I started taking 40mg of prozac a few months ago and feel better than ever, the only problem is I can't sleep through the night, I wake up after 5 or 6 hours and can't go back to sleep and it's been this way for about a month, I've had like 2 full nights of sleep in the past 30 days, which sucks because I feel so much better now, but am so tired I can't enjoy feeling good. I've tried everything from getting a new mattress, changing the room temperature, taking melatonin, no napping during the day, blacking out the windows in the bedroom, changing my diet, exercising, but nothing has worked, so I am thinking about going back to my doctor and seeing what can be done, but am wondering what she can do to help?

I've tried going on a lower dosage of prozac before and it was not effective, only the 40mg seems to make a difference. So I am wondering will my doctor prescribe me sleeping pills? or is that unlikely because I am on prozac?

Also, I always take the prozac in the morning within an hour or two after waking, do you think switching it to taking it before bed could help me stay asleep?

She may change your meds to something else or add some like a low dose of remerol at bed time to make you sleep better. It is really hard to say, all docs do different things.

Hi Cb2, I know exactly how you feel, trust me on that. lack of sleep is extremely detrimental to both mind and body. but at least it's good to hear that you are at least able to get a few hours sleep each night. Some sleep is better than nothing at all. (i struggle to get any sleep) The doctor will most probably prescribe you zopliclone, the most popular sleep tablet for ssri-induced insomnia. However it should not to be taken regularly because of its addictive properties. Having said that it didnt work for me, but everyone is different. the doctor may also tell you to give it time and the insomnia will wear off. well, just to let you know, if you don't feel something is right, don't do it, doctors aren't always right, prozac affects people in different ways.

i dont want to scare you but be very VERY careful with prozac, what ever you do, if you do decide to stop taking prozac because of insomnia, DON'T restart it again. I did and it became my worst nightmare. If you want you can read my story, it is under Adverse Reaction to Prozac, a topic started by lov4k9s here on this forum.

Try asking the doctor about different kind of antidepressant, a kind which isn't in the same class as prozac. (i.e not an SSRI). maybe give mirtazapine, or amitryptyline a try. these kinds are quite sedating. do some research and read other people's response, and be prepared to ask the doctor questions until you are fully satisfied.

i wanted to give you a lot of advice because i have been there and i know how it feels, i dont want anyone to exprerience the one way ticket to hell as i have. and be thankful that you can at least get some sleep...i truly believe you will get better, give yourself time.

Best wishes

Mew

Hi,

I am on prozac also and I had a lot of trouble
sleeping when I first started it. Even now years
later without my meds I have some trouble
sleeping. My pdoc gave me a mood stabilizer
(neurontin) to help with OCD and anxiety, and
I take it before bed and it really helps with
sleep. It is not a sleeping pill so it is not
addictive and it has really helped me.

best wishes,
starr

I ended up going to the doctor yesterday and told him about my sleep problems, he prescribed me Trazodone to help me sleep while keeping me on the 40mg of Prozac. I took the Trazodone for the first time last night and for the first time in about two weeks got a full nights sleep, I slept for about 10 hours, I did wake up about 5 times but was able to go right back to sleep.