[*Beth*]

Do you experience all-day sleepiness from an AP or another med? If so, how do you cope?

[Nammu]

I’m on one AP and I don’t experience all day sleepiness. In fact I’m on 20mg of ambien 10mg over the amount recommended for men and I still don’t sleep more than 6-7 hours. There have been times when I was on a ap that made me sleepy but it always wore off quickly

[Blue_Bird]

I take trilafon and thorazine, they make me pretty tired. If I let myself I can sleep like 14 hours. But I usually don't do that. I set an alarm across my room so I have to get up to turn it off, so I typically get 7-9 hours. And I drink a ton of coffee all day long. Getting outside helps wake me up too

[Crook32]

I have been having this problem for a long time. I even ended up in the hospital because of it. I take Focalin which is a stimulant and once I take and get out of bed within 30 minutes I am awake and not taking any naps during the day anymore. I am allowed to take two a day but I am finding out that one gets me through most of the day but I want to go to be around 8 which is actually not a bad thing.

[Soupe du jour]

Like Nammu, I take one AP now and do not experience daytime sleepiness, but I have on my current AP in the past, as well as some other AP (or maybe APs). In all cases, as my body adjusted to the medication, the excess sedation passed. Also, sometimes I would have more sedation if my mood was on the lower end. As my mood improved (or elevated), excess sedation would disappear again.

Right now I take 700 mg Seroquel XR, all at night. I had recently also been taking 50 to 150 mg of regular Seroquel during the daytime, because of growing mania. That PRN did help curb my manic flames, but did not tire me much at all.

I usually fall asleep between 10 pm and midnight and always wake up no later than 7 am, but usually earlier. I'll admit that if my moods are level, I don't exactly jump out of bed into a sprint. It usually takes about an hour for me to pick up speed that I maintain throughout the day.

If I forget my evening medications at my usual time (7 to 8 pm), I always eventually figure it out. How? Because I then can't sleep. If I take it at midnight or later, I will be up until at least 3 am. If I totally skipped my evening medications one night, I would get zero sleep. My psychiatrist told me that is because of my moods. I could see that if I was actively manic, but the same happens even if not manic. I think it is a Seroquel withdrawal effect. Either way, I become unwell even after one missed evening dose. That is not the case with my morning medications (Tegretol and Lamictal), though I never usually forget them more than a one-off.

[bpcyclist]

I hqd it with Risperdal a lot. Zyprexa. Abilify was great. No idea.

[Daonnachd]

In general experience does Ability cause drowsiness? I don't know because I consume several shots of espresso first thing every morning. ... religiously.

[*Beth*]

Thanks for all the replies. Obviously, AP tiredness is a problem for many of us. I'm recognizing, too...admitting to myself...that I'm using sleep as an escape. The sensation of lying down and falling asleep is so pleasant.

I don't recall Abilify causing drowsiness. For me, it caoused akathesia.

I love espresso. Used to drink 3 shots every morning for the 15 years I worked in the cafe. Nice when it was free, too, and I could make my own lattes. Haha, here's one I made. 4 shots, breve. Wish I had it right now.

upload image free

[unaluna]

That looks sooooo good!

Thanks for bringing up this topic. I halved my topamax - mood stabilizer - a week ago because of dizziness (but that may have been from dental work) and sleepiness, but i notice i just posted 3 exclamatory comments (oops make that 4) so i wonder if i cut back too much.

[Daonnachd]

Originally Posted by BethRags

Thanks for all the replies. Obviously, AP tiredness is a problem for many of us. I'm recognizing, too...admitting to myself...that I'm using sleep as an escape. The sensation of lying down and falling asleep is so pleasant.

I love espresso. Used to drink 3 shots every morning for the 15 years I worked in the cafe. Nice when it was free, too, and I could make my own lattes. Haha, here's one I made. 4 shots, breve. Wish I had it right now.

upload image free

Yes, sleep as an escape, a frequent coping strategy for me.

... when evacuated it was quite a hassle to get my daily required caffeine. I had to go to a cafe for it which delayed the process -and I had to pay more for it. My MIL, with whom we were staying, wouldn't allow caffeine in her house for religious reasons. But we're home again so I can make all I want.

[Soupe du jour]

During periods when I did experience daytime sedation, coffee never seemed to help me. However, BethRags, that coffee drink you made looks sooooooo yummy! I'm smiling with a figurative milk mustache right now.

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by Soupe du jour

During periods when I did experience daytime sedation, coffee never seemed to help me. However, BethRags, that coffee drink you made looks sooooooo yummy! I'm smiling with a figurative milk mustache right now.

Coffee, even several shots of espresso, has never acted as a stimulant for me. I suspect there's an interaction with meds. If anything, coffee makes me sleepy.

Glad you enjoyed the virtual latte

[Guiness187055]

Originally Posted by Daonnachd

In general experience does Ability cause drowsiness? I don't know because I consume several shots of espresso first thing every morning. ... religiously.

I actually find abilify to be activating I take 20mg in the morning. I also take 10mg of zyprexa at night.

[Soupe du jour]

Originally Posted by Daonnachd

In general experience does Ability cause drowsiness? I don't know because I consume several shots of espresso first thing every morning. ... religiously.

It's been at least 10 years since I took Abilify. I remember taking it with Lamictal. What I recall was tripping the light fantastic three times per week at ballroom/Latin dance classes. Unfortunately, that combo made me so manic that it landed me in the hospital with psychosis. I recall trying to return to that dance school, but felt unwelcome. I suspect something about my behavior, before my hospitalization, was the cause. Not sure exactly what, but I also remember one man refusing to dance with me. I likely don't want to know.

[Bugtussel]

I'm not sure what is causing my daytime sleepiness. I would even struggle to stay awake driving. I ended up falling asleep at the wheel and crashing into a tree. Totaled my car but I walked away unharmed. I changed jobs and no longer drive a long distance to work. But I still experience the sensation of not being able to stay awake for the first hour of work.

[Nammu]

There’s only two times I can recall being affected by daytime sleepiness, the first was being a teenager I suddenly needed more sleep. The second time I was in my late 30’s early 40. I couldn’t stay awake. I’d practically fall asleep driving to and from work and slept all the hours I was off work. Turned out that I had pneumonia. Had no cough no trouble breathing but I had pneumonia! Weird. All other times in my life sleep has been elusive

[unaluna]

Nammu the pneumonia thing happened to me too! But i only lasted one day before i was diagnosed.

[*Beth*]

The sleepiness is a tiiiny bit better from switching sedating meds to bedtime only. Still need an excessive amount of sleep, though. It's annoying.

[MuddyBoots]

Cold water. Cold showers in the AM after waking up and cold water on my face after taking my afternoon Seroquell.
and lots of coffee/caffeinated tea

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by Sapien

Cold water. Cold showers in the AM after waking up and cold water on my face after taking my afternoon Seroquell.
and lots of coffee/caffeinated tea

Yes! It's true - cold water does help.