Slept 8 hours last night!

[[Fr...]]

Weaning from long-term, low-dose Xanax. Currently at .0125mg taken at night.

 

Last night was my first full 8 hours of sleep. 9:30pm to 5:30am.  I take this as a milestone, however big or small.

 

I have been taking Aleve and Benadryl to help, but it hasn't helped this much before, so I'm crediting my own body and need for sleep.

 

My intro is here:

 

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=122520.0

 

I skimmed through some of the posts in this thread and see a few folks are thinking of giving up due to lack of sleep. I get this because lack of sleep is truly debilitating. Sleep deprivation is used as a form of torture and is effective. Don't give-up. Try everything suggested by the good and helpful people here. Exercise, even a little if you can. Vitamin D before bed. Hot bath. Whatever works for you.

[[De...]]

That's wonderful news that you slept 8 hours NeedsRelief, let's hope good sleep continues for you 

 

Insomnia is a dreadful thing to cope with, things always look brighter after a restful sleep. Thank you for sharing the good news.

 

Debbie

[[We...]]

Sleep deprivation is used as a form of torture and is effective.

 

That's excellent. Hopefully that's one of the final signs that you're nearing the finish line.

 

I hear ya on the sleep deprivation as torture. It's commonly used as a form of sensory deprivation. Solitary confinement is also another form of torture.

 

Since many of us suffer this alone and are sleep deprived, I can safely conclude that benzo withdrawal is an involuntary torture. 

[[ch...]]

That's awesome!

[[De...]]

Sleep deprivation is used as a form of torture and is effective.

 

That's excellent. Hopefully that's one of the final signs that you're nearing the finish line.

 

I hear ya on the sleep deprivation as torture. It's commonly used as a form of sensory deprivation. Solitary confinement is also another form of torture.

 

Since many of us suffer this alone and are sleep deprived, I can safely conclude that benzo withdrawal is an involuntary torture. 

 

So true Westcoast 

[[Fr...]]

Felt great this morning. Even optimistic. By 2:00 pm was feeling anxious, stomach knotting up, feeling choked. Before that dry mouth. I used to feel bad from about 10:00am on to the time I was to take the reduced dose of Xanax, which was then about 6:00 pm.  I have since pushed the dose back to 7:30pm and the time I start feeling anxious and other symptoms is also later. Wish I felt as good as I did this morning. I will probably stay on the .125 dose at least until Friday, maybe longer. Then I will take the advice to cut that down to 0.0625.  I was hoping to get to a point where I could "jump" by 12/20, which is when my work vacation starts, but probably shouldn't push it.

[[be...]]

Felt great this morning. Even optimistic. By 2:00 pm was feeling anxious, stomach knotting up, feeling choked. Before that dry mouth. I used to feel bad from about 10:00am on to the time I was to take the reduced dose of Xanax, which was then about 6:00 pm.  I have since pushed the dose back to 7:30pm and the time I start feeling anxious and other symptoms is also later. Wish I felt as good as I did this morning. I will probably stay on the .125 dose at least until Friday, maybe longer. Then I will take the advice to cut that down to 0.0625.  I was hoping to get to a point where I could "jump" by 12/20, which is when my work vacation starts, but probably shouldn't push it.

 

A big congrats to you! I used to practically live on the insomnia board. I can happily say that I have gotten 8 hours of sleep for the past week. Yippee for the both of us!

[[be...]]

I am so happy to read that you finally got 8 hours of shut eye. :sleepy:

[[Fr...]]

Thanks, all.

 

I'm hoping for a repeat of last night, with a full eight hours of sleep. I will repeat the same protocol.

 

6:30 pm - Two Aleve and one Benadryl (anti-histamine).  Since this withdrawal, and I think I was in tolerance withdrawal before that, I have had sinusitis, so the Benadryl and anti-inflammatory is not un-justifiable. Plus, 1200mg Calcium and 400mg Magnesium (adding Magnesium for the first time tonight)

 

7:30 pm - .125 Xanax

 

Read from 8:30 to 9:30 pm.

 

If I get a good night's sleep again tonight, I'll feel like I'm definitely on a positive trajectory.

 

Symptoms tonight, which are a bit less than last night:  Pulsing ring in ears (very low); no appetite (I have to log food into myfitnesspal to make sure I'm eating enough); metallic taste in mouth, but less than before.  Not feeling too panicky or anxious right now, so reasonable hope of a good night's sleep.

[[Be...]]

Glad for your sleep! Seems like a good plan.

 

Read your signature. Concerned that you have a pre-Christmas jump planned. I vote for after. Wishing you a good holiday!

[[Fr...]]

Hi, Benniejets, thanks for the encouragement and input.

 

The only reason I'm thinking that I'd like to jump by December 20 is because I will be off work then until January 2, so any w/d's I get from jumping, the worst part will be while I'm off work.

 

Since all I have is the peach pill (.05 mg of Xanax), and am breaking it (cutting it results in the same micro-grain loss) and I'm at .125mg right now, I'm taking 1/4 of the peach pill.  When I start breaking that in half, it gets tricky, because one end will be slightly fatter than the other, and so I have to figure out how to compensate to make them equal. I know my doctor will tell me to just stop now, as I'm sure he'll feel I'm not taking enough to matter. He felt that I would feel a thing if he switched me from Xanax to Ativan and I was having withdrawal symptoms. So I am taking the advice here.

 

If I feel stabilized by Friday, and I'm feeling pretty good that I might, I think I can go down to .0625, which is 1/8 of the peach pill.  Stay on that until December 20 and then maybe go to every other day?  Or just jump from daily micro-dosing?

[[Be...]]

You might find this bit of advice somewhat cracked up. I've had such bad experience splitting pills. I thought my cuts were fine until I got a scale and measured. Could you spend $25 on a .001 scale from Amazon, sort of a gift to yourself in these last days of tapering? This way you'll get precise measurement. And if you needed to string out your last days on X into even smaller amounts, you'd be ready.

 

Congratulations on your progress. Almost there!

[[Fr...]]

Slept from 10:00pm to 2:30am, then dozed from 3:30am to 5:00am. Not 8 hours, but ok. Prior to tapering I would have these kinds of nights. My mind wasn't racing. I worried some, but not more than, say, before tapering. I feel ok this morning. The magnesium definitely helped me feel sleepy, but I may have taken too much since it was partly nature calling that woke me.  I'll cut dose in half, if the magnesium is scored. If not, I'll buy a smaller dose.

 

Benniejets, I didn't know such scales existed. I looked it up on Amazon and think I'll pass. They are not overly expensive, but since my tapering is going ok, at least for now, I don't see a reason to worry about micro-dosing. I'm definitely symptomatic and grateful to those on this board who acknowledge that tapering is needed no matter how small the dose, but I think--at least I hope--that having been on such a low-dose makes it just a bit easier.  Thank you.

 

symptoms this morning:  Feeling chilled. Icy prickles on forearms. Some evidence of teeth grinding. A teensy bit of worry and doubt. But overall feeling like I might be able to move down to 0.0625 by Thursday night or Friday night this week.

[[Be...]]

Benniejets, I didn't know such scales existed. I looked it up on Amazon and think I'll pass. They are not overly expensive, but since my tapering is going ok, at least for now, I don't see a reason to worry about micro-dosing. I'm definitely symptomatic and grateful to those on this board who acknowledge that tapering is needed no matter how small the dose, but I think--at least I hope--that having been on such a low-dose makes it just a bit easier.  Thank you.

 

symptoms this morning:  Feeling chilled. Icy prickles on forearms. Some evidence of teeth grinding. A teensy bit of worry and doubt. But overall feeling like I might be able to move down to 0.0625 by Thursday night or Friday night this week.

 

On the first page are suggested tapering methods, other useful stuff like coping methods, and even video links. Have you visited? The scale is mentioned there. Good luck with your taper and best wishes for your holiday.

Bennie