Drug info - Sleep walking

[Razorbladekiss]

Swim has alot of anxiety problems when it comes to sleeping. Lets just say a mouse got the best of him while he was sleeping and it has been a problem on and off since. Jumping out of bed screaming that there is something crawling around in there, punching pillows, getting out of bed and moving stuff around etc.

He has been perscribed 5mg of valium on 3 occasions now throughout a 3 year period. Swim quite likes his valium and sometimes dont take the reccomended doseage. He feels this will probley be his last time his doctor will perscribe him these. As hes worried about swim getting addicted (which is strange concidering he's only had them 3 times).

In your opinion/s do you think valium is the best way to treat sleep walking? if not is there any thing swim could ask for/mention look for next time this problem occurs?

[Jatelka]

Relaxation techniques, mental imagery, and anticipatory awakenings are preferred for long-term management. The first 2 techniques should be undertaken only with the help of an experienced behavioral therapist

Benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants, and serotonin reuptake inhibitors have been shown to be useful. Clonazepam in low doses before bedtime and continued for 3-6 weeks is usually effective.

Medication often can be discontinued after 3-5 weeks without recurrence of symptoms. Occasionally, frequency of episodes increases briefly after discontinuing the medication because of rebound sleep.

Given the addictive potential of benzodiazepines, I would be surprised if your physician was willing to continue down this route, rather than trying a TCA or SSRI

Interestingly: Most sleep walking in adults is apparently associated with sleep-disordered breathing, and dealing with the sleep-disordered breathing (either overnight posistive pressure ventilation or surgery) deals with the sleep walking. Your marmoset should ensure that this has been excluded.

Obviously the marmoset should ensure that they are not taking any drugs which may predispose to somnambulism. The Z-drugs are the most obvious, but sleepwalking has been reported with Topiramate, Sodium Valproate, Olanzipine, Paroxetinine, Bupropion and Lithium

sources: e-medicine, pubmed

[kaczynski]

SWIM occasionally takes ambien cr for sleep problems. Doc told SWIM there's no potential for abuse or reliance with these, not sure how accurate this is. So far SWIM has found these to work nicely without having to resort to something he knows he'll end up popping 10 of at bedtime.

[Jatelka]

Zolpidem is well known to cause all sorts of sleep-related behaviours, including walking, driving, eating and sex, therefore would seem to be an illogical suggestion in this case

[kaczynski]

Originally Posted by Jatelka

Zolpidem is well known to cause all sorts of sleep-related behaviours, including walking, driving, eating and sex, therefore would seem to be an illogical suggestion in this case

Just saying that it's been working from SWIMs experience.

[Jatelka]

And is sleep-walking the problem that your marmoset has? (your post isn't clear)

I can't find anything on pubmed about the use of Z-Drugs in somnambulism, whereas the use of benzos, TCA's and SSRI's is well supported.

[kaczynski]

Originally Posted by Jatelka

And is sleep-walking the problem that your marmoset has? (your post isn't clear)

I can't find anything on pubmed about the use of Z-Drugs in somnambulism, whereas the use of benzos, TCA's and SSRI's is well supported.

Oh sorry yeah SWIM was prescribed ambien CR specifically for sleep walking problems. But I'll take your word for it, SWIM honestly doesn't know how reliable these are other than that they've worked so far for him.

[Razorbladekiss]

Thanks for your input Jatelka and kaczynski. Swim will be sure to mention those options next time he see's his doctor.

"Most sleep walking in adults is apparently associated with sleep-disordered breathing" You say? thats pretty interesting. Swim does suffer from asthma and bad heart conditions so he will take that into concideration. Although at this time be is certain its more of an anxiety fuelled issue.

Cheers!