Sotalol causing Insomnia

[Hearsehorse]

I am taking 80 mg of Sotalol twice daily since 2022, and I have been experiencing insomnia. Typically, I would wake up after 2 or 3 hours of sleep, and not able fall asleep. Of late, I have not been able to fall asleep at all. Have any of you had a similar experience?

[mav7]

Have experienced the same with Metoprolol. Have found that your system will adjust somewhat over time. Not perfect, but better.

In the interim, talk with your doctor about the issue. And research on improving sleep and stress levels which you may have done.

[Hearsehorse in reply to mav7]

Thank you for your reply. I will definitely discuss this with my cardiologist. After posting my question, I read a lot of messages posted by others ( I should have done this first ) who have, or had experienced insomnia as a result of taking Sotalol, as well as other reactions I can relate to. I did note that the majority of messages stated that they did not have any reaction of any kind. As you suggest, I have researched improving sleep and stress. What I did not mention, that I have a prescription for Ambien from my primary care physician, which has helped. However, he has warned me about a possibility of becoming addicted to it with prolonged use, so I have used it sparingly.

[mav7 in reply to Hearsehorse]

I have heard the same about Ambien.

Important to research sleep aids for contraindication with your prescribed meds. Also, may evaluate the time of day you take the two doses of Sotalol.

[Hearsehorse in reply to mav7]

Good points - thank you!

[Karendeena]

I woke up to your message. I take Sotalol 40mg x 3 per day. Have had sleep problems since I went on this medication and it's even worse since I had my ablation 5 weeks ago. I wake many times in the night with awful dreams. I am hoping that I can stop the Sotalol now I have had the ablation.A friend of mine stopped taking it after suffering the same problems.

I had to continue as there was no other medication I could try due to my low BP.

[Ppiman]

I have struggled with this curse for very many years, but not caused by tablets - rather an overactive mind. There is no worthwhile cure, I have found. I can - cautiously - recommend initially 2.5mg (then 5mg if needed) of zolpidem as a way to get you off, or that can be taken up to 3.30am - but obviously not to be relied upon or taken regularly. It's a fairly good temporary help that might get you back in a sleeping rhythm. Its strength is the lack of carry-over drowsiness effect the next day (although in some it can have odd and worrying memory effects, I have read). Its weakness is that it only keeps me asleep for 2-4 hours. Some have a longer sleep with it, but never me.

Steve

[Hearsehorse in reply to Ppiman]

My experience - after having been on Sotalol for over a year, began with waking up after two to three hours of sleep, but falling asleep after an hour or so, and then to not being able to fall asleep. Then I started Zopedim intermittently, which helped provide me a restful night's sleep. Because of my primary care physician's warnings about addiction to Zopedim, and the limited number of tablets he prescribed, I have tried to get by without taking the drug. That has not worked out very well, and I have been experiencing insomnia. After reading several postings on this site, yesterday I cut my dose of Sotalol from 80 mg twice a day to 40 mg twice a day. Last night, I slept through the night (not counting bathroom breaks) for the first time in months!

P.S. I have not, or rarely been troubled with an overactive mind interfering with my sleep

[Ppiman in reply to Hearsehorse]

That's good to read. Let's hope it continues for you as poor sleep is such hard work to cope with. I have taken zolpidem on and off for over decade and my own experience with it brings me to believe the early trialists who found that it was not at all addictive. If it is abused, as some people do judging by internet stories I have read, taking it in extraordinary doses, then that is not the drug's fault. Neither does it become necessary to keep increasing the dose to maintain its effect - another myth as 2.5mg has worked for me from day one and does still. It has developed this negative mythology, in my view, simply because it's a sedative, albeit a very mild one, and doctors are taught in medical school not to trust such drugs, regardless of their proven pharmacology. I often wish there were a way to bring doctors to feel what their patients feel at times.

Steve

[Hearsehorse in reply to Ppiman]

Thanks for the feedback on your dose of Zopedim. My prescription is for fifteen 10 mg tablets "Take 1/2 - 1 tablet by mouth as needed for sleep." If I feel the need to take Zopedim again, I will try a 1/4 tablet.

[Ppiman in reply to Hearsehorse]

I’ve read that it’s not recommended these days to take 10mg. This is only because a few people get weird memory effects the next day (or so I read). But it’s not needed.

I am also prescribed the 10mg pills and then I cut them into four (with some difficulty I can tell you. After many years of trying, I’ve found best pill cutter for this by far is also the cheapest. I’ve added a photo but it’s available from Amazon as the “Safe & Sound” model for £3.65).

Steve

Pill cutter

[Hearsehorse in reply to Ppiman]

Thanks Steve!

[Hearsehorse in reply to Ppiman]

Hi Steve,

Last night, I had an occasion to try the 2.5 mg of Zopedim, and after an hour, I decided it wasn't working for me. So, I took another 2,5 mg tablet and after a few minutes, out I went!

Tom

[Ppiman in reply to Hearsehorse]

I have done that on occasion. Don't give up on 2.5mg on that basis as it might be that the first wasn't absorbed or something. You might need the 5mg, though!

How long were you asleep for?

Steve

[Hearsehorse in reply to Ppiman]

About an hour and a half.

[Ppiman in reply to Hearsehorse]

Not good, is it, this insomnia thing! I generally achieve three hours, but not always, and occasionally four. I so wish zolpidem (or zopiclone - a similar "Z" sleeping tablet) worked better for sleep-duration insomnia. They are good for sleep-onset insomnia, but many of us need to stay asleep for longer.

Steve

[Hearsehorse in reply to Ppiman]

The one hour and a half was not normal, as I typically wake up after 2 or 3 hours.

[Janith]

No sleep problems taking sotalol. Try taking NATROL 1mg … fast dissolve strawberry melatonin … dissolve one in your mouth one hour before sleep. Make sure that you only take 1 mg … more isn’t better in this case. You will sleep like a baby.

[Hearsehorse in reply to Janith]

I have and do take NATROL 3 mg, which does help me fall asleep, but does little, or not at all, to avoid insomnia for me.

[Janith in reply to Hearsehorse]

Take ONE mg … not THREE MG … there is something about taking the smaller dosage that works … l was taking three mg as well … didn’t work … so l did some research and ascertained that the smaller amount works much better and it DOES !

[Hearsehorse in reply to Janith]

I'll try it!

[Ppiman]

Gosh - it would be like a miracle if that happened. I haven't slept like a baby in so long, I just can't remember. I have been advised, though, that melatonin works only for sleep onset insomnia (if it works at all, and that is heavily disputed in double blinded studies, I gather). Sleep-duration insomnia requires a different action than melatonin provides.

Steve