[desperado]

Hi everyone,

I'm having serious sleeping problems. I know I am severely depressed & sleeping probs are a textbook symptom of depression. However, I have just began prozac (taken only for 12 days now) & my sleeping is even more screwed up.

Here's the problem: I go to bed around 11 p.m. I do feel incredibly tired (another textbook sign of depression, but also a reaction from the prozac, for sure), but unfortunately, I do not feel sleepy until approx 3 a.m. or so. I get up b/w 12 a.m. & 3 a.m. to read, watch t.v. or surf the web to help put me asleep.

I usually fall asleep after 3-3:30 a.m. each night. But, my sleep is very broken (yes, another symptom of depression), as I wake up & toss & turn several times during the night.

I usually wake up around 7:30-8:30 a.m., which is when I take my prozac (only every other day, though). I am COMPLETELY ZOMBIE-LIKE at this time & extremely drowsy. I fall back asleep (still broken sleep) until roughly 11:30 a.m. or 12:30 p.m. Even then, when I wake up, I am so drowsy, dizzy & tired, I could still sleep for another few hours.

I am not too active during the day, b/c I am experiencing such adverse side effects from the prozac that it makes normal functioning pretty much impossible. For eg, I am incredibly dizzy, very, very lethargic, experience migraines & am just very "drugged out". I do, however do small activities such as prepare my meals, housework, small errands - but ONLY at VERY small intervals, with lots of breaks.

Yesterday was the 2nd time I went for a walk - to the store. It was approx 1 1/4 hours, and I thought the fresh air & exercise would help tire me out to make me sleep better. But low & behold, here I am, at 1:33 a.m. writing this post. UUUGGGGGHHHHH. I DETEST not being able to sleep properly....I am so very sensitive to lack of sleep....does ANYONE (including the dr's here) have ANY feedback? Suggestions? Should I perhaps take my prozac in the evening???? Do you think the side effect of sleeping problems will eventually wear off, once my body adjusts to the prozac? (Currently, I take 20 mg every other day).

I really would love some feedback (pls & thx) b/c I currently do not have a psychiatrist to ask. I only see my GP every two weeks & she's not as informed re: psychiatric drugs & their potential side effects as most psychiatrists.

Again, I'd really appreciate any feedback or suggestions, as I'm going crazy here. Thanks.

d

[desperado]

Ooooooops, I forgot to mention smthg important: I am on a benzo to help me sleep (which I take @ bedtime) - 1.0 mg of clonazepam. I have been on this darn drug for ~ eight yrs. I would never have agreed to take it, had I known that it was potentially addictive & only meant for short-term use. (My psychiatrist conveniently neglected to mention this). I later discovered these problems while studying meds in an "Abnormal Psychology" university course. Needless to say, I am really upset & do not wish to be on the benzo, so over the past while, I have gradually weened myself down from a higher dosage.

Also: I have tried light yoga before bed & also listening to relaxation CD's, which helped relax me more, but no luck in helping me fall asleep faster.

Any suggestions on good yoga DVD's or relaxation CD's?

Thanks.

'Night, 'night (yeah, right....I wish....who am I kidding?).

d

[psisci]

What dose of prozac? This may be contributing to your problems. Klonopin, despite many ane cdotal reports is not good for sleep. It interferes with the normal sleep cycles, and actuallys leads to certain forms of sleep deprivation. I would start a slow taper of the klonopin at about .25 mg every few weeks, and get on Ambien CR. I would also suggest you exercise every day, and take this very seriously.

[desperado]

20 mg (every other morning) of Prozac.

Yes, I also knew that Klonopin disrupts the normal sleep-wake cycle & so I'm really trying hard to get off of it, by gradually decreasing the dosage at your exact suggestion: o.25 mg. I have been on as much as 4-8 mg (I know, crazy high dosage) for a two month period last summer, but now after working very hard, I am down to 1 mg/night.

Yes, I will keep exercising every day....don't worry, I take it very seriously b/c I cannot function on ~ three hrs of broken sleep (which is what I got last night). It's just so difficult when I'm exhausted & feeling so depressed. I find "just" getting out of bed a ton of work.

I'm curious why you suggest Ambien CR. Does "CR" stand for 'Controled Release'? Is it as potentially addictive as benzodiazepines? How long should one be on it for?

Thanks.

[psisci]

CR is controlled release indeed, and it helps put you to sleep and to stay asleep just like the commercials say. I have used it myself and it works well. Coming off benzos is really hard, but stick with, your system will get back to normal. PM me if you want to chat more...

[InACorner]

I know exactly how your feeling. Except im not taking anything. When i do sleep at night, depending on my mood i fall asleep really early and wake up often and then im like awake until 3 then go back to sleep not that i sleep i just lay there and then around 5 or 6 i fall asleep and wake up around 9 or 10...sometimes i pass all of that and go to sleep around 3 or 5 and wake up around 9...when i do get a nights sleep i remember dreams and usually they are bad ones..when i dont get a good nights sleep usually i dont remember anything and i am dead to the world but the thing is i feel sooooo tired all day along and all i want to do is lay around ...grrr

[InACorner]

pm me if you need anything good luck and i hope you have a better sleep scheduale soon!!!

[bryan239]

Hey, I just wanted to tell ya im right there with you! Im not taking anything for my depression but I cant sleep at all. I do manual labor all day 6 days a week, 10hrs a day...and I should be sleeping like a baby when I get home. I go to bed and lay down around 10- 1030 and wont fall asleep till about 3-4am and im up a 7am and at work by 8am. There has been so many times that I wont fall asleep till 5am! Its horrible! When I do get my day off I sleep but at most 6hrs. I have no idea how im still able to get up and go to work...I guess im use to it!

[so_it_goes]

Most people get a "boost" when starting Prozac that usually tappers off in a month or so. desperado, your dose every other day is so small, from my experience, I don't see how you could benefit at all. BUT I AM NOT A DR.

[txstarrrynites]

Sorry you are having problems with your meds. Sounds like you need to try another one. Prozac is making you a walking zombie.
Also, try taking your medicine at bedtime. Good luck!
I've been there and it isn't fun.

[desperado]

Thx, Ina. I know, it sucks having insomnia.

[desperado]

Holy cow, Bryan.....how the heck do you work, let alone function w/o sleep???

I could never do that. You're a trouper.

[desperado]

I agree, my dose was low. Now I'm on 20 mg every day. Sleep is still seriously compromised, however.

Thanks for your post.

[desperado]

Hi

Thanks for your post.

I know, a walking zombie is NOT fun at all. The drowsiness is a bit better since I switched to 20 mg every day, but if it keeps up like this.........need to switch.