Sleeplessness, other problems and Zaptra 12.5 mg

[varunspace]

I am 39. I am very busy person and run my own business. I sleep late at around 11 pm and take my dinner at about 10 pm. I started to feel dizziness around 2 years ago when I was affected with Dengue in my brain. My Platelet count dropped to 40000 from 330000. At that time I used to feel like blood is leaking inside my brain. MRI scan revealed nothing. Eyesight tests were normal. I recovered by my platelet count never went back to 330000. It is 190000 at max. But I could never become same as before. Earlier I used to wake up early, I was very fit and strong person. Since last 2 years I feel dizziness, feel it difficult to focus on things, I feel my both eyes are looking at different objects (but eye doctor says everything is perfect), almost on alternate days I find it unable to get good sleep, sometimes I feel I have slept but my half brain was awake, I feel dizziness and blurry vision during day time. If I exercise I feel even more blurryness. I feel my brain has vibrations and I find it hard to focus on things before my eyes. I also developed breathlessness problems. When I speak I feel breathless, and these symptoms increase when I do not get good sleep. My sleep gets distrubed at night, probably because I work till late in office and take my dinner very late. My doctor recommended Zaptra 12.5 mg, 1 tablet before sleeping. I started it and felt really good since when I take this table I get very sound sleep and then during day time I feel much better. Doctor advised me to take it for 1 month. I took it for 1 month and alomost 75% of the time it worked well. In the later weeks it started to slow down its effect, which means I was not getting same result as at the beginning, but still much better than without tablet.

Then I read online about Zaptra and found that it is used in severe cases of problems in self-control of a body part or of mind in addition to depression. In addition there could be side effects like insominia. I just remain very busy but I do not think I worry a lot. Yes work keeps on revolving in my mind and I feel eagerness to cover as much as possible in short time. But there is no stress. There is hurry to do more all the time, that is certainly there. Is it equivalent to stress? I am now worried that regular use of Zaptra could make me dependent on it, so I switched to ayurvedic simpler medicine - Ashvagandha which also is used to reduce stress. I do not see its much effect as it seems very mild as compared to Zaptra or may Zaptra has ingredients to directly impact specific nerves. So I am not sure what should I do at this stage. Should I continue with Zaptra for a little longer without worrying about additiction to it? What is your suggestion to me?

One more thing is my doctor does not tell me what exactly is the problem in my head and what is Zaptra trying to do. He just tells me that you have general stress and this tablet helps to sleep better. Is that the whole of it or there's more detail? I want to know that but doctor does not tell that. What do you think about my problem since Zaptra is able to reduce it?  

[varunspace]

Thanks a lot for your reply and writing about Zaptra in detail. I was also researching and read that this medicine is used in cases of Epilepsy and more serious mental disorders, so I was also surprised why I was put on this medicine by my doctor, who is a well renowned doctor in internal medicine. Fundamentally, I have always remain inclined towards Homeopathy or Ayurvedic medicines. But at the same time I feel these branches of medicine work slowly and can be taken as the long term problem solvers instead of for quick relief. That is why I go for allopathic medicines sometimes including in this case.

Now I am back to where I was. I have stopped Zaptra and I am solely relying on ashvagandha for now. What I have felt is gradually my body is taking effect of ashvagandha and I am getting uninterrupted sleep of at least 6 hours on most of the nights. At the same time, in spite of this sleep, I feel breathless when I speak or walk, I see floaters when I look up, light troubles my eyes, I feel dizziness and my forehead feels something inside it (like waves) which makes me feel a little heavy in the forehead. No trouble in rest of the head. Sometimes (like once in 10 days) I feel like I am not able to speak freely. My tongue is hard to move, I feel it is a bit lazy. When I feel floaters, on pressing my forehead with both hands I feel I see sharper, but when I leave my hands the same floaters and blurry vision comes back. If I walk fast or start running in this situation, floaters, blurry vision and waves in my forehead increase.

My sugar levels are normal (closer to the lower level required but just above it), good results in TMT test, almost 100% positive results in lungs test, normal ECG, nothing found in MRI scan of the brain. So doctor feels all these symptoms are related to Stress, lack of sleep etc as you have also mentioned. In fact I went to a famous Homeopathy doctor in our city and he said these symptoms are related to Migraine. I told him I don't feel pain in my head but he said Migraine does not always mean pain. When you sleep well, take all the required rest, you feel good, but when you don't sleep well and you see all these symptoms, this is an indication of Migraine. So he wants to start medicine course to cure Migraine.

Now I am a bit confused. I want to cure these problems and become normal. I see healthy people around me at 39, and from the beginning I have been very athletic and mentally strong person. So I am willing to solving these problems but do not know who is the right doctor and what is the right course to take. Should I get some more tests done, if yes then which ones? Should I go to a neurologist or some other specialist? Should I start migraine medicine from local doctor? Should I change my lifestyle and wait for 1-2 months before I judge the results? I have already started taking 15-20 minute walk after lunch, I already bring lunch from home and now I have even stopped eating at night. I just eat some fruits at night or if I need dinner, I take it at least 1.5 hours before sleep. I have also ordered calms fort from US (evitamins site) which I will receive in few days. Thanks for letting me know about it.

What is your suggestion? Please share.

Thanks again.
Varun

[Paxiled]

Okay, here's the thing about paroxetene (or Paxil).  This is one of the most difficult of all the antidepressants to take and to stop taking.  It usually takes about 4-6 weeks for serotonin-targeting drugs like this one to start working, although side effects start right away.  Although this drug can and often does have a starting up side effect of sedation, that can go away over time as you get used to it.  One of the side effects of this and other antidepressants for some people are obsessive thoughts, but with a person as busy as you are you probably work too much to notice this but you might notice later on some personality changes.  Not major necessarily.  My advice, and I'm not a doctor but I don't think your doctor is one either or he would never have put you on this medication for a sleep problem or simple stress, is to taper off this drug.  It is the most difficult drug used to treat mental illness to stop taking, so stopping abruptly even after a short time on it can cause lots of problems (or none at all, it just depends on the person -- it's just best to play it safe with this medication).  Okay, as for ashwagandha, this is in the class of herbs known as adaptogens, which generally help the body function better overall.  Their main target organ is the adrenal gland, and this herb usually helps to calm it down (some stimulate it).  Some will notice this and some won't, but herbs are generally not used individually to treat complex disorders, so if you were to see someone who doses natural medicine professionally you'd probably not walk out with just one herb.  There are better herbs for sleep, such as valerian or passionflower.  But in your case, you're not really describing a mental disorder as much as a poor lifestyle, and that may be the problem.  Eating that close to sleeping is a bad idea -- food is fuel, and you don't want to go to bed full of fuel.  It also requires the digestive system to go to work, and you don't want it working while you're trying to be at rest.  So you're either going to have to go to bed later and give your body time to digest your dinner, or eat dinner at work -- you can prepare healthy meals at home and eat them at work -- the classic Indian lunch box idea.  Another option that is popular in India is homeopathic medicine -- there are several that might help you sleep.  One available readily is called Calm's Forte, but there are many.  Good luck in finding what works for you.