sleep disturbances with SSRIs

BillieTheBot

i started on venlafaxine (effexor/venlalic) a week ago due to a nervous breakdown, and while the side effects during the day have mainly gone, im not yet really feeling any improvement in mood apart from normal fluctuations in mood - ie good days and bad days. yesterday was absolutely hideous, and today im reasonably functioning (not good, but managing) thankfully as my mum has been helping me with the children all week to help but im back on my own today .

The main thing seems to be i want to go to bed early (yesterday was 8.45) and have no trouble dropping off like i used to (i used to have a little smoke and then fall asleep and sleep all night more often than not)
Now i fall asleep ok, but i wake in the early hours and cannot fall back to sleep. I had the same when i tried citalopram. The only way i can get back to sleep is with a sleeping pill. The doctor has already told me that i cant have sleeping pills long term, but not enough sleep is a MAJOR trigger at the moment. I need a lot, or im an absolute mess. I used to be able to do it, but now if i dont get a good 7 or 8 hours, preferably more, i literally cannot cope with life, and going back to bed during the day if i dont get it, doesnt work, as i dont seem to get back to sleep, i just lie there feeling in anguish and mental and physical pain and crying.

has anyone else had the waking early side effect? If it continues, i wont be able to continue with the antidepressants

Former Member

Really sorry to hear about the nervous breakdown.

I've had waking early but I think it is a sign of depression for me rather than being associated with medication. Generally worse depression causes you to wake early I think (that's what one professional told me). Maybe your depression has got worse in the last few days? I would wait to see how it settles down with the Venlafaxine. When I was on it I got stomach related side effects but my sleep was unaffected.

*hug*

PM me anytime x

Former Member

the doctor tried to tell me it was just a symptom of the depression, but i dont believe it is, because it only happens to me on ssris

I want to give the medication a chance, but having a smoke doesnt seem to work in the middle of the night like it does for trouble initially dropping off. When ive tried, i just lie there stoned, but awake, or sometimes it sends me into an anxiety spin, so im probably going to knock that on the head, which is a shame, as ive had sleep problems for years, and it was working so well for it, with no side effects up till now.

Former Member

Have you tried Sominex? I find them more effective than presription only sleeping tablets like Zopiclone and Temazapam.

Just a suggestion.

Former Member

Have you tried listening to some soothing music in some headphones? This is what I do and drop right off.

Former Member

ill try sominex maybe. I have zolpidem and temazepam which sometimes work, sometimes dont.

music or anything keeps me wide awake, as do most things

Skive

Shame GHB isn't legally prescribed as a sleep aid.

Former Member

fucking sleeping pills have stopped working. been awake since 1.30 am

two zolpidem, a massive pipe of weed, a herbal pill from the health food shop with some natural melatonin thing in it, rescue remedy night stuff, and one of my anti psychotics, and i still just lay there awake. Why cant i fucking sleep.

On the plus side, i just feel tired, rather than like my world is ending, which i usually feel like when i dont sleep, but my sleep is now officially worse than ever.

Former Member

I get this sometimes, when nothing works, for me writing is very helpful just blast out everything on my mind, get up out of bed and then usually i only lose an hour or so. Maybe you need to change sleep aids? I found my zolpidem tolerance developed pretty fast.
I don't really know of any other helpful suggestions seeing as I'm guessing you've tried all the "usual" tricks the docs give out. Do you sleep in the day at all?

Former Member

i think ive tried everything. I can rarely sleep in the day. I dont usually have the opportunity, but even when i do, sleep doesnt come. I can be crying with fatigue and it never ticks over into sleep

Former Member

I've got No More Sleepless Nights book
http://www.amazon.co.uk/More-Sleepless-Nights-Peter-Hauri/dp/0471149047/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326636443&sr=8-1
It is so boring the first time I read it I feel asleep for three hours. One suggestion in the book is going to bed a bit later.

Former Member

IF I go to bed later, i start panicking that im not giving myself long enough.

my brain hates me

Former Member

last night started feeling really panicky and anxious in the evning, so took two fluanxol and a propanalol. Felt genuinely tired so went to bed at 10. Couldnt sleep. Smoked a pipe at 11ish, nothing, temazepam at about 12.30. nothing, zolpidem at 2ish. Finally got some sleep at 3ish.

I dont think these tablets are going to work if ive got to take a concoction like that every evening. I cant just ride that out. Ive got 3 kids to get up early for every morning

Former Member

have been prescribed valium

Former Member

Have you thought about doing a workout? You could buy a cheap exercise bike from Argos and get yourself working out which would possibly help with sleeping.

Former Member

i found i slept better when i first took up running, but it quickly wore off.

The problem isnt that im not exhausted enough, because im completely exhausted. It just doesnt seem to translate into sleep

**helen**

Hey Suzy,

This is really crap for you - the feeling of sheer exhaustion and that not then tipping into sleep sounds excruciating

Based on what you've said in this thread there are a couple of points I've identified that may be worth trying to vary...

1. Get out of bed when you can’t sleep. Don’t try to force yourself to sleep. Tossing and turning only amps up the anxiety. Get up, leave the bedroom, and do something relaxing, such as reading, drinking a warm cup of caffeine-free tea or taking a bath. When you’re sleepy, go back to bed.

It sounds like panicking about not being able to sleep is becoming part of the problem? Whereas maybe if you are aware that you're unlikely to sleep and resign yourself to getting up and reading a book, then you may drop off?

2. Move bedroom clocks out of view. Anxiously watching the minutes tick by when you can’t sleep—knowing that you’re going to be exhausted when the alarm goes off—is a surefire recipe for insomnia. You can use an alarm, but make sure you can’t see the time when you’re in bed.

You said that you feel anxious when you think about how little time you have to sleep - do you find yourself clock watching quite a lot?

This came from here - http://www.helpguide.org/life/insomnia_treatment.htm

Fully aware that you've already tried so many things and this may not make any ounce of difference, but just wanted to let you know I care and am thinking of you. *hug*

Former Member

im already tired when i go to bed. Im tired when im lying there, and needing to sleep, it just doesnt come. Its not because im not sleepy.

Skive

SuzyCreamcheese wrote: »

have been prescribed valium

I hope that works for you. Most people find temazepam a better aid to sleep than diazepam (Valium) but as you say temazepam doesn't always work for you.

Former Member

temazepam is good, but my tolerance builds so quickly, if i take it more than two days in a row, it doesnt work.

Its a never ending battle cos i cant rely on any one thing or have a routine because ive constantly got to try new things or go round in circles

Skive

SuzyCreamcheese wrote: »

temazepam is good, but my tolerance builds so quickly, if i take it more than two days in a row, it doesnt work.

Its a never ending battle cos i cant rely on any one thing or have a routine because ive constantly got to try new things or go round in circles

GHB always helped me sleep but unfortunately it's illegal

http://www.ceri.com/feature.htm