losing everything

[[Ja...]]

Im James

i had lost my job in april and had gone days without sleep i went into a walk in clinic and got a sleep aid and 1mg of ativan which i took without a thought at the suggested dose of 1 to 2 mg a day i was on them for 3 months and then stopped when i wasn't prescribed anymore i almost lost my mind , couldn't sleep at all was numb and depressed . I got on some clonazepam .5 mg because its longer acting and this isn't any better i am taking a 1/4 pill and I am hurting so bad my life feels like hell every second

i need help i dont know how to be myself anymore and i cant enjoy anything all i want to do is sleep or lay in bed i feel like im dead inside.

[Guest [Mi...]]

Hi, James F.

 

Welcome to benzobuddies! 

 

You will find a lot of information and support here.  I'm sorry you're having a rough time, but I'm really glad you found this site. We can help you set up a safe taper. Also, there are plenty of non-medication coping skills that are discussed here for insomnia.

 

A good resource about benzodiazepines is the Ashton Manual. Here is a link to the manual: Professor Ashtons Manual  It’s great for learning about these meds and for taper plans. Ashton recommends reducing between 5 - 10% every 10/14 days.

 

You'll find a great community of people here who will support and encourage you. Feel free to check out the forum and to post to any of the dedicated boards.

 

In addition to the Ashton Manual, here are some other resources:

 

For tapering advice, post here: General Taper Plans

 

For support with any symptoms you may have, post here: Withdrawal Support

 

Please add a signature (history of medication/doses etc). It will help members give you relevant advice. This link will show you how to Create a signature

 

Please let us know if you have any questions.

 

~ Mind

[[ba...]]

Hi James,

Im sorry to hear about your job loss, i have alot of difficulty sleeping as well for years . i had alot of succes with melatonin (from walgreens) with helping me sleep , walgreens melaotnin is alot beter since it has vitaminb6 added to it that prolongs sleep better.  are you taking any vitamins ? im no doctor but a lack of some vitamins can hinder your sleep so you could take a 1 a day at least .

being exposed to excess lights can be a cause for insomnia it also can be the cause of giving you any headaches. you dont have to change your lifestyle fixing this i just wear sunglasses indoors the sunglasses that are most effective are sunglasses with amber (light brown) colored lenses i buy at $1 dollar tree. Around 7 pm i exercise on my treadmill and after i take a shower after the shower i fill my bathtub with hot tub temperature water and i just lay there with my eyes closed for 20-30 minutes,  also what helps me is i sleep lightly covered i cover up with just a bedsheet and i have a fan on low to cover up outdoor noises from cars or dogs barking .

i drink chamomille tea after my bath around 830 pm i let the tea bag soak in the coffee cup i heat up in the microwave 1min 45 sec a long time like 20-30 mins to make the chamomille stronger

 

if your reducing your medication its really important that you take vitamins especially the b vitamins b6 , b12, b7 ,b complex , vitamin E , and centrum (take 2 at a time with food or snack) i also highly recommend eating a small piece of parsley each day that can help your nervous system heal , also this is very important drink milk each day that milk works very well to help disperse vitamins throuout your body to where you really really need them. try to have your mind occupied so you dont worry so much.

 

Im sorry this is a long letter for you to read james i just wanted to be thurough explaining how i was successfull in quitting my xanax 6 weeks ago

God bless you James , and welcome again !

 

Katie (babyangel )

[[ba...]]

Hi again James i forgot to mention one more thing if your still looking for work google this (your state name ) workforce commission, theres job listings in your area on there and if your no working your elligible for  FREE state funded health insurance , google this ( your county name) indigent health

i feel good inside helping others

[[be...]]

Welcome  I am sorry you had to suffer from a cold turkey withdrawal. Unfortunately it doesn't take  long to develop a dependency to benzodiazepines. They really are not meant to take more than a couple of weeks. You probably are still experiencing symptoms because you new dose of clonazepam is much lower than your dose of Ativan, and that is if you are talking the .5 dose.  If you are only taking a .25 of that you will on a dose much much lower than your last. I agree with your doctor about crossing over to a longer acting benzo, but I would discuss increasing the dose, stabilizing and then tapering from there.