Quote:
Originally Posted by Skies
Your Dr. put you on beta blockers for anxiety or is that for another health condition?
If I was in your situation, I'd probably be looking for a new doctor. But in the meantime....I'd ask the Dr. about quitting the beta blocker if prescribed for anxiety and not a health condition and take Ambien while waiting for the AD to take effect. If that didn't help, I'd reduce the Zoloft to 25. If that doesn't work, I might increase the Ambien and keep on 50 mg of Zoloft for a couple of weeks. If I still had problems, Celexa, Lexapro, or Prozac might be worth trying.
Zoloft isn't a bad option for anxiety-unless it doesn't work. If your anxiety skyrocketed after the Zoloft, it seems really odd that a Dr. would increase it just yet, by that much especially.
Magnesium at bedtime can really help, too, but probably not for anxiety to the extent you are experiencing (but think of it for long term issues). Lack of sleep is a catalyst for that kind of anxiety; unfortunately. It sounds like you are in a cycle. I wouldn't take Trazadone if sleep is that bad--that drug is known to be unreliable for some. I wouldn't go that route until it's under control. Low dose Amitriptlyine can be good for long-term sleep issues if Trazadone doesn't work.
Some anti-depressants actually disrupt your sleep architecture, making you worse off. Zoloft, I think, is one of the better ones.
I personally think beta blockers for anxiety is a horrible, horrible idea. For anxiety and insomnia that is this out of control, starting with Ambien or Lunesta until your leveled out enough for another long-term option seems so much more reasonable. I think you are right to question the 100 mg Zoloft. I wonder if your Dr. has a schedule IV Rx phobia, or did you have problems with addiction in the past?
I've had insomnia all my life. I'm sorry it is so horrible for you.
|
Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply! I am starting to wonder if the beta blocker can be causing the insomnia, although it didn't the last time I was on it. I actually am looking for another doctor sorta, lol! The beta blocker is prescribed for occasional heart palpitations, which happen with panic. I was on them originally for a month and a half, and then stopped and I was okay until this all started again. I agree that I'm in a cycle- low sleep = more anxiety = worse sleep because I obsess over it. When I get enough sleep (at least 5-6 hours, more is better of course) I am okay the following day and sorta think the Zoloft is working. Recently I had a bad night of no sleep (Thursday night, got like 2.5-3 hours) but the next day, I forced myself to function and I was as human as possible. And I wasn't as worried as I have been when this happens, which I attributed to the Zoloft. This is why I think jumping to 100mg is a bad idea. I am certain my doctor would not prescribe any z drugs like lunesta or ambien because of their addictive nature, he shamed me for taking lorazepam that I had from an ER doctor for a week when this all started and I couldn't sleep. It was the only thing that helped. He made me think I got dependent on it and I'm still worried that was part of the problem - that maybe I'm withdrawing from it. I took it 6 times across two weeks, and it's been almost three weeks, so who knows. Anyway moral of the story is, still trying to figure out!