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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 16 of 16. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Bob12 on December 7, 2014, at 10:29:08
Hi,
Does anyone have experience with Promethazine for sleep?
A doctor has recommended I take 25 mg of Promethazine for better sleep and anxiety, 1 hour before bed.
He said it is non addictive and there is no withdrawal.
According to askapatient.com most patients who take this med take it for nausea, not sleeping problems, but wikipedia says it is also used in some countries for insomnia.
On wikipedia it says Promethazine has weak anti-psychotic effects, and I am already on 17.5 mg of Zyprexa, so am not very happy about that:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Promethazine
The alternatives are Remeron (a remeron horror story was recently posted on this board) and Elavil.
I am meeting with my doctor soon, but any advice would be appreciated.
Until now I have been taking Valium 10 mg, but it is no longer sufficient for helping me sleep through the night.
thanks
Bob12
Posted by Guy on December 7, 2014, at 12:41:44
In reply to Promethazine for Sleep and Anxiety, posted by Bob12 on December 7, 2014, at 10:29:08
I am currently taking trimipramine with some success. I don't feel I get any really deep sleep, though. Haven't found any med that does that for me...and it's a real bitch getting off meds and trying to reestablish normal sleep patterns. Takes a long time.
Posted by rjlockhart37 on December 8, 2014, at 1:04:46
In reply to Promethazine for Sleep and Anxiety, posted by Bob12 on December 7, 2014, at 10:29:08
there's something called hydroxyzine that is doctor friendly espcially in psychiatric hospitals, well the one i went too....they put me on it, and it's an antihistimine, and it relieves anxiety, and does provide sedation yet not vary euphoric, also good if you have a cold, or sick lol it's antihistimine properites are good
ask your doctor about that maybe to add on to valium it has low interaction with other sedatives at low to moderate doses......
Posted by phidippus on December 10, 2014, at 13:30:40
In reply to Promethazine for Sleep and Anxiety, posted by Bob12 on December 7, 2014, at 10:29:08
Promethazine is an odd choice. There are better alternatives out there.
I like Gabitril - improves stage 4 sleep. Non addictive. Doesn't have a lot of side effects.
Eric
Posted by SLS on December 10, 2014, at 21:34:07
In reply to Promethazine for Sleep and Anxiety, posted by Bob12 on December 7, 2014, at 10:29:08
I've seen promethazine (Phenergan) work wonders for anxiety. I don't know about sleep, though.
- Scott
Posted by b2chica on December 16, 2014, at 0:55:13
In reply to Re: Promethazine for Sleep and Anxiety » Bob12, posted by phidippus on December 10, 2014, at 13:30:40
Gabitril,
i'm so desperate for sleep. i can;'t take it anymore. i'm ready to just jump. sleep.
i've been averaging 3-4 hours/night for the last couplemonths. well, since end of sept really. the last month has been horrendis. its about 3-4 hours. and a couple of nights, no sleep. i'm tired, but when i try to sleep my brain gets anxious. on gabapentin and xanax.
i tried cutting back on my adderall, but now i have depression on top of everything.
i just want to jumpl...
i feel SO unstable... if i could only sleep and sleep well. for a while.
just a month of good sleep.i miss my old pdoc.
GBY.
-b2c> Promethazine is an odd choice. There are better alternatives out there.
>
> I like Gabitril - improves stage 4 sleep. Non addictive. Doesn't have a lot of side effects.
>
> Eric
Posted by ed_uk2010 on December 16, 2014, at 7:42:51
In reply to Re: Promethazine for Sleep and Anxiety, posted by b2chica on December 16, 2014, at 0:55:13
Do you think you reduced your Adderall too fast? Any way you can reduce it or move the dose earlier in the day enough to help you sleep without crashing or feeling depressed? Hope your pdoc can advise.
Posted by b2chica on December 16, 2014, at 8:10:17
In reply to Re: Promethazine for Sleep and Anxiety » b2chica, posted by ed_uk2010 on December 16, 2014, at 7:42:51
i take 20mg BID, then i took 20 in am and cut pill for afternoon a couple times. and lately i've just been forgetting to take it in the afternoon. its not the adderall thats causing the sleeplessness. i've always felt better, in fact on the weekends at times if i couldnt sleep id take my adderall at about noon and about 1/2 hour after that i could sleep just fine for a nap. i think actually just my life stress and lack of sleep has kicked up my depression and thats just making sleeping harder.
my new pdoc is ok. shes smart, but she's not... whats the word i'm looking for, she doesnt think outside the box like my old pdoc did. and it seems that outside the box is what always tended to help me.
anyway.
the a.m. is better for me. get worse as the day goes on. i think i got to sleep before 2 last night. which is an improvement. i just need to try something for sleep.
i'm interested in this gabitrol.
Thank you
-b2c
> Do you think you reduced your Adderall too fast? Any way you can reduce it or move the dose earlier in the day enough to help you sleep without crashing or feeling depressed? Hope your pdoc can advise.
>
>
Posted by ed_uk2010 on December 16, 2014, at 8:23:44
In reply to Re: Promethazine for Sleep and Anxiety, posted by b2chica on December 16, 2014, at 8:10:17
I see what you mean. Have you tried any of the more sedating antidepressants to try to help sleep, depression and anxiety? You're on Pristiq, right?
> i take 20mg BID, then i took 20 in am and cut pill for afternoon a couple times. and lately i've just been forgetting to take it in the afternoon. its not the adderall thats causing the sleeplessness. i've always felt better, in fact on the weekends at times if i couldnt sleep id take my adderall at about noon and about 1/2 hour after that i could sleep just fine for a nap. i think actually just my life stress and lack of sleep has kicked up my depression and thats just making sleeping harder.
> my new pdoc is ok. shes smart, but she's not... whats the word i'm looking for, she doesnt think outside the box like my old pdoc did. and it seems that outside the box is what always tended to help me.
> anyway.
> the a.m. is better for me. get worse as the day goes on. i think i got to sleep before 2 last night. which is an improvement. i just need to try something for sleep.
> i'm interested in this gabitrol.
> Thank you
> -b2c
>
>
> > Do you think you reduced your Adderall too fast? Any way you can reduce it or move the dose earlier in the day enough to help you sleep without crashing or feeling depressed? Hope your pdoc can advise.
> >
> >
>
>
Posted by phidippus on December 17, 2014, at 15:37:06
In reply to Re: Promethazine for Sleep and Anxiety, posted by b2chica on December 16, 2014, at 0:55:13
Have you tried a sleep cocktail? Say Seroquel + Lunesta + Atarax
Do you get anxious about going to sleep because you're afraid you won't fall asleep? To deal with that psychologically, I would agree with the thought and repeatedly tell yourself you're not going to sleep.
Eric
Posted by b2chica on December 18, 2014, at 1:15:02
In reply to Re: Promethazine for Sleep and Anxiety » b2chica, posted by phidippus on December 17, 2014, at 15:37:06
seroquel was just about the only thing that gave me FANTASTIC sleep. it did exaclty what i needed. it calmed my system down and 'KOCKED' me out. but didnt leave me groggy. however, after about a couple weeks i got severe cognitive blunting...severe. all the typical sleep aids i've tried, a couple llasted a couple weeks but not much more than that. kept having to up everything. than moved on.
Zyprexa of course helps, but i already have high level of excess adipose tissue, dont need more.Lunesta was a joke, really didnt do anything for me.
HOWEVER, i dont know what atarax is???
can you tell me more on this?
i'm going to try to make an appt with pdoc to help me out, as i just cant take this anymore. my hallucinations/illusions are getting worse. especially the auditory ones.
thanks Eric
-b2
> Have you tried a sleep cocktail? Say Seroquel + Lunesta + Atarax
>
> Do you get anxious about going to sleep because you're afraid you won't fall asleep? To deal with that psychologically, I would agree with the thought and repeatedly tell yourself you're not going to sleep.
>
> Eric
Posted by Christ_empowered on December 18, 2014, at 8:53:21
In reply to Re: Promethazine for Sleep and Anxiety, posted by b2chica on December 18, 2014, at 1:15:02
atarax is one form of hydroxyzine. I think there's hydroxyzinc HCL and hydroxyzine pamoate. I have no idea what the differences are.
Ever tried Restoril (temazepam) ?
Posted by phidippus on December 18, 2014, at 13:28:59
In reply to Re: Promethazine for Sleep and Anxiety, posted by b2chica on December 18, 2014, at 1:15:02
Atarax=Hydroxyzine.
Maybe you need Rohypnol or Thorazine.
Eric
Posted by b2chica on December 24, 2014, at 4:48:13
In reply to Re: Promethazine for Sleep and Anxiety, posted by Christ_empowered on December 18, 2014, at 8:53:21
hydroxyzinc HCL
my pdoc put me on that a while ago to help with anxiety... it was a joke. like taking a tic tac.thanks
Posted by b2chica on December 24, 2014, at 4:52:17
In reply to Re: Promethazine for Sleep and Anxiety » b2chica, posted by phidippus on December 18, 2014, at 13:28:59
thanks Eric.
Rohypnol no, i have enough memory issues.
As for Thorazine, i think i would certainly be open to it.
is TD a big concern? and what are some typical side-effects? also (if you dont mind one more qustion) what is the typical dosage for sleep issues?
Thanks
> Atarax=Hydroxyzine.
>
> Maybe you need Rohypnol or Thorazine.
>
> Eric
Posted by ed_uk2010 on December 26, 2014, at 16:14:52
In reply to Re: Promethazine for Sleep and Anxiety, posted by b2chica on December 24, 2014, at 4:52:17
I also find Atarax like a tic tac!
Chlorpromazine (Thorazine) isn't used much for sleep but if it was the dose would be around 25-50mg at night in most cases, and rarely more than 75-100mg. Long-term use could lead to tardive dyskinesia. I would suggest not taking it for more than a total of 3 months, including tapering off.
This is the end of the thread.
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