Having trouble sleeping.

[WiredIncorrectly]

I've been on venaflaxine for probably around 3 months now. They do work to help me, but I'm having issues with sleep.

I slept at 6am today, and woke up at 11am. It doesn't matter when I take my meds I'm always awake all night. Thankfully my appetite has got better, but the sleep issues are frustrating. I did a 10 mile hike the other day, and I thought that would help me sleep. It made it worse and I was awake for nearly 24 hours

Does it ever go away or is it one of them side effects you have to live with?

[panic_down_under]

Does it ever go away or is it one of them side effects you have to live with?

It may go away, but I wouldn't count on it.

If I remember correctly you were on promazine at one point which had you sleeping most of the day and night. Are you still on it, James?

I'm guessing not in which case a small dose of mirtazapine might get you sleeping again. Trazodone would be even better as it has a much shorter half-life so the sedation usually doesn't extend into the next morning, but as I understand it the hidebound NHS will only authorize it as an antidepressant. However, I think it would be worth asking about it anyway. You might get lucky.

[WiredIncorrectly]

Hey there PDU! You have a good memory. It was the quetiapine that were KO'ing me. I'm still taking them but they don't have that effect on me anymore. I started doing long hikes of a weekend with the dog and the constant tiredness eased up. At my last appointment mirtazapine was mentioned actually. I will bring it up.

My brain still feels hyperactive, like it doesn't shut down, so maybe that's a different issue I will discuss.

Cheers mate.

[panic_down_under]

It was the quetiapine that were KO'ing me.

That's interesting because promazine should have been the one to KO you. Vets use it to sedate horses before performing minor surgery.

At my last appointment mirtazapine was mentioned actually. I will bring it up.

Quetiapine is sedating primarily because it is both a histamine H1 receptor and serotonin 5-HT2A receptor antagonist. Mirtazapine antagonizes both of these receptors too, but is considerably more potent so there is a good chance it'll work.

My brain still feels hyperactive, like it doesn't shut down, so maybe that's a different issue I will discuss.

Mirtazapine might help with that because it has a much longer half-life than quetiapine so will likely still be sedating well into the day.

[WiredIncorrectly]

Thanks mate. There was some confusion with the promazine if I recall because it's not actually the veterinary drug, but they're often confused. The quetiapine was the one because I started taking it a different time and noticed 45 mins after I'd need to lie down. Few weeks ago I confused the quetiapine for my venaflaxine, since both are round in shape, and I took 400mg of quetiapine. I only noticed because 30 mins later I couldn't move. That wasn't fun.

[Scissel]

quetiapine worked for me for a little while and they pooped out on me and now it doesn't help with sleep anymore. I hope you recover, James.

[panic_down_under]

I confused the quetiapine for my venaflaxine, since both are round in shape, and I took 400mg of quetiapine. I only noticed because 30 mins later I couldn't move. That wasn't fun.

Please don't do that again, mate. Apart from being a strong sedative quetiapine also affects smooth muscles which is mostly why you couldn't move. The muscles go stiff. This can also be very painful.

[pulisa]

Please don't do that again, mate. Apart from being a strong sedative quetiapine also affects smooth muscles which is mostly why you couldn't move. The muscles go stiff. This can also be very painful.

My son is prescribed 400mg quetiapine per night and has never had this happen to him in 5 years.