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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Bonnie_CA on December 6, 2006, at 13:20:37
The zoloft has been working decently on my anxiety. I still get some quick jolts of panic occasionally, so it's not under control, but it's not bad.
I have a few complaints about zoloft. The biggest one is that it is now really hard to fall asleep. I can fall asleep decently if I take .25 mg of xanax, but I don't really see this as a long term solution. Staying asleep is no problem, but getting there is hard, and then it makes it hard to get up. Today, when I arrived at work, the principal was in my room. So it is occuring to me that this is a GIANT problem. I am afraid to try the prescription sleep aids because of the stories I hear about them. (People driving while on ambien! Scares me!) I'm also concerned about the long term. I may end up ultimately switching off of zoloft, but if I stay on it, I need a long term solution to my sleep problem.
I guess I'm not really asking for an answer, but I just needed to share my concern with a group that cares.
My other problem with zoloft is if I take the 150 mg prescribed dose, I feel like my skin is suffocating. It's not as bad at 100 mg, but I have higher anxiety at 100 mg. 150 mg seems to placate the anxiety, but also excaberates the sleep problem to the point of ridiculous. Maybe I should try 125 mg?
Next month, I get to switch insurance and get a new pdoc! yay!
-Bonnie
Posted by Quintal on December 6, 2006, at 17:23:11
In reply to Zoloft makes it hard to sleep., posted by Bonnie_CA on December 6, 2006, at 13:20:37
Have you tired an OTC sleep aid like Benadryl Bonnie?
Q
Posted by Phillipa on December 6, 2006, at 17:26:22
In reply to Re: Zoloft makes it hard to sleep. » Bonnie_CA, posted by Quintal on December 6, 2006, at 17:23:11
What about lunesta? No amnesia stories yet on that. And I wouldn't worry about ambien My Daughter also takes it no problem. Love Phillipa
Posted by blueberry on December 6, 2006, at 19:02:01
In reply to Zoloft makes it hard to sleep., posted by Bonnie_CA on December 6, 2006, at 13:20:37
For people who are able to stick it out, insomnia problems often go away over time, but we're talking like 3 months or so. Paxil gave me real bad sleep and it was about 3 months before I finally started to sleep well.
The sleep meds are fine. Ambien for example. Directions say to take it at bedtime but I think an hour or two before bed is better for two reasons. To help get sleepy and enjoy that feeling. And to have little or no carryover into the next day.
Some people take benadryl. For most people it is sedating, but for a minority of people it can have the opposite effect.
A sedating benzo like xanax .25mg works pretty good for me. It helps my overall anxiety level even into the next day without any groggy carryover. If I want to just absolutely sleep like a log, .5mg xanax will do it for me. But I've liked ambien too.
Posted by Quintal on December 6, 2006, at 19:28:00
In reply to Re: Zoloft makes it hard to sleep., posted by blueberry on December 6, 2006, at 19:02:01
>The sleep meds are fine. Ambien for example. Directions say to take it at bedtime but I think an hour or two before bed is better for two reasons. To help get sleepy and enjoy that feeling.
I sometimes had hypnogogic hallucinations when I did that. They usually involved little elves, and sometimes 'sweating' walls. It's frightening about the amnesia thing because I once took a whole packet in one night. I guess I'd been going back and taking another dose every time it wore off, forgetting I'd already taken it. Thank goodness Ambien is very low in toxicity!
I agree it is a fairly good med when it doesn't cause those side effects though.
Q
Posted by ConRon on December 6, 2006, at 19:37:33
In reply to Zoloft makes it hard to sleep., posted by Bonnie_CA on December 6, 2006, at 13:20:37
I would switch to a less stimulating antidepressant like Lexapro. It actually helps some people sleep.
Posted by Phillipa on December 6, 2006, at 20:09:58
In reply to Re: Zoloft makes it hard to sleep., posted by ConRon on December 6, 2006, at 19:37:33
I found the opposite couldn't take it even with benzos. Love Phillipa
Posted by bonnie_ca on December 7, 2006, at 1:40:57
In reply to Re: Zoloft makes it hard to sleep., posted by ConRon on December 6, 2006, at 19:37:33
> I would switch to a less stimulating antidepressant like Lexapro. It actually helps some people sleep.
I just switched from celexa because it pooped out. I might try lexapro later. when celexa worked , it worked well. I'm about to just ask to be put back on paxil! sheesh! I'm already as big as I was when I was on it, and my anxiety was well controlled.
This is the end of the thread.
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