seconal now so everything's fine.
This is the end of the thread.
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