Are there any prescription sleeping medications that are safe for people with Myasthenia Gravis?

Are all hypnotic drugs used for Insomnia contraindicated for MG?

My neurologist prescribed 50 mg Trazodone tablets, one before bedtime.

Be careful with Ambien. It has recently added a specific warning against using it with MG.

-Mark-

I use Lunesta with no complications to the MG, and I have another MG friend who also has had good luck with it. Ambien was not good for me. It's sometimes hard for insurance to help you with Lunesta, though. There are good coupons available at www.lunesta.com .

The value of sleep is underrated. Hope you find some relief.

I have always had lots of trouble with sedating medications so I only use herbs and natural supplements. Have you tried L-tryptophan or Melatonin? Also there are some great herbal combinations that address your specific sleep problems and will help change the the imbalances that fuel your insomnia. It is always best to be evaluated by a licensed herbalist. Good Luck and sweet dreams.

Ambien almost killed me.

Hi, Bipedal Primate. Interesting name.

There are a lot of ways other than drugs to minimize insomnia! Those sleep medications are not meant to be used on a long-term basis anyway, and can have serious health consequences.

http://www.doctoroz.com/topic/sleep

All sleep meds, though Trazadone to a lesser degree, block acetylcholine and other neurotransmitters.

http://www.minddisorders.com/Py-Z/Trazodone.html#b

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicotinic_agonist

The topic of drugs is complex, and not so easily understood unless you have a biochem degree! A discussion with your doctor, as well as a pharmacist, is very useful.

I hope you will discuss this with your doctor!

Annie

Thank You for Sharing!

I am trying to find the safest possible sleep aid for my debilitating insomnia. Trazodone is definitely a top contender!

"Trazodone's potent α1-adrenergic blockade (about threefold lower relative to 5-HT2A) may cause some side effects like orthostatic hypotension and sedation. Conversely, along with 5-HT2A antagonism, it may underlie its efficacy as a hypnotic. This seems possible as trazodone's antihistamine activity is relatively weak and probably clinically insignificant; hence, it cannot explain trazodone's sleep-inducing/enhancing effects. Trazodone lacks any affinity for the mACh receptors, so does not produce anticholinergic side effects."

Can anyone add to this list of types of sleeping Medications?

I am trying to put together a list to research and then categories as safest to least safe for Myasthenia Gravis. :-)

H1-receptor antagonists
Hypnotics that potentiate GABA by binding to the GABAa receptors
a1-adrenergic blockade along with 5-HT2A antagonism
Neuromuscular blockersHopefully

My neuro prescribes Sonata and it works fine.