cipralex (escitalopram) - can't sleep!!

anyone else having trouble sleeping with this antidepressant? couldn't sleep before, but really can't now- what to do?

Sometimes, just taking it first thing in the morning, is enough of an adjustment to impose the most congruent sleep/wake pattern on the drug's effects. If it alerts you, take it when you're waking up. It will be worn off as much as it's going to, by the time night-time rolls around.

If that's not enough, you might benefit from magnesium supplements. For some people, it's like flicking a switch. Sleepy just comes on over for a visit.

Or melatonin. Just use the lowest possible dose. I break the standard 3 mg tablet into pieces roughly 1/8 of the original size. The standard dose is way too large for some people.

Or, there are hypnotic medications that can be safely added in with the antidepressant. From the brand name you're using, you're not an American. Different regions of the world have vastly different medical approaches to treating insomnia. I hope you're in one of the more liberal regions. Getting depression to remit, but at the price of restorative sleep, is hardly an optimal outcome.

Best,
Lar

I agree about taking an antidepressant in the morning. IDK why most doctors scribe it for before bedtime... but everyone I know does better with it in the am.

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Larry_Hoover said:
Sometimes, just taking it first thing in the morning, is enough of an adjustment to impose the most congruent sleep/wake pattern on the drug's effects. If it alerts you, take it when you're waking up. It will be worn off as much as it's going to, by the time night-time rolls around.

If that's not enough, you might benefit from magnesium supplements. For some people, it's like flicking a switch. Sleepy just comes on over for a visit.

Or melatonin. Just use the lowest possible dose. I break the standard 3 mg tablet into pieces roughly 1/8 of the original size. The standard dose is way too large for some people.

Or, there are hypnotic medications that can be safely added in with the antidepressant. From the brand name you're using, you're not an American. Different regions of the world have vastly different medical approaches to treating insomnia. I hope you're in one of the more liberal regions. Getting depression to remit, but at the price of restorative sleep, is hardly an optimal outcome.

Best,
Lar

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Larry's got some excellent advice. I can attest to the power of magnesium. I currently take 125mg 4x daily of magnesium taurate. It's helped my anxiety immensely. Magnesium glycinate is also good. Most OTC magnesium supplements are magnesium oxide - which isn't absorbed as well as the other two forms I listed.

Jerry