Over-sleeping and anti depressants

[Barmaid]

Mr BM has been on anti-depressants for some time now. I have no doubt they are working because he is far calmer. The big problem is getting him up in the morning. He'll sleep through alarms, thunderstorms, the burglar alarm, me shaking him. Now it's not too much of a problem if I am around because eventually I do manage to drag him out of bed. But when I am out (and I often leave VERY early in the morning) it's a real problem. The best suggestion I've come up with is turning his mobile on full blast, leaving it next to his ear and phoning him - but that's not always possible.

Any suggestions?

[ladybirder]

Could he go to bed earlier?

[Barmaid]

He normally goes to bed between 9 and 10 Ladybirder. Although some nights he does have trouble sleeping. Other's he's out for the count the minute his head hits the pillow.

[murraymints]

m to my spare room...NOBODY..sleeps through my fly by pterodactyls at 4am...

[murraymints]

Move him into that should read...

[Barmaid]

I'll deliver him tomorrow Murray! He requires food 3x a day and the odd can of cider - otherwise he's not too much trouble.

[ladybirder]

Any earlier and he wouldn't be having much of a life then would he. When I was on ADs years ago they made me feel doped up all the time and I couldn't get out of bed either. Don't know what to suggest, I suppose with an Alarm Call he'll just go back to sleep again afterwards. Perhaps change his medication?

[wolf63]

Is it possible that you could persuade him to go back to the doctor and ask for another anti-depressant? They all have different side effects.

[tonyav]

BM, do you have a BT land line ?, you used to be able to book an alarm call with them. The phone rings and rings to someone picks it up. You could put the phone next to his ear when you have to leave early.

[craft1948]

Is he on Mirtazapine........................I take them and can zonk for 12 hours!

[rowanwitch]

Just move the time he takes them back half an hour each night until you get a compromise between falling asleep in the evening and waking up in the morning... Mirtazipine is a problem for this as is amytryptiline

[woofgang]

If he will do it then a chat with the doc sounds sensible, otherwise could he take them at a different time? I occasionally need antihistamines and they all make e sleepy so I take them late evening/bedtime then I sleep off most of the sleepiness and can have a normal day.

[Barmaid]

He was on citalopram initially, but they COMPLETELY monged him out (ie he would sleep for 12 - 15 hours easily). Now he's on mitrazapine. Although I did think about sending him back for a change these are much better than citalopram and I'm a bit concerned that changing his medication when he has just started a job (although thankfully he can work from home some days) might be counter productive.

The alarm call might not be a bad idea. Normally I am the "alarm caller" but if I am driving it's not always convenient to stop, or I forget because I am thinking about that day's job or whatever.

The alternative is that I rig up a bucket of ice cold water to empty onto his head at 7am!

[Barmaid]

I'll try getting him to take them a bit earlier. I think that might be a key. For example the other night, he was so knackered when he got into bed he forgot to take it. Woke up at 3am and took it. Muppet. He was still out for the count at 11!

[tonyav]

Bucket of ice BM, have you joined rowans coven by any chance lol.

[rowanwitch]

the sleeping effects do get better with time... I used to take them at around 2130 with my last evening drink I'd be drowsy by 2230 ish but would be awake around 7am had to stop them for one of the weirder side effects back on citalopram which doesn't make me sleepy at all

[anneasquith]

was getting up in the am always a problem, or since starting the AD ?

[wolf63]

Simon's cat "Cat-man-do"? :-)

[rowanwitch]

surprised the cats let him sleep in...

[tonyav]

Keep a cockerel in the bedroom.

[Eve]

I had a similar problem with amitriptilyne. I tried to take it earlier as I live on my own and had a stage where I'd sleep through my alarm (very unusual for me as I'm quite a light sleeper) and end up being late for work. I came off them in the end.

My rhumo wanted me back on something like that for chronic pain and to sleep better so went for citalopram instead as it does make me sleepier in the mornings but nowhere near as much as amitriptilyne and they were loathe to give me amitriptyline again as I already have really dry eyes and a dry mouth and said it would make that worse.

I set multiple alarms so I don't get caught out putting one off when half asleep as they then keep going off at intervals. I also set them for a while before I have to wake up and can get up gradually.

Difficult to wake someone heavily asleep though, a former housemate would sleep through anything and was often woken by loud death metal blaring on her alarm while she was still fast asleep. We worked together too and I got a few calls when she slept through and didn't arrive for a 6am shift asking me to go wake her up!