sleep study (PLMD) and health issues - will CPAP help?

[49er]

yes I only fell asleep for one of the 5 naps. I am hoping that the actual study will tell me more. I take Ambien CR and have been on Ambien. They don't really work for me. I have to be in bed with eyes closed and then either one only has a 50% chance of working. What I do take for sleep is Soma, klonopin, abilify, trazadone and a crap load of melatonin. Right now I'm up to 50mg of it! I want off these meds as much as possible. I fight my tiredness during the day w/ caffeine tablets, which the Dr. make me quit for a week before my study, yes I take that much.

Sorry that this is a little off topic, just want to get all the facts out there so the wonderful people here can share their experiences and give me an idea of what to expect.

Rynn01,

Like Kteague, I am furious at all the meds you have been put on. Conventional medicine at its finest.

As one who previously slowly tapered off of a cocktail of 4 psych meds, I would strongly urge you to be very cautious when tapering off of the meds even though you want to get off of them yesterday. Normally, I would say work with your doctor but if this is the person who put you on all these meds, i would find someone else.

49er

[Rynn01]

After reading all this, I really want my report. Seems what they're telling me is just raising more questions than answers. No doctor really ever put me on melatonin, even though my last Rhumatologist did mention taking some when I woke in the middle of the night, but I wasn't on as much as I am now (50mg). I always tell them I take it, but I started it myself at 3 mg when I couldn't go to sleep with my regular meds. I figured it was best to go up on that instead of rx drugs. I have to quiet my busy mind to go to sleep.

We're military, so none of my current Drs started any of my meds except Abilify. Except for the Soma, my psychiatrist (pdoc) prescribes the current meds along w/ Effexor for the AM. The Soma was given to me when I had fibro (now just CFS) and it became part of my night meds. The rest except for trazadone, are for anxiety and my depression. So I would say that trazadone is my real sleep med, just my anxiety gets really bad at night (busy mind). To top all that off, my neuro wants me to start zomig and depakote for my migraines, but I've been putting it off cause I'm sick of the meds. Pdoc wants to see how the sleep works out before changing any meds since DH is about to be deployed for 6 months. Thanks for mentioning tapering off. I'm well aware that that is what I'd have to do for most of them, especially as long as I've been on them (most 8+ years). Even though I may stop the trazadone and try the depakote.

I would say that it is fatigue mostly. My mother used to say that as soon as I knew what it meant, I would complain of being tired. Been checked for anemia so many times I can't count. I always say that I'm tired, not sleepy. Every time I get a new doctor, I ask them to completely start over on trying to find out whats wrong, but they are to used to just prescribing rx's. All my labs always come back fine.

Since I am changing all my drs except pdoc, I just get confused on if I should start the new meds and my sleep study is done with a new med thrown in the mix, or just hold off until it's done. My trial with the CPAP is going to be a week from Sunday, and I see the dr on the following Tuesday.

[49er]

Hi Rynn01,

Yup, doctors think meds are wonderful and never stop to think that maybe the patient is on too many of them. Since changing your meds could affect your sleep, I would be reluctant to make any changes until after the titration. But you might want to call your doctor's office for advise on this since I am not a doctor.

But if you seriously want to decrease your meds or get off of them and I understand if you don't, you really need to be assertive whatever doctor you are going to and say that it is time for you to start tapering as these meds are making you feel worse and not better. That is why I did with my former psychiatrist who I know didn't approve. But it was my life that was being ruined by these meds and no one was going to stop me.

If you decide to stop the Trazadone, I wouldn't cold turkey it since you could be in for a lot of hurting.

49er

After reading all this, I really want my report. Seems what they're telling me is just raising more questions than answers. No doctor really ever put me on melatonin, even though my last Rhumatologist did mention taking some when I woke in the middle of the night, but I wasn't on as much as I am now (50mg). I always tell them I take it, but I started it myself at 3 mg when I couldn't go to sleep with my regular meds. I figured it was best to go up on that instead of rx drugs. I have to quiet my busy mind to go to sleep.

We're military, so none of my current Drs started any of my meds except Abilify. Except for the Soma, my psychiatrist (pdoc) prescribes the current meds along w/ Effexor for the AM. The Soma was given to me when I had fibro (now just CFS) and it became part of my night meds. The rest except for trazadone, are for anxiety and my depression. So I would say that trazadone is my real sleep med, just my anxiety gets really bad at night (busy mind). To top all that off, my neuro wants me to start zomig and depakote for my migraines, but I've been putting it off cause I'm sick of the meds. Pdoc wants to see how the sleep works out before changing any meds since DH is about to be deployed for 6 months. Thanks for mentioning tapering off. I'm well aware that that is what I'd have to do for most of them, especially as long as I've been on them (most 8+ years). Even though I may stop the trazadone and try the depakote.

I would say that it is fatigue mostly. My mother used to say that as soon as I knew what it meant, I would complain of being tired. Been checked for anemia so many times I can't count. I always say that I'm tired, not sleepy. Every time I get a new doctor, I ask them to completely start over on trying to find out whats wrong, but they are to used to just prescribing rx's. All my labs always come back fine.

Since I am changing all my drs except pdoc, I just get confused on if I should start the new meds and my sleep study is done with a new med thrown in the mix, or just hold off until it's done. My trial with the CPAP is going to be a week from Sunday, and I see the dr on the following Tuesday.

[Sludge]

...Effexor for the AM.

Did you take Effexor on the morning of the MSLT?

[Rynn01]

49er - My pdoc is supportive of me getting off some of the meds. He was actually quite happy when he heard that I had a sleep study done. He's pretty conservative for a pdoc, not trying to throw new meds at me and is willing to help me get off some of these meds. We're just worried about my depression getting worse while trying to get off and/or try to change to something that works better overall.

Sludge - yes, I took Effexxor the morning of the test and the next morning during the nap part. Why?

I was torn between taking all my meds for the test and not taking them, but the last 2 studies I had done (in Ga, and ND), I didn't take them and they couldn't get enough data cause I didn't sleep long enough. I know it has an affect on my sleep.

[49er]

49er - My pdoc is supportive of me getting off some of the meds. He was actually quite happy when he heard that I had a sleep study done. He's pretty conservative for a pdoc, not trying to throw new meds at me and is willing to help me get off some of these meds. We're just worried about my depression getting worse while trying to get off and/or try to change to something that works better overall.

Sludge - yes, I took Effexxor the morning of the test and the next morning during the nap part. Why?

I was torn between taking all my meds for the test and not taking them, but the last 2 studies I had done (in Ga, and ND), I didn't take them and they couldn't get enough data cause I didn't sleep long enough. I know it has an affect on my sleep.

Glad to hear it. Again, I am not a doctor but tapering very very slowly off of the meds or when you're switching to another med might be a good strategy to pursue since tapering too fast can cause rebound symptoms, including depression.

49er

[Jay Aitchsee]

Rynn, 50mg melatonin? That's 10 to 100 times the normal recommended dose (0.5 to 5 mg). A possible side of effect of melatonin is to worsen the symptoms of depression. I'm just sayin'.
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplemen ... =MELATONIN

[Sheffey]

Rynn, 50mg melatonin? That's 10 to 100 times the normal recommended dose (0.5 to 5 mg). A possible side of effect of melatonin is to worsen the symptoms of depression. I'm just sayin'.
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplemen ... =MELATONIN

You are right Jay. There is a thread on here somewhere about Dr. Michael Breus appearing on the Dr. Oz show. He said new studies show the correct dosage is 0.5 mg.

They also said melatonin only works for those whose bodies are not producing enough melatonin. This is mostly people over 55 or so.

Most melatonin on the market is in sizes of 1, 2 or 5 mg - these are all too large dosage.

Before I knew this I tried 3 mg several times. Each time I was in a funk the entire next day and I am a person who has never been depressed in my life.

5 mg melatonin is 10 times too much, 50 mg is frightening.

[kteague]

The more I read the more concerned I am. Please receive this with the spirit in which it is offered. I have been in the place of making bad decisions due, I believe, to my thinking being impaired by being so medicated. I suggest you make NO decisions about your medications (not even the Melatonin) without an advocate who is willing to make sure the decision doesn't contradict rational thinking. If you don't have that person present in your life, run things by the group here at least for input. Even if/when there is no one close to play the advocate role, some friends need to know exactly what you are doing, the possible complications, and to keep a close eye on you and encourage you to talk about everything you're thinking. Maybe even journal with an agreement with someone trusted that you will share your journal with them daily. Please, please, please hear me on this. I am very fortunate to even be alive to share these words with you. And you are very fortunate to have a group of people showing you that there can be life after getting bogged down in these situations.

Now, first things first... Does anybody know if there are adverse consequences to reducing melatonin quickly or what rate of reduction is recommended?

[greatunclebill]

my wife and i take a bunch of medications. we have a list on the computer and update the names, dosages and times per day when any change is made. when we go to any doctor for any reason, we print out a current list of all prescribed and otc medications including my cpap and her cpap w/o2. that way every doctor we see for any reasons knows every drug we're taking.

[Sludge]

...yes, I took Effexxor the morning of the test and the next morning during the nap part. Why?

MSLTs are used chiefly to look for narcolepsy, and I am making the assumption that was what they were looking for in your case. Finding 2 SOREMs (see above) is indicative of N.

Effexor (venlafaxine) is another REM suppressor, so if you did fall asleep, you probably not would not (could not) have had any REM, so the test would have been a false negative.

[Sludge]

Now, first things first... Does anybody know if there are adverse consequences to reducing melatonin quickly or what rate of reduction is recommended?

Perhaps a better question to ask would be:

"What is the half-life of oral melatonin?"

[ChicagoGranny]

I don't recommed 50 mg, but it apparently is not as bad as it sounds. Here it is stated no significant toxicity up to 2,000 mg doses.

Doses of 1-2,000 mg melatonin given to healthy volunteers cause no significant toxicity. Intravenous administration of melatonin displays one compartment pharmacokinetics (14). Tablets are absorbed following oral administration, but appear to undergo extensive first pass metabolism (23). Melatonin is metabolized rapidly in the liver to hydroxy metabolites, possibly by cytochrome P450 isoenzymes 1A2 and 2C19. Oral bioavailability is estimated to be 15% for the parent compound. Elimination half-life is approximately 45 minutes with a total body clearance of 10 hours for a 3 mg dose.

http://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/herb/melatonin

ChicagoGramps

[Rynn01]

kteague and everyone else, thanks for the support and caring comments. I learned alot about medicines from my mother who was a nurse and sick with alot more than I have. I'm the first to admit that I know just enough to make me dangerous. I don't really have anyone close by, especially since my husband is deploying soon. I don't have the energy or motivation to meet many people. Hoping the CPAP changes that some.

[Red Bug]

I'm new to this forum and I've been scanning through cpap/depression. I just read a post that mentioned taking Ambien CR and wanted to share my experience with Ambien.
My husband had sleep problems and our primary care prescribed him Ambien. He took it for several months. I kept noticing a change in his personality but couldn't figure out what was going on. I mentioned it to my niece. She said, "Isn't he taking Ambien for sleep"? She said, "I bet that's what's wrong". I went home and googled Ambien and I could not believe how dangerous this drug is psychologically!! Some people can not get off of it. They are addicted to it. This drug needs to be investigated!!!! I printed out a lot of the info and showed it to my husband the next morning. He could not believe it!!! He promised to stop taking it. Thank God he was not addicted to it.

I told him if he ever started taking it again that I would leave because I was not going through that again!! So far he has not taken it again.

This stuff is bad news! DON'T TAKE IT!!! IT absolutely changed my husband's entire personality for the worse!! Thank God he was able to stop it and then he returned to "normal".