Lexapro + Insomnia...+Elavil
 

Hi,

Just wondering if someone here is taking both and their experience? I was on Elavil a while ago until I returned to normal then stopped. I had a setback in July that came with significant anxiety hence the Lexapro/Ciraplex(cdn) 10mg.

My insomnia seems to be getting worst to about 4hrs or less of sleep, I was re-prescribed the Elavil 10mg. I read there is a moderate risk for serotonin syndrome I assume for higher dosages.

Anyone have a better insomnia strategy? Meditation and eliminating stimulants (sugar, caffeine, other) does not appear to be helping.

10 mgs or even 25 mgs of Elavil is a low dose and not likely to cause serotonin syndrome.

When you were feeling normal, it did not mean you were ready to stop the Elavil. A long slow tapering off would have been better. Your normal feeling was with drug support. Removing the drugs removes the support.

Did you also return to a full level of activity?

Again, normal is not a sign to return to normal activity quickly. The return to normal activity should be slow and in stages.

What did you do on holiday?

Are you able to exercise at all? My doctor has been an advocate of getting some form of physical activity in during the day, as long as you're able and feeling well enough. Something as mellow as a walk in the evening might help to relieve some stress and relax the body so you might be able to sleep a bit better.

I am currently weaning off nortriptyline, which I think is kind of like elavil. I was taking 10mg each night, but reduced that to every other night for the past four weeks. This month I am going down to 10mg every third night. My doctor has me on a very slow taper, just to make sure things go smoothly.

I hope you're able to get some sleep. I've been struggling with insomnia for the past year, but I feel like it might finally be getting a little bit better (knocking on wood!).

Thanks Mark. I did resume some activities, work was on reduced schedule of hours and workload. I admit, looking back that I may not of been resting enough and perhaps resumed too quickly near regular activities in my home life.

I will admit to very little physical activity since my setback. I just started up in the last few days with some mild exercise prescribed by my PT. I do seem to feel slightly better if I can get moving. I was not expecting a setback to knock me off my feet for 4+ weeks and counting. There are signs of significant improvement already, insomnia and convergence insufficiency being my more problematic symptoms likely.

Seratonin syndrome...
 

what exactly is the seratonin syndrome? I am on 50mg of amitry...(elavil) and I awake about as tired as I was when I first went to sleep. I am able to shake some of it off and take a nap or 2 during the day. I had my doc do blood work for any vitamin deficits and I came back as a severe defecit with Vitamin D . I searched and see alot of articles that vit D plays a significant role in the form of sleep disorders. What I do not understand is I am someone who eats very health minded - and drinks alot of milk )I love it whole milk) get sun on a reg basis so how can I be that deficient with vit D

This ? is for mark - Does aquring a head injury cause the deficit or does an unknown deficit of vit D attribute to the sleep issues that accompany MTBI

Exercise even moderate daily amounts helps a lot!

i had an anxiety attack after being on 25mg of amatryptaline for only a week then tapering for only two days (b/c docs said there was no need to taper). ama didn't really help me sleep, i now take 12mg of ama around noon to help w/ the headaches. once i feel like those are under control i'm gonna taper for like two frickin months.

anyone else have experience w/ tapering/recommendations?

and yes, exercise has been a life saver both for depression and for sleep for me. i was up to almost two hours of very low intensity walking or stationary bike,,,until my setback a couple days ago. just did too much of everything--appts/computer/exercise/socializing