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Re: cyclic insomnia - have you tried Paxil?

Posted by Leanne on November 22, 2001 at 00:13:24:

In Reply to: Re: cyclic insomnia - boy is that the truth posted by Yuck ...the monster on November 09, 2001 at 05:08:56:

Hi all,

This is my first post. I have been reading your conversations about cyclic insomnia. I started having sleeping problems when I was 21. I am now 28 and it effects my daily life significantly. I seem to cycle, 3 weeks good sleep, one week bad sleep...sometimes its the reversed. It doesn't cycle with my period and my doctor doesn't know why I cycle but its getting worse as I age.

I am wanting to become pregnant hopefully before 30 but I worried. I want a baby and have been married 7 years but I wonder how my sleep issues will be affected.

If you haven't tried Paxil give it a go. I am currently using it with great success. I did go through a few days of waking up with vertigo (feeling like I was spinning-or on a ship) at the beginning. I ran out of my prescription briefly and went through sever insomnia (hyper-awake), then when I resummed I had the vertigo again for a few nights. But otherwise as long as I keep taking 10 mg. a night (3 months so far) it works like a dream (ah to dream...).

I have tried practically everything else with no long term solutions: herbs-such as valarium, kava kava, etc. (they each worked for about six weeks then stopped), amitriptyline (worked at 10 mg. for two months, then 20 mg. for a month, then 40mg, etc... went up to 150 mg. but it only works 1/2 the time), over the counter sleep aids make me hyper. So I am really hoping paxil works for the long run.

I am currently taking 10 mg. and sleeping great! I have found that I need to take it one hour before bed (for best results) but sometimes it works within 15 minutes. I also seem to be able to handle stress better during the day. My only on going side effect is that I swear I am sweating more (but not to bad enough to stop-just more).

From what I can tell, paxil seems o.k. for pregnancy or at least not proven to be bad. I am taking such a low dose I feel confident that it won't affect any future baby.

One caution to anyone thinking of taking amitriptyline - higher doses (80 mg. and up) can make you feel highly drugged for up to 8 hours after waking up. Also it gets a D- (very bad) rating for pregnancies. Do not take it if you are not using excellent birth control (that is what my doctor said).

Well happy rest all. I would love to hear how others are doing - so I will check back here later.

-Leanne

P.S. I know doctors say cycle-insommnia is all in our heads but I am a well balanced stable person...who just can't sleep.

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