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Posted 2/28/2006 8:52 AM (GMT -6)
Was wondering if anyone has heard of or tried trazodone. I went to see my pshy today and explained to him that i was experinceing what i feel is anxiety but he will not prescribe lorazapam because he says that they are fairly addictive. SO i am guess that i am wondering if i will help or not. i have a 9 day trial until my next appointment with him at that point i will be able to let him know how this new script works or not. I am kinda tired of expressing my symtoms to him and this is the third med i have tried. First was lorazapam which was short lived because the effects wore off within two weeks. then immovane, then amitrypline and now trazodone. I feel like am running out of options. If this doesn;t help i will seek different physchatrist. Still hopeful though which is good. Twiggy2. So now no more ami.
Posted 2/28/2006 9:20 AM (GMT -6)

Hi Twiggy,

Yes I have heard of Trazodone and have had many people take it.  It is an old medication and widely used.  It should help you sleep if this is why he has prescribed it?

Lorazepam (ativan) is a controlled substance and is addictive so I can see his apprehension in renewing a prescription.

I have not taken Trazodone but a friend of mine who has bipolar disorder has and it worked really well for him for sleep.  I hope it works for you...... Good luck

~elisha
 

Posted 2/28/2006 9:58 AM (GMT -6)
Thanks els the thing that i don;t understand is that i have only been dx with depression not bipolar. I hope that i am not sounding off hear but i was diagnosed with mild depression, panic attacks, and anxiety, don;t understand what is has in relation to bipolar disorder. I too understand his holding off on prescribing ativan and things like that because of there addictivness. Yes the trazadone was prescribed for sleep. Which did help but it was the night dreads and the werid things i would experince while i was sleeping was what was disturbing. As such i sure it is because if the meds and maybe we need to look at a new anti depressant without all the horrible side effects that come with. Twiggy2.
Posted 2/28/2006 10:13 AM (GMT -6)

Twiggy, 

I didn't mean to confuse you at all.  Bipolar is manic depression and Trazodone is often given to people who have depression.  I was just saying that my friend has BP and has taken it.  So it is a completely appropriate medication to give.  It is just when medications come out doctors find that they have a lot of cross benefits and Trazodones biggest one is sleep (sedation), so make sure you don't drive after taking it.  You can always suggest a different antidepressant, but a lot of them don't have any added benefits to them if you are having problems at night.  Keep us updated on how you are doing.......


~elisha
 

Posted 2/28/2006 10:27 AM (GMT -6)
Thanks. I wasn;t so much confused about the topic just a little skecpital mself is all. If you don;t mind me asking what type of meds your friend is on. Sorry as i am still new to all of this. I didn;t mean to offend you or your friend by any means if i did, I will keep u informed about how things are going. I took apeak at the web site that you mentioned and it suggested that if i were to stop taking the cipralex that is may cause worsing of the depression and sleep disorder etc. I will defianlty not discontnue using the cipralex as is does help with the depression, but i have other physical problems at the moment. I was wondering is you can suggest some other mood stabliziers that i may benifit from. I could talk to my doc and ask if i could increase my dose of cipralex and see how that goes for a while to. I don;t think it would do much harm, but we'll see, one day at time i guess. Thanks Twiggy2.
Posted 2/28/2006 10:45 AM (GMT -6)
There was no offence what so ever.... you can ask me anything.  My friend is on Abilify for BP, Klonopin for anxiety as needed, and Remeron for depression. He has been stable for over two years on these medications which is very good.  I wouldn't suggest stopping the Lexapro / Cipralex without consulting your doctor first.  You may be having problems due to a insufficient dosage.  If you are having other medical problems going on at this time I would defer to your physician regarding your medication regime as he would know best. 
~elisha
 

Posted 2/28/2006 10:58 AM (GMT -6)
Thank. I don't mind cipralex i found it to be better than paxil and celexa. usually always in a pretty good mood, but now with these headaches i have been having and back pain. Thank you for not taking offense. It might be wise to talk to him on the 7th and request upping my dose cipralex and cutting out the other meds and see how that goes. All of the meds combos could be causing more harm that good. Anyway i waiting to recieve my benifit package from work so i can start seeing other professional about my back and so on. I have a question about ruemys. I do have to go see one will they be able to determine what is causing my headaches and back pain will they be able to prescribe the right meds to eliviate the discomfort and make a proper diagnose. Twiggy2 you may not know the answer and it's ok if you don;t. Keep in touch though.
Posted 2/28/2006 11:34 AM (GMT -6)
If you are taking other medications or supplements they could be causing an interaction with your antidepressant.  This is why it is important to tell your doctors of everything that you are taking.  If you are having back problems and pain that will most definitely cause headaches.  So sure they could give you something to help with this.  I hope that you are able to get the right diagnosis.  Good luck my thoughts will be with you.......
~elisha
 

Posted 2/28/2006 12:05 PM (GMT -6)
Thanks.els i tried explaining to my psyh about the migraine pain i call them migraines because that is what is feels like. I kinda have a feeling that it is do mainly because of my back. That is why as soon as my benifits are available i am gonna go to a massage theropist and possibly a chiropractor. I am trying to stay away from taking to many pills. For now i am only going to contniue taking the trazadone and cipralex. I was taking flexril at one point a about a month ago which seemed to help a little but for i am staying away from taking to many. Paxil was the first med, celexa was the second cipralex is the third but not combining all of them at the same time just switching. Celexa was also causing me to have headaches so may it is the cipralex that is causing the same reaction. I do most appreiate your input i am getting pretty good at detecting when i don't feel quit so good and when my headaches occur so until I can find the cause then we can find a cure. Until later Twiggy2
Posted 2/28/2006 6:32 PM (GMT -6)
I don't mean to butt in to your conversation, but I have a concern for Twiggy2. Trazodone is a drug that causes your brain to make extra serotonin, right? Isn't Cipralex a SSRI? Are you supposed to use those together? I'm confused why you would take these at the same time?
Posted 2/28/2006 8:12 PM (GMT -6)
Don't know. Have insomnia problems. Due to back pain mostly. I have trouble falling asleep and when i do sleep i am restless and wake often through the nigh, and early morning waking. So he figured that trazadone would be best as ami works somewhat, but i have anxiety in my early morning . Anyway i woke up this morning with a major headache. Maybe i shouldn;t be taking both together but the doc is suppose to know what he doing? I am beginning to think not. Maybe i should try not taking the trazadone tonight and see how feel tommorow and if i still have the headache when i wake up then i will kinda know which med is causing what? Maybe ? Anyway thanks for the head up on that Twiggy2. Nice to meet you if you don;t mind me asking are you on any meds and if you are what are they and what have you found works best for you Twiggy2
Posted 2/28/2006 11:52 PM (GMT -6)
Hello again Twiggy2,
I'm on Prozac right now, but have only recently started back on meds. I used to take Zoloft. I have been dealing with depression on and off now for 6 years, starting with PPD after first daughter was born. Never had depression in my life before that (well, other than over things like breaking up with boyfriend in college). I'm not sure why I ended up with PPD, but it was truly the worst thing I've ever dealt with. I'm feeling quite lucky that the SSRI's seem to help me with both my depression and my anxiety that I've been getting as a sort of side effect of my depression. I had quite a bit of weight gain on zoloft (was on for a couple of years), but the side effects of prozac are different. It really exacerbates the effects of alcohol (not that I drink a lot, but even a glass of wine makes me sick on Prozac, that didn't happen on Zoloft), and the lack of libido (did I spell that right?) is a bummer. (Zoloft was the same)

Have I found my best medicine? I'm not sure. Zoloft was a horrible thing to quit, lots of withdrawl and sickness even with cutting back gradually. Dr. said that Prozac was an easier one to quit, but I've no idea on that at this point - - I'm sure it will be a long while before I find out. I do feel much happier while using the prozac, though, and find it easier to be an active member of my life now that I'm on it.
Posted 3/1/2006 8:17 AM (GMT -6)

Hi everyone,

There is some confusion regarding Trazodone here.  First, you can take two SSRI's together if your doctor has prescribed it.  Second, Trazodone according to the Nursing Drug Reference 2006 states that its action is to: Selectively inhibit serotonin, norepinephrine uptake by brain, potentates behavioral changes.  Third, it is used according to the same reference for Depression and Chronic Pain

There is an interaction warning with taking it in conjunction with SAM-e and or St. John's wort. 
Also a possible hypersensitivity to other tricyclics.  You are not taking any tricyclics as you are on Lexapro.
 
 
~elisha
 

Posted 3/1/2006 4:05 PM (GMT -6)
Hello ya'll, here i am "johnny come lately"....I do take 200mg Trazodone at night along with 3mg Lunesta...mornigs I take 120mg Cymbalta and 300mg Wellbutrin SR.
Trazodone works great for me with the combination of all the others. This was many medicine adjustments later that this came to be. Be patient with your Drs. Best to all of you!

~Kathy~
Posted 3/1/2006 10:19 PM (GMT -6)
Thank much for all your helpful info. I stopped taking the trazadone because it to gave me severe headpain in the morning after i took it i felt horrible and almost felt sick to my stomach. The second night i went witout taking it and no headpain so i figured that it was because of the trazadone. Some people must react to this medication differantly so for me it sucked. So i will contniue to take the 10mg of cipralex and leave it at that for now and maybe a flexeril now and again won't hurt until i can get to see someone professional about my back pain. Anyway take care all and have a good night. Maybe i will mention klonpin at my next appointment with him and see what he says. I was wondering is klonopin only available in the U.S or is it available in Canada as well because he has not mentioned to me before. Twiggy2
Posted 3/2/2006 10:06 AM (GMT -6)
I don't know if Klonopin is available in Canada or not.  Klonopin is a controlled substance so it may be a little harder to attain....
~elisha
 

Posted 3/2/2006 11:04 AM (GMT -6)
Twiggy, just wondering if you tried zopiclone for sleep? I too live in Canada and I think that its marketed in the states under a few different names/modifications, but I've had pretty good success with it. I only take 1/2 of the smallest dose, 3mg, and it leaves me sleeping like a baby. I've been diagnosed BP, but I have spells where I can't sleep and the lack of sleep increases the anxiety so the pdoc prescribed the zopiclone. I know other people who've tried it with little success and others who it works wonders for. The only annoying thing for me is a nasty aftertaste in the morning, but I discovered that a spoonful of lemon juice in the morning gets rid of it.
Just a thought - hopefully you'll find the right mix for you soon,
Putter
putter@healingwell.net

Posted 3/2/2006 12:26 PM (GMT -6)
Thanks and yes i have tried and still have some immovane which i did find does help so i might start taking it again. But i think maybe better to go back on the ami until my next appointment this morning i alomst couldn't get out of bed because of my back pain so stiff and sore the ami seemed to help eith that. Anyway just and idea. Any thoughts in this would be appreiated.
Posted 3/16/2006 9:29 PM (GMT -6)
Last night my arm was so numb that if you cut it i probably wouldn;t have fet it and my hands and feet are always cold and sometimes they go purple in coulor anyway does this sound familiar to anyone with MS or other realated problems. Talk to ya later Twiggy2.
Posted 3/16/2006 9:29 PM (GMT -6)
Last night my arm was so numb that if you cut it i probably wouldn;t have fet it and my hands and feet are always cold and sometimes they go purple in coulor anyway does this sound familiar to anyone with MS or other realated problems. Talk to ya later Twiggy2.
Posted 3/17/2006 7:18 AM (GMT -6)
Twiggy,  Do you mean that your arm, both hands and both feet were numb and cold?  I am not sure I have read your post correctly is why I ask for clarification.  In Multiple Sclerosis if you have numbness it would travel on one side of you body and most usually does not effect both sides.  Such as, I have MS dx'ed in 2001, I have numbness on the right side of my body only.  Face, whole right arm, whole right leg, etc.  The numbness is unlike anything that I can describe, but I have not experienced having my limbs turn blue in color.  Although they do often feel cold to the touch and not there when numb.  For some reason I was under the impression that you had a back injury, is this not right?  Because with an injury of the back you can have some of the symptoms that you have described.  I am not a doctor by any means, but I remember that you posted on the MS forum and that someone there had said your symptoms were similar to MS.  However, a lot of other disorders are too so I would really get checked out as soon as possible.  If for nothing else than to set your mind at ease.  Please keep us posted.....
~elisha
 

Posted 3/17/2006 10:30 PM (GMT -6)
Thank you elisha. I sorry to have not been clear about things as i am unclear about the hole thing myself, I will try to desrcibe it better, at night when i sleep when i can sleep i try to find the most comfortable spot possible without laying on my back because it hurts, so i lay on my side sometimes with a pillow between my legs to help with the back pain. The numbness usually latley has been my left arm mostly i think because i'm sleeping on it. No real back injury most of my pain is created from strain at work, and now i am having serve headaches. Mostly at the right side if my head. I am guessing that i may have a pinched nerve which may be causing all off these weird like symptoms. I have an appointment with my family doc on the 30th of march and i am requesting a CT scan possibly with contrast to rule out MS and then possibly find out the real cause and what i may be up against. My hands and feet are usually always cold but never purple so that is what has me a little concerned. Hopefully the doc will be too.
Posted 3/31/2006 9:52 PM (GMT -6)
HI it's twiggy i have a question about using valarien root along with my 10mg of cipralex. I have read good things about it on the net and asked a pharmasist they said it would be ok has anyone ever used this natural remedy and if so was there complications during or after using it. Just wondering thanks twiggy
Posted 4/1/2006 12:39 PM (GMT -6)
Hi Twiggy,  Glad to see ya back.  What is the Valarien for?  I have never heard of it.  Okay I googled it...for stress relief and sleep.  If this the benefit your wanting to get from it?  Anyway, I was wondering if a primary care physician or psychiatrist prescribed your lexapro?  The reason I ask is because even though you asked a pharmacist his opinion on taking this herbal supplement a physician may have a different opinion on the matter.  You really should consult your doctor before mixing prescription medications with supplements.  Take care....
~elisha~ 
 
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Posted 4/1/2006 9:45 PM (GMT -6)
Dear els a psychiatrist prescribes my cipralex ao i am not trying the valarien root until i speak to him on the 3rd to get his opinion, i don't want to mix meds before i know for sure if it safe to take or not. Even though valarien root is a natural herb it may not be able to be taken with the type of antidpressant. Anyway take care thanks for responding. Twiggy2 Manly i would like to try it for stress relief sleeping seems to be getting better so i think i would only maybe have to take it once a day like in the morning when i take my cipralex just a thought.
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