posted
I have been on Levaquin for two weeks now and my insomnia which I had before starting it is much worse. I am literally awake the entire night and walk around during the day like the living dead. The treatment is supposed to be for 3 months and I don't think I can take it. I've tried elavil, Klonopin, Tryptophan, 5-Htp and other things for sleep without reprieve. Has anyone experienced severe insomnia from the drug and if so what did you do? Someone told me Benadryl helps but that sounds too extreme to me. Please help!
Posts: 425 | From NY, United States | Registered: Mar 2005
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5dana8
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7935
posted
I also have big time trouble falling to sleep.Worse when I am herxing.I am not on Levaquin but on alot of abx .
It takes a elephant dart to put me to sleep at nite. I do manage to get 10 -12 hours sleep over the years.For me what help the most has been low dose doxepin I take.It keeps me in deep ream sleep.
Falling to sleep is an all togeather different story. I asked my LLD about adding benadril to my nite nite brew and he thought it was fine.
I don't think you should take anything without asking your LLD but I think you could ask about the benadryl.
I think when we go thru treatments it's really important to get some sleep. So when we sleep our body's can go into heal mode.
Take care and hope you get some sleep
-------------------- 5dana8 Posts: 4432 | From some where over the rainbow | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
I take 500mg of Levaquin once a day, with breakfast. I have no problems with sleep now that my Lyme symptoms have decreased significantly, with the medication. This medication is very effective in killing Lyme in me. I was completely disabled last year and now I am walking without the walker and am almost pain free. I still can't overdo it and stress will set me back, what's new, right? Anyway, this is the best I have felt in years. Lisa
Posts: 134 | Registered: Dec 2002
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liz28
Unregistered
posted
I also found levaquin to be a harsh drug, and had to quit after a month. But I found the insomnia, while still a little problem, responds to other things. First, I took Marnie's advice and started on 400mg/day of magnesium citrate ($8 bottle). Also, there's valerian, melatonin, calcium/magnesium/zinc supplements, and ambien broken up into 5mg when I go to sleep, and 5mg when I wake up.
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posted
Patience is a virtue. I herxed like the dickens on Levaquin but it was worth the suffering. Maybe they need to lower your dose a bit.Remember you will herx every 3-4 weeks on an effective medication because that is the cycle of the Lyme.
Also, the average time before feeling better is 18 months, if you don't hop from meds to meds.
My doc has helped thousands over the years and they go to great expense to fly from all over the U.S. to see him.
posted
I had severe chronic insomnia for 7.5 years that got a lot worrse when I went on abx (from herxing, presumably). I was the same as you, nothing helped...during the worst phases I had to take upwards of 4 mg of Klonopin a night to get any sleep at all. (I do not recommend this! My doc said it was OK for the short term.)
What finally worked for me was neurofeedback (biofeedback of the brainwaves.) I see a neurotherapist and train at home with an EEG machine that hooks up to my computer. I've been doing it three years. After 2.5 months of training, there was a marked improvement in sleep. I began to fall asleep quickly and sleep soundly through the night, and over time I was able to reduce my Klonopin to 0.25 mg.
For me the neurofeedback has been a god-send. Am doing so badly now that I can't even imagine what I'd be like if I weren't sleeping!
Bec
Posts: 21 | From NY | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
I have severe insomnia when I am herxing...it could be that the Levaquin is killing a lot of bugs...I have heard it goes after Bartonella too.
I have also heard though that it can cause sleeping issues....
So hard to know what is herxing and what are reactions...
Take care and hope you can get some zzzsss soon.
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