Does anyone know if herbal sleeping pills can stop ADs working??

[allgonebellyup]

Ive been on ADs (citilopram 20mg)for about 7 weeks, and had to use sleeping pills to help me sleep. But they really made me feel dead the next day so the pharmacist recommended herbal sleeping pills instead, even though on the back of the packet it states "not for people on ADs". i still took them though, and they help me sleep!

Now i feel like the effects of my ADs may be wearing off as i feel quite low again.
But i rang the company who makes the herbal pills and the man there assured me that they wouldnt stop the ADs working.

So why do i feel low again?

Which herbal pill are you taking?

Natrasleep

As far as I know they don't stop ADs working but they may increase the possibility of having side/adverse effects and severity of the side effects. This is why they are not recommended to use at the same time. However, if you haven't had any side effects it shouldn't be a problem.

Perhaps you should change your ad if it is stopping you from sleeping.

I used to take natrasleep with prozac and lustral, it never affected me in any way

Also (don't know about dosage on this drug) perhaps you are feeling low as you are now used to drug, and dosage needs to be adjusted

Citalopram can be increased up to 60 mg. I think you need to speak to your GP to increase the dose if you are still depressed after 7 weeks. Did you get better for a while, before starting Natrasleep? Or have you been the same since the beginning? I don't think it is related to Natrasleep but you may need higher doses of Citalopram.

You need to inform your GP about any medication you're taking, including the herbal stuff, I think. Whether they're interfering with the ADs or not. I am so sorry you're feeling this way.

Have you tried taking a piriton allergy tablet at bedtime to help you sleep? I used to take Kalms (similar to natrasleep) but I find the piriton more effective. I am on fluoxetine.

Hmm yes it does feel as if my dosage of ADs is too low and i have adjusted to it.. but surely my body will keep adjusting now matter how high the new dosage?

i was feeling really good on the ADs from week 4 til week 7, then it felt like the good feeling was fading and i am in tears quite a lot again.
Dont think my doc will increase dosage this soon though?

Not sure if this is relevant, but I used herbal sleeping pills just once and they made me feel quite markedly more depressed. I'm not sure whether I was on ADs at the time.

Usually anxieties about effects of pills are pretty vague and uncertain, but in this case it was really obvious and pronounced.

thanks ShaunoftheThread, at least i am not alone. i feel suicidal today, i really do. i will stop taking the sleeping pills but then i wont ever sleep.
my doc doesnt give a shit.
i was really happy though, a week or so ago.

think i will google herbal sleeping pills and see what i can find?

allgonebellyup, i was on citalopram 20mg for about the same time and the effects seeem to wear off, i went back to the doctor, i didnt elaborate but i said i was struggling, she put me up to 40mg, i got worse for a week (much worse) but now i feel so much better Go back to the doctors, see what they say - i personally dont think you should combine the herbal pills withouth checking first

thanks, yes i will go back and see what they say.
i saw a councillor today and scared the shit out of her as i told her i might kill myself when i got home. i really felt that i would.

i did the google search, and there are loads of people on various forums talking about how the herbal pills threw them into the hugest depression, and one was suicidal.
So obviously i cannot be imagining what i am going through??
i will stop taking them NOW.

That's really interesting allgonebellyup. I'd not heard of others suffering this reaction until today.

Now you know that you will feel better when the herbal pills are out of your system. So put all your bad feelings into inverted commas and tell yourself they will be gone soon. Do something kind for yourself, and don't put yourself under any pressure at all until you feel a bit better, which you will when the herbal pills are out of your system.

Go back to doc's and ask for 40mg. That's the full theraputic dose. It muight well help you sleep too.

Best wishes

thanks.
i have felt so utterly desperate this week, i really thought i wouldnt be around for much longer.
my family dont realise how up and down i am.
thanks for the support.

Hang on have just remembered if natrasleep contain valarian then this can make you feel depressed, you are not supposed to take it long term even if you feel ok, as it can lead to depression.

Your body won,t keep "getting used" to your ad, so you have to keep adjusting dose, once you reaach the dose that is right for you, you will feel ok

Yes it contains Valerian, but some of the things i found on google said that Valerian is given to help cure depression?
But yes, there were just as many people on forums saying valerian had made them suicidal.

So do i just stop taking the sleeping pills or do it very gradually?????

I dont know the answer to the thread title, but I have always been told not to mix conventional with complementary medicines. Dont know if that helps or not....

all gone belly up, how strange, i had my first counselling session today, my counsellor looked a bit scared too

shaun is right, someone sent me some literature that 40mg is the most effective dose for depression.

No, valerian does cause depression if used too much. You are not meant to take it long term

Try phenergan to make you sleep. Cheap safe ant-histamine. It is sold as sominex for about £5.00, for 8 tablets, phenergan to buy is about £2.00, for loads

thanks for that.

i feel like such an idiot, a liability. i mentioned i felt suicidal to my sister, she has called my whole family and they are all trying to phone me, but i dont want to talk to anyone.

AGBU
I'm glad you mentioned this. I'm also on Citalopram 20mg and having probs sleeping. So I bought a box of Nytol 'one a night'.

I did ask my GP about herbal remedies with ad's, but all he said was not to use StJohns wort.
The Nytol really did the trick at first. 1 citalopram, 1 nytol and a stiff brandy usually did the trick. But after a few weeks, I really started feeling bad, to the point I felt the same way as you, I even went to the Samaritans (and they were closed LMAO, which really topped my day off) so came home and took the whole pack of Citalopram in one go.

You are NOT a liability, nor an idiot. I know it's not easy feeling this way, but just want you to know you are not alone.

I just cannot win. Have stopped the Nytol, but still having the stiff brandy every night and end up laying in bed wide awake until 6am most nights. I have kids and a job also, and most of the time I'm a walikng zombie.

Just sending you some gentle cyber hugs (((AGBU)))

Just sending loads of hugs and good wishes to allgonebellyup and others on this thread who are feeling low.

Things will start to get better, allgone. As for whether you stop taking the herbal pills all at once or gradually, I've never heard it said that you should taper off these pills gradually, and for myself I would just stop taking them and find some easy absorbing novel to read when you can't sleep (if that is possible in your state of mind), But do get to the GP as soon as possible to hear his/her advice -- and to get a higher dose of the ADs.

thanks to both of you,purpleone, it is good to hear another person who has hit the same thing as me.

i didnt take any herbal pills last night and already this morning i feel very slightly lighter in my mood.
But this might be in my head!