I was on Effexor for several years and it was a stone bitch to get off of. I’m now on Lortabs and Paxil, with an occasional 1 mg Xanax when things and people get to be too much.
Anyway, I take Ambien too because I had horrifying nightmares that made it so I was terrified to go to sleep. Top that off with being a lifelong insomniac, and I was the walking dead. I know there’s a chance of addiction but believe me, I’d rather take a sleeping med for the rest of my life than have those nightmares.
Here’s the thing about Ambien, for me and others it’s more like"deciding to do something then forgetting about that decision the next day" than it is “driving around while asleep”. So, if you take it, only take it after after you are ready for bed, and promise yourself you will never, ever do anything like even leaving the house, even if you “don’t feel sleepy”.
I use Diphenhydramine myself, it also helps with the “hard to get to sleep due to stuffy nose” issue. Also works is Celestial Seasonings SleepyTime and TensionTamer herbal teas, as Shagnasty sez.
My MD had me try lorazepam for a while, it seems to work well for sleeplessness caused by anxiety, etc.
In any case, consult your MD and tell him your concerns.
I must have miscommunicated something in the OP. I don’t feel that the Effexor is a problem, It does give me extra energy, especially, it seems, at night. But it’s not like I’m painting the house at 3 am or anything- the depressed person’s “extra energy” is the non-depressed’s “normal”. I still keep the same routines and schedules, not manic or anything. And I didn’t actually see things- I was using that for comedic effect regarding the effects of not getting deep sleep. So I’m not sure where the dire warnings are coming from, but thanks- I’ll keep it in mind.
I used Ambien off and on for a period of about two years.
Pros:
-Will ALWAYS knock you out, you can actually rely on getting a full night’s sleep unlike a lot of other methods
-The sleep is…REALLY FRIGGING GOOD.
-If you try staying awake a bit, you might visually hallucinate some sweet colors (not recommended)
Cons:
-Will make your un-Ambien’d sleep nearly nonexistant for a while.
-It is impossible to wake up in the middle of the night and function.
-Can be VERY drowsy when you wake up.
I don’t recommend it for people in your case who are the only adults in the home. Good for you for being responsible.
I would recommend you try a combination of an herbal tea and some valerian root. They sell Melatonin pills at Trader Joe’s which are 5.99 for a bottle of 100 tablets, the pills are 500micrograms per tablet. One works well for me, taken about 35 minutes before bed, and I am a good sized fellow. Occasionally two.
A couple people have mentioned melatonin. I would advise caution about this drug.
If you have any auto-immune dieases, or are even somewhat susceptible to auto-immune diseases, DO NOT take it! That includes things like allergies, asthma, and arthritis. It will make them worse.
The ban on l-tryptophan in the US was recently lifted - it’s available OTC again (although it’s a bit expensive). 5-HTP is another option, similiar to tryptophan.
Xanax and Ativan *should *be more or less functionally equivalent at the same dosage. (See second chart for comparison of peak plasma levels). There can be a slight difference between the effects of pharmaceuticals from different manufacturers, however, especially since you are likely to be getting generics. I have forgotten the precise chemistry behind this, but it has to do with racemic and other isomers–basically, a chemical formulation can have different arrangements that have the same empiric formula (same number of carbon, hydrogen, whatever atoms), but the structure is different. Some of the molecules might be a mirror image of the “original” formula, for example. Anyway, depending on the proportions of the different isomers you are getting in a particular batch, you can experience a potency difference. I experienced this myself not long ago when I was given buproprion by a different manufacturer than I was accustomed to (same dosage).
As far as sleep goes, I have a similar problem, and have tried a number of things. Trazodone is a decent one as long as it is taken early enough in the evening, but I have experienced grogginess the next day at 100-150 mg, even with 7-8 hours of sleep. Ambien CR is pretty good at staying asleep through the night, but I have seen the scary side effects in others who take it regularly (and show up on my doorstep at 3 AM, but I digress…) so I would, and do, avoid that. Lunesta is pretty good in my experience, but if I’ve taken it and don’t go to bed right away with a will to sleep, I fight it off without really thinking about it. Melatonin is quite nice, but doesn’t always work–I think since “herbal supplements” are not regulated by the same standards as prescription medications, one gets a variable dose. I would not recommend imipramine personally, but YMMV. I have bipolar tendencies, and two days of imipramine were enough–very bizarre side effects including crushing depression with psychotic features I don’t care to dwell on.
You are right in not wanting to continue long-term benzodiazapine usage. The withdrawal can be horrible, even with an easy taper. I found this clip for my SO, who is a psychiatrist, who now shows it to certain patients. Recent studies have shown that cognitive-behavioral therapy is better than medication for long-term insomnia, and I am having some relief by cleaning up my sleep hygiene. Avoiding television, computer, etc. in the evening is a major factor. Good luck!
I am fairly passionate about this subject in both an academic and personal way in case you can’t tell ;). You can PM me if you want to. I am normal now (well, as normal as I ever was) and have been for 6 years but I went down the road to hell to get there. I know some interesting things to read if you are interested and I would be more than happy to send them to you.
Valium is another benzodiazepine related to Xanax and Ativan but I don’t think that doctors prescribe it as much as they did 20 years ago because it has a high potential for addiction. Some people need it but that is between you and your doctor.
I have a serious and documented “paradoxical” reaction to all benzos. They increase my anxiety - and cause disinhibition - to the point where I want to jump out windows, etc. I take anticonvulsants for stabilization (to not go too high or low), and Effexor for depression. I’ve also taken Seroquel for years for sleeping - it works very well for me. It’s one of the “major” tranquilizers (benzos are called “minor” tranqs) - and it’s an antipsychotic that is great for my anxiety. It is my belief that benzos can be very dangerous - while paradoxical reactions are rare, in susceptible individuals, they can increase both depression and anxiety. At the time that I was prescribed benzos, I was already in a state, but these made me much, much crazier.
I was a lifelong insomniac (trouble falling asleep, restless sleep, and extremely early waking since childhood) until a doctor prescribed me trazodone last year. Now I sleep like a baby. Trazodone is AWESOME!!
No problem. That was just general information for anyone that reads this thread because people differ wildly in how they respond to psychiatric drugs. The amphetamine reference threw me off however because I did feel like I was on Crystal Meth when I was on Effexor but l know lots of people get good results from it. Everyone just needs to be an informed consumer and no doctor can judge the results as well as the patient can.