Has anyone been prescribed SERTRALINE for sleep issues?
Some nights , I sleep OK, others I can still be awake at 3.30. It's boring and depressing, because I know the following day will be a real struggle. Never know if it's heart, head or medication causing this
I practice mindfulness (10 minutes a day), tried sleepcasts (sometimes they work some times they don't...the sound of rain certainly doesn't!!), getting up...makes no difference. My GP tried to suggest I read up on Sleep Hygiene....I told her I have done all that, so she prescribed the above. It's actually for anxiety........not even read the box yet!! Thanks
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Wightbaby
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Well, I haven't read the side effects etc yet.....These are on a sheet of almost A3 size paper...both sides!! I have almost been put off immediately by this,....especially as i don't feel anxious, just can't turn my brain off!,......,,watch this spaceI have considered CBD but didn't think I could take it with edoxaban?? If I sleep until 5am THAT is a good night for me!
I found Mirtazapine prescribed for anxiety helped. Also meditation.....The Honest Guys on You Tube with Rick Clarke.'''''esp. just before bed. He has varoious meditations but some are directed at being for just before bed/sleep.I really doubted it would work for me but it did more often than not.
Another thought.I had Zopilone for a short time. They act brilliantly(from GP) but they are only precribed in doses of 7 tablets at any one time. I squirreled them away and took one when all else failed or I really needed to be bright and alert the next day.They really knock you out without a bad effect the next day.
Ahem! Also called Zimovane. I did exactly the same thing.....years ago.... BAF (before AF!!). I was hoping she would give me some more......but no luck! I think they are quite addictive, which is why I wasn't offered them???I actually have about 3 left. Even half gives me a good night. ; )
I noticed in one of your replies that you mentioned not being able to switch your mind off. Sertraline is usually good at helping manage intrusive, racing thoughts so maybe this is why the GP prescribed it for you. If you try it, give it a few weeks as it can take that long to have an effect.
You can give it a try, if you find it doesn't suit you, go back and ask for something else.
I suffered with insomnia for years. I would feel sleepy watching TV, but as soon as my head hit the pillow, it was like someone had thrown a switch and my brain went into overdrive. After at least an hour tossing and turning, I gave up and went downstairs, made an apricot jam sandwich, glass of juice and read until I felt sleepy. I also took 2 generic piriton.Earlier this year I read an article about caffeine and stopped drinking tea or coffee after 1pm. Initially I only drank water, but then I introduced 1 cup decaf tea mid afternoon.
Since then, my sleep has been good. It worked for me, but we're all different
Similar to me then. Also get the odd "earworm" aka "last song heard".I have only drunk decaffeinated "everything" for years. Only water after 2pm.I have got up for 2 hours some nights...to no avail....
I take melatonin, not available in UK but in USA and Far East. It certainly helps, as does acupuncture. I told my Professor at St Thomas’ and he was happy about them.
Well, I noticed that on the info leaflet.....! Also "distressing restlessness"! The annoying thing is, I don't lay in bed ruminating...so I don't even feel it's anxiety!
My brain gets overactive because i get bored just lying there looking at the curtains! So I think about all sorts of things......not bad things...just stuff!!
The other medication you could ask your GP for is mirtazipine. It's similar to sertraline but has a more sedating effect. I think the best thing is to go back to the GP and ask the reason they prescribed sertraline and if you're not happy with the answer, suggest mirtazipine?
It might help - I've known a few people that find this drug helpful over the years. For depression these SSRI drugs (they are all quite similar) seem to help about 30-40% but far less success has been shown for anxiety.
Insomnia is an issue I have lived with for many years - getting off nicely but then waking up after 2-3 hours finding it really hard to get back off. "Sleep hygiene" is important as are all the things you are trying, including CB therapy (you can get books on this online easily) but, in the end, I decided all of these "cures" were not very wonderful and probably designed by people who slept well! The only thing that helps me is half a 5mg zolpidem taken around 3.30 or when needed. It only gives me 3 hours sleep but it has saved the day (literally), Doctors don't like it but I have never found it problematic over many years with no resistance to it forming, no rebound insomnia and no grogginess the next day.
My own experience with SSRI drugs is not a good one. I was given them in 2009 or so and had a horrendous time and they made my anxiety problems vastly worse and caused a range of the weirdest side effects, twitching, itching, yawning, intense insomnia - oh so many things. My GP decided I was somehow allergic to them after initially telling me to press on and get through the side effects. I gave them a second go a few years later, but stopped them quickly once the side effects returned. There are web sites dedicated to the problems with these drugs.
But... the chances are you will be fine with them as by far the majority seem to be, but do take care.
I just started taking Sertraline (generic for Zoloft) 50mg. I took my first pill yesterday morning and couldn’t sleep all night feel wise awake and not tired, I hope I can sleep tonight as I took it again this morning, Anyone else experience this insomnia side effect? If so how long did it last before you were able to get good nights sleep?
I did, but rather than tell you more about my experience with SSRI drugs, and maybe put you off, the drugs all certainly take a while to exert any useful effects, and the early effects can be quite hard to cope with for some. Insomnia is a noted and common side effect in the early stages as you'll see from the packaging leaflet. The drugs are called "activating" as they gear up the mind, presumably to help ward off depressive thoughts - in theory. For me they were far too "activating", but for many they do work.
I also have insomnia. I have tried Zopiclone then told by my Therapist not to take them then my gp put me on Metformin but these don't really seem to work. I also have trouble switching my brain off and sometimes still laying awake at 6am without even having 5mins sleep! 😴🙄. Just don't know what to do next! My gp won't prescribe anti- depressants either.
Hi Bowcat. Interesting that you were told not to take Zopiclone. It certainly is powerful and I believe it can be addictive so I guess that’s why.I was prescribed Zopiclone when I developed tinnitus that was like a jet engine in my head at night and really affected my sleep. The instructions were to take it 3-4 nights in a row to ‘reset ‘ my night sleeping pattern. Then to skip a few nights. The to take one once or twice per week max as needs when exhaustion was affecting my day time work etc.
I did this and then would take one only once a week when the accumulation of less sleep got too much. Lately if I take one per two week period it’s a lot.
We are all different but i thought another perspective may be of interest.
My friend who lives in Canada introduced me to Gravol - tablets that help with travel nausea that are handed out to passengers on Air Canada. My sleeping is non-existent on the days I have steroids and the Gravol always helps, in fact they have been a life saver. However, I only take these once a week. When I looked up Gravol online I found the UK equivalent is Dramamine. Please note this isn't advice, I am only relaying what has helped me, I know how awful poor sleep is.
Try this when you go to bed. Go through the alphabet saying 3 girls Christian names for every letter. If you get though this without falling asleep, then start again with boys names.
Now there is a challenge!! I have tried counting backwards from 10,000 (recommended on Headspace)...but just got bored!! ; )PS Hope you are well....its nice to see familiar "friends" names on here!!
Jean...I tried this.....kept yawning all the way through...but got to the end of both alphabets and still awake! Then listened to 45 minute sleep cast. Still awake, but did eventually drop off after this.....probably about 3am : (
Right well after boys names it's something you'd find in a house, then a hospital and then a chemists. I've got Zopiclone from my GP when all else fails.
I will keep trying...at least it is a way to pass the time!I have had "Zop" in the past, many years ago, which have worked well and i have been very sparing with them. Unfortunately the GP said "no" to sleeping pills...said they don't prescribe them anymore. (Which I don't truly believe).....maybe I should try another GP
Sertraline has no effect on my insomnia at all.I've tried telling myself stories but my mind races to other things and I loose the plot.
CBD oil is expensive but I tried it to no avail. Now if only it could come with some THC added then my own story telling to myself will entertain me all night long.
I've been doing some stretching along with slow deep breathing before I go to bed. I can still get up and down okay so I lay flat on the floor (by my bed so I don't have far to get to it ☺) and stretch my arms over my head and out to the sides. Count to the count of two (breathe in and out) to 30 for each stretch. Stretch my neck to each side. I keep doing them til I feel sleepy. Sometimes I fall asleep on the floor. When I go to bed I usually fall asleep pretty easy. I admit that it doesn't always work. I have anxiety. But it works more often than not. If you can't lie on the floor you can do the stretching on the bed. Just have to lie flat. Hope you found something that works. It is frustrating to not sleep well. Take care.
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The only thing that helps me is half a 5mg zolpidem taken around 3.30 or when needed. It only gives me 3 hours sleep but it has saved the day (literally), Doctors don't like it but I have never found it problematic over many years with no resistance to it forming, no rebound insomnia and no grogginess the next day.
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