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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Mishal on November 11, 2007, at 2:38:49
HiI am taking two relatively powerful stimulants. Provigil (modafinil) and Trivastal (piribedil) Interestingly, what I notice now is a reduced need for sleep. Though I can sleep and stay asleep without much problems, I am staying up for the past couple of nights to sleep only for three plus hours. Yet, I am fresh and energetic.
Is this something that I should be concerened about?
PS: What makes me stay up at night is the newly discovered pleasure in all activities that I used to ignore in the past due to anhedonia. I stay up watching TV programs which otherwise I would have avoided uninteresting.
Posted by linkadge on November 11, 2007, at 9:46:27
In reply to Reduced need for sleep. Should I be worried?, posted by Mishal on November 11, 2007, at 2:38:49
I think you should be conerned. The natural cycle is like 9 hours on average, so you're getting a third of that.
Have you ever been diagnosed with a bipolar disorder? Reduced need for sleep is common in mania or hypomania. It, may in your case be drug induced.
There are possible health consequences if it goes on for a long time.
Linkadge
Posted by Phillipa on November 11, 2007, at 10:14:52
In reply to Re: Reduced need for sleep. Should I be worried?, posted by linkadge on November 11, 2007, at 9:46:27
Link what about sleeping for four hours and then waking up for another dose of valium been going on for years. Phillipa
Posted by Sigismund on November 11, 2007, at 13:04:22
In reply to Re: Reduced need for sleep. Should I be worried?, posted by linkadge on November 11, 2007, at 9:46:27
>What makes me stay up at night is the newly discovered pleasure in all activities that I used to ignore in the past due to anhedonia.
So this is just Provigil and Trivestal?
Wanting to do things is important, but so is sleep.
I think people need 6 hours (minimum).
(It's odd about sleep. I have managed to sleep well for a couple of weeks, and have little idea why. My best guess is that I got into a pattern of too much tea because I was tired and too much alcohol because I was stressed. Hard to believe something so simple could explain it.)
Posted by kaleidoscope on November 11, 2007, at 13:15:06
In reply to Reduced need for sleep. Should I be worried?, posted by Mishal on November 11, 2007, at 2:38:49
>to sleep only for three plus hours. Yet, I am fresh and energetic
It can't last I'm afraid. The body needs sleep for so many reasons. Sleep deprivation can wreak the immune system for starters. I think you may need to reduce the dose(s) of your medication to ensure that you are getting enough sleep to be healthy in the long term.
Posted by d0pamine on November 11, 2007, at 13:24:35
In reply to Reduced need for sleep. Should I be worried?, posted by Mishal on November 11, 2007, at 2:38:49
I did that too for years and had some incredibly productive and enjoyable evenings/nights, designing and building and all of the things that I had no motivation for prior. I do however believe that I aged considerably more (or harder or something) during that time than at any time prior or since. It's just my personal opinion based on my experience but I don't think my health (and to a greater extent capacity for thought and learning) has ever been quite what it was prior to 4 years or so of 2 to 4 hours / night sleep, however I do remember that period of time quite fondly. It's a mixed bag, but I'll never be convinced that there isn't a permanent price to be paid for such a productivity increase especially when coupled with a sleep deficit. Now days I try to compromise with more moderated day time performance in order to ensure the ability to get a reasonable amount (6 hours or so) of sleep at night. There's no doubt that my daily output is decreased as a result, but I think I'll live a good bit longer. I suspect in the end I'll accomplish the same amount of work regardless, I just have to choose if I want to do it all at once and cease to exist or spread it out over a few decades before ceasing to exist.
Posted by d0pamine on November 11, 2007, at 15:09:23
In reply to Reduced need for sleep. Should I be worried?, posted by Mishal on November 11, 2007, at 2:38:49
BTW Trivastal would seem to have a ton of potential. Have you used it without Provigil? If so how would you describe your experience with it in that environment?
Posted by Mishal on November 11, 2007, at 22:45:04
In reply to Re: Reduced need for sleep. Should I be worried?, posted by d0pamine on November 11, 2007, at 15:09:23
> BTW Trivastal would seem to have a ton of potential. Have you used it without Provigil? If so how would you describe your experience with it in that environment?
Hi D0pamine,
I am still new to Trivastal, as today is my 6th day on it. Indeed, I have started to experience a lot of drug induced desirable effects. It keeps me afresh and lively all the time. Anhedonia which dominated me for the past many years has begun to lift.
I haven't used it without Provigil. I would have experimented, but I am very reluctant to disturb my current cocktail. It took more than a month for me to get smooth into Provigil, so I am afraid if I skip a day or two, I will have to go the same pattern again which could be a painstaking process.
Cheers.
Posted by Questionmark on November 12, 2007, at 1:23:34
In reply to Re: Reduced need for sleep. Should I be worried?, posted by d0pamine on November 11, 2007, at 13:24:35
Wow, that's really interesting-- and it presents quite the little philosophical puzzle. ..
> I did that too for years and had some incredibly productive and enjoyable evenings/nights, designing and building and all of the things that I had no motivation for prior. I do however believe that I aged considerably more (or harder or something) during that time than at any time prior or since. It's just my personal opinion based on my experience but I don't think my health (and to a greater extent capacity for thought and learning) has ever been quite what it was prior to 4 years or so of 2 to 4 hours / night sleep, however I do remember that period of time quite fondly. It's a mixed bag, but I'll never be convinced that there isn't a permanent price to be paid for such a productivity increase especially when coupled with a sleep deficit. Now days I try to compromise with more moderated day time performance in order to ensure the ability to get a reasonable amount (6 hours or so) of sleep at night. There's no doubt that my daily output is decreased as a result, but I think I'll live a good bit longer. I suspect in the end I'll accomplish the same amount of work regardless, I just have to choose if I want to do it all at once and cease to exist or spread it out over a few decades before ceasing to exist.
Posted by mav27 on November 12, 2007, at 3:51:14
In reply to Reduced need for sleep. Should I be worried?, posted by Mishal on November 11, 2007, at 2:38:49
I had a similar thing when i went onto Parnate... i hardly slept but i felt like i never needed too. unfortunatly after a couple weeks i think it cought up with my because i completely spun out and had to go into hospital to be forced to sleep with something stronger than the gp or psych would/could give me. Once i got the slee i was good again though but i went off the parnate so i can't prove it was lack of sleep that caused it.
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