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Sertraline, is insomnia for a month normal?

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melissa66574
melissa66574

Hi everyone,

I have been on 200mg of zoloft for 9 years and earlier this summer, i slowly tapered down to 50mg and was on that dose for a few months before my anxiety/depression started creeping back in. So my psych had me raise my dose from 50-100 and 2 weeks later I went to 150 and then 1 week later went to 200mg, simultaneously she had me increase my wellbutrin from 50-75 for one week and then i told her i was still feeling anxious so she said take half wellbutrin for a week and then go off of it since it's not doing me any favors. 

I noticed after 2 weeks of 200mg, i was feeling better but was still taking xanax every night (.5). but even my sleep w xanax got better. i was finally sleeping in and snoozing before work like beforesmile so the next night i dindt take xanax, just melatonin 3mg and i toss and turned all night and as a result have been exhausted since tuesday and my anxiety heightens when I'm tired.

my doc suggested seroquel as a rescue med to reset my sleep/mood but i just want to let the 200mg adjust to my body and take xanax for one more week. hoping the insomnia starts getting better.

has anyone had insomnia for over a month with setraline? ive been taking xanax off and on for about 20 days. i do not want to get addicted but aside from smoking weed,it really helps knock me out...

guess i just need reassurance that this is normal and sleep will get better in time and so will my anxiety/depression. its not situational bc everything in my life is great, which makes it more frustrating bc i can't enjoy itsad

help..?

 

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • tanya94586
    tanya94586 melissa66574

    Posted

    Stop taking Xanax. You are relying on it and the longer u take it, the harder it will be. And your sleep is not natural on this medication. Your regular sleep stages are not normal which won’t help your healing process. If you’re somewhere that you can buy weed legally, get one higher in cbd which has a calming effect and low in thc which triggers anxiety. 

    I work in sleep medicine and some basic stuff to help insomnia is as follows:

    Don’t go to bed unless you are tired. 

    Don’t watch tv in bed or look at your phone or read. Basically it’s only for sleep. 

    If you are in bed for 20 minutes and still not asleep, get up and sit in a darkened quiet room. Don’t look at phones or tv but read a paper book (not a kindle) or do some of those adult colouring books. It even just sit and look out the window. Only go back to bed when you are tired and repeat. 

    I suggest an antihistamine or motion sickness tablet that you can get over the counter that makes you drowsy. They really do work and aren’t addictive.  Get an app on your phone like rain sounds or bedtime stories or headspace.  Deep breathing and meditation.  All of this should help.  

  • brown45840
    brown45840 melissa66574

    Posted

    Melissa, the only thing I would add is that Xanax is great for short term use or to use now and then, but don’t get to dependent on it.
    • melissa66574
      melissa66574 brown45840

      Posted

      OH def not long term

      My doc said use the .5 as needed for the month

      But i Just need reassurance that the Zoloft will work

      I know it should bc it has In he past but it’s just that it takes a longer time for me.

      AND I’m I feel like my doctors are concerned that I’m not drastically bettwr aftee two weeks on 200:-(

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