San Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 I take 120mg of Geodon (Zeldox in Canada) at night, and be damned if I can sleep through the night. I'm taking some time off Lithium (side effects) but my sleeping was exactly the same on it as off it. Seroquel has worked in the past but the last time I took it I felt like I couldn't swallow and felt very drugged on a "low" dose (for me, at least, I was on 400mg and had been on 900mg in the past). I hate Zyprexa. Any suggestions? My pdoc refuses to give me a sleeping pill. My sleep has always been erratic, but better on different meds. I like Geodon, but I'd kill for 8 hours of sleep. Also, I'm in Canada and a lot of new meds aren't available here. Abilify also isn't covered by insurance and I've heard bad things about it. (Geodon was approved a year ago) Thanks! EDIT: Should I try something OTC for sleep before making a huge switch? The Geodon does help. My pharmacy sells OTC sleeping pills and they'd be able to tell me if there are interactions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 What time do you take the second dose? Perhaps take it earlier in the day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcjimjam Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 I'd say try the OTC sleepers and sleep hygeine stuff (no caffeine after 4pm, no screen an hour before sleep, 30 min exercise in morning, sunlight etc etc.) before changing from a drug that is working for what it's prescribed for. From what I've heard and my experience, I'd say Seroquel is definitely the best for sleep. I had seven years of REALLY bad sleep problems and now I have none at all. I can't see why I'd ever stop taking it. Maybe you went back up a bit fast. 400mg isn't such a low dose when you're restarting it. Could you give it another try? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 I could give it a try, I'll make an appt with the pdoc and get yelled at for wanting to switch again. *sigh* I'll make him taper me up. (My pdoc and I have a love/hate, usually hate relationship lol) Thanks guys. EDIT: Does anyone know the different forms of Seroquel? XR and such? I'm not very familiar with them.. I might be able to get it switched via phone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcjimjam Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 If you want it to help you sleep, stick with regular. If it hits you all at once you're more likely to sleep. I haven't tried XR but people say it's not as good for sleep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 Ok, I shall give my pdoc's office a call. Thanks. *sigh* I really do like Geodon, but dammit, I need 8 hours of sleep a day... and 10 at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
confused Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 I've heard geodon is tricky because it's activating at some doses and sedating at others. Maybe your pdoc could work with you to help you find the best time to take it so you can sleep. I've never taken geodon, but low doses of seroquel (25-100mg) knock me out. I've also taken benadryl, an otc antihistamine to help me sleep. I hope you find something that helps you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Vapourware Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 I reckon improving sleep hygiene and maybe some OTC measures first, then moving onto prescription sleeping tablets before changing AAPs is probably more sensible than immediately going for the AAP change. I think if ziprasidone is working for you right now, then it's probably best to keep it unless you can't find any other solution for sleep. Personally, I found that ziprasidone could be quite activating at times and I did find it a bit disruptive with my sleep. Although my issue with ziprasidone was more that it was randomly sedating/activating rather than completely activating, which led me to discontinue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 Thanks everyone. Vape: I am trying OTC because pdoc's office is closed until Tuesday (civic holiday) so I'm going to go to a few health food stores. I can fall asleep on it, after a bit, but I can't stay asleep. I know the Luvox is activating, but damn it helps with anxiety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneMarie Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 I agree on OTCs and sleep hygeine. If that doesn't work, you could talk to your pdoc about taking 25-50mg of Seroquel on top of you Geodon. Some docs will go for it even though it would be taking two AAPs at once. AAPs other than the new ones: Seroquel, Zyprexa, Risperdal, Geodon, Abilify. More or less, that's in order of sedation. (I feel like I'm forgetting something.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share Posted July 29, 2011 Thanks Stacia. A lot of other AAP's interact severely with Geodon, so I'll check all the interactions and come up with a list for my pdoc. I bought a natural sleeping aid with 3mg of Melatonin and 300mg of Valerian. I can fall asleep, just not stay asleep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyCatLady Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 I took Ambien and Trazadone when I was on Geodon. My current pdoc gave me Trazodone when I first started seeing her because my sleeping habits were poor. I've had a little bit of luck with Melatonin in the past, though it only helped me to fall asleep. I haven't tried Seroquel but it seems like most people here find it sedating. Zyprexa Zydis knocks me out for like 12 hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted July 29, 2011 Share Posted July 29, 2011 I was on seroquel for my primary mood stabilizer for years, simply due to the sleep issues. That said, risperdal works better for me, period. I'm thinking of asking pdoc if I can keep the risp and just go as Low as I can Go with the seroquel for sleep, limbo like..... Yes I do think geodon is one of those wacky QT interval ones (though don't they all have it?) so you'd need to like be extra cautious. I assume you've tried all the z-drugs, right? Melatonin helps me to a point.... but only when I'm not THAT episodic. Anna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Posted July 30, 2011 Author Share Posted July 30, 2011 Yep Geodon has the QT interval thing, but when paired with other AAP's it seems to make it worse. Seroquel has a "moderate" interaction, basically says to monitor it, but so do the rest of my meds. I'll see how the OTC goes, and how long this phase lasts. (I'll go months rarely sleeping, then months sleeping for days, for no reason) Fun reading: "increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias including torsade de pointes and sudden death." Risperdal and Geodon. Tried the z-drugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seamonkey Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 I take 120mgs of geodon for the bipolar and clonidine and 200mgs of seroquel for sleep. I have no issues falling asleep, I just can't stay asleep. I see my pdoc on the 8th, but she's already told me I've tried everything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SashaSue Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 I have a horrible, horrible, horrible, time with sleep. I've tried all the usual things, and nothing but seroquel has ever worked for any length of time. I recently picked up some valerian, and have been shocked by how well it's worked. So there's that.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldCoin Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 I have used Doxylamine once. It is an OTC sleep aid here in Australia. It only worked for a while and then i became used to it so it stopped working. You could give it a try. GC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Posted July 30, 2011 Author Share Posted July 30, 2011 Thank you everyone. seamonkey: I know how you feel! I suggest something to pdoc "Well, you've been on that already!" The valerian and melatonin in the OTC I got helped, I had a brief nightmare and woke up for about a half hour, then fell back asleep. My mom accidentally woke me up a couple hours later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llama44 Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 I like traz and klonopin and zyprexa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papertrees Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 My pdoc just put me on levopromazine (nozinan) 25mg for sleep. I don't know if it's available where you come from, but he said it should knock me out solid. I will take my first dose tomorrow (after I buy) so we'll just wait and see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papertrees Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 update: nozinan knocked me out 9 hours solid. at 25 mgs best sleep I've had in months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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