Posted by Sad Panda on June 2, 2004, at 7:03:45
In reply to Re: Problems with stopping Restoril » rainbowlight, posted by King Vultan on June 1, 2004, at 17:08:06
> > Pdoc switched me from Restoril, 15 mgs. which I have been on for 3 years to Halcion for sleep. The Restoril didn't seem to be working after I stopped taking the Remeron with it. She didn't have me wean, just made the switch. I feel horrible, agitated, depressed and weepy. Is there withdrawel effects such as these when making the switch? Will I get any day time anxiety relief with the Halcion like I did with the Restoril? This is my first time on Halcion. It is putting me to sleep, but I am waking early and not able to get back to sleep.
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>
> Trazodone is probably worth trying if you haven't already. It is a sedating AD and is much less apt to cause weight gain than Remeron. As far as Halcion vs. Restoril, Halcion has a very short half life, similar to the widely prescribed Ambien, and as Panda points out, you will have more of a tendency to wake early. However, my pdoc feels that Ambien can be used every night because it is sitting on the receptor for such a short period of time that tolerance is unlikely to develop; perhaps the same is also true of Halcion. I am going to ask him about it when I see him Friday, as I am still suffering from relatively bad MAOI insomnia. I am waking up about every hour and a half throughout the night, and even five hours straight of sleep sounds pretty good compared to that.
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> Todd
>Trazodone would be good, Serzone & Nortriptyline would also be worthy, they are all 5-HT2A blockers which increase deep sleep & keep you asleep while doing it. Other TCA's such as Trimipramine or Doxepin might be worth trying too, carb cravings & weight gain with one sedating AD doesn't mean that is the case for all AD's. Seroquel & Zyprexa are AP's that I would only try in desperation. Here in Australia Serzone has been removed from the PBS, so it joins Trazodone as a drug I can't try. :/
Cheers,
Panda.
poster:Sad Panda
thread:351739
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040602/msgs/352942.html