New sleeping pill from Merck, Suvorexant

Merck has a new drug that passed the clinical trial but is tied up in FDA. It works on the alert part of the brain, not the GABA site. I have failed 4 times taper all because of insomnia a few weeks after tapering. The last time I went several days without sleep ending up with extreme hypertension and exhaustion and have to go back to benzo just to stay alive. I am proposing we start a petition to ask FDA to fast track this drug so those of us that could not deal with insomnia would have a chance of success. I have no idea how to do this. Is there someone who has knowledge on how to get this started?

No - this is the first time Ive heard about this. Wish we had more info. And I wonder when it will be approved. I am desperate for sleep. 3 hours last night. Its worn me down so much I got bronchitis.

east

I saw this drug pop up about a year ago, and wondered if it would be a good alternative.  I still wonder.  I'd sure want to know that it doesn't confer the same tolerance following prolonged use that benzos - also once considered a wonder sleeping aide - can cause.

Yeah, this insomnia thing is hard and makes dp/dr worse.

 

The barbiturates were hailed as wonder drugs after the FDA approved them. Then the benzos came along as the improved drug of choice for anxiety, insomnia, etc. So I don't even think an approved wonder drug will pass my new-found phobia of medications.

 

Since the FDA is funded by more than 40% by Big Pharma, I think I'll just choose to drop dead from exhaustion. . . .

 

I've got one more drug to finish tapering (Seroquel) and then I'm done with these drugs!

 

hey, conect. Sorry you're having such a hard time. Have you had any success with cognitive behavior therapy or using mindfulness? The mindfulness has been the big one for me. And since I don't have the resources for any kind of therapy, I'm finding books and online videos to help out. It takes time, but it's so relaxing, I don't mind doing it. 

Thanks for the info, it is good to know there is other alternatives. Maybe you can create a cause webpage and recollect firms or adepts to your cause and then send the info to the FDA

 

In my case, I have not be able to sleep naturally since my Zyprexa withdrawal. But after all I have read, I want to be off meds as soon as posible. I will endure nights of zero sleep until my brain learn to sleep again naturally.  I believe is the only way or I will depend on medication my whole life. Medications are a tramp, a vicious cycle.

Z-drugs were marketed as safe benzos and that turned out to be a lie. I'm very skeptical of this. Whatever it works on will get up or down regulated over time causing similar tolerances.

All the sleeping pills or tranquilizers on the market, whether natural or prescription  are designed to work on GABA sites and the prescription drugs are habit forming as we all know. For those who have doubt on this, you can find more information by just searching on Google. I still believe this will be a very useful aid for people who can not cope with insomnia during withdraw. I believe this is much better than antidepressant.

No - this is the first time Ive heard about this. Wish we had more info. And I wonder when it will be approved. I am desperate for sleep. 3 hours last night. Its worn me down so much I got bronchitis.

east

 

east, I'm sorry to hear that.  I hope things improve for you soon. 

XO,

Luke

Pffft. Stupid FDA. Bunch of crooks and politicians

The FDA is working hard for this drug to come to market. It has already passed several FDA committees. It is an orexin receptor antagonist used in patients with difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Like you said, it is different than other sleep aids. It prevents you from staying awake, not making you sleepy. The only issue I see with this is that it may cause suicidal ideation or grogginess  if taken in overly large doses. Other than that, it seems to be a safe drug.  It's non addictive. Merck and Co, in conjunction with Dohme Corp., is the maker of this drug. I spoke with the FDA today and they told me it is currently being investigated, but "it seems to be a promising drug." I spoke with Merck today and they said they just sent in a second request to have this  drug passed as soon as possible. But they added that under normal circumstances, it will take at least 6 months to come to market. You can reach Merck by this number. 1-800-444-2080. Merck also manufactures Remeron. You can reach the proper division of the FDA that deals with prescription drugs. 1-855-543-3784. They have many other offices that deal with tobacco, OTC meds and vet meds, among many others. Bets

I'll give most things a try short term, to get my sleep regulated and not have reoccurring, consecutive sleepless nights line a tweaker.

Yeah, this insomnia thing is hard and makes dp/dr worse.

 

The barbiturates were hailed as wonder drugs after the FDA approved them. Then the benzos came along as the improved drug of choice for anxiety, insomnia, etc. So I don't even think an approved wonder drug will pass my new-found phobia of medications.

 

Since the FDA is funded by more than 40% by Big Pharma, I think I'll just choose to drop dead from exhaustion. . . .

 

I've got one more drug to finish tapering (Seroquel) and then I'm done with these drugs!

 

hey, conect. Sorry you're having such a hard time. Have you had any success with cognitive behavior therapy or using mindfulness? The mindfulness has been the big one for me. And since I don't have the resources for any kind of therapy, I'm finding books and online videos to help out. It takes time, but it's so relaxing, I don't mind doing it. 

 

Mindseeker:

 

You may want to order the book, How to Be Your Own Therapist, by Patricia Farrell, PhD. I bought it used on amazon for $4.  Bets

Yeah, this insomnia thing is hard and makes dp/dr worse.

 

The barbiturates were hailed as wonder drugs after the FDA approved them. Then the benzos came along as the improved drug of choice for anxiety, insomnia, etc. So I don't even think an approved wonder drug will pass my new-found phobia of medications.

 

Since the FDA is funded by more than 40% by Big Pharma, I think I'll just choose to drop dead from exhaustion. . . .

 

I've got one more drug to finish tapering (Seroquel) and then I'm done with these drugs!

 

hey, conect. Sorry you're having such a hard time. Have you had any success with cognitive behavior therapy or using mindfulness? The mindfulness has been the big one for me. And since I don't have the resources for any kind of therapy, I'm finding books and online videos to help out. It takes time, but it's so relaxing, I don't mind doing it. 

 

Re barbiturates. The same thing happened with Valium. Bad press. Then, after valium patent expired, the same thing happened with benzos is general, and once their patents expired, along came the SSRis as the wonder drug. After the SSRis patents expired, we now have antipsychotics. Now the Lunesta patent has expired. What's next? A wonder drug for OCD or borderline personality disorder? I'm sure the pharmas are working very hard now for the next wonder drug, with a patent of course. Bets

If it's an antagonist, it will upregulate the receptors, causing LTP. You can't change the brain, it will always fight back. WorriedDad is absolutely right. Just give it 5 years and we'll have Suvorexantbuddies.org

 

 

No - this is the first time Ive heard about this. Wish we had more info. And I wonder when it will be approved. I am desperate for sleep. 3 hours last night. Its worn me down so much I got bronchitis.

east

 

East:

 

The FDA approved the drug on Aug  13. It is now schedule IV of controlled substances. Same as benzos. Ha! How ridiculous. ~~ Bets

If it's an antagonist, it will upregulate the receptors, causing LTP. You can't change the brain, it will always fight back. WorriedDad is absolutely right. Just give it 5 years and we'll have Suvorexantbuddies.org

 

:laugh:

I'm hopeful about this medication. There's a very interesting article about it in the New Yorker that describes a little of the development of the drug and it seems to have been done more thoughtfully than most drugs. Here's a link to the article: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/12/09/the-big-sleep-2.

 

The other reason I'm hopeful is this recent article on increased levels of orexin found in the cerebrospinal fluid of Alzheimers patients. Suvorexant (trade name Belsomra) is an orexin receptor antagonist, so it possibly could be protective against Alzheimers. I really worry about the damaging effects of my sleep deprivation. Here is the journal article about increased orexin levels in Alzheimers patients:http://archneur.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1915582 or you can read this article about it in Medscape: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/833205?src=wnl_edit_tpal&uac=183634AR

lies, lies and more damn lies from pharma!