I have taken Lexapro for several years and have found it to be more effective than anything else. I am extremely sensitive to all things under the sun and I am trying to do everything I can to fight some serious fatigue. I recently switched my Cogentin to bedtime and have noticed I am much more alert during the day (this is relative, I’m still beat all the time) and I am wondering if switching the Lexapro to bedtime too would help me out at all.
My doc recently suggested as an option, and I believe I had tried it before but have had mixed opinions from docs on time of day dosing. From what I gather these days it seems that there is the option to take it morning or night and that whatever works out better for the person taking it is the guide for which is better. I take a couple things right before I get into bed so it would be taken along with those. It seems to have a long enough half life that I won’t be sleeping through the benefit of it.
Any advice is welcome, but especially feedback related to sedation. If it’s not quite as effective if taken at night but helps with the sedation I am all for giving it a shot. If I am less fatigued to the point I can get more done during the day that would help my mood on its own.
I’ve been on Lexapro for about three months, and I take it at about 6:30 every evening. I usually try to head to bed at around 9:30 or 10 - I have to be up at 5:30 for work - and the sedative effect has really taken hold by then. I’m prone to insomnia, and it seems it’s always about 3 hours before I can fall asleep after I’ve taken it.
I do notice that I start getting the yawns at about noon or 1 every afternoon, though.
I read somewhere that the level peaks around 5 hours. I am interested in giving it a shot - I have a call in to my doc. I’ve had insomnia that’s been miserable for almost 2 years now. I’ve had more and more trouble since this spring with waking up after 5 hours of sleep and not being able to fall back asleep. If you are finding sedation hitting a few hours after taking it perhaps its starting to peak then. I have so many things factoring in in my case that it’s hard to determine anything so I am interested in giving it a shot, not much to lose I guess. If it gives me problems I can just switch back to morning.
Yeah that’s always a nice setup. I’m trying to pinpoint what things are side effects at this point. Synthroid is annoying because I am supposed to take it before breakfast and then you can’t have anything with calcium around the same time etc. I change my breakfast routine as needed. So much nausea that comes and goes I can’t plan if/when I will eat breakfast and how hungry I will be.
Never heard of Synthroid.I did a quick search for it on www.Rxlist.com I don’t know how much to say because I’m not a medical profession, nor do I know your medical history but any serious concerns you may have I’d talk with your doctor. I’d keep a list of things you’re feeling each day. Like if you’re feeling nauseous, or light-headed…then add the times, and how many times the feeling comes. The more information you have to share with your doctor the better they can help determine when you should take your meds.
For quick emergencies if it’s not extremely serious where 911 should be called you could talk to your local pharmacist about any questions or concerns you may have. They’ll likely say go to your doctor but they could give you additional information as well.
Totally agreed. Synthroid is just a synthetic thyroid hormone. My body isn’t making it (could be from lithium I took as a kid or could be genetic). I get my level tested and it always works out fine. It’s just annoying to have to really pay attention to time of day and special instructions so you take things correctly. It gets inconvenient. Ideally I would have one med time and be done with it. Some things I need to take first thing and others right before bed. I’ve been doing this yo-yo routine since I was 11 so I can’t even imagine how a life would be where I wasn’t managing drugs. A lot of things give you a certain amount of flexibility - a lot of doctors even argue with which time of day or whatever is best for this or that. As far as Synthroid goes there is a good amount of debate. The general consensus seems to be as long as your blood levels are in the proper range, continue as you are. The pharmacist said if my levels are fine his suggestion is just to be as consistent as possible. You should have blood work for it every 6 months to recheck your levels. It’s a lot to juggle sometimes but sometimes there isn’t much more we can do.
I get my blood work checked once year for several things diabetes for one since it’s runs so strongly in my family, also I learned can be a side effect of Seroquel, which I’m on a high dosage of…so far I’ve been lucky not to fall into its crutches. The blood tests for me also pointed out my lack of vitamin D. But so far nothing more serious has ever shown up on my tests.
If I don’t take Vitamin D it drops low pretty fast. I had very bad headaches a year ago that went away within 24 hours of starting Vitamin D again. My good cholesterol was too low when I took Latuda. Blood work has become routine for me. I took lithium from ages 12-15 and then Clozaril came along a few years later. I was on it for 10. It’s sort of amazing they can find veins at all still.