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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 19 of 19. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Quintal on October 27, 2008, at 15:44:30
Or taken it in the past? I'm particularly interested to know if anyone is taking it for sleep, and what dose? Is there any hangover with it?
Q
Posted by lucie lu on October 27, 2008, at 19:12:13
In reply to Is anyone taking doxepin?, posted by Quintal on October 27, 2008, at 15:44:30
> Or taken it in the past? I'm particularly interested to know if anyone is taking it for sleep, and what dose? Is there any hangover with it?
I was on doxepin years ago. This was before SSRIs and other more modern A/Ds, and I didn't respond very well so my pdoc at the time just gave me whomping great amounts of it - as much as 450 mgs! It worked because I think I was too zonked to even be depressed. But boy, I slept like a baby.
At MUCH lower doses, I can imagine it being effective for sleep. Despite the megadoses I was given, the side effects were not too bad, considering - usual TCA side effects like postural hypotension, urinary retention etc. But I really doubt you'd get much of any of these taking 1-2% of what I was on. At least that attests to its safety (I survived both the depression and the treatment). It was cited as the drug they gave to "elderly" patients. I was young enough then to not take offense ;-)
Have you already been through the trazedone and amitriptyline routes?
Lucie
Posted by whitmore on October 27, 2008, at 21:45:44
In reply to Re: Is anyone taking doxepin? » Quintal, posted by lucie lu on October 27, 2008, at 19:12:13
I heard somewhere that the manufacturer was attempting to get a low dose-- 3 mg or so, if I remember correctly--to be approved for marketing as as a sleeping pill.
Posted by Jay_Bravest_Face on October 27, 2008, at 22:44:43
In reply to Is anyone taking doxepin?, posted by Quintal on October 27, 2008, at 15:44:30
My Dad has been on Doxepin for 15+ years. 100-200mg's. But, he is an 'unusual' responder. Never gained a pound, and didn't really seem to have hangover. He is now 71. (Doesn't look his age) He also takes clonazepam 0.5 mg 3x a day. And Temazepam 15mg at bedtime every night. He takes 20 mg of Prozac for periods when his depression get really bad. He is quite the MAN, especially for 71! (He will always be my hero :)
Jay
Posted by Phillipa on October 27, 2008, at 23:17:04
In reply to Re: Is anyone taking doxepin? » Quintal, posted by Jay_Bravest_Face on October 27, 2008, at 22:44:43
Jay sure is quite a man and sounds like a great idea Whitmore for a low dose sleeping pill since my benzos now tolerant to. Phillipa
Posted by clipper40 on October 28, 2008, at 5:16:53
In reply to Is anyone taking doxepin?, posted by Quintal on October 27, 2008, at 15:44:30
I've been on doxepin off and on for MANY years. Most of the time I've only taken a small amount of it (12.5 mg - 25 mg). It has been a great drug for me in terms of fighting anxiety and lifting mood and keeping me asleep once I've fallen asleep. The major grogginess should go away after a few days. Once your body is adjusted to the medication, it is less effective at getting you to sleep than keeping you asleep. Also, once you're body is adjusted to it, I'm not sure if you will have any residual hangover effect in the morning. (I always had that hangover feeling but it turns out that it was probably caused, at least in part, by something else.) Additional pro for me was that doxepin helped a lot with my allergies.
The cons were that it increased my appetite, decreased my memory somewhat and possibly impeded concentration a bit. I went off of it a few months ago because I started sleeping through my alarms in the morning but staying asleep is a lot more difficult now and my mood is definitely lower.
Posted by X-ray on October 28, 2008, at 15:14:31
In reply to Re: Is anyone taking doxepin? » Quintal, posted by lucie lu on October 27, 2008, at 19:12:13
Hi Lucie,
I have been on Elavil for many years, but I have never liked this drug.
My big problem is sleep, and I'm considering trazodone as an option.I gather from your post that you might have tried both amitriptylene and trazodone.
So I would like to hear about your experiences with these two drugs.Best regards,
X-ray
Posted by Quintal on October 31, 2008, at 15:54:55
In reply to Re: Is anyone taking doxepin? » Quintal, posted by lucie lu on October 27, 2008, at 19:12:13
Thanks lucie, that was very helpful. I have some 25mg capsules, so I might start out at that dose or a bit lower. I was on 300mg trazodone years ago as an antidepressant/sleep aid and it was very sedating. It caused sinus congestion though and tended to leave me feeling suffocated and gasping for air, so I didn't sleep too peacefully on it. I've never taken amitriptyline, but years ago I was on dothiepin (which I think is very similar), and it helped a lot with my mood and sleep so I'm hoping doxepin is in the same league.
Q
Posted by Quintal on October 31, 2008, at 16:09:04
In reply to Re: Is anyone taking doxepin?, posted by whitmore on October 27, 2008, at 21:45:44
That's what I've heard too. I can only think how extremely sedating it must be to work at such a low dose! I might try emptying the capsule out and dividing the powder up first.
Q
Posted by Quintal on October 31, 2008, at 16:52:53
In reply to Re: Is anyone taking doxepin? » Quintal, posted by Jay_Bravest_Face on October 27, 2008, at 22:44:43
Hi Jay, I'm pleased to hear your dad hasn't put on any weight with doxepin. This was one of my concerns as I gained quite a lot on other TCAs in the past. You're lucky to have such a special relationship with your dad.
Q
Posted by Quintal on October 31, 2008, at 17:04:15
In reply to Re: Is anyone taking doxepin?, posted by Phillipa on October 27, 2008, at 23:17:04
Hi Phillipa, I now need something else to help me fall asleep as I'm becoming tolerant to zopiclone too. I'm hoping doxepin isn't as harsh as Seroquel and trazodone at low doses.
Q
Posted by Quintal on October 31, 2008, at 17:47:39
In reply to Re: Is anyone taking doxepin? » Quintal, posted by clipper40 on October 28, 2008, at 5:16:53
Thanks clipper, I hope the hangover effect isn't too strong. I will probably try 12.5mg or less at first and see how it goes. How long did it take for the mood-lifting effect to kick in?
Q
Posted by bulldog2 on October 31, 2008, at 19:58:02
In reply to Re: Is anyone taking doxepin? » lucie lu, posted by Quintal on October 31, 2008, at 15:54:55
> Thanks lucie, that was very helpful. I have some 25mg capsules, so I might start out at that dose or a bit lower. I was on 300mg trazodone years ago as an antidepressant/sleep aid and it was very sedating. It caused sinus congestion though and tended to leave me feeling suffocated and gasping for air, so I didn't sleep too peacefully on it. I've never taken amitriptyline, but years ago I was on dothiepin (which I think is very similar), and it helped a lot with my mood and sleep so I'm hoping doxepin is in the same league.
>
> Q1.Amitriptyline is a stronger ad than trazadone.
2. Does not cause nasal congestion...hated that on trazadone.
3. Good for sleep but not quite as sedating as trazadone.
4. a very good augmentor to whatever ad you're on. use a laxative because it's constipating
5. more balanced than a ssri...se and ne
Posted by yxibow on November 1, 2008, at 22:11:00
In reply to Is anyone taking doxepin?, posted by Quintal on October 27, 2008, at 15:44:30
> Or taken it in the past? I'm particularly interested to know if anyone is taking it for sleep, and what dose? Is there any hangover with it?
>
> QI took doxepin for sleep -- maybe its just my story, when I was younger it knocked me on my *ss for a whole weekend when I tried it. It worked mor e recently for about 4 days and then I got used to the effect. Whatever I was taking was the lowest dose, I think 10mg.
Even if it doesnt make you go to sleep for long, for some it helps people go back to sleep.
Additionally if you have bad allergies, it covers H1 and H2.
But amitriptyline 10mg was far more effective for covering most of a night.
I have a bad sleep disorder of some sort though, so this is only my experience.
-- tidings
Jay
Posted by clipper40 on November 2, 2008, at 1:16:01
In reply to Re: Is anyone taking doxepin? » clipper40, posted by Quintal on October 31, 2008, at 17:47:39
Sorry but I don't remember how long it took for the mood lift to kick in. It's been such a long time since I've started on it. My guess is that it was probably around a month for me (which is when most ADs kick in for me). Also, don't expect much mood lift on 12.5 mg. I definitely noticed a lift on 25 mg (even though the lowest dosage of it used for depression tends to be 75 mg) but obviously I can't promise it will work the same for you.
Posted by linkadge on November 2, 2008, at 11:19:10
In reply to Re: Is anyone taking doxepin? » Quintal, posted by Jay_Bravest_Face on October 27, 2008, at 22:44:43
I took it for a while and it did work, but I was concerned about the genotoxicity so I stopped.
Linkadge
Posted by clipper40 on November 7, 2008, at 0:09:27
In reply to Re: Is anyone taking doxepin?, posted by linkadge on November 2, 2008, at 11:19:10
What do you know about doxepin and genotoxicity? Does this apply to all tricyclics or just specifically to doxepin?
Posted by yxibow on November 7, 2008, at 3:41:20
In reply to Re: Is anyone taking doxepin? » linkadge, posted by clipper40 on November 7, 2008, at 0:09:27
> What do you know about doxepin and genotoxicity? Does this apply to all tricyclics or just specifically to doxepin?
Well the Silenor (doxepin for sleep) study completed its genotoxic study for NDA.
I'm not quite sure where this is coming from -- yes there are studies of breast cancer -- in women, and I suppose if they are provable maybe those most prone to it might need to make a choice, of tricyclics.
But the choice between any antidepressant, feeling miserable, and suicide, I think far outweighs the costs of cancer, considering any substance that we ingest or breathe has a potential cancer cause.
What if it was the agent that made one most happy and eliminated the worst symptoms? Would the theoretical cancer risk many decades into the future as opposed to mortality from depression be worse?
I'm not suggesting someone ingest thalidomide but I think there are priorities. Each is to choose as they wish.
-- Jay
Posted by clipper40 on November 8, 2008, at 21:32:02
In reply to Re: Is anyone taking doxepin? » clipper40, posted by yxibow on November 7, 2008, at 3:41:20
I think it's a balancing act. If doxepin is genotoxic, then how great is the effect vs. how helpful is the medication to the person making the decision. Also need to figure out whether or not there are other alternatives that would work just as well but be potentially safer. Lots to consider.
This is the end of the thread.
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