I am taking effexor- a time release 150mg antidepressant/anxiety med. every day. I often have trouble sleeping at night but I dont want to switch from effexor. Can anyone recommend a sleeping med that can be taken with an antidepressant and isnt habit forming? I have taken tylenol PM for several months most nights but it makes me so groggy the next day. Is there anything prescription that isnt habit forming and could be taken for several months? Thanks! lifeismessy

I also have trouble sleeping since I learned of my H's affair with my best friend. I asked my sister about this, she's an r.n. She said most doctors are very leary to prescribe anything because of how addictive it is. She said some will prescribe ambien but not for any length of time. I guess that is not addicting. Good luck. I read before bed, and also take a bath. But you know how those awful memories sneak up on you at 3 a.m. <P>Hope you find some help.

I'll recommend herbs . Passionflower, chamomile, and Valerian root. Any or all. Good quality ones. Not the cheap stuff. Tablets, or they also make tea with these ingredients. Also, aromatherapy candles/lotions, with calming ingredients. Some people may laugh or may be skeptical, but they work for a lot of people (me ), and are better for you than meds.

I also take Effexor. Although it did not cause my sleeping difficulties, which started nearly a year ago when I discovered my H's A, it also did not improve my ability to sleep.<P>Last week, my doc prescribed clonazepam, which is in the family of drugs that valium is in. While it is somewhat addictive long term, I am only taking a small dose and plan only to use it for only as long as I need it to relieve some of the sleep deprivation that I am suffering. My doc is not worried about the addictiveness of it at the dosage she has prescribed.<P>Even though it has only been one week, I am definitely sleeping much better. Falling asleep is not a question of hours now, but minutes; and because my sleep is deeper, I spend less time in REM sleep and therefore have less nightmares. I am a little groggy in the morning, but the doc says that wears off very quickly. It is actually better than the first couple of days.<P>I really recommend asking for a prescription for this medication!<P>------------------<BR>Never give up. Never, never give up.<BR>~ Winston Churchill

Dear One Day<BR>I am with you. Though I had a bad reaction to Effexor and other SSRIs (they cause significant sleep deprivation for me) and had to stop them all, my doc has recommended<BR>Xanax (alprazolam)<BR>It is the fastest acting of the benzodiazepines, meaning it starts to have the positive effect quickly, and is out of the bloodstream within a couple of hours. Dosages range from .25 mg to 2.0 mg. I found that .25 is effective for me, and I use it rarely, but it is useful for sleep and to help with anxious situations. For the latter, you might want to take .5, and repeat within a couple of hours.<BR>My doc gave me 30 2.0s back in 99. I cut them into sixteenths! I have a lot left.<BR>Caution: If you drink a lot of alcohol, the benzodiazepines are NOT for you! Automobiles kill 100 people per day--use anything that is potentially lethal with caution. <BR>I am very satisfied with this drug<BR>Also, it is cheap<BR>If you don't take any for a couple of days, you will PASS any drug test, and won't have to explain anything. That may be important these days.<BR>Good Luck<BR>r

lifeismessy:<P>I would suggest that you go to your doctor and ask if Ambien would be indicated. Ambien is a very good sleep aid---it's generally not very addictive (it's not a benzodiazepine, and although it's usually used to treat transient insomnia, it can be used in chronic cases). It's pretty effective.