Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 920790

Shown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Is 6mg of Lunesta too much

Posted by tiopenster on October 13, 2009, at 10:48:36

I'm on Lyrica which works great for my anxiety, but it gives me insomnia. The only thing that seems to work is 6mg of Lunesta. Is that too much? Benzos leave me hammered for the next day. I can't tolerate meds that affect serotonin and Ambien makes me hallucinate. Sonata doesn't work. Any other options or is 6mg of Lunesta okay?

Thanks

 

Re: Is 6mg of Lunesta too much » tiopenster

Posted by yxibow on October 13, 2009, at 11:22:06

In reply to Is 6mg of Lunesta too much, posted by tiopenster on October 13, 2009, at 10:48:36

> I'm on Lyrica which works great for my anxiety, but it gives me insomnia. The only thing that seems to work is 6mg of Lunesta. Is that too much? Benzos leave me hammered for the next day. I can't tolerate meds that affect serotonin and Ambien makes me hallucinate. Sonata doesn't work. Any other options or is 6mg of Lunesta okay?
>
> Thanks

Sonata is pretty weak for a number of people I think.

How much Ambien were you taking to actually hallucinate... was this as you were going to sleep, or the next day ?

Most psychotropics for anxiety and depression touch serotonin transmitters to some extent -- what makes you think that you can't take anything that "affects serotonin" ?


At any rate... 6mg of Lunesta is high.. however, when I took it I needed 4mg. Insurance though would only pay for 3mg. Its getting into the iffy zone of safety I would say.. could you back down on your Lunesta for a bit and then go a little higher so you're not blasting yourself with it?


Since you claim you can't tolerate any medication with "serotonin" affecting -- I can't suggest to you amitriptyline 10mg, which is fairly effective for some people, although it affects NE a bit more if I recall.


The only other thing I would say is the OTC Unisom doxylamine succinate formulation.


It does puzzle me that something that calms your anxiety would keep you up at night which personally would be my expression of anxiety and agitation, but I know there are a lot of side effects to me.


I wish my [unnamed insurance] didn't need specific PAs for Lyrica now (didnt before) because I want to try it again (it did change my acuity to 20/30 before though)...

-- tidings

 

Re: Is 6mg of Lunesta too much

Posted by Phillipa on October 13, 2009, at 22:05:44

In reply to Re: Is 6mg of Lunesta too much » tiopenster, posted by yxibow on October 13, 2009, at 11:22:06

Iv'e taken 3mg with valium and slept well. Lyrica no experience with. Can't take benzos and lunesta? Phillipa

 

Re: Is 6mg of Lunesta too much » tiopenster

Posted by yxibow on October 14, 2009, at 2:20:57

In reply to Is 6mg of Lunesta too much, posted by tiopenster on October 13, 2009, at 10:48:36

> I'm on Lyrica which works great for my anxiety, but it gives me insomnia. The only thing that seems to work is 6mg of Lunesta. Is that too much? Benzos leave me hammered for the next day. I can't tolerate meds that affect serotonin and Ambien makes me hallucinate. Sonata doesn't work. Any other options or is 6mg of Lunesta okay?
>
> Thanks

Looking at that again, what exactly do you mean by "Benzos", because there are way over a dozen of them and they have completely different properties.

Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata, they're all pseudobenzodiazepines and they also touch the GABA receptors, so if you've taken benzodiazepines a fair bit there's cross-tolerance.

At any rate, I'd have to know which benzodiazepine "leaves you hammered" and just how much you're taking for sleep to get a real sense of the situation

-- tidings.

 

Re: Is 6mg of Lunesta too much

Posted by tiopenster on October 14, 2009, at 9:38:03

In reply to Re: Is 6mg of Lunesta too much » tiopenster, posted by yxibow on October 14, 2009, at 2:20:57

If i take 1.5mg of Xanax (1mg won't do the trick) then I'm hammered the next day. The same is for Klonopin. I haven't tried the others.

 

Re: Is 6mg of Lunesta too much

Posted by yxibow on October 15, 2009, at 14:14:02

In reply to Re: Is 6mg of Lunesta too much, posted by tiopenster on October 14, 2009, at 9:38:03

> If i take 1.5mg of Xanax (1mg won't do the trick) then I'm hammered the next day. The same is for Klonopin. I haven't tried the others.

I understand... 1.5mg of Xanax is a fair amount -- I wouldn't be surprised if it left you groggy.


Xanax is a pretty fast acting drug and has a short half life -- it shouldn't actually leave you 'hammered', but with the amount you've taken I wouldn't be surprised.


Klonopin can give that feeling, it is a long acting benzodiazepine.

Neither are indicated for sleep although some people use them.

Have you tried Restoril ? (temazepam) Its more indicated for sleep -- I can't tell you whether you will be 'hammered' or not, most sleep agents have some feeling of that afterward, its just a question of how much.

A weaker benzodiazepine is oxazepam (Serax), its not prescribed too much because of that, generally more for geriatric use because it doesn't go through the liver, just the kidneys.

Librium is the weakest and is used these days only for alcoholism withdrawal.

I wouldn't suggest Dalmane, as it is a very potent sleep agent, much more than Restoril.


As for the rest of the suggestions, I'd try amitriptyline (although mostly NE, it has 5HTP too)

Otherwise doxylamine.


In general -- if you know when you need to get up, and you have these after effects, I would tack on about 1-2 more hours backwards when you take it for sleep. That way it has time to leave your system the next day. It might do the trick. Just a suggestion

-- tidings


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