Posted by azalea on September 25, 2008, at 17:14:38
In reply to Re: Thinking of making a huge med change » azalea, posted by Kimbersaur on September 25, 2008, at 16:11:38
Yes, sleeping medications like Ambien and Lunesta are more addicting than Seroquel, but the risk is generally presumed to be low. If you have a history of alcohol or benzodiazepine addiction, medications like Ambien and Lunesta are probably not a good choice. However, prolonged use of Seroquel (or any antipsychotic) carries the risk of tardive dyskinesia. The risk is lower than with typical antipsychotics like haldol, but it's still a risk.
If the anti-histamine properties of Seroquel help you sleep, perhaps a medication that purely blocks histamine would useful. Options include OTC Unisom tablets (doxylamine succinate), OTC Unisom liquigels (diphenhydramine hydrochloride). But these can cause next day sedation because of the long half life, which is why many patients prefer Ambien or Lunesta.
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> Aren't sleeping pills more addicting than Seroquel? Is it safe to use them in the long-run?
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> Thanks again for your time!
poster:azalea
thread:853745
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080915/msgs/854066.html