Live data from Hacker News

Severe brain injury and paralysis temporarily reversed with a sleeping pill

sciencedirect.com

151–160 of 187 posts

Re: Severe brain injury and paralysis temporarily reversed with a sleeping pill

#151
post #111

Zolpidem is famous for this, although it’s raised more questions than answers. This particular phenomenon has been known since the early 2000s; NYT has a good write up about it: https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/magazine/can-ambien-wake-...

This is way better. I think the "sciencedirect" article is based on this. Re-link? @dang

Is this a joke? Sciencedirect is a database hosting academic journal articles. This particular article is from the joural Cortex and reports novel research results. It is obviously not based on a NYTimes article! The NYTimes could of course be more accessible or have a broader perspective.

Re: Severe brain injury and paralysis temporarily reversed with a sleeping pill

#152
post #91
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

(Genuinely curious and not trying to downplay the seriousness at all) What would happen if you took a month off work and all your obligations and stayed home and didn't take anything for a whole month? My understanding is the human body can't go more than about 10 days without sleep [1]. So I assume at that point you would fall asleep, and then over the coming ~20 days hopefully you could normalize it and get back to…

I've actually decided to take some time off work because of my addiction issues. It's more so the cycle. I'll stop taking Zolpidem/Zopiclone for several weeks/month (the first several days -- terrible shakes, chills, nightmares, several days without sleeping etc. Zopiclone/Benzo withdrawal is far worse) After a while, I'll eventually adjust but I have insomnia/poor sleep so I'll eventually cave in due to sleep depriv…

If I were you (and I was) I'd seriously consider going to rehab. They'll have experience easing your withdrawal symptoms and getting you on a road to breaking the cycle.

Re: Severe brain injury and paralysis temporarily reversed with a sleeping pill

#153

To the people in this thread advocating antipsychotic medication for anything other than treating psychosis and as an adjunct for severe depression, don't. These medications are serious things for serious situations and can have unexpected effects on you mentally. I went on them in my early twenties due to a nervous breakdown, and while they stopped the endless loops of thought and insomnia (I ended up sleeping ten h…

Fear of losing natural sharpness has had me avoiding antidepressants, which I should probably be on. Just too much fear about losing edge for math/programming.

Have you tried CBT therapy or other talking therapies? This helped me more than any anti depressants.

Re: Severe brain injury and paralysis temporarily reversed with a sleeping pill

#154
post #44

I’ve been taking Zolpidem for about 13 years now and suffer from addiction. I’ve sought treatment for this but it doesn’t work as now I cannot sleep without taking something. If you haven’t taken Z-type sleeping aids, I would definitely suggest not to start, as from experience the consequences outweigh the benefits. I’ve lost a considerable amount of friends/reputation/etc. from the abuse. Every experience that you h…

I've had some weird side effects from Zopiclone. They're effective, even when benzodiazepines haven't been, but the side-effects are concerning. On multiple occasions, I've woken up and the room appears to bathed in a yellow light (even though no lights were on and it was still dark outside), and on a few occasions I've been looking at the time on my phone, blinked, and it's suddenly four hours later. I've no idea wh…

I had a week course of Zolpidem and it only worked first two nights. The rest was what some describe as the visit of a walrus. I thought I was sleeping but I was doing things.

Re: Severe brain injury and paralysis temporarily reversed with a sleeping pill

#155
post #98
post #44

I’ve been taking Zolpidem for about 13 years now and suffer from addiction. I’ve sought treatment for this but it doesn’t work as now I cannot sleep without taking something. If you haven’t taken Z-type sleeping aids, I would definitely suggest not to start, as from experience the consequences outweigh the benefits. I’ve lost a considerable amount of friends/reputation/etc. from the abuse. Every experience that you h…

I got a subscription for 1 package when I had major sleep issues as a young adult and i immediately wanted more. Best 2 weeks of sleep i ever had. Luckily the doctor did not allow another subscription

That bums me out. I’ve tried two different z-types for very occasional days where I need to get up early - maybe 4 days a year. Anyways, I feel like I’ve had 2 hours of sleep on them even when I get a full 8 or 9 hours. They must really disrupt my sleep patterns.

Re: Severe brain injury and paralysis temporarily reversed with a sleeping pill

#156

To the people in this thread advocating antipsychotic medication for anything other than treating psychosis and as an adjunct for severe depression, don't. These medications are serious things for serious situations and can have unexpected effects on you mentally. I went on them in my early twenties due to a nervous breakdown, and while they stopped the endless loops of thought and insomnia (I ended up sleeping ten h…

>To the people in this thread advocating antipsychotic medication for anything other than treating psychosis and as an adjunct for severe depression, don't. These medications are serious things for serious situations and can have unexpected effects on you mentally.

The dose makes the poison. A small dose e.g. of seroquel, for a few days, has a great risk:reward profile for panic disorder

Re: Severe brain injury and paralysis temporarily reversed with a sleeping pill

#157
post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a gross misunderstanding of what Seroquel is used for. It's one of those medications that several different side effects depending on the dosage. Yes, it can be used as an anti-psychotic. However, in most of the cases I've heard, it's used as a sleep aid. This was the case for me, too. I was on it for 10 years and ultimately went off because I grew out of my chronic insomnia. Aside from a muted personality an…

> Yes, it can be used as an anti-psychotic. However, in most of the cases I've heard, it's used as a sleep aid. I've never taken anti-psychotics. I've asked my doctor for anti-depressants a few times (usually during relationship issues) and they are not my thing. You're not a medical doctor, right? Obviously, or you wouldn't be giving out such frivolous advice. Dude... it's an anti-psychotic drug.

Please point to where I gave advice.

Re: Severe brain injury and paralysis temporarily reversed with a sleeping pill

#158

Excerpt: A man, 29-year old, with a history of alcohol abuse suffered from hypoxic-ischemic brain injury after choking on a piece of meat. After an initial, though slow neurological recovery, spontaneous movement and speech disappeared. The patient developed such a severe impairment of arousal that he required intensive auditory and tactile stimulation to maintain a wakeful state. No structural lesions were found usi…

Several years ago I experienced a (thankfully temporary) severe reduction in brain function, for several weeks. I was shocked by the truly abysmal diagnostic capability of modern neuromedicine for anything less than large-scale physical trauma. In my case, they couldn't pin down a cause at all, except to say that the symptoms were consistent with a viral infection of the CNS. What virus? Who knows, we can only test f…

I had similar experience but it was for sudden-sensorineural hearing loss(high frequency) and tinnitus, I consulted a doctor with in 2 days of first signs and he was unable to point me to urgent treatments like steroid or hbot. in next week I consulted well known highly experienced(one 25+years other 30+years) doctors,none tried it. I found about possible options from another doctor after 6 months and it was too late.

Re: Severe brain injury and paralysis temporarily reversed with a sleeping pill

#159
post #44

I’ve been taking Zolpidem for about 13 years now and suffer from addiction. I’ve sought treatment for this but it doesn’t work as now I cannot sleep without taking something. If you haven’t taken Z-type sleeping aids, I would definitely suggest not to start, as from experience the consequences outweigh the benefits. I’ve lost a considerable amount of friends/reputation/etc. from the abuse. Every experience that you h…

Is it possible to very very slowly taper over a long period of time? Like take a 5 pct lower dose every week by scraping off some and using a scale?

Re: Severe brain injury and paralysis temporarily reversed with a sleeping pill

#160

To the people in this thread advocating antipsychotic medication for anything other than treating psychosis and as an adjunct for severe depression, don't. These medications are serious things for serious situations and can have unexpected effects on you mentally. I went on them in my early twenties due to a nervous breakdown, and while they stopped the endless loops of thought and insomnia (I ended up sleeping ten h…

[deleted]
Post reply on HN