Atripla and insomnia?

[c78]

Hi,

I started Atripla just over a week ago, and luckily so far have been mostly side-effect free (other than two mornings I've had dizzy/cloudy headed feelings, today being one of them...).

One thing I've noticed, though, instead of the drowsiness, I've often been experiencing insomnia. I typically get at least 8 hours of sleep, and I've noticed I'll usually fall asleep ok at my normal time (around 10-10:30pm, taking my medication right before bed), but I'll wake up around 2am-4am, and be kind of restless, having a hard time getting back to sleep, or just having generally restless sleep until I get up in the morning.

Has anyone else experienced a similar reaction? Atripla is the only medication I'm currently taking, and I wasn't having any sleep issues before beginning treatment.

Thanks!

[kev72]

I recently started Atripla and while I take it at 11:00 AM, I find I get tired about noon. As I am adjusting to the med, the tiredness is getting less and less. Was you're sleep normal before starting the Atripla? I was having the problem you describe before starting the med. I thought it may be due to the virus.

[c78]

I recently started Atripla and while I take it at 11:00 AM, I find I get tired about noon. As I am adjusting to the med, the tiredness is getting less and less. Was you're sleep normal before starting the Atripla? I was having the problem you describe before starting the med. I thought it may be due to the virus.

I wasn't really having any chronic sleep problems before starting Atripla, it's begun after that. At first I was thinking it may have been anxiety over starting treatment, but after the first couple days and no side effects, I felt pretty good about it, so not sure that's the case.

I'm scheduled to go have my blood tested next week, so I'll ask my doctor about it then.

[kev72]

If you read some of the recent posts, there seems to be a debate on when people like to take it. and who gets tired vs staying awake. In my case, I would love to try it at night, but I work shift work.

[Billy B]

Insomnia and the fuzz head were the main reasons I stopped Atripla. I switched to Isentress and Truvada and even though sleep problems are listed on the med sheets for these, I actually sleep better than I have in years and I wake up alert and refreshed.
Billy

[Luke]

Any competent doctor should have informed you that sleep disturbance is one of the most common side-effects of efavirenz (which is one of Atripla's constituent drugs), so nothing you are describing is in the least bit unusual.

For now, try to console yourself with the knowledge that any sleep issues will more likely than not resolve themselves naturally over the coming months, as your body adjusts to medications  .. or that you will just get so used to them that they are no longer a major issue.

In the longer term, should the sleep issues not resolve themselves of their own accord, there is nothing to stop you experimenting with the time you take your Atripla. At the moment, that isn't a good idea, because you are probably sleeping through stage of feeling stoned/dizzy/nauseous that tends to hit most new Atripla users around an hour after taking their meds; but once you are past that stage, the world is your oyster as far as experimenting with medication times to minimise side-effects.

I am one of those people for whom serious sleep disturbance lingered beyond the initial few months – to the point where I thought it was going to drive me mad – but for me that was quickly resolved with a switch to taking my Atripla when I woke up in the morning. That probably isn't a viable solution for you right now; so just try to hang on in there until you are at the stage where experimenting with medication times does become viable.

Additional drugs to help you sleep are also a possibility; but unless you are getting no sleep at all, it is highly unlikely that such drugs will give you a very satisfactory sleep.

It takes time to get used to almost any new drug, and quick fixes rarely work; so patience is the key when you start any new drug regimen.

[ruralguy]

I switched to taking it in the morning, first thing.  Obvioulsy this avoids insomnia issues.  I switched about a month after starting.

[c78]

Thanks for the advice, guys. I'll try and tough it out, and talk to my doctor about it and see if it'd recommend trying any sleep aids in the short term or not. Unfortunately in the last couple days, a frustratingly itchy rash started developing on my hands and feet that's far more an immediate concern than the sleep problems!

[Bruce]

Hi there

The sleep pattern should sort itself outin time . No harm in kick starting that by taking an over the counter sleeping tablet to get a good night's sleep and reestablish the sleep pattern.

Take antihistamine (a one a day hayfever tablet will do) to help with the rash. An antihistamine cream applied locally will immediately stop the itch and hopefully get rid of the rash completely over a couple of days.

Hang in there. It gets better, promise.

Bruce

[northernguy]

Atripla has been messing up my sleep too.  I wake up at 4 am, feel like I'm awake for hours, but in reality I've gone back to sleep (I think).  Very confusing.

[buffaloboy]

This happened to me too - usually about 3 hours after taking the tablet I would jolt awake and not get back to sleep for well over an hour. The trouble is, I felt stoned throughout most of the day anyway because of the drug and then with a build up of insomnia, I found Atripla intolerable.

[northernguy]

A question for those who take it in the morning: when do you eat breakfast?

[lifegoeson]

I started Feb 1st 2010 on Atripla, after two months of everynight waking up at 4AM and being nasuas every morning  switched to AM .  I usually eat three hours after I take pill.  I have only gotten sick once since and sleep to 5am now.  Not as bad. 

[BrotherDavid]

Thanks for the advice, guys. I'll try and tough it out, and talk to my doctor about it and see if it'd recommend trying any sleep aids in the short term or not. Unfortunately in the last couple days, a frustratingly itchy rash started developing on my hands and feet that's far more an immediate concern than the sleep problems!

Hi C78,

Let us know how you are doing? I am always curious when the best time to take it is. I take it in the late morning and find it made me tired in the beginning but this has decreased over time. i do still feel a bit foggy shortly after taking it though. How have you adjusted? Thanks

[c78]

Hi C78,

Let us know how you are doing? I am always curious when the best time to take it is. I take it in the late morning and find it made me tired in the beginning but this has decreased over time. i do still feel a bit foggy shortly after taking it though. How have you adjusted? Thanks

Hi David,

Sorry for the (really long!) delay in responding – haven't yet gotten in the habit of checking this site often enough.

I'm still on Atripla. The rash got very serious and we were very close to discontinuing treatment, but my doctor had me take a combination of antihistamines – benadryl before bed, and zyrtec and zantac (I was surprised at that one, but she said even though it's primarily used for heartburn, it is a different type of antihistamine) in the morning. That combination really kept the rash at bay, and she had me taper those off after about a week, and the rash hasn't returned.

Unfortunately, the sleep issues haven't subsided. I did a regime of Ambien for about 20 days, which did help with the restlessness and falling asleep, but since getting off that, the sleep issues have returned full-strength.

At my last appointment, we discussed the possibility of changing meds, and I was hesitant since the rash had gone away and I was a little scared of the possible initial side effects of other meds. I said I'd see how things went, and we'd talk about it at my next appointment (early September).

Since then, the sleep has been awful, anxiety has been getting worse, energy levels are low, and have an awful time trying to concentrate. I'm worried about my performance at work as a result, and I'm 99% sure I'm going to call on Monday and try to get an appointment sooner to talk about options.

I'll report back and let you know how things go...

[joeyg624]

my doctor advised me to take atriple an hour after lunch instead of at night.  that ended the insomnia for good...