[Robyndx]

Been having pretty bad insomnia for the last four nights which I’m 99% sure is coming from my escitalopram. I’ve been given clonazepam to help the side effects settle but I feel a bit stuck with what to do as it only has helped sometimes with my racing heart etc and doesn’t always get me to sleep - I’m just not sure if I’m taking it at the right times for the best benefit; it’s been prescribed to take as and when but the most I can is 3 times a day. Just looking if anyone has similar experiences or advice!

[cool09]

Escitalopram (lexapro) made me real agitated first time I took it. I was in the grocery store when it hit me and I had to leave very quickly.

[CANDC]

I am not able to comment on particular medications. A friend has benzos prescribed for short term alleviation of anxiety symptoms. There are other psych medications that treat brain dysfunction and promote sleep.

This article specifically says

Because benzodiazepines are a sedative drug, they can have an impact on fatigue and sleep cycles. Using them as the main approach to insomnia treatment is no longer considered the most medically sound approach.

Attention Required! | Cloudflare

My thought would be to go to a psychiatrist who can diagnose your condition and prescribe meds that treat that condition. Often that approach has worked with a friend and they are able to sleep.
@CANDC

[Deejay14]

Have you talked about prop a plop with your doc. Works quite well for me with the racing symptom relief. Also doing diaphramatict breathing can be effective relief in 5 minutes.

[cool09]

diaphramatict breathing

Don't mean to hijack this thread. But I can't breathe properly when I'm having an anxiety attack.

clonazepam

I was on klonopin for years. Initially, it stopped my tremors and it wore off fairly quickly. Xanax doesn't do anything for me nowadays. Was on xanax in 1990's.

[Guiness187055]

I am on 2mg of Xanax a day and 2mg of klonopin for sleep my doctor upped my antipsychotic saphris and poof all anxiety and insomnia went away now I take maybe four or five Xanax a month

[185329]

I feel like an idiot. I remember thinking my Escitalopram was causing my irregular sleep pattern, so I decided to take it all in the morning instead of at night to see if it changed anything. It pretty much didn't change anything. If anything, it may have made my sleep pattern worse. So I switched back to taking it all in the evening instead. My sleep pattern is still not the way I want it to be. Medication regimen is a pretty complicated subject. I remember when I was taking Escitalopram, Zyprexa, and Invega Paliperidone. On this regimen, my sleep pattern was fine. How peculiar? I say this because I have been taking Escitalopram and Olanzapine ODT (the equivalent of Zyprexa Zydis) for the past two+ years, and if I can remember correctly, my sleep pattern has been irregular for at least one year. So if I can assume it's because I am no longer taking the Invega Paliperidone in addition to the other two medications, then logic dictates I should go back on the Paliperidone. Either that or maybe it's just a matter of how much antipsychotic medication I am on. So maybe if I increased my Olanzapine ODT dose to 35mg or even 40mg, my sleep pattern would be fine. I should also say that from March 2018 to about October 2018, I was on Rexulti 1mg instead of Invega Paliperidone 3mg. And while I was on the Rexulti instead of the Invega, if I can recall correctly, my sleep pattern was fine. But seeing how Rexulti, like Invega, is an antipsychotic, maybe all I have to do is increase my Olanzapine ODT and my sleep pattern will improve or even resolve altogether. I'm sorry I did not mention this. It was irresponsible of me.

[Nammu]

Actually there’s a class of medicine that targets racing heart rates, drugs like propranolol and they are not addictive. You might ask your pdoc about those.

[cool09]

upped my antipsychotic saphris

How much saphris are you taking? I'm taking 20 mg. It worked real well 6 wks ago. Now I'm not so sure.

[Guiness187055]

I take 10mg in the am and 10 in the pm been working well for me

[Robyndx]

Originally Posted by Deejay14

Have you talked about prop a plop with your doc. Works quite well for me with the racing symptom relief. Also doing diaphramatict breathing can be effective relief in 5 minutes.

I take propranolol 60 a day but not even sure how much it’s working anymore as I still get uncomfortable feelings when I take it. Also still trying to master the breathing techniques haha

[Robyndx]

Originally Posted by Guiness187055

I am on 2mg of Xanax a day and 2mg of klonopin for sleep my doctor upped my antipsychotic saphris and poof all anxiety and insomnia went away now I take maybe four or five Xanax a month

I’ve never tried xanax, pretty sure my doctor is planning to try pregabalin with me once I take the last dose of clonazepam as a replacement, just have no idea how that one works

[Calla lily12]

I take lorazepam in addition to ambien. I've found if you don't go to bed immediately after taking it, it doesn't work. Ask your doc about antihistamine s. They make you sleepy and they're not addictive.