Antidepressants

izzyb · Post by **izzyb** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 12:37 pm

I was reading another thread started by someone who still feels tired and fatigued after a year or more of treatment. Sounds like me. What perked my interest in scanning the posts was a response by snoredog that mentioned SSRIs causing spontaneous arousals. I don't really know anything about spontaneous arousals, but I would like to know more about them in connection with SSRIs. I have been off and on different antidepressants for years. Could this be my problem with not feeling any better after 1 1/2 years of therapy?

izzyb

skjansen · Post by **skjansen** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 2:34 pm

izzb:

I know my doctor told me that antidepressants make dreams so vivid that they tend to arouse you, I definitely find this to be true. I take an AD to control anxiety so I have had to choose between out of control anxiety or being a little tired because of waking during my dreams. I chose waking as anxiety made it impossible for me to function at the high level that I wanted to.

Hope this helps. Perhaps some one else will chime in with their thoughts.

Country4ever · Post by **Country4ever** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 7:21 pm

Oh Dang.
I'm just finally sleeping through the nights, and have just started on an SSRI. Bummer. I sure hope it isn't true.
but like skjansen, I would choose waking up occasionally over the anxiety any day!

rocketdork · Post by **rocketdork** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 8:12 pm

I noticed a distinct change in my sleeping habits when I started taking an AD. I was able to sleep longer, but found no more rest. I found if I took the pill in the morning, the days were miserable, but when I took the pill at night, I could at least function during the day. I don't take the AD because of depression, but rather for IBS. The dosage I take is low and is not time released. Once daily for me.

Given a choice between "arousals" and the pain of IBS, I'll take a little fatigue any day.

Of course, I've just been diagnosed with OSA, so I don't know how my treatment will go, I'm still trying to get setup with a xPAP machine, etc.

Country4ever · Post by **Country4ever** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 6:44 am

After a week on half dose of an antidepressant, I am waking up every hour or 2. I will be totally bummed if this continues. At least I go back to sleep quickly. I sure hope we don't have to decide between sleep or anxiety.

rocketdork...........I noticed that when I take a beta blocker, my IBS settles down. I'm wondering if that would work for you, instead of the antidepressant?

bap40 · Post by **bap40** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 7:42 am

I have been taking anti-depressants for about 20 yrs. I have no problems with it waking me up during the night or those vivid dreams. I do take my meds at night since they can make me sleepy if I take them in the morning. So far so good with the combination of the machine and the drugs.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 8:33 am

I've also been taking AD for many years. I went through quite a few drugs before I found what that a) works and b) doesn't cause lots of side effects. I tried a few that wrecked havoc with my system and kept me from sleeping well and/or being knocked out all day.

Like CPAP masks, there's no one "right" AD for everyone who needs it and it takes time to find one that is "right" for you. It usually takes at least 2-6 weeks to really know if something is going to work. It can take less than that to rule out something with bad side effects.

I just kept after my doc (and he was very helpful) until we found what worked.

Mindy

bap40 · Post by **bap40** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:15 am

Same story here... I tried many, many of them and had side effects from all of those tried. Now, I have been on this particular drug for a few years and all is well.

Deneb · Post by **Deneb** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:46 am

From my experience, I can say that it's also very much the case that side-effects, including effects on sleep, are very often worse during the first week or two on a new antidepressant. So if you just started on a medication, and found that your sleep feels wrong again, don't immediately worry that there's no hope for having both medication and decent sleep. (Nothing makes me have trouble with sleep like worrying about how I'm going to sleep!) You might be fine in a week or so. If you aren't, work with your doctor.

I just started with my xPAP this month, and my doctor is very excited to see if my symptoms of depression and anxiety improve. I've got my fingers crossed!

Country4ever · Post by **Country4ever** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:47 am

I've had fibromyalgia with severe fatigue and all its funky symptoms for many years. I hope I can tell the side-effects from all this other garbage.
When you've had to switch, do you just switch over to a similar dose of another drug, or do you have to slowly come off the old and slowly go up on the new? I could die of old age before finding the right one.
I'm trying not to ask people about side-effects or look them up on the Internet. You know how that can go.

mindy · Post by **mindy** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 10:04 am

Country4ever wrote:I've had fibromyalgia with severe fatigue and all its funky symptoms for many years. I hope I can tell the side-effects from all this other garbage.
When you've had to switch, do you just switch over to a similar dose of another drug, or do you have to slowly come off the old and slowly go up on the new? I could die of old age before finding the right one.
I'm trying not to ask people about side-effects or look them up on the Internet. You know how that can go.

Best to ask doc about the "how to" of switching. I think it depends on the drug and what the "half-life" is.

Mindy

Country4ever · Post by **Country4ever** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 12:11 pm

I've heard that ADs take 2 months at least, to really start doing their thing. I'll be sure to give it at least that long, before considering switching.
Plus, I go through so many different phases with my sleep quality........my waking up so much at night might not even be related to the AD.

silver123 · Post by **silver123** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 12:13 pm

some of the newer class of drugs can have some anxiety provoking effects. It depends on the drug, the dosage and the person . A different one might work better for you.

The older class of drugs, tricylics, have been used to treat fibromyalgia and other conditions because of their sleep aiding effect.

Keep working with your doc. How you go on and off them depends on the drug, how long you have been taking them, at what dosage, etc.

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