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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Marietta on December 31, 2003, at 7:45:38
I have been on Lexapro 10 mg (first time a/d user) for only a week now but find i just can't sleep more than 2 or 3 hrs at night restfully. I take it first thing in the am. I haven't had a good nights sleep in over a month; i'm sure some of it is attributed to the reasons i was prescribed a/d in the first place but i am exhausted. At recommendation of some, i started 3 mgs of Melatonin in the pm....to no avail. Took ANOTHER 3 mgs.....no help. Actually worse.
HELP? any suggestions?
Posted by linkadge on December 31, 2003, at 8:27:11
In reply to Lexapro, melatonin and just can't sleep!, posted by Marietta on December 31, 2003, at 7:45:38
Sometimes doctors can add a small dose of a sedating antidepressant called Trazodone.
Aside from this you could try the antidepressant Remeron. It is known for its sleep inducing properties. For some people where sleep is a big issue, this drug works well.
Linkadge
Posted by bluesfan on December 31, 2003, at 8:27:54
In reply to Lexapro, melatonin and just can't sleep!, posted by Marietta on December 31, 2003, at 7:45:38
I have been on the same dosage of Lexapro for 12 days now, and I ran into a bit of the same problem the first week. I found I was a bit more "wired" at night....this was after taking the drug in the morning. I started to take the pill right before bed, and now I sleep 8-9 hours a night restfully. This may just be something that goes away after a little while and I am coincidentally sleeping better now, but I do seem to have more energy during the day now. The drug works differently for different people, but it might work for you too. Good luck!
> I have been on Lexapro 10 mg (first time a/d user) for only a week now but find i just can't sleep more than 2 or 3 hrs at night restfully. I take it first thing in the am. I haven't had a good nights sleep in over a month; i'm sure some of it is attributed to the reasons i was prescribed a/d in the first place but i am exhausted. At recommendation of some, i started 3 mgs of Melatonin in the pm....to no avail. Took ANOTHER 3 mgs.....no help. Actually worse.
> HELP? any suggestions?
Posted by Marietta on December 31, 2003, at 8:46:14
In reply to Re: Lexapro, melatonin and just can't sleep!, posted by bluesfan on December 31, 2003, at 8:27:54
Thanks for the info. I will try the suggestions. Also, i am sure that my daily large! ice-tea may be interferring. I noticed the insert with the Rx said to "avoid caffine".
Posted by Bill LL on December 31, 2003, at 8:51:59
In reply to Lexapro, melatonin and just can't sleep!, posted by Marietta on December 31, 2003, at 7:45:38
I was going to suggest the same thing as bluesfan. Try taking it at night before bedtime. Just a note- if you try melatonin again in the future, 1 mg is enough.
In addition to taking Lexapro before bed, try taking Valerian about an hour before bed. Only buy Valerian that says "standardized". Don't buy it if it says "concentrated" or anything else. Also, it smells terrible so hold your breath while you take it. But it works good.
Valerian woked well for me when I started on Lexapro.
Posted by Mariposa on December 31, 2003, at 8:55:56
In reply to Re: Lexapro, melatonin and just can't sleep!, posted by Marietta on December 31, 2003, at 8:46:14
I moved around time of dose also from morning to evening when I started Lex. Took OTC TylenolPM to help sleep. Tried Melatonin, did not work for me.
Started Lex in Feb, was an insomniac prior to taking Lex, now I sleep very well.
I too would suggest talking w/doc, as he may want to prescribe a sleep aid.
Good luck.~~~8|8
Posted by nicky847 on December 31, 2003, at 10:22:01
In reply to Re: Lexapro, melatonin and just can't sleep!, posted by Mariposa on December 31, 2003, at 8:55:56
I had a very hard time sleeping my first couple of weeks on Lexapro too...around 2 1/2 weeks my sleep improved...what helped me when I had trouble sleeping was Tylenol PM...i found it very effective in helping me get to sleep..
> I moved around time of dose also from morning to evening when I started Lex. Took OTC TylenolPM to help sleep. Tried Melatonin, did not work for me.
>
> Started Lex in Feb, was an insomniac prior to taking Lex, now I sleep very well.
>
> I too would suggest talking w/doc, as he may want to prescribe a sleep aid.
>
> Good luck.~~~8|8
Posted by Marietta on December 31, 2003, at 10:27:56
In reply to Re: Lexapro, melatonin and just can't sleep!, posted by nicky847 on December 31, 2003, at 10:22:01
Thanks Nicky. I have tried Tylonol PM before Lexapro and it helps but gives me about 3 hrs straight and then i FEEL groggy but can't sleep.
I think i will try switching my Lex to nighttime and the melatonin :-)
Posted by nicky847 on December 31, 2003, at 10:51:42
In reply to Re: Lexapro, melatonin and just can't sleep!, posted by Marietta on December 31, 2003, at 10:27:56
Sounds good best of luck! if all else fails remember you should be sleeping alot better real soon..the insomnia is one of the first S/E's to dissipate..
> Thanks Nicky. I have tried Tylonol PM before Lexapro and it helps but gives me about 3 hrs straight and then i FEEL groggy but can't sleep.
>
> I think i will try switching my Lex to nighttime and the melatonin :-)
Posted by Larry Hoover on December 31, 2003, at 21:18:04
In reply to Lexapro, melatonin and just can't sleep!, posted by Marietta on December 31, 2003, at 7:45:38
> I have been on Lexapro 10 mg (first time a/d user) for only a week now but find i just can't sleep more than 2 or 3 hrs at night restfully. I take it first thing in the am. I haven't had a good nights sleep in over a month; i'm sure some of it is attributed to the reasons i was prescribed a/d in the first place but i am exhausted. At recommendation of some, i started 3 mgs of Melatonin in the pm....to no avail. Took ANOTHER 3 mgs.....no help. Actually worse.
> HELP? any suggestions?3 mg melatonin is way more than your own body would normally secrete. And, contrary to all logic, too much is as bad as too little. If you take too much melatonin, it will have no effect whatsoever (except that it is an excellent antioxidant).
If you want to use melatonin, use around 0.5 mg. Cut a tablet up with a knife, and just guess which fragment(s) are, say, just under 1/4 of the tablet. That should be about the right dose. Some people need closer to 1 mg.
I've also heard that sublingual melatonin is more effective, but that may just mean that some people have tried taking melatonin with food, and absorption was impeded. I think you need to take it on an empty stomach.
Lar
Posted by Marietta on January 1, 2004, at 16:57:03
In reply to Re: Lexapro, melatonin and just can't sleep! » Marietta, posted by Larry Hoover on December 31, 2003, at 21:18:04
Some suggested i try taking the Lexapro in the pm before bed......i did that and YUCK; wired to hell. Maybe it was because i had taken 10mg that am early and should have skipped this night and picked up the pm regime the following night?
This is my first time on any anti-dep. and after 8 days, I am beginning to wonder if the mild depression from my relationship breakup is worth the s/e?? If i don't sleep soon, i WILL go nuts!!! The only good thing today was that it was a holiday and i didn't have to work.....i finally slept pretty solidly from 7:30am until about 9:00am -- so hard that I woke up in a sweat but then couldn't anymore. Has anyone had similar s/e and when do they end?!?!? I see my doc for the first time since Lex was prescribed next week (ugh? another 5 days??). Maybe she can help.
Posted by shadows721 on January 3, 2004, at 0:57:24
In reply to Re: Lexapro, melatonin and just can't sleep!, posted by Marietta on January 1, 2004, at 16:57:03
I tried melatonin and it dropped my blood pressure way down. I literally felt like I was going to die. I quit the melatonin and the blood pressure went back to normal.
I now take 2 benadryls to sleep. Benadryl is in tylenol pm too.
Posted by Marietta on January 3, 2004, at 13:30:18
In reply to Re: Lexapro, melatonin and just can't sleep!, posted by shadows721 on January 3, 2004, at 0:57:24
Thanks -- i might try that. I also cut my Lex to 5mgs until i can see my doc next week. I was on 10mgs and after the 8th day, i thought i WAS going crazy with not sleeping at all during the night. Trying to keep up my daytime job was a chore. I cut it in half and don't sleep much but had a few dreams so i know i must be dozing off some....lol
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