I pretty much tried other stuff. But I have a very high tolerance to medication. Also some meds will affect me totally opposite than what they intend. As in being more hyper than I am already. I have problems with sleeping, and I get in a very miserable mood gets worse with less sleep. I believe that I need 8 hours of sleep. I feel so much better when I get good sleep.
Is there anything other than Seroquel that would help me to sleep?
Question posted by Amsel10 on 20 Aug 2009
Last updated on 23 January 2023
107 Answers
Have you tried a low dose trazodone or mirtazapine? Both are often prescribed for sleep and are safer than most antipsychotic medications.
Wildcat
Also much safer than any of the benzodiazepines.
I take 1-3 50mg. tablets of Trazodone HS for sleep. It works very well, but also makes my nose stuffy when it starts working within 20-30 min.
Trazodone is also given as an antidepressant, and given for anxiety. Trazodone is an old drug that’s been around for a long time, and is very safe.
Saphris is a great medication for my sleep. It is actually an anti-psychotic but is used off label for sleep. You place it under your tongue and it dissolves. I am usually asleep within 15 minutes and have no “hangover” feeling in the morning. I feel refreshed and awake easily. No weight gain. I take a very low dose.
After a long road of suffering anxiety induced insomnia, I have finally come to the best solution. For me, I take antidepressant and klonopin during the day. At night, I take a 2mg Lunesta and a 150mg Trazodone. Also I take a Natural Supplement called Alteril which has a compilation of natural calming herbs such as: Chamomile, Valerian Root, Gaba , and Melatonin.
I have tried Seroquel and Benadryl and I get the opposite effect of hyperactivity and inner restlessness and sleep is hard to come by. Ambien gives me too many weird side effects like doing things i don't remember. Sonata is not strong enough for me. I remember one time a doc tried me on a week of Belsomra, which works on Orexin receptors to induce a nighttime cycle. It worked great and sometimes i use it on nights when i wanna not use the Lunesta. I feel like a get such a refreshing sleep with it.
That's what works for me. I hope this helps!
May I suggest that you may have sleep apnea? A C-pap machine may be a solution to the inability to sleep and your moodiness. I had to get a C-pap machine from my pulmonologist after a breathing test exam. I also take 100 mg of Seroquel at bedtime.
Within an hour I am asleep and the machine aids in my sleep apnea.
If you unconsciously stop breathing overnight you're not getting REM sleep and wake up tired and in turn could cause your irritably during the day.
I just got my C-pap machine and I sleep 8 to 9 hours a night uninterrupted by my apnea. I am less irritable and moody during the day. Might be worth looking into it. I had your symptoms too but I am no Long moody and irritably during the day. Just a suggestion. The 100mg of Seroquel doesn't hurt either. They complement each other. Good luck!
Benadryl.
I have sever insomnia. I have been on rx sleeping meds and no luck. Believe it or not I have found that taking 800 mg of ibuprofen and 2 benadryl together makes me sleep better than anything else. Keep in mind tho that if you are on Adderall or anything like it, it will block the effects of a lot of medications like pain meds and sleeping meds. It can even block the effects you feel from alcohol intake so if you are on anything like Adderall try not to take it after like 1 pm so it has time to ware off before bed time. But the benadryl and ibuprofen really does work and you don't feel bad the next morning at all. At least I dont.
Have you tried Melatonin? I use it on occasion - 10mg of the quick dissolving kind. It takes effect in about 30 minutes or so. Also, (you have probably been lectured on this..) going to bed and getting up at the same time helps.
I have been Bipolar I for over 20 years. I have been on a whole different bunch of combinations of meds. Currently I take 1200 of long-acting Tegretol and Vraylar 3mg. I also take Vistaril 25mg twice a day as needed for agitation/anxiety, but normally I just take the 50mg at once and get it over with - it seems to help.
trazodone or Flexeril are a possibility. Both of them helped me.
I found that HALDOL helped me, plus it helps with my anxiety too. Actually, all of the above!
Unfortunately most people suffer from Insomnia.
We all love a good 7-8 hours straight sleep every night.
Seroquel is mainly used for Schizophrenia.
My brother is Law was on 100mg to treat his Schizophrenia but he gained heaps of weight & made him a zombie.
Thankfully he’s off them now.
I’m amazed how some irresponsible Doctors just handing out Seroquel.
It’s not a drug to mess with plus you build a tolerance over time.
I've been taking it for over 20 years and haven't built up a tolerance to it. I will say though that I have to go to bed as soon as I take it because if I don't, I want to eat. I only take 1/2 of a 25 mg pill.
I've been taking it for over 20 years and haven't built up a tolerance to it. I will say though that I have to go to bed as soon as I take it because if I don't, I want to eat. I only take 1/2 of a 25 mg pill.
Hello, from one bipolar to another. I'm really having trouble going to sleep at a "normal" time. I feel a little better at around 10 pm and so I wake up and do something. BUT if I try harder and do what my psychiatrist says to do I can often sleep at around 11 pm. I take 150 mg. trazodone at night, plus one Vicodin, and 25 mg. metoprolol succinate ER. I know I need to start getting ready to sleep at around 8:30 p.m. But here I am writing you at 1:27 a.m. I hope YOU are getting some sleep tonight. And I never feel "restored" even if I do sleep.
Antihistamines, melatonin, exercise, and sun.
This is only a suggestion but I have tried just about everything for sleep, I have problems staying and getting back to sleep, I've found and this is my opinion that trazodone work's the best for me, I've tried risperidone and it quit working after just a few days, but the trazodone I've been taking for quite a while and even though my doctor increased the dosage it works very well, also I take zopidone, it helps me fall asleep and get back to sleep. But something different might be for you, every med work's differently on different people, hope this helps somewhat.
Seroquel helps but I still be tired not refreshed
Related topics
seroquel, depression, bipolar disorder, insomnia, sleep
Further information
- Seroquel uses and safety info
- Seroquel information for Healthcare Professionals (includes dosage details)
- Side effects of Seroquel (detailed)
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