Starting dosulepin for anxiety and sleep

[jamsconeandtea]

Hi could anyone share any success stories with these? I have previously been on trazadone for sleep issues after the birth of my son, now 2. They worked brilliantly at first but the sedative effect eventually wore off even at the highest dose. I came off them a month ago but anxiety has been bad again. I asked the dr if could try these instead and just wondered if they had worked for others and how quickly? Thanks!

hiya
can't help with the Dosulepin I'm afraid but I know what you mean with the trazadone - I used to find 50mg at night really helped me sleep with no hangover effect, then had to go to 100mg for it to work - now I just find it does not help me sleep at all - if anything I have a broken night with really graphic dreams which are very disturbing leaving me tired. Funnily enough I am going to my GP in a hour to talk about sleep and anxiety and will be interested to see what he says - I always worry about weight gain though with anti-depressants - even if the drug itself does not cause gain, I often find my appetite goes on the rampage - did find trazadone ok in this respect though. I will post later with my GP's advice but am thinking of you - I have never slept well - even as a child - it has just got worse as an adult.
x

Thanks for your reply and yes please let me know how you get on. I didn't experience weight gain with the trazadone either but not sure about the dosulepin. It's a minefield trying to work out which is the right drug to take, good luck! x

hi again
well he offered more trazadone but I said it didn't help so short term I have a prescription for lorazepam and he said CBT counselling is the way to go - I already go to a therapist weekly though she does not do CBT but he said I should try the one he recommended - so not really sure what to do - I can understand the CBT recommendation but at £50 a session and it will take some weeks it puts me off but maybe I ought to try it - have been on ADs before as I said but totally refuse to consider going back on them - I think I have to change me - always rushing, putting pressure on myself to get things done, to be organised, to keep my weight down, to be fit, etc etc etc - lost sight of simple things like reading a book or actually noticing my surroundings if I go for a run.

Do let me know how you get on though with your new medication xx

Hi, I had these in the past but it was a while ago, about 8 years. I had PND with anxiety with insomnia. They did help me get better, coming off them after about 18 months and then was fine. I can't remember a lot of detail but I think sleep improved reasonably quickly but I think I didn't feel totally normal for several months but that is quite normal. I didn't gain weight other than to get back to the weight I was before I was ill.
This time around I have been given mirtazapine and has worked for me, i couldn't sleep for more than a couple of hours but they really helped sort that out and the anxiety symptoms went, I'm now trying to reduce the dose very slowly. They do however have some side effects mainly weight gain, however half a stone is worth feeling better for.
I hope you start to feel better soon.
MLx

Be careful with lorazapam they are very strong and highly addictive x

Hiya yes I know they are ones to be wary of thanks x

Thanks for the replies, i really appreciate it, it can feeel like you are the only one going through this at times. I know I need to change myself first too, can relate to the rushing around and not being in the moment. Have tried some mindfullness exercises but they seem to make the anxiety worse! I think I should try CBT too, it would be good to hear how you get on and I will let you know what happens with the dosulepin, going to take the first one tonight. I am annoyed at having to go back on AD's but can't put my family through anymore stress. Moreylass can I ask why you didn't try the dosulepin again? x

Hi
I have had Dosulepin prescribed for agitated depression and it worked very well .
Started slowly and upped dose to 150mg at night with Lofepramine twice during the day . The benefit came quickly and within 3 weeks I was sleeping so much better . A bit spacy in the beginning but that wore off . The relief was huge and hope so much it helps you .

I am a big fan of the older tricyclic meds if the SSSRIs dont help . Also mindfulness . But you need to get a good rest first for your body and mind .
So much distress when your mind wont switch off ....I feel for you . Give them a try and dont be afraid .

Thanks, am starting to feel a bit anxious about taking them but your experience has helped me think I should just do it, did you have any side effects at first?

Hi
just very dry mouth and a spacey dreamy feeling for a week or two. But managed to do day to day family things . I hope it helps you as it did me .My doctor increased dose very gradually . Give it ago and dont be afraid .
I know how scary it is to take new meds . This one helped me back to sleeping and then I could tackle the therapy .
Hope it helps you .......give it a few weeks .

Hi again, in response to your question, when I first went to Dr (different surgery as moved) the dr asked if I wanted to try a tricyclic or a newer one, I couldn't really make a decision so she prescribed citalopram. This did not agree with me at all and made my sleeping worse, that was when she suggested mirtazapine as it is very often prescribed when people are unable to sleep. I think if this had not worked I would have tried dosulepin, however I don't think it tends to be be one of the first ADs to try.
Hth
MLx

Hi again, how long does dosulepin take to work? Had a really rough night last night and ended up taking a zopiclone around 2 as couldn't face the thought of zero sleep, was really anxious and wondered if they can make you worse before you get better? Really hope these will work for me but when??? x

Hi jamsconeandtea I've only just seen this thread.

I was on dosulepin for nearly three years. I was prescribed it because I had bad side effects from citalopram and a single dose of mirtazapine. As you can imagine I was quite wary of trying anything else but desperate to feel less miserable and anxious.

I started off on 50mg as the doctor was a bit worried about too high a dose given my past history. However I tolerated it well and went up to the starting therapeutic dose for depression of 75mg which I took about two hours before I went to bed. For me dosulepin worked very well as I suffered a lot with insomnia which was linked to the depression and anxiety and felt a lot better knowing I was going to be able to sleep each night. I found that gradually I felt a lot calmer and in the end happier on dosulepin.

It does take a good couple of weeks for you to get the full benefits though and yes you can feel slightly worse to start with. I didn't get any side effects other than a dry mouth, drowsiness (that was generally welcome), and slight weight gain. The highest dose I was on at one time was 100mg. This was during the winter months when my depression was worst.

I came off dosulepin very slowly in April this year and by the middle of June was off it completely. I've been ok since apart from the odd bad night, but am prepared to go on it again if I need to over the winter months.

I would say try and persevere with them, you will find the sedating effect increases the higher the dose you're on. IME 75mg worked well enough to start with without leaving me too groggy in the morning. What dose have you been started on? It may be you need to increase the dose as taking zopiclone to sleep won't help your mood in the long term and the two different drugs don't mix well.

Hi, yes feeling pretty awful today which I think must come from the mix of the 2 drugs, really low and panicky. I called the dr and she said to double the dose from 75mg to 150mg which seems a bit high but I think i might follow your suggestion of taking it 2 hours before bed. I took it just before bed then lay awake worrying that it wasn't working which set me off on a panick attack. I know that it is my own thoughts and then my reaction to them that keep me awake so if this drug helps me switch off that anxious chatter I will be very grateful! i know if I can sleep I will feel so much better. Did you find you slept better after the first night or did it get better gradually?

Glad you've spoken to your doctor today. You should find that 150mg will kick in quite quickly but yes it's probably best to give it time to work before you go to bed. Also if you take it that little bit earlier it's easier to get up in the morning.

Really hope you have a good night, it's horrible being awake worrying.