METALLlC BLUE
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6628
posted
Since I'm having more difficulty sleeping now that I've begun using Levaquin (And Rifampin and LDN soon), I will need to switch from Ativan to something longer lasting. I tried Valium but had a paradoxical effect.
My LLMD suggested Seroquel, but my primary is suggesting Xanax or Klonapin (Since I'm already on Ativan.)
How have people responded to Konapin and Xanax (As well as other Benzos) for sleeping? Did anyone successfully switch from Ativan to one of these?
-------------------- I am not a physician, so do your own research to confirm any ideas given and then speak with a health care provider you trust.
djf2005
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11449
posted
Mike-
They are all basically the same.
I switched to Ativan recently from Xanax w/ no effect.
Everyone is different and you might find benefit from trying a different benzo, but for those of us who have used benzos for more than a year or two, they all kinda blur together and lose affect.
If you were going to try it, I'd suggest klonopin over xanax as most report better success sleeping w/ that than ativan or xanax.
I have not experienced any side effects from switching from xanax to ativan since they are so similar. Neither really work anymore so I will be stoppping them soon.
Derek
-------------------- "Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you."
posted
From what I understand, Xanax is more quick acting and klonopin is longer lasting. Xanax is supposed to be better for panic attacks and faster relief.
However, because xanax is quicker acting and has a shorter half life, in may be more addictive and harder to come off of later.
With that said, I am currently taking klonopin but more for anxiety than sleep, but I was on xanax years ago and didn't have any problems coming off of it after abx treatment as long as I tapered it.
sutherngrl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16270
posted
I am on Xanax now and was on it years ago, and didn't have trouble getting off of it then at all. It is not really for sleep, it is for anxiety, but it relaxes you so it can help with falling alseep but not staying alseep.
I take Ambien for sleep.
Posts: 4035 | From Mississippi | Registered: Jul 2008
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METALLlC BLUE
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6628
posted
I've tried Ambien, Trazadone, Elavil, Sonata, Lunesta, Ativan, Valium, and a long list of others for Sleep. The only one that worked was the Ativan. I have no idea why. All I know is now I can't sleep and I've got to get onto something else. I also don't want to gain a **** load of weight, which I know Seroquel may cause. Klonapin apparently causes that too when used for awhile.
-------------------- I am not a physician, so do your own research to confirm any ideas given and then speak with a health care provider you trust.
posted
I love Xanax! Used it for anxiety and sleep at various points in my life. A tiny dose did the job, so I could break the pills in halves or quarters if I just needed a little something to help.
ESG
Posts: 424 | From Connecticut, USA | Registered: Nov 2003
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Ditto what ESG said about the Zanax! I love the stuff!!! When I started to treat Bart. with Rifampin the sleep and anxiety got real bad. I would take Zanax at night and since it has a short half life --- if I would wake up I could take another one per my LLMD. I have tried all the stuff you have too (except the Seroquel)and nothing really helped as well for me. I some times took it with herbs too like Melatonin and Passion Flower to help get to sleep faster and keep me asleep.
I use it for over a year and when my sleep got better from treatment I had no problems getting off it either.
Posts: 476 | From Columbus, Ohio | Registered: Aug 2007
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gwb
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7273
posted
About four months ago I had my first ever anxiety attack. I thought I was going to lose it, seriously. It came out of nowhere and for no reason (that I knew of).
Anyway, when I had my first attack I called my LLMD and told him what was going on. He Rx'd me 1mg Xanax. Waaaaay too much for me! Made me very tired and sleepy.
Now I only take 1/4 mg when needed. Haven't had any problems with addiction to it as I only take it when I have an attack. Some days no attacks, other days several.
Bottom line, I'm glad to have this stuff available when I need it.
Starfall1969
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 17353
posted
Geez, I wish Xanax would have made me sleepy!
I took one and wanted to jump off the roof and kill myself.
I was taking it for anxiety, but taking that multiplied my anxiety and made me absolutely manic.
Posts: 1682 | From Dillsburg, PA | Registered: Sep 2008
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djf2005
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11449
posted
That's the thing, all these drugs affect everyone differently....
-------------------- "Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you."
posted
I have found the only thing that helped me sleep was Ambien: Xanax will help you get to sleep, but it wears off in four hours & I woke up with all kinds of anxiety symptoms.
Posts: 360 | From New York | Registered: Oct 2009
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posted
Valium is known to sometimes increase depression. Xanax is not as likely.
Xanax is much shorter acting than Klonopin. Klonopin is better for long term use (less addicting), and it lasts longer in your system.
Xanax and Klonipin help you sleep by relaxing you so you can sleep. That's great if you have anxiety. Works great for me. psr1 should have been on Klonipin if the Xanax didn't last long enough.
Sleep aids like Ambien, make you drowzy so you fall asleep. (They didn't work for me, but when I tried them, years ago, I was under major anxiety). They do nada for anxiety.
Seroquel is an anti-psychotic and it works differently from the benzos. That might help you since the others didn't work. It should get your brain to slow down.
You might also look into gabapentin which can be used with the others. It's a pain killer which also works for anxiety etc. It's very benign.
My psychiatrist put me on klonipin, gabapentin, and seroquel together after I had a major depressive/anxious episode in my life a few years ago. Fortunately the episode ended after a few weeks. (Hmm, now that I think of it, that episode occurred 3 months after I was reinfected with lyme, and before I was tx or dx. Maybe there was a connection that made everything worse).
Keep trying. Man, you need to sleep, do whatever it takes.
James
Posts: 872 | From New York City | Registered: Jun 2008
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What do you think is keeping you from sleeping? Is your mind spinning? Are you not sleepy? Are you just not passing into sleep?
There are lots of reasons for insomnia. As my babesiosis has abated, I am sleeping much better, actually through the night. If I wake up, I can go back to sleep now, I couldn't do that this whole summer. Xanax worked for me during that time, but you sound like you have much worse a problem.
James
Posts: 872 | From New York City | Registered: Jun 2008
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METALLlC BLUE
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6628
posted
My mind is pretty calm. I'm able to clear it and I read before sleep. Falling asleep was never the issue over the long run. It is the fact that I wake up at the drop of a pin and can't stay asleep. I go in and out of consciousness and finally when morning comes I feel really hungover, like someone hit me with a train. Its like I never actually stay in the appropriate sleep stage where recovery takes place.
With the new medications falling asleep is harder but I adapted to the Levaquin. Next I'll be using Rifampin though -- plus LDN soon enough.
-------------------- I am not a physician, so do your own research to confirm any ideas given and then speak with a health care provider you trust.
djf2005
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11449
posted
Mike-
Have you had a sleep study?
Dr Br in Red bank NJ had me do one, it was discovered I was not getting hardly any stage III or IIII restorative sleep. This also could be your explanation as to why you feel like someone ran you over in the am. I also am this way when not well, it's not fun.
The Dr's solution was to load me up w/ Lyrica, Doxepin, and other drugs that were supposed to induce deeper sleep.
All they did was make me feel more hungover and depressed w/o making me sleep any better.
For me, sleep was one of the last things to resolve when I was in remission last time.
I got well/by w/ 3-5 hours a night, sometimes none for days.
It is not the best way to heal, I admit, but neither are tons of drugs (for me)
I currently use Lunesta w/ a benzo and it seems to give me 4-5 hours (like last night, woo hoo!) if I am lucky.
Hope your sleep improves soon. Like I said, when I was in remission last time (6 month ago) I slept like a baby because I was able to resume semi-normal activities which wore me out enough to get to sleep w/o worrying.
I think alot of lymies (including me) wonder as they get in bed every night if they are going to sleep, how it will affect them the next day, and so on and so forth.
These thoughts have a snowball affect and are hard to overcome when being so sick.
It will improve, hang in there man
Best
Derek
-------------------- "Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you."
Cass A
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11134
posted
Dear Metallic,
With all the data coming out about the serious adverse effects of psychotropic drugs and the amount of $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ that doctors have been paid to promote them AND the recent multi-billion-dollar judgments against drug companies for off-label marketing KNOWING THAT THESE WOULD KILL PEOPLE, I would really re-think this kind of solution. (Most recent--Bloomberg analysis of drug companies as criminal enterprises)
My husband has similar problems regarding any sound waking him up. Have you tried putting something in your room that makes a constant background noise and masks other noises? We use a humidifier and, in summer, a fan.
From all those drugs, you could well be very deficient in B vitamins, which can result in poor sleep, nervous problems, etc. Brewers' yeast or B-Complex vitamins could help with that.
Additionally, calcium and magnesium help relax the body and lead to deep sleep. Liquid is best, as calcium solids are very difficult for the body to metabolize.
Hope this helps.
Best,
Cass A
Posts: 1245 | From Thousand Oaks, CA | Registered: Feb 2007
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posted
My daughter and I both have a terrible time sleeping due to pain. I was taking Valium and she Klonopin with a little success. The doc added Seroquel for both of us and it works like a champ! The only caveat mentioned was that Seroquel is not good for diabetics or those at risk for diabetes.
-------------------- "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain." Anonymous Posts: 450 | From California | Registered: Feb 2008
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