Nardil (phenelzine sulfate) and insomnia

[Phoenix_Rising]

I started taking 45 mg of phenelzine (15 three times a day) and have since developed insomnia. Its hard for me to "settle down" for bed, but I can fall asleep ok. The problem is that I wake up at 3 and 4 in the morning and can't go back to sleep. I take 10 mg of ambien to assist with insomnia, but its not touching it.

Has anyone else experienced insomnia while on phenelzine?

I plan on calling my pdoc this week, but I wanted to know if anyone here had experienced the same problem.

[Alpam]

Recently I have been having troubles waking up in the middle of the night and tossing and turning for 3-4 hours before getting back to sleep. my GP prescribed my Circadin which is 2mg prolonged release melatonin, you take it before you go to bed and it is meant to stop you waking up in the middle of the night. I have been taking it for a week now and so far so good! Maybe you could try that?

Just make sure it is the prolonged release version not the instant release and not the homeopathic version which does nothing.

[bluelikejazz]

re melatonin I've had three separate psychiatrists say that the instant compounded version of melatonin worked best.

[Phoenix_Rising]

Alpam and blue: Thanks for the advice on melatonin.

[notfred]

Except for Lunesta all the Z drugs are only effective to get you to sleep, not keep you asleep. Early morning waking is common in depression and some other conditions.

You need something with a longer length of action to cover you until the morning. Sedating AD's or out for the most part as contraindicated with Nardil.

That leaves the benzos, Restoril, Prosom and Dalmane are benzos used for sleep.