anticipatory anxiety?

Hello,

Let me start by giving a brief history.  I am a 28 year old male.  About 8 months ago insomnia hit me like a freight train.  In the past year I've gotten married, bought my first house, inherited a step child and have a child on the way.  On top of that I'm a 911 dispatcher and a paramedic.  I have never struggled with anxiety or depression before, but I went to my primary care doctor and he initially put me on zolpidem.  After a month of that not being effective even after doubling the dose, I described to him how I have almost become afraid of the dark.  Not in the childlike sense... but when dusk would approach I was get nervous because I knew bed time was approaching.  He put me on 1mg of ativan before bed and described me as having anticipatory anxiety.  This was mildly effective at first, but it seems like when I'm lying in bed I keep going over the stressors in my life in my mind like a slide show one after the other.  My Dr. reffered me to a psychologist and they decided to put me on Celexa.  The psychotherapy with the psychologist is a nice outlet to discuss my stressors in life and she told me that I need to learn to live more in the grey.  I've noticed the Celexa has actually put me in a little better mood during the day, but my insomnia and anxiety at night persists.  My question is this, does Xanax or Klonopin have a more sedating effect or in your experience has either one been more effective in treating anxiety related sleep disorders?  The Ativan isn't effective at all anymore.  I'm at my wits end and need to catch some Z's!

[Mandapanda17]

I have been on a few different anxiety meds. , xanax and currently klonopin. Neither of which gave me any sleep at all. I definitely have anticipatory anxiety (what a good way to put that!) also. My doctors prescribed me Trazodone for sleep. I truly believe this is the only way I get ANY sleep at all. I sleep for at least 7-8 hours a night, without the horrible anxiety. I don't find that any of the benzos used for anxiety help with sleep at all, especially over a longer period of time. Trazodone is an old anti-depressant used mainly for its sedative affects and isn't addictive. It really helped me a lot :)

[mkoffski]

Thanks for the quick reply!  I had actually read about trazadone and that it's helped a few others with anxiety related insomnia.  I have a doctors appt. tomorrow and I'm going to mention it to him!

[mkoffski]

What was the Trazadone doseage that your doctor started you on and what are you currently taking?

[Mandapanda17]

hi there! They started me at 50-100mgs a night, and then now they've changed it to 100-200 mgs a night if needed! It really had helped me a lot :) Let me know what happens at your appt!

[ativan]

Hi there I also take trazadone at night but we only get ours in 150mgs I find this to strong as I also take 4mgs of ativan daily so I cut it in half to 75mgs, but I do find it helps me sleep but I always wake before 5am then the anxiety kicks in. hope you get on ok mkoffski.
take care ativan.

[mkoffski]

Hey!  I just had my appointment.  He told me to continue on with the celexa and I brought up Trazadone to him.  He agreed to give it a try and is starting me off on 50mg's a night at bedtime.

[Mandapanda17]

oh good! let me know how it works for you! :) Sleep well!

[mkoffski]

Wow!  Boy does this stuff work!  I took 50mg's about a half hour before I laid down for bed.  It made me sleepy but at first I was only sleeping lightly, I would wake up every hour or so for the first few hours.  But it must have only been getting started because after that, I slept like a freakin rock!  Yay for Trazodone!

[Mandapanda17]

oh good!! Make sure that when you take it you eat a snack with it, I usually eat toast with it. It does make it work even better, something about the way your body metabolizes it. I bet after a couple days you won't even be waking up every hour at first. I sure don't..I sleep like a rock for at least 6-7 sometimes 8 hours! :) So glad it worked for you!!

[mkoffski]

You were right, the 2nd night I didn't sleep lightly at all.  I slept right through the night for about 8-9 hours.  I was a bit worried because after the first night I took it I had a pretty nasty headache the next day and thought it might have been a side effect.  But the headache hasn't come back, only blissful sleep.  Now, I've never been a big dreamer and I've heard that some people experience nightmares on Trazodone.  I have dreamed every night so far, but they have ranged from normal every day experiences to euphoric dreams.... so I'm not complaining!  The are magic pills.  

[Mandapanda17]

hey there, I had a headache the first couple days from what I remember, but it is definitely worth it! :) I haven't had nighmares either, just regular dreams, which I like because then I know I'm sleeping good! I always have had pretty vivid dreams anyway, but not scary ones. They do seems to be magic pills for some people, me, and obviously you too! So glad they worked for you! :)