Posted by King Vultan on June 7, 2004, at 12:15:38
In reply to HELP! Trouble sleeping all night on Effexor XL!, posted by Colleen D. on June 7, 2004, at 11:15:10
> Is it the norepinephrine that could be causing this? I am on 150mg and haven't had a problem falling asleep around 10 or 11 pm, but then I wake around 3 and can't get back to sleep until 5 and then my children wake me up at 6:30. Not enough sleep for a stay-at-home mom with a 4 yo, a 2 yo and a 9 mth old! I have been more motivated during the day even with less sleep, but I know it's going to catch up with me soon. I am taking the Effexor at 8 pm. Does it help to take it in the morning instead?
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> Thanks!
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> Colleen
It could be either the serotonin or norepinephrine or both. In my case, I had insomnia on the SSRIs Prozac and Zoloft, as well as on the selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors Strattera and desipramine, so drugs that work on either neurotransmitter give me insomnia. For me, the insomnia on the SSRIs was decidedly worse, while the drugs that worked on norepinephrine gave me a less severe insomnia and simultaneously seemed to reduce the need for sleep.I know what you're talking about with your Effexor insomnia because that was basically was my experience in the years I was on it (I took the standard version, mostly 2 x 37.5 mg/day or 2 x 75 mg/day). The big problem was that I would wake up as you do and then find it most difficult to get back to sleep. I resisted using a sleep aid during that time, which I now feel was somewhat foolish of me. I am currently on an MAOI that works on all three of the main neurotransmitters involved with mood, and this drug is giving me insomnia much more brutal than what I experienced on Effexor; although, like the NE reuptake inhibitors, it also simultaneously reduces the need for sleep. I am currently alternating 0.125 mg Halcion one night with 50 mg Benadryl the next, and also playing a special sleep/relaxation CD the whole night. This seems to be combating the insomnia fairly well.
Todd
poster:King Vultan
thread:354514
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040602/msgs/354534.html