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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Janelle on April 13, 2002, at 16:19:26
I have TERRIBLE insomnia - cannot get to sleep at night until the wee hours, then I drag all the next day, and I'm growing increasingly anxious about this situation. A concerned friend said that rather than add yet another *drug* to my mix, that I should try 5-HTP which is *natural* and can be bought in a health food store and that this helps with sleep.
Anyone here know if this is true? Anyone with any experience with it? Any input greatly appreciated.
Posted by fachad on April 13, 2002, at 23:05:23
In reply to Can 5-HTP help with SLEEP?, posted by Janelle on April 13, 2002, at 16:19:26
Janelle,
I'd be careful about 5-HTP because it can cause serotonin syndrome if you are taking anything that increases serotonin. Since you are already taking Effexor, you should ask your pdoc before you take 5-HTP.
The best OTC sleep med I've found is doxylamine. It is much more powerful, to me anyway, than benadryl (diphenhydramine). It comes in 25 mg tablets. If you look for it, be sure it is doxylamine, because dihpenhydramine is a much more common ingredient, and it doesn't work nearly as well as doxylamine.
Anyway, if you get some it says take 1 tablet, but I have found several places where it says it's ok to take up to 4 tablets (100mg). I usually take 1 or 2.
I'm taking it now with my lorazepam because it makes me sleepy, whereas lorazepam does not.
> I have TERRIBLE insomnia - cannot get to sleep at night until the wee hours, then I drag all the next day, and I'm growing increasingly anxious about this situation. A concerned friend said that rather than add yet another *drug* to my mix, that I should try 5-HTP which is *natural* and can be bought in a health food store and that this helps with sleep.
>
> Anyone here know if this is true? Anyone with any experience with it? Any input greatly appreciated.
Posted by Janelle on April 14, 2002, at 2:44:20
In reply to Re: Can 5-HTP help with SLEEP? » Janelle, posted by fachad on April 13, 2002, at 23:05:23
Fachad,
As always you are very helpful to me. Thank you ever so much for the *warning* about 5-HTP and the possibility that it can cause serotonin syndrome if you are taking anything that increases serotonin (which as you noted, I am with the Effexor).
I've kind of "been there, done that" with serotonin syndrome awhile back when my pdoc added Luvox to my mix (while I was on Effexor but a lower dose than I am on now), she titrated me up on the Luvox very quickly because I had intense OCD type symptoms and eventually I developed signs of serotonin syndrome. NOT PLEASANT.
Funny you should mention OTC meds because my next thought was indeed Benadryl! However, if I go the OTC route, I will look for the doxylamine you recommend.
Is there a BRAND NAME for an OTC med that has doxylamine in it or should I just read labels? Will it be with antihistamines like Benadryl (is it even an antihistamine?)
I hope it is not as *drying* as Benadryl -- I took that once or twice and the next morning my nasal passages were dry, my throat was dry, yuck.
Thanks very much for the info!
Posted by fachad on April 14, 2002, at 9:29:40
In reply to Fachad - thanks, more: » fachad, posted by Janelle on April 14, 2002, at 2:44:20
Some brand names for doxylamine are Decapryn, Nighttime Sleep Aid, Sleep Aid, and Unisom.
But be sure to read the package because these brands also have sleep aid products that contain diphenhydramine (Benadryl) instead of doxylamine. Also, the "no-name" store brand of doxylamine, usually labeled "Sleep Aid" is cheaper.
For me, it is much more sedating, much longer lasting, and not as drying as Benadryl.
It does take a while to kick in, so you may want to take it 2 hrs before your desired bedtime.
Also, it always comes in little blue 25 mg tabs. Sometimes for me I only need ½ tab, or 12.5 mg, but before you give up on it be sure to try 2, 3, or even 4 tabs. (4 tabs = 100mg is the max dosage.)
> Fachad,
>
> As always you are very helpful to me. Thank you ever so much for the *warning* about 5-HTP and the possibility that it can cause serotonin syndrome if you are taking anything that increases serotonin (which as you noted, I am with the Effexor).
>
> I've kind of "been there, done that" with serotonin syndrome awhile back when my pdoc added Luvox to my mix (while I was on Effexor but a lower dose than I am on now), she titrated me up on the Luvox very quickly because I had intense OCD type symptoms and eventually I developed signs of serotonin syndrome. NOT PLEASANT.
>
> Funny you should mention OTC meds because my next thought was indeed Benadryl! However, if I go the OTC route, I will look for the doxylamine you recommend.
>
> Is there a BRAND NAME for an OTC med that has doxylamine in it or should I just read labels? Will it be with antihistamines like Benadryl (is it even an antihistamine?)
>
> I hope it is not as *drying* as Benadryl -- I took that once or twice and the next morning my nasal passages were dry, my throat was dry, yuck.
>
> Thanks very much for the info!
Posted by MoBe on May 16, 2005, at 14:32:43
In reply to Re: Fachad - thanks, more: more on doxylamine » Janelle, posted by fachad on April 14, 2002, at 9:29:40
> Some brand names for doxylamine are Decapryn, Nighttime Sleep Aid, Sleep Aid, and Unisom.
>
> But be sure to read the package because these brands also have sleep aid products that contain diphenhydramine (Benadryl) instead of doxylamine. Also, the "no-name" store brand of doxylamine, usually labeled "Sleep Aid" is cheaper.
>
> For me, it is much more sedating, much longer lasting, and not as drying as Benadryl.
>
> It does take a while to kick in, so you may want to take it 2 hrs before your desired bedtime.
>
> Also, it always comes in little blue 25 mg tabs. Sometimes for me I only need ½ tab, or 12.5 mg, but before you give up on it be sure to try 2, 3, or even 4 tabs. (4 tabs = 100mg is the max dosage.)
>
>
>
> > Fachad,
> >
> > As always you are very helpful to me. Thank you ever so much for the *warning* about 5-HTP and the possibility that it can cause serotonin syndrome if you are taking anything that increases serotonin (which as you noted, I am with the Effexor).
> >
> > I've kind of "been there, done that" with serotonin syndrome awhile back when my pdoc added Luvox to my mix (while I was on Effexor but a lower dose than I am on now), she titrated me up on the Luvox very quickly because I had intense OCD type symptoms and eventually I developed signs of serotonin syndrome. NOT PLEASANT.
> >
> > Funny you should mention OTC meds because my next thought was indeed Benadryl! However, if I go the OTC route, I will look for the doxylamine you recommend.
> >
> > Is there a BRAND NAME for an OTC med that has doxylamine in it or should I just read labels? Will it be with antihistamines like Benadryl (is it even an antihistamine?)
> >
> > I hope it is not as *drying* as Benadryl -- I took that once or twice and the next morning my nasal passages were dry, my throat was dry, yuck.
> >
> > Thanks very much for the info!
>
> Hi allI find doxylamine or Unisom 2 very effective in helping me sleep. However, I have 2 questions. It has a very long half life (ie. 10 hours). Do any of you have any effective means of counteracting this in the morning, so you are not sedated all day? I read somewhere that if you take it very early on the evening this helps. How long does it take before it makes you sleepy? Does it affect sleep architecture?
Thanks.
MoBe
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