Suicide Warning

If you do not trust medical professionals to know more than you, why go see one? There is a pervasive trend of paranoia over Western medicine that is worsening. This is not directed at the OP, but more generally. A doctor should address concerns, but anyone who goes in assuming it's about kickbacks, worsening your symptoms, wanting to shut you up is either seeing the wrong doc or should consider visiting a sage on the side of a mountain somewheres. Save the time and resources for people who are willing to put a modicum of faith in modern medicine.
Offa soap box.
PS for the OP. A 1/4 dose of antihistamine works for me every time. Talk about inexpensive and safe...

google melatonin, it is used as a sleep aid and is natural, maybe it is an alternative for you.

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/tc/melatonin-overview

I asked about this and she said over the counter meds were not as safe.

I've been very pleased with the doc and the care I received up until this point that I didn't think to question it. The drug was Trazadone.

then your doc is a moron....... melatonin is beyond safe...

And trazodone is less addictive than the others out there, ambien, lunesta, etc.

First I agree and know that anti-depressants in small doses can have multiples uses. The Op is over reacting and should talk to her doctor directly.

I also agree that it's up to you to decide whether or not you want to take a drug. Especially when it is addictive and has unpleasant side effects, but that is not the case with the op. Of course, people with true psychiatric problems need their meds, that's not what I am talking about. But, so often doctors try to deal with every problem by prescribing pills (when there are other options for minor problems), and certainly doctors make other kinds of mistakes as well. And now there are so many people addicted to prescription drugs (I'm sure everyone has seen first hand the crazy cycle some people can get into with doctors just prescribing more and more meds to deal with a spiral of increasing problems, I am talking about the anxiety meds). Sometimes doctors do prescribe a med that is not the best for that person's situation (without a proper evaluation). Doctors are not infallible. I would talk to the doctor if I were you. It's a different when it's a straight forward medical issue with a clearly understood reason behind it as well as a well understood treatment.

Now, with that said, I love my doctor and I am not afraid of western medicine. My mother has Leukemia and I want her to listen to her doctor and take the meds. But, even she developed liver damage because they overdosed her (she is tiny and weighs 95 pounds and they admitted they don't know how to dose her). So, she stopped and now the doctor agrees she is doing better off the meds for now, and he is monitoring her.

I also do not think they are getting kickbacks.

I agree being anti-western medication for all things is ridiculous. It's also ridiculous to think that all doctors are good doctors and never make mistakes. I was prescribed a medication that a person should not take while breastfeeding when I was breastfeeding (it was for minor bloating and not a serious problem at all, it was only even noticeable because my visceral fat is so low). The drug also had the side effect of becoming slightly intoxicated and having blurred vision (it was not a rare side effect, it was a guaranteed side effect). I called the doctor and he agreed you can't take it while breastfeeding, but he assumed I was going to stop breastfeeding because he thought 8 months old was scandalously too old to be still breastfeeding. Even though it is recommended for a year or more.

It sounds like you called to inquire about your thyroid medication, and mentioned insomnia, and whoever relayed the issue just heard insomnia, and not thyroid. Yes, if your thyoid levels are out of whack it can cause sleep problems. Call the office back, tell them you need a lab appointment to have your thyroid levels checked.

All meds have side effects, and it is the duty of the pharmacist to warn you of possible effects. The warnings are for you to be on the lookout for undesired effects, and are not meant to instill fear, but to increase awareness. It is common, and usually quite safe to be treated with an antidepressant, such as trazodone, for sleep issues. It has few side effects the next morning, and has a gerat safety record, and it is not expensive, It does also is used as an antidepressant.

In your case, I think you should check back with the doc and get him/her on the same page as you. This could be just a simple miscommunication.

I take an antidepressant for what used to be an off-label use but is now an approved (or whatever) use. It's not necessarily kickbacks, it could be because that particular medication treats what you need without side effects that others might have. You could ask your doctor why that particular medication was prescribed vs whatever other medication you thought should be prescribed.

I agree. Sometimes a medicene with multiple uses will be prescribed because it works as well as a more expensive 'designer' or 'popular' drug. So check with your doctor if you have reservations. They can explain and work with you to get the results you want.

Off label use of medications is quite common. Internet forums are not a reliable place to come for medical advice.

Some of the biggest medical discoveries were by accident; side effects are sometimes beneficial.

For example, Viagra was developed as an antihypertensive and antianginal. The study physicians were wondering why the men didn't want to give the medication back at the end of the study...it had this "side effect" of better erections. And hence one of the most mass marketed medications was born.

And so it is with many other medications....

It's actually pretty common to prescribe a medication for what's called an "off-label" use. That being said, I would be leery of taking antidepressants, because they have many dangerous side effects.

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google melatonin, it is used as a sleep aid and is natural, maybe it is an alternative for you.

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/tc/melatonin-overview

I asked about this and she said over the counter meds were not as safe.

I've been very pleased with the doc and the care I received up until this point that I didn't think to question it. The drug was Trazadone.

Hi I am a medical student (1st year). Still starting out but my best advice is to find a good sleep medicine doctor (They are becoming more numerous these days). They can actually monitor you sleep and give you an alternative therapy. Every sleep disorder is different (and they are complicated). If you can't find one in your area try a neurologist. Different opinions is a good approach. Hope it gets better!

I totally agree with you! Try tart cherry juice concentrate, or hops extract. Try meditation. A lot of sleep aids have too much melatonin. Tart cherry juice has low levels, and since it has a cumilitive effect it is a much genteeler option over being groggy. All day. It takes some time to get an effect, but it will help.

I had a friend who was prescribed 1 cup of cherries per day by her naturopath for sleep issues. It worked for her.

They gave my husband trazadone to try to help him sleep and he became horrible! He was a zombie within like 10 15 minutes of taking it and would be horrible towards me! I was pregnant at the time and cried all the time because of the things he was saying to me that he NEVER would have other wise. I've had a female friend recently have a bad experience with it as well, and our neighbor started sleep walking once he started the medication. I would use trazadone as a last ditch option for helping with sleep. It can change your mood and actions dramatically

Thanks for the voice of reason. It is rare around here.

Many medications have multiple uses and all have risks. The doctor is not getting kickbacks. Seriously, people, get a grip. Ask questions to your doctor if you have them. It is that simple.

EXACTLY what someone on the take would say.

last year i was trying to lose weight and was getting b12 shots with amino acids to help me, the doctor that was giving me the shots did my consultation and stuff and prescribed some pills, when i went to get them filled i also noticed it was an anti depressant/anxienty... a co worker looked them up and found out that they were also testing them on people trying to lose weight.. i guess so you dont get depressed while dieting???... i didnt take them i was afraid to become addicted to them and end up with bigger problems.. i wonder if they are the same!

google melatonin, it is used as a sleep aid and is natural, maybe it is an alternative for you.

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/tc/melatonin-overview

if a doctor doesnt mention melatonin first hes an idiot

Or he does not make any money from mentioning melatonin

Or neither of you are doctors, neither of you examined the patient, and neither of you know what the eff you're talking about.