anxiety medication and sleep

[daleuk]

Hey guys

So I have some form of generalised anxiety disorder / night time panic which really limits my ability to sleep, I fall asleep ok but I wake early in the night (after about 4 hours) and cannot return to sleep, I have done and do all the sleep hygiene measures and CBT, please do not mention these.

I tried Pregabalin but found that the effectiveness was not long enough, and my fingers swelled up. Mirtazapine for a few days, but this stuff zombified my daytime, made me feel very unnormal.

Re Anxiety medication, I have tried escitalopram, got up to 20mg for 6 months, it really made anxiety disappear in the daytime, but did nothing for my night time/sleep issues, so I still felt exhausted.

Now I changed to Duloxetine, Cymbalta, started at 30mg for 3 weeks, instantly my sleep improved, I would still wake in the night, but I could return to some sleep but often waking, tossing turning etc, still, it is not as I would wish. I have now been on 60mg for a further 3 weeks, and to be honest, I didn't feel much change in the effectiveness. I have read that more than 60mg is not shown to be any more effective. I do take my medication in the mornings, and I have tried experimenting with trying just before bed and splitting doses, it doesn't make any difference.

I am not sure what to try next...

[Hidden]

There are several meds you can try. Trazodone. Olanzapine. Ambien. Lunesta.. the list is endless. Speak with your health provider or psych doctor. Good luck

[Hallyhooyou]

Not sure if they prescribe this outside of the US., but an older tricyclic antidepressant called Doxepin works wonders for sleep and anxiety. In fact, it’s oftwn used off label for insomnia. For those of us who also have anxiety or depression, it’s a major help for that too. I take it right now at 25 mg. I was going n 50mg at one point. No more waking in the night with anxiety or being unable to go back to sleep.