Posted by Thrud on October 18, 2001, at 1:29:18
In reply to Lamictal and Sleep, posted by Roo on October 17, 2001, at 12:57:28
> Anyone else out there have trouble sleeping on lamictal?
> I've just started and am on a low dose--only 25 mg's, and
> also couldn't sleep on 12.5 mg's. I'm really restless
> and wake up often throughout the night.I also take prozac.
> I really feel the AD effect of lamictal and like it. I
> remember I felt the same way when I first started prozac--
> it helped my depression but I couldn't sleep. It took a
> couple of months, but it finally went away.Yes, I find sleep difficult on Lamictal, even after many months on it. I am on 200 mg per day and 3 mg per day of Xanax. I take 1 mg Xanax just before I go to bed, and it keeps me sleeping soundly until maybe 5 am or so. Then it loses its effect and I begin to have vivid dreams which destroys the quality of my sleep. Without Xanax I get *no* proper sleep.
I am thinking of substituting the 1mg bedtime Xanax for 5 or 10mg of Valium, which is longer lasting.
Maybe you could discuss adding a bedtime benzo to your Lamictal? I know dependency can be an issue but for me the benefit/cost ratio of benzos in terms of effectiveness is absolutely out-of-sight compared to ADs and other neuroleptics. Generally, you can expect resistance to my suggestion from most docs, which is a pity.Thrud
poster:Thrud
thread:81489
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011015/msgs/81563.html