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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Lucy_B on September 1, 2015, at 13:01:07
Hi, everyone! I'm a newbie- just posted a thread re: Prozac use (http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20150901/msgs/1082005.html) but forgot to ask a couple other questions that I have regarding other meds.
1) What are your experiences with Trazodone for insomnia? I started taking 25 mg. about 3 weeks ago, and while it works beautifully for sleep (when literally nothing else will anymore), I've started feeling totally zombified. But that could also be the Prozac, or a combination of the two- I'm not sure. Fine muscle tremors have also developed since starting the Traz, and night sweats. It seems to be losing its ability to keep me out the whole night, as well, so I'm guessing I'll need to increase my dose. 50 mg. was horrible the first time I tried it (slept for 12 hours then woke up with a splitting headache, nausea, anxiety, etc.). But maybe now that my system is a bit more used to it, jumping up another 25 mg. won't be so bad. Has anyone experienced similar SE's on Traz, and did they eventually subside? Also, can anyone share experiences getting OFF this drug? The internet tells me that WD's can be tough, but my pdoc says Traz has NO WD??
2) I started using .5 mg. Ativan as needed at the same time as commencing the Prozac about 8 weeks ago. I never took them every day, and at one point I completely swore them off (for reasons outlined below). But there was a really stressful situation recently and I ended up taking one. Then another a couple days later. I notice that it helps temporarily, but the next day, I feel miserably depressed. My doc wants me to take it twice daily on a scheduled basis for awhile, especially if I end up increasing my Prozac from 20 to 40 mg. But it seems like CNS depressants exacerbate depression for me (Ambien does the same thing) and I am also extremely worried about dependence/withdrawal. My pdoc feels that such a low dose shouldn't cause any issues, but I feel like benzos might be bad news for me, for some reason. Has anyone else had similar experiences? The anxiety is definitely crippling right now, so I should probably do what my doc says. But I'm scared. :( I'd love to hear thoughts/experiences/reassurances/etc. re: benzo use. I've tried Xanax in the past. It seems to work the exact same way in me as Ativan. I've never tried Klonopin. Thanks!
Posted by phidippus on September 1, 2015, at 14:04:09
In reply to Trazodone and Ativan, posted by Lucy_B on September 1, 2015, at 13:01:07
Has anyone else had similar experiences?
Benzodiazapines can exacerbate depression-all have a similar mode of action so Ativan and Xanax both carry the same risk, although Klonopin is one of the worst offenders. If you're uncomfortable taking benzos you can always try Atarax for the anxiety-its basically an antihistamine that blocks 5ht2a receptors (blocking these lessens anxiety).
What is the source of your anxiety?
Eric
Posted by Lamdage22 on September 1, 2015, at 14:13:52
In reply to Trazodone and Ativan, posted by Lucy_B on September 1, 2015, at 13:01:07
My doctor told me Ativan is emergency only. Im going to listen to him.
Posted by Hugh on September 1, 2015, at 15:41:33
In reply to Trazodone and Ativan, posted by Lucy_B on September 1, 2015, at 13:01:07
I would sleep the night through on trazodone, but I'd feel groggy for much of the day, so I stopped taking it. I don't remember any withdrawal symptoms, but I didn't take it that long.
I'd feel much more refreshed after a night's sleep on Ambien, but it caused suicidal ideation about half the time I took it.
I took Ativan almost every night for three years for insomnia. I started at .5 mg. I increased my dosage twice because of tolerance, getting up to 1.5 mg. After three years, it started to cause brain fog and terrible gastrointestinal problems (there are lots of GABA-A receptors in the gut as well as the brain). I had a hellish four-month taper from benzos (I did a crossover from Ativan to Valium halfway through my taper). The depression and anxiety and insomnia I suffered during my withdrawal from benzos were far worse than anything I'd experienced before going on Ativan.
Many people are able to take benzos long-term without any problems. But many people aren't.
Posted by Lucy_B on September 1, 2015, at 16:30:13
In reply to Re: Trazodone and Ativan, posted by Hugh on September 1, 2015, at 15:41:33
Really appreciate the feedback everyone! Yeah, I'm pretty scared of benzos. But my doc is not, apparently. She wanted me to take Restoril instead of the Trazodone for sleep, but I refused to go there, lol. All that said, I do think she is good and I trust her judgment. Maybe I'll try weaning off the Traz and not taking any more Ativan and see how things go. I wish I could still do Ambien- it used to work like magic (for years) but then it just stopped. If I take it now, I get ~2 hours of sleep and feel like a depressed zombie the entire next day.
Posted by Lucy_B on September 1, 2015, at 16:33:55
In reply to Re: Trazodone and Ativan » Lucy_B, posted by phidippus on September 1, 2015, at 14:04:09
> Has anyone else had similar experiences?
>
> Benzodiazapines can exacerbate depression-all have a similar mode of action so Ativan and Xanax both carry the same risk, although Klonopin is one of the worst offenders. If you're uncomfortable taking benzos you can always try Atarax for the anxiety-its basically an antihistamine that blocks 5ht2a receptors (blocking these lessens anxiety).
>
> What is the source of your anxiety?
>
> EricEric, have you used Atarax, by chance? And if so, did you like it? Looks like there are mixed reviews on all the drug rating websites (which I probably should not be looking at). :)
Posted by phidippus on September 1, 2015, at 16:38:32
In reply to Re: Trazodone and Ativan, posted by Lucy_B on September 1, 2015, at 16:33:55
I have used Atarax (also known as hydroxyzine) to treat anxiety and I found it comparable to .5 mgs of Ativan. It hardly had any side effects-maybe a little sedation.
Eric
Posted by Christ_empowered on September 3, 2015, at 14:24:29
In reply to Re: Trazodone and Ativan » Lucy_B, posted by phidippus on September 1, 2015, at 16:38:32
how much hydroxyzine were you taking? I was Rx'd 200mgs @ night time for sleep and then one doc tried 150mgs/day for anxiety. I wasn't really into it...I now take very low dose (100mgs) neurontin when/if/as needed, which is rarely, for anxiety and such.
Posted by phidippus on September 4, 2015, at 22:25:40
In reply to Re: Trazodone and Ativan, posted by Christ_empowered on September 3, 2015, at 14:24:29
Not everyone responds to hydroxyzine. I took it at night 250 mgs. Sometimes during the day to take the edge off thibgs. Its not that powerful.
Eric
This is the end of the thread.
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