can't sleep through the night-adult

[pam246126]

I am a 32 year old female and my problem is I can not sleep through the night. When I wake up I need to get out of bed and leave the room (fight or flight). I will go back to bed after some time had passed and I have calmed down. It seems not to make much difference in my pattern no matter how tired I make myself during the night. I should also mention that occasionally I wake up screaming/shouting. I am in  therapy for anxiety and am  on an antidepressant.

[rghbog]

I dont really know about ypou buy with myself I cannot sleep unlees I tahe an antipych drug. I have actually gone without sleep for the better part of a month. I have ptsd which means hypervigilance and that is what keeps me awake. Antipasychs are not just for bipoler or sykitzophrenics. Ferquenty there are givin fot ptsd. I was resistant to taking them but finally gave in. Right now i take seroquel. I have used navane, thorozine, zyprexa and others. Some have not worked and I knew it really soon but you will find one that does work. Oh I have had klonopin and zanax but hey did not held me sleep. I have hypervigalance from ptsd.

[pam246126]

I should have also included that I have been in therapy a couple of weeks and I know there is no quick fix. Also I am taking Wellbutrin, which hasn't affected me this way in the past. I thought my sleep problem now was due to a trip we were taking, but the trip is over and it's still an issue. Sleeping has always been an issue-when I was a kid I used to scream every night and thought I grew out of it. Simply put I haven't. Thanks for the advice.

[Paxiled]

It would be helpful to know if this is a long-standing problem for you, or if it began after you started your therapy and especially after you started your medication, since a side-effect of medication can be sleep disturbances.  Something simple you can try is melatonin, the hormone the body uses to regulate its sleep cycle.  .5mg or 1mg taken sublingually a half hour before sleep might be of help, or it might not, but it won't harm you any.  Another potential issue is magnesium; anti-depressants can interfere with magnesium absorption, so that can also be a sleep issue.  Of course, the above post is absolutely on target, the underlying issues you're having commonly cause sleep problems, which is why I asked about when you started therapy -- something may be coming up if this is a new problem.  Good luck.

[MMahon]

Anxiety and depression can cause the symptoms you describe.  Frequently it causes sleep problems and you sound like you are having a panic attack that awakens you.  I used to have these same symptoms.  
It sounds like you need to have your medication reviewed.  Talk to your doctor about these panic attacks and relief from the symptoms.  
How long have you take the antidepressant and which one and what dose?
I know what it's like and it can seem like being in hell right here on earth.
Sometimes it takes some medication trial and error until you find the right combination that helps you.  Let us know how you make out.