Has anyone else here tried promethazine for insomnia?
It gives me a decent night of sleep. However due to its half-life of 16-19 hours, I feel sleepy and generally fatigued until around 10-11am (I get up at 7.30am).
I also get headaches, and a paradoxical reaction: nausea! Promethazine has anti-emetic properties so this side-effect confuses me!
I have also noticed some muscle stiffness, heaviness, and terrible orthostatic hypotension/dizziness that prevents me from doing things like exercise group (I love exercise) on the ward.
I will be seeing the consultant on the ward either today or tomorrow, so I will discuss this with him.
But I would like your input.
Thanks.
PM me if you want a PDF copy of the ICD-10or the Mental Health Act 1983/2007. I ALSO HAVE THE DSM-V BOOK and am a pharmacology student.
I have a visual impairment / neurological problems so I need people to type in clear text and no funny fonts. Also excuse any typos, my vision blocks things out.
I have autism and have problems communicating, PMs included.
Just becasue I type well doesn't mean I speak well. I am only part time verbal.
Sorry, Oly, the only thing I have been on for sleep is Zopiclone (Zimovane) and that leaves me groggy the next morning. It has a shorter half life, and some people say they get queasy if they take the tablet without food.
It may be worth asking your prescriber is this is also true of your med. The food with the med may help stop you feeling queasy.
Sorry I cant be of more help.
Roiben x
If the Human brain were so simple that we could understand it, we would be so simple that we wouldn't.
It's alright. I tried zopiclone but got an unbearable version of the "metallic taste" and I'm worried about addictive potential. Shorter half-life is good though.
I'm thinking about melatonin....
Definitely not taking promethazine tonight.
PM me if you want a PDF copy of the ICD-10or the Mental Health Act 1983/2007. I ALSO HAVE THE DSM-V BOOK and am a pharmacology student.
I have a visual impairment / neurological problems so I need people to type in clear text and no funny fonts. Also excuse any typos, my vision blocks things out.
I have autism and have problems communicating, PMs included.
Just becasue I type well doesn't mean I speak well. I am only part time verbal.
Yes I've taken Promethazine. Well, I used it for nausea and it sent me to sleep and I haven't used it since. I wouldnt think it is great long term for insomnia as you feel pretty wrecked the next day. I felt like I had a hangover.
Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes but when you look back, everything is different…
you once called your brain a hard drive, well say hello to the virus.
I take promethazine for my insomnia but I find it doesn't really do much, I don't find it particularly sedating and it doesn't cause any annoying side effects either. I do not get the reported hangover effects that some people seem to get.
Maybe the muscle stiffness is a result of it also being a mild dopamine antagonist? Taken on top of your other antipsychotic medication it may be causing those symptoms to arise?
Not really sure about the sickness side effect, that is peculiar indeed :-P
Edit: I notice you said you're thinking about trying melatonin. I'm thinking about trying it too, I've requested that my CPN ask my Psychiatrist about it. Not sure what he is going to say as apparently melatonin should be used with caution in patients with depression or psychotic disorders as it can cause mood changes and a worsening of psychotic symptoms in some cases.
Last edited by Rhuben : 13-04-2011 at 02:19 PM.
Some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money.
They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with.
Some men just want to watch the world burn.
Thanks both of you. Yes I get the hangover effect. Also I agree about the stiff legs being due to dopamine antagonism, I should have mentioned that, sorry. I've been getting more extrapyramidal side-effects today so I don't think I'll take it tonight. I will talk to the consultant tomorrow if I see him. I will ask about melatonin although I understand the dangers.
PM me if you want a PDF copy of the ICD-10or the Mental Health Act 1983/2007. I ALSO HAVE THE DSM-V BOOK and am a pharmacology student.
I have a visual impairment / neurological problems so I need people to type in clear text and no funny fonts. Also excuse any typos, my vision blocks things out.
I have autism and have problems communicating, PMs included.
Just becasue I type well doesn't mean I speak well. I am only part time verbal.
Regarding zopiclone: I loved this too, lol. However I was prescribed it 6 month continuously and had to be supervised in hospital withdrawing (with lorazepam and tamazepam).
hey, I currently use promethazine 25mg and zopiclone 7.5mg to sleep, For the first few days when i started the promethazine, I felt really spaced out etc in the mornings, but it went away after about a week. They switched me to this cos they didn't like me taking 15mg zopi. Hope your doc has some answers, Emma x
~~I'm FINE...on the outside~~
~~Beneath the surface lies a shattered heart and an exhausted soul, simply longing... just longing to be whole~~
Thanks. I am a complete idiot and I forgot to ask the psych about sleeping meds in ward round.
I've decided that I'm going to try and sleep "naturally" (not quite as I'm on two APs) for the next week. I will drink hot chocolate before bed and I will try and be active during the day (I've got unescorted leave now) which should help me sleep.
This is because I've never had a sleeping med that has allowed me to feel alright the next day.
PM me if you want a PDF copy of the ICD-10or the Mental Health Act 1983/2007. I ALSO HAVE THE DSM-V BOOK and am a pharmacology student.
I have a visual impairment / neurological problems so I need people to type in clear text and no funny fonts. Also excuse any typos, my vision blocks things out.
I have autism and have problems communicating, PMs included.
Just becasue I type well doesn't mean I speak well. I am only part time verbal.
