Ok, so Nitrazepam isn't doing the trick anymore

[Dweii]

Ever since I titraded up on Lamictal (and started feeling like shit) I can't sleep without sleeping pills. Nitrazepam worked really well. I fell asleep and slept like a baby the whole night AND woke up the new morning feeling refreshed.

Now, I need at least two pills (5 mgs each) to sleep. And even that doesn't cut it some nights. And when I can't sleep I lay awake thinking about every single mistake I've done in my life. Especially that I smoked so much pot before.

When I'm awake I don't think too much about my mistakes. My attitude is what's done is done and I can't change it so I might as well get over it. Well, my attitude is changing when I lay alone in a dark room.

I really need something to knock me out, or else I'll end up with a semi-panic attack every night.

I've tried pretty much everthing... Largon (which didn't really work but twice gave me an orgasm in my sleep, my most pleasant side effect so far), Imovane and Ambien. And weaker once like Promethazine and Atarax. They work allright, but I end up with a hangover and only half of the time I go to sleep. I'm terrified of using Xanax as a sleep aid. I've been through the withdrawal. No thanks.

I guess I'm looking for a miracle pill that doesn't exist. Sigh. Some doctor at the hospital suggested Nozinan, but I'm afraid of weight gain. Still need to lose lots of weight from my Lithium days.

Sorry this is long, it's mostly a rant since last night it took 10 mg of Nitrazepam and 2 mg of Xanax to get me to sleep.

Any of you had luck with any other options? Preferably not a benzo. Although I was on Klonopin for a few months and I slept like a baby. And oh yeah, I'm terrified of Seroquel because of completely unrational emotions.

Oh, and my main problem is that I wake up during the night and can't go back to sleep. So I need something that lasts for at least six hours.

This may be a long shot, but Concerta actually makes me more tired, so maybe taking a small dose of that before bedtime? I've read the Ritalin and sleep thread.

Edited cause English isn't my native language and I make stupid spelling and grammar mistakes all the time.

[MellowYellow]

Ever since I titraded up on Lamictal (and started feeling like shit) I can't sleep without sleeping pills. Nitrazepam worked really well. I fell asleep and slept like a baby the whole night AND woke up the new morning feeling refreshed.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Lamictil was very activating for me and my husband demanded that I stop taking it. I get manic very easily. What is Nitrazapem? Have you tried Temezepam? I, too, need something to make me sleep but is not oversedating like Seroquel is. Ambien and Lunesta give me about 3 hours. Clonezepam is the most pleasant sleep for me, but it only gives me 2 hours. The other meds you mentioned I've never heard of. Let me know if you find anything you really like.

[Guest Guestxyz]

Honestly, I  know very litle about lamictil/lamictal.

I'd guess that it's sleep-depriving effect will become less intense over the following weeks/months.

Although the dose of Nitrazepam you took may officially be the maximum dose, it can be useful and sensible and healthy to up the dosis a bit. But don't do that without the consent of your doctor. One more tablet may do it. It may buy you one or a few weeks, hopefully the lamictal will be less activating at that time.

Btw, when do you take lamictal ? If it's activating, it would be better to take it in the morning and not in the evening. (But maybe you need mutliple doses and I don't have a clue).

I suspect that the sleep depriving effect of lamictal will be temporary. There are several meds that you could try, but most likely every single one of them will become less effective or totally ineffective after some time. Although very few people don't seem to experience that effect.

Actually, based on my own problems with many meds that work on the mind, I think that temazepam (and not temezepam as I believe someone called it) may be the best choice for your problem. I think that it's strength is comparable to nitrazepam, but because it's different, it may work very well. Normal dose ranges from 10 mg to 40 mg (2 capsules of 20 mg). I've been on it for probably longer than half a year, and although it has lost most of it's effect, it still helps me sleep. My pdoc told me that upping the dose beyong 40 mg a day (you can take a bit extra on a rare occasion if you really need it) your body will only adapt faster to temazepam. If/when temazepam is not enough anymore, I think that adding promethazine (to a max of 2 tablets of 25 mg a day) to the temazepam will do the trick. Using both makes each reinforce the effect of the other. At least that's what my pdoc told me. And it has worked for me till now. I know of a trick to relatively safely reinforce the effect of the temazepam/promethazine combination, but I'd rather not mention it here. That med is not really a sleep med. Also, temazepam=restoril (brand name). And klonopin=clonazepam=rivotril. Some people confuse the one with the other. Some people (even pdocs) seem to think that temazepam works relatively short, and is out of your system in 8 hours or something. Wrong. Unless you're biologically unique. It has a relatively long half life, and you may experience some day time effects, especially if you drink alcohol during the day. Do a search with Google on temazepam and half-life, and you'll get some info (maybe contradictory) about the time it takes for your body to break down at least half of the temazepam. You probably don't have to worry if you experience some daytime effects of the temazepam, but it may mean you need a lower dose. There can also be some startup effects that will dissappear.

Pay attention, temazepam comes in a capsule, and you'll usually start to experience it's effects 45 minutes to 1 hour after ingestion till it really becomes effective.

An other alternative is klonopin/clonazepam=rivotril. For some people it works wonders. And it stays effective for a long time. But not for others.

I think that temazepam and clonazepam are the benzo's that will work for a relatively long time. My guess (and a bit scarce info) is that clonazepam will work best against anxiety (that can keep you awake), and temazepam is for sleeplessness.

One other possibility. Seroquel. It's an atypical (modern) antipsychotic. Right. Read that again. It's not a benzo. It's not impossible that an antipsychotic causes a paradoxical reaction and makes you psychotic, but with this med it's extremely rare. Usually weight gain is not an issue.

If you tend to get addicted to benzos seroquel may be a better choice, but it messes with the brain in other ways than that it just causes sleep. People usually start on a low dose, like 25 or 50 mg. Works for most people. It's not an uncommon med against sleeplessness. It may cause weight gain, but that's uncommon at lower doses. People say that it causes sleep at lower doses, and not or less at higher doses. My insight is that that's wrong. I think you may need to up the dose to maybe 1000 or 1200 mg of seroquel after the passing of time. Be aware that combining Seroquel with alcohol can cause unwanted sleeplessness, and you should not have it in your blood/brain at the same time.

Also, the typical (older) antipsychotics. Pipamperon(e). Zuclopentixol. Or    Zuclopentixol dihydrochloride (Clopixol). I'm not very certain that they will sedate you, but at least one source tells me they will. Your doctor may not be familiar with these, and I'm not sure whether they are available in your country. There may be others that are suitable.

Melatonin ? I personally don't trust it, and it may be dangerous (depends on how it's won/created).  Ever heard of BSE ?

Look, I've read about the problems that your sleeplessness causes. I really think it's important for you to get a good night's sleep, and have a stable sleep pattern. Get your life back in order.

One non-medical may would be something like setting your alarm clock at 12:00 PM, and have it wake you up at six o'clock. Restricting your sleep hours is a non-medical way to improve the quality of your sleep.

Good luck. I hope something good comes out of this.

[Guest Guestxyz]

Just one addition (it may not be suitable for you): you could use the antidepressant Paxil. It tends to be sedating. But maybe it's not good for you.

[Guest Guestxyz]

Sorry, I just forgot something. Because of your condition, I would not recommend that you take any of the short lasting sleep meds, such as Ambien.

[Dweii]

Well...

I can't take antidepressants, so Paxil is not an option. And I don't want anything to make me sleepy, I want something to make me sleep during the night without making me sleepy during the day. Maybe that med is hard to find, I know.

I'm aware of that Seroquel isn't a benzo. But I'm terrified of sedation and weight gain. My two demands of a med is that it isn't sedating and doesn't make me gain weight. (And if it works, that's a plus too )

I don't think this is a startup side effect of Lamictal since I've been on since early december. But I don't know.

Anyways, Nitrazepam seems to work better now, IF I take two pills of it and am not too anxious during the night.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, I'll look them up later. Thanks.

[Niz]

I take Lamictal for seizures, and when I started it, I had problems sleeping (granted, I had problems sleeping before, but once I started Lamictal, it got worse)

I've been taking melatonin, and it hasn't done ANY good, but a week ago, my doc put me on Lunesta, and it's a godsend!

[AirMarshall]

Helena,

Lamictal can be either activating or sedating, depending on the person. For me it is activating and was wrecking my sleep. I switched to mornings and my sleep was settled within a couple days.

Seroquel is used as a sleep aid, but at very low doses, typically 25 - 100mg. Oddly, at the higher doses it loses its sedating effect.

Your english is outstanding.  If you didn't tell us where you live, no one would guess that you are not a native speaker.

A.M.