Anyone had problems with Ambien or Lexapro?

[jazzy578]

I am on week 9/48 and have not been doing well.  Consequently, my doc has prescribed Ambien for sleep and Lexapro for depression.  I went on line this morning and looked up all the possible sx and am really scared to take them. The sx on SOC are almost more than I can take, and adding more seems too much.  However, if I don't get some help in these areas I may not finish treatment.  I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has taken any of these and your experience.  Thank you so much!!

[Diane12855]

I'm taking the Ambien CR and THANK GOD FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!! I tried regular Ambien and had 2 nights in one week that I only got 2 hours of sleep... which didn't help with the depression or Riba Rage. I still wake up often, but am able to go back to sleep now. I have no problem with feeling bad the next day. I'm on Effexor for the depression.

My feelings about the sx: Right now the most important thing is to kill this dragon... whatever it takes. I will take whatever I have to in order to get through my 48 weeks (only 44 to go!)

Kill that dragon!!!!!!

[IMstacie]

The first couple months i felt like I was wired - sick and wired!  It was horrible!  I couldn't take the Ambien before tx so didn't try it during tx.  But, the benedryl worked fine and just a half at that.

[copyman]

thanks for your usual intelligent reply. you are so helpful and always have the right answers. good job !

[Rockerforlife]

I slept like a baby,and i took no sleeping aids

[GreatBird]

I just have to say (and this is rather off topic) how very odd it is that while many people have trouble sleeping on treatment, I couldn't stay awake after like 8pm. I think I slept almost 10 hours a night most nights. I had to set an alarm to wake up and take my 11pm boceprevir pills.

I'll never understand why tx affects us all so differently.

[Trinity4]

"The ONLY sleeping pill that worked for me was Ambien CR. However... the next day I felt like I was drunk with a hangover... Not for me..."

Amen Brother, that stuff was wicked bad with the hangover feeling.  I tried it for about a month and I still never slept the entire night.  Four hours tops with Ambien CR and felt like crap the next day so I quit using it.  Eventually, I learned how to control the insomnia with various techniques and slept 4-5 hours and my body adjusted to the sleep deprivation.  I was terribly fatigued by the end of my treatment but at least I didn't have a hangover to go with it.

Trin

[Magnum]

or in sight

Magnum

[Magnum]

The ONLY sleeping pill that worked for me was Ambien CR. However... the next day I felt like I was drunk with a hangover... Not for me...

The doctor has prescribed Medical Marijuana. Haven't smoked it since college days, but for me, it beats any sleeping pill and most likely safer. I use a vaporizer instead of rolling it or smoking it in a pipe. This cuts down dramatically on carcinogens. There will be pros and cons forever and ever, amen about this subject, but for me, it was miraculous. Now if I can only stop munching on everything in site....

Magnum

[IMstacie]

I took lexapro throughout the treatment - it helped me a lot.  No experience with the sleeping pills.  I took a half of benedryl to help in that dept.  Of course, the benedryl served dual purpose as I had the ichy rash covering my body for 4 months of tx.  I bet the lexapro helped me tolerate that as well.

[copyman]

I opted not to take the Lexapro but did take the Ambian and it helped a lot.

[Marcia2202]

I took Celexa from the second week of treatment, as I developed depression at that time. I didn't think this would happen to me, but obviously it hit me over the head, like a burglar in the night... :-)

The celexa worked really fast (within 6 days) and I was fine all the way through treatment. I did have to adjust the dosage once during treatment. I got of them within 2 -3 weeks post treatment.

I slept very well and many hours during treatment. My time was upside down, but I slept like a baby. So I have no experience with sleeping pills.