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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by morel1 on December 27, 2003, at 18:32:17
I have trouble sleeping for a while and have already posted for exp on seroquil which i got a good response for and am thankful but i was looking at the med Buspar. I have these racing thoughts before i go to bed. I always dream and usually i know im dreaming and sometimes control my dreams. Its like im somewhere between concious and sleep unconcious if that makes sense? I figure Buspar will maybe slow my "overactive" mind and get a deep sleep. Tried Xanax, Ativan, Benydryl and ivoline a sleeping pill. Pretty much same effect. sleep for 5 hours and then have broken sleep. Anyway exp. with Buspar anyone - particularly insomina related to anxiety
Posted by zeugma on December 27, 2003, at 19:21:00
In reply to Exp on buspar ??, posted by morel1 on December 27, 2003, at 18:32:17
> I have trouble sleeping for a while and have already posted for exp on seroquil which i got a good response for and am thankful but i was looking at the med Buspar. I have these racing thoughts before i go to bed. I always dream and usually i know im dreaming and sometimes control my dreams. Its like im somewhere between concious and sleep unconcious if that makes sense? I figure Buspar will maybe slow my "overactive" mind and get a deep sleep. Tried Xanax, Ativan, Benydryl and ivoline a sleeping pill. Pretty much same effect. sleep for 5 hours and then have broken sleep. Anyway exp. with Buspar anyone - particularly insomina related to anxiety
I responded to your other thread, but can respond at a little greater length here (I'm just waking up myself out of some really weird sleep/wake states....) I find Buspar gives me more 'quiet' less agitated sleep. It is actually prescribed to people suffering from SSRI-induced bruxism (grinding of teeth). Also, TCA's can help stop the lucid-dream states you're describing. Benzodiazepines like Klonopin or Xanax can actually worsen these. I took .25 mg Klonopin this morning, and took a series of naps where I felt like I was in between sleep and waking... weird, unsettling, and very uncomfortable. I got up and took my nortriptyline, which clears my head of this. In a couple of hours it will make me sleepy enough to get some real sleep. I usually take Buspar right before going to bed. It isn't a great anti-anxiety med, but it helps me a lot with the sleep/wake transition.
Posted by morel1 on December 27, 2003, at 19:47:18
In reply to Re: Exp on buspar ??, posted by zeugma on December 27, 2003, at 19:21:00
> > I have trouble sleeping for a while and have already posted for exp on seroquil which i got a good response for and am thankful but i was looking at the med Buspar. I have these racing thoughts before i go to bed. I always dream and usually i know im dreaming and sometimes control my dreams. Its like im somewhere between concious and sleep unconcious if that makes sense? I figure Buspar will maybe slow my "overactive" mind and get a deep sleep. Tried Xanax, Ativan, Benydryl and ivoline a sleeping pill. Pretty much same effect. sleep for 5 hours and then have broken sleep. Anyway exp. with Buspar anyone - particularly insomina related to anxiety
>
>
> I responded to your other thread, but can respond at a little greater length here (I'm just waking up myself out of some really weird sleep/wake states....) I find Buspar gives me more 'quiet' less agitated sleep. It is actually prescribed to people suffering from SSRI-induced bruxism (grinding of teeth). Also, TCA's can help stop the lucid-dream states you're describing. Benzodiazepines like Klonopin or Xanax can actually worsen these. I took .25 mg Klonopin this morning, and took a series of naps where I felt like I was in between sleep and waking... weird, unsettling, and very uncomfortable. I got up and took my nortriptyline, which clears my head of this. In a couple of hours it will make me sleepy enough to get some real sleep. I usually take Buspar right before going to bed. It isn't a great anti-anxiety med, but it helps me a lot with the sleep/wake transition.
>
> ----------------------------Thanx for the response,
I'm glad you mentioned you experienced these "lucid" dream states like I have. Apart what I feel - I have GAD disorder because of racing heart rate from time to time shaking hands and stomach upset for no apparent reason at all just happens - what I'm sure you realize is i'm after that elusive deep sleep. and GAD i can live with and has never really been a big prob for me. A couple for stupid questions but what does TCA stand for and what do u think would be a good one for me and what class of drug is notriptyline - and is a drug that you find is most beneficial for sleep. Thnx Zeugma for your help
>
Posted by zeugma on December 27, 2003, at 21:43:06
In reply to Re: Exp on buspar ??, posted by morel1 on December 27, 2003, at 19:47:18
TCA= tricyclic antidepressant. Nortriptyline helps me sleep, more so at doses above 50 mg/ day. Nortriptyline is a TCA.
The 'lucid dreams' and so on seem to be symptoms of narcolepsy. I get sleep paralysis when not on meds, and lately on Klonopin too, which is common in narcolepsy. I'll be dreaming, but also aware of body position, and I'll get rushing sensations and headaches, and I'll try to wake up but it's a struggle (and I feel awful for the rest of the night). Tricyclics block these kinds of states. Other drugs useful in narcolepsy include Provigil 9to help with daytime sleepiness), stimulants like Ritalin, and Xyrem, which helps induce deep sleep. I have no experience with any of these.
I've found that Buspar does help, and it's an easy drug to get prescribed (i.e. it has no abuse potential). An interesting book, which goes into the phenomenon of lucid dreaming, as well as the drugs that influence sleep process, is "The Dream Drugstore" by J.Allan Hobson. He says that benzodiazepines and especially SSRI's can interfere with restful sleep, which I have found very true in my experience.
Posted by morel1 on December 27, 2003, at 22:25:18
In reply to Re: Exp on buspar ?? » morel1, posted by zeugma on December 27, 2003, at 21:43:06
> TCA= tricyclic antidepressant. Nortriptyline helps me sleep, more so at doses above 50 mg/ day. Nortriptyline is a TCA.
>
> The 'lucid dreams' and so on seem to be symptoms of narcolepsy. I get sleep paralysis when not on meds, and lately on Klonopin too, which is common in narcolepsy. I'll be dreaming, but also aware of body position, and I'll get rushing sensations and headaches, and I'll try to wake up but it's a struggle (and I feel awful for the rest of the night). Tricyclics block these kinds of states. Other drugs useful in narcolepsy include Provigil 9to help with daytime sleepiness), stimulants like Ritalin, and Xyrem, which helps induce deep sleep. I have no experience with any of these.
>
> I've found that Buspar does help, and it's an easy drug to get prescribed (i.e. it has no abuse potential). An interesting book, which goes into the phenomenon of lucid dreaming, as well as the drugs that influence sleep process, is "The Dream Drugstore" by J.Allan Hobson. He says that benzodiazepines and especially SSRI's can interfere with restful sleep, which I have found very true in my experience.
------------------------------------
Thanx again for your response,By the way how long did u take nortriptyline til u saw a response. As well as with the Buspar. I will look for that book and into more depth at that TCA and narcolepsy. I never experienced sleep paralysis though and if you mean rushing sensations like if you fall off a skate board or something in a dream then i guess i have felt that (if this is making any sense to you? I really appreciate all this help you have given me. I'll just keep truckin. I figure im 23 and its best to focus on this now as soon as possible so I can start enjoying life to its full potential. thnx again Zeugma
Posted by zeugma on December 28, 2003, at 15:51:47
In reply to Re: Exp on buspar ??, posted by morel1 on December 27, 2003, at 22:25:18
Hi morel1,
I moved up very slowly on the nortriptyline, and it took a long time to straighten out my sleep problems. After i started taking 50 mg nortriptyline plus 30mg buspar there was unmistakable improvement. But I was in terrible shape when I started taking nortriptyline, and I think that had a lot to do with the slowness of my response. On the good side, its effects became more positive as time went on. It got me out of a really horrible place.
Posted by morel1 on December 28, 2003, at 19:03:50
In reply to Re: Exp on buspar ??, posted by zeugma on December 28, 2003, at 15:51:47
Thanks Zeugma,
I guess you suffer from somekind of narcolepsy but I dont think i do. I'm going to look into that book and buspar. Side effects for Buspar dont seem too bad. I really hope the psy doc I'm going to see will be a good one. I don't know where you're from but in Ontario it takes a while to get an appointment. I'm not looking forward to New Years for the first time. I guess I'm depressed- but oh well life goes on. Happy New Year!!!! Somethings gotta give right?
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