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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by fachad on June 6, 2001, at 22:58:57
Has anyone tried Phenergan or Atatax or Vistaril for Sleep?
I am looking for something to offset SSRI induced early waking. I don't want Elavil or Doxepin or Remeron because of weight gain.
Has anyone ever used the above antihistamines for sleep?
Posted by SalArmy4me on June 7, 2001, at 0:27:41
In reply to Phenergan or Atatax or Vistaril for Sleep?, posted by fachad on June 6, 2001, at 22:58:57
Atarax is indicated as an anti-anxiety agent, but it has little sedation in PDR-recommended doses. Vistaril is just an analog of Atarax. How about Benadryl? Benadryl is in all of the OTC sleep remedies.
> Has anyone tried Phenergan or Atatax or Vistaril for Sleep?
>
> I am looking for something to offset SSRI induced early waking. I don't want Elavil or Doxepin or Remeron because of weight gain.
>
> Has anyone ever used the above antihistamines for sleep?
Posted by Autumn Despotis on June 7, 2001, at 23:43:23
In reply to Phenergan or Atatax or Vistaril for Sleep?, posted by fachad on June 6, 2001, at 22:58:57
I haven't heard of atavax, but i am allergic to phenergan. I took Vistoril for a while, but it gave me vividly frightening dreams, and I couldn't distinguish between the dream and reality. I had hallucinations, too. This may be a choice recreation for some, but not I!!
Have you thought about Diphenhydramine? It's the same ingredient they put in Benedryl. I use it to bring me down a bit when I'm manic, although this was something I did w/out a doc's permission. Check with your doc and see what is best for you! Good luck!
Posted by stjames on June 8, 2001, at 2:05:06
In reply to Phenergan or Atatax or Vistaril for Sleep?, posted by fachad on June 6, 2001, at 22:58:57
> Has anyone ever used the above antihistamines for sleep?
James here,
Actually Imiprimime (and all TCA's, like doxipin and related to Remeron) were developed from sedating antihistamines; antihistamines that are sedating share the weight gaining side effect with these antidepressants. Generally one does not need to take a large dose to induce sleep and avoides the weight issue. Trazodone would be an option, it is sedating and not related to the antihistamines. While an AD, it is used for sleep. Should last long enough for early morning waking problems. If I take benzos every day I eat like a horse, some do get this side effect from them.
James
Posted by Shar on June 8, 2001, at 22:36:51
In reply to Phenergan or Atatax or Vistaril for Sleep?, posted by fachad on June 6, 2001, at 22:58:57
> Has anyone tried Phenergan or Atatax or Vistaril for Sleep?
I've used vistaril equivalent hydroxyzine pamoate for sleep, 50 mg. on occasion. I get a bit of a hangover from it. I have the scrip for vistaril to ease anxiety attacks, so I use it more often for that.
When I have taken Phenergan for anti-nausea purposes, I have felt somewhat drowsy but it did not put me to sleep.
I usually take Klonopin 1mg. for sleep which is just right for me. However, you have probably seen the various posts about Klonopin being tough to get off of. I've never tried to get off of it, so I don't know.
I used Benadryl for a long time also, prior to seeing a doc for scrips.
Good luck.
Shar
>
> I am looking for something to offset SSRI induced early waking. I don't want Elavil or Doxepin or Remeron because of weight gain.
>
> Has anyone ever used the above antihistamines for sleep?
Posted by Elizabeth on June 8, 2001, at 23:39:44
In reply to Phenergan or Atatax or Vistaril for Sleep?, posted by fachad on June 6, 2001, at 22:58:57
> Has anyone tried Phenergan or Atatax or Vistaril for Sleep?
Yes. Atarax and Vistaril are similar; go with hydroxyzine hydrochloride, not pamoate (better bioavailability, I think). Hydroxyzine is a great sleep aid that doesn't make you tired the next day. Phenergan is okay too but with more side effects.
Both of these are appetite stimulators, but if you go to bed as soon as you feel them kicking in, you'll sleep through your munchies. :-)
-elizabeth
Posted by Elizabeth on June 8, 2001, at 23:46:01
In reply to Re: Phenergan or Atatax or Vistaril for Sleep?, posted by stjames on June 8, 2001, at 2:05:06
> Actually Imiprimime (and all TCA's, like doxipin and related to Remeron) were developed from sedating antihistamines; antihistamines that are sedating share the weight gaining side effect with these antidepressants.
That's true: doxepin and amitriptyline are the strongest antihistamines of the TCAs. (Doxepin is even available in a topical preparation for pruritis.) The phenothiazines, old antipsychotics (of which Phenergan (promethazine) is one) which are structurally close to TCAs, were also under investigation as antihistamines, for the purpose of augmenting surgical anaesthesia, when they were discovered to relieve psychosis.
> Generally one does not need to take a large dose to induce sleep and avoides the weight issue. Trazodone would be an option, it is sedating and not related to the antihistamines. While an AD, it is used for sleep. Should last long enough for early morning waking problems.
Trazodone is also an antihistamine (and can also cause the munchies if you don't go to sleep when the sedation sets in). I found it stopped working after a few days, as all antihistaminic sedatives do for me. Also, some people feel it causes daytime drowsiness.
> If I take benzos every day I eat like a horse, some do get this side effect from them.
Me too. Plus they don't generally continue to work for insomnia; most people grow tolerant to sedation from benzos.
-elizabeth
Posted by Shar on June 10, 2001, at 0:00:17
In reply to Re: Phenergan or Atatax or Vistaril for Sleep? » fachad, posted by Elizabeth on June 8, 2001, at 23:39:44
......go with hydroxyzine hydrochloride, not pamoate (better bioavailability, I think).
E,
That's interesting. My docs have always said the pamoate has a greater sedating effect and use that. When I did get HCL once because the doc just wrote 'hydroxyzine' it didn't seem to work too well for sleep.Different docs, different personal reactions, I guess.
Shar
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