![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by TonyZ on March 15, 2008, at 8:37:09
Hi,
I am fairly new to this site. My doc has prescribed a number of different meds. I have experienced bouts of major depression which have recurred over the years. I always think it will not come back. There is a slight chance there may be a bipolar component but I don't experience any of the mania associated symptoms - rapid speech, racing thoughts, etc.I had been taking 1200 mg of Sam-e and had been fine for 2 years; now a severe relapse, which has been getting progressively worser. Doc tried raising the sam-e w/ valium and geodon and then seroquel. Both which seemed to raise my anxiety level.
I have been off the sam-e for several days now, doc has me taking 300mg of trazadone and 300mg of neurontin, 10mg valium and 30mg restoril. With this combination I slept well the first night but then the second night I was up after 2 hours. I have been averaging something like 3 hours sleep for almost 2 months. I don't know what else to do, the meds for some reason don't seem to be helping on a consistent basis and are making me very fuzzy during the day. By the time the evening comes around I get a bit of a rebound.
In the past Nortriptyline has worked for me but it has required increasingly high dosages to lift the depression and not good side effects.
The drugs I'm taking now also have undesirable side effects.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can get a good nights sleep
I'm feeling pretty desperate.
Thanks for any help
Tony Z
Posted by torachan on March 15, 2008, at 16:12:31
In reply to Desperate for help w/ sleep and depression, posted by TonyZ on March 15, 2008, at 8:37:09
I would say try Remeron which will most certainly help with your sleep, and should also help with depression, though I haven't noticed it improving my supposed depression nor my main symptom-anxiety-which may indicate I don't actually have depression. You see, Remeron is touted as one of the best anti-depressants. Be careful taking it the first night as it will knock you out like no other drug you've tried, I'm willing to bet. Despite many people claiming on this site that Seroquel knocks them out and eliminates their anxiety, I experienced neither. I took about 300 mg's of Seroquel when I was prescribed to take only 50 mg's and it didn't put me down.
Remeron, however, will put you down the first few nights at least. And the AD effect is supposed to kick in faster than other AD's at around 30-45 mg's.
Posted by Molybdenum on March 15, 2008, at 19:37:23
In reply to Re: Desperate for help w/ sleep and depression, posted by torachan on March 15, 2008, at 16:12:31
> I would say try Remeron which will most certainly help with your sleep, and should also help with depression, though I haven't noticed it improving my supposed depression nor my main symptom-anxiety-which may indicate I don't actually have depression. You see, Remeron is touted as one of the best anti-depressants. Be careful taking it the first night as it will knock you out like no other drug you've tried, I'm willing to bet. Despite many people claiming on this site that Seroquel knocks them out and eliminates their anxiety, I experienced neither. I took about 300 mg's of Seroquel when I was prescribed to take only 50 mg's and it didn't put me down.
> Remeron, however, will put you down the first few nights at least. And the AD effect is supposed to kick in faster than other AD's at around 30-45 mg's.I have no idea about the Seroquel but otherwise 100% agree with the above from my experience.
Remeron really helps me to get to sleep, but I have required larger & larger doses over the years to keep this effect going.
I've also been taking 10mg Stilnox /Ambien /Myslee (zolpidem) every night for YEARS without building up a tolerance. From my experience, it has the least hangover effect the next day. Maybe 9 mths ago (?) they brought out 12.5mg CR that work even better for me. There's a graph at http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/fda/fdaDrugXsl.cfm?id=5420&type=display
that shows the difference. Highly recommended.I know this sounds like hollow crap but these bad feelings you're having now will probably not last. You've made it though all these years already right? The older you get the more experienced your brain becomes.
Good luck ;)
Posted by obsidian on March 16, 2008, at 9:50:26
In reply to Desperate for help w/ sleep and depression, posted by TonyZ on March 15, 2008, at 8:37:09
a little seroquel might be worth a try?...sounds like you're suffering
it knocks me out like nothing else
good luck
Posted by obsidian on March 16, 2008, at 9:51:35
In reply to Re: Desperate for help w/ sleep and depression » TonyZ, posted by obsidian on March 16, 2008, at 9:50:26
Posted by torachan on March 16, 2008, at 19:04:17
In reply to Re: Desperate for help w/ sleep and depression » TonyZ, posted by obsidian on March 16, 2008, at 9:50:26
Seroquel doesn't hold a candle to Remeron in terms of being able to put one to sleep. Sorry. I know people are affected in unique ways to different medications, but I've tried several medications including sleep meds and have been on a benzo for a lengthy time, and no sleep meds/tranquilizers seemed to knock me out at pratically any safe dose until I discovered Remeron.
That stuff floored me, especially the first night. Just 15 mg's. I took about 400 mg's of Seroquel and it only made me feel slightly disoriented and dizzy-headed.
Trust me, try Remeron.
Posted by saturn on March 20, 2008, at 17:33:35
In reply to Desperate for help w/ sleep and depression, posted by TonyZ on March 15, 2008, at 8:37:09
I agree Remeron would be worth discussing with your Dr.
Valdoxan (Agomelatine), is a drug in Phase III trials that may also be available in the near future and also worth considering.
Good look.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.