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  • Figuring Out Which Medications Are Most Effective

    Posted by jen-cueva on February 8, 2021 at 9:35 am

    Awhile back, I shared my struggles with anxiety and was trying new medications to help. I was taking Ativan (lorazepam) as needed. I was started on Zoloft (sertraline) at a “baby ” dose. I am now up to 75 mg. Before this increase and after my hospitalization, I was started on Zanaflex(tizanidine) at bedtime to help with muscle spasms.

    So, as you can imagine, I am unsure of which med is helping me sleep. I am also allowed to take the Ativan twice per day as needed. Do you often find that you are thinking about which medications are most effective for you?

    It is like which came first, the chicken or the egg. Please share your thoughts on this.

    jen-cueva replied 3 years, 1 month ago 2 Members · 2 Replies
  • 2 Replies
  • Colleen

    Member
    February 8, 2021 at 4:53 pm

    @jenc I’m not familiar with Zanaflex so I looked it up. It sounds like a helpful drug but it does say, “Cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, other muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression or anxiety can add to sleepiness caused by tizanidine. Tell your doctor if you need to use any of these other medicines together with Zanaflex.”

    As long as it’s helping you sleep and not causing to much fatigue than I’m happy that it is helping you in more ways than one.

    I know that in addition to sometimes not knowing which medication is helping, it can also be a challenge figuring out which is causing side effects. Through PH and transplant we try not to start more than one new medication or dosage change on Cullen at a time for this reason. But sometimes one at a time isn’t an option and you have to play chicken or the egg.

  • jen-cueva

    Member
    February 9, 2021 at 10:40 am

    Thanks, @colleensteele; I had to chuckle at your last sentence.

    Yes, I only take the Zanaflex when in my bed. It also has to be an hour or more apart from my night medications. I also cannot take my pain medications within 2 hours of this one. I was hoping to stop the Zanaflex, but a Manny says, I do sleep with it more, but I still have spasms in mostly my legs.

    Hopefully, soon, I can start cutting dosages or transitioning off some of these meds. It is not fun when you need certain meds and can’t take them. Also, my pain doctor reminds me that we must be cautious with my CKD.

    It reminds of the fluid balance; this, too, is a careful balancing act. I am clumsy, so maybe that is why I am not good with balancing hehe.

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