If
you wish to return to the 'Ask Dr. Dunc.' mainpage, please click
here
If
you wish to visit the 'Ask Dr. Dunc.' question archives, please
click here
Question 9: I read your article and
response to the question of meds. I found it very informative. My
question is: What about meds. for something like a sleep disorder.
The inability to sleep through the whole night or not all on some
nights. My husband and I are going through these night wakenings with
our 8 year old son. It just wouldn't seem to stop. Our neurologist,
a pediatric neurologist prescribed clonidine for him. One quarter
at first and now we are up to a half tablet. Have we seen any benifits?
I don't know. The frequency of the night wakenings has lessened. But
I find myself going to sleep at night praying that the med. won't
have an adverse affect on him while we are asleep and unable to notice.
Hope you can help us out? S.H., Texas, USA.
Hello
S.H.:
I am leery to discuss specific medications for specific disorders simply
because it is not my professional training as a future psychologist.
What I can suggest in general however is that close monitoring of the
medication for effectiveness and adverse effects as you've been doing
is always a good plan. Also, only switch or change dosages one medication
at a time -- otherwise you cannot know which action caused the changes
you see and it makes the 'med-game' that much more frustrating and difficult
to win. Remember that there will always be side effects; your neurologist
should be available to you to discuss these with you, and you will have
to decide whether the gains are worth the costs.
Briefly, and speaking strictly from the research as this is not my prescribed
area of expertise, clonidine side effects are not too bad (relatively
speaking): common ones are sedation (probably why it was prescribed)
and hypotension (lowered blood pressure); the latter side effect can
cause some lightheadedness and is also what makes the person drowsy.
This information comes from Sandor, P. (1995) Clinical Management of
Tourette's Syndrome and Associated Disorders. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry,
40, 577-583. My personal experience with clonidine also included dry
mouth.
As a good night's sleep is THE bedrock strategy on which the success
of all other strategies is affected, and since you seem uncomfortable
with the use of medications, one final thing I will mention is that
you may wish to take your son to a sleep clinic or to a psychologist
with some specialization in sleep disorders. A clinic can monitor your
son's sleep and diagnose and treat any specific sleep disorders. There
are many behavioural strategies that can be very successful in treating
sleep disorders and, if nothing else, these are both professionals that
could suggest other potential medications for you to try if you or your
son decide clonidine is not for you.
