Posted by KaraS on September 10, 2004, at 21:00:56
In reply to Re: Trouble sleeping - please help » KaraS, posted by zeugma on September 10, 2004, at 19:48:53
> hi kara,
>
> i appreciated the help you gave me from the earler thread, so i will write this although i'm in the evening fog :) I think noradrenergic meds are the way to go for long-term reregulation of the sleep cycle. Many report they have less need of sleep, without a concomitant increase in fatigue, on an NE reuptake inhibitor other than the notorious Strattera. Both the noradrenergic locus coeruleus and the serotnergetic raphe are intimately involved in the sleep/wake cycle; however, while both serotonergetic and noradrenergic AD's promote waking, noradrenergic meds seem to do so in a way that takes less of a toll on sleep itself. I remember that I never slept better than when I was on nortriptyline and Strattera at the same time. OTOH MAOI's cause intense insomnia regardless of how 'stimulating' or 'sedating' the med is considered to be; hence Nardil causes intractable insomnia as often as Parnate, so I think these terms are somewhat misleading when considered in terms of their effect on sleep. Maprotiline, if it worked for you, is definitely better long-term than a benzo (sorry for the categorical tone of that, I'm tired enough to be less careful than usual with my phrasing :))
>
> -z
>Hi z,
I think it should work out that if you manage to find something(s) to fix the depression, then it should also take care of the sleep problems. If the the neurons finally have what they need, then the system should be in balance and you should be able to sleep well at night... and I should win the next big lottery jackpot because I deserve it!
But, back to the real world... noradrenergics:
Good to know about their effect on sleep. I just wonder if I'm a candidate for any of them. Nortriptyline made me so wired I couldn't sleep at all. I haven't tried Strattera. Desipramine was also way too stimulating. Reboxetine is probably quite similar. I haven't heard of anyone's sleep being helped by Wellbutrin - though they may require less sleep as you say. I think my only realistic option in this category is Strattera (unless I'm forgetting something?).I didn't know that all of the MAOIs disrupted sleep. As you could probably tell, I was assuming that the more sedating Nardil might help with sleep. Thanks for the clarification.
I'm going to check out a few options that people have recommended but somehow I fear I'll go back on Maprotiline and get fat again.
BTW, I thought of you yesterday at my new job as I struggled to get beyond the fatigue and brain fog to understand what they were trying to teach me.
Hope you're adjusting well to the start of school.
Thanks again for all your help.
Kara
poster:KaraS
thread:388936
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040909/msgs/389412.html