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I'm Ready To Say That It Is Over!

[al...]

By [al...]
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[al...]

[al...]

Posted
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It has been 15 months and I decided that I am now pretty much over my run-in with Ambien (along with Lunesta and Ativan). Most of my physical and emotion symptoms let up months ago, but insomnia remained a problem for a much longer time. The quality of my sleep is now improving and probably will be for a while longer until it is more or less normal, but at least I now fall asleep fairly easy and go back to sleep just as easily after awakenings.

 

I know that it is time to leave this behind me and move on. My withdrawal has been the central focus of my life for too long. It is time for me to close this book and file it away as an old horror story. Everyone said that it will end some day and now I know that they were right. I hope that anyone reading this who has doubts about their own recovery will take heart. Thank you BenzoBuddies for all the comfort and help that you provided to me!

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[me...]

[me...]

Posted
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Hi Aloha--Congratulations on getting past the Ambien! I for one would sure like to hear more about how you got sucked into the void of Ambien dependence (haven't heard much about the Ativan and Lunesta), and what drove you to finally cold-turkey. Thanks for all your level-headed support and encouragement, and I hope to be following in your footsteps soon.
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[al...]

[al...]

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Hi Aloha--Congratulations on getting past the Ambien! I for one would sure like to hear more about how you got sucked into the void of Ambien dependence (haven't heard much about the Ativan and Lunesta), and what drove you to finally cold-turkey. Thanks for all your level-headed support and encouragement, and I hope to be following in your footsteps soon.

 

Hi Meowie,

 

My story is somewhat told in my signature, but basically I had a continuous prescription running for Ambien since around 1998 or so. I had some on and off sleeping problems so I liked having something in the drawer for those single bad nights when they happened. My refills were a 30 day supply of 10 mg. tablets. I broke them in half and stretched out the 30 day supply to up to 5 months so the doctor had no problem refilling for so long. Ambien seemed so safe and friendly that I never really understood the potential for problems to happen with it.

 

I started taking it more often because of some pain issues and other stressful things going on. Once I did that it wasn't long before I started building tolerance to Ambien without even knowing that tolerance was possible. In a fairly short time I found that the more I took, the more I needed. Out of ignorance I thought that I had an unrelated insomnia blowup so I tried therapy, acupuncture and all sorts of treatments for insomnia while continuing taking the Ambien that had become the actual cause of my sleeping problems.

 

Out of sleep desperation and a run in with doctors who were unable to look at the big picture, I got a prescription for Lunesta and one for Ativan. I did not use these for long, but ended up mixing sleep cocktails with them that barely worked. Every night I would spend a long time trying to think up what combo I was going to use, thinking that they all acted differently. I was totally out of control and seeing several therapists and doctors at the same time and not getting any help from them at all. I finally turned to the internet and learned about tolerance and withdrawal from Ambien. By then I was an anxious wreck and just wanted to get all of the crap out of me and get better as soon as possible. I read about seizure threats so instead of a true cold-turkey I did a 10 day taper and threw all of my prescription bottles out (I had a lot). That is my story.

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[Su...]

[Su...]

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Dear aloha ... congratulations and thank you so much for the support and positive advice you gave me and others.  Will miss you, but so pleased you have your life back.

 

Sunny

 

 

 

 

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[Pe...]

[Pe...]

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I feel for you, I am in the exact same situation. I am on Klonopin for some years and for about half a year or so I am thinking about getting off it. Thanks to benzo buddies I feel that this is possible and that soon I will do it. Good luck to you :)
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[pi...]

[pi...]

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Hello Aloha and Congratulations!

 

You ended up on a spiral of medications that simply quit working, so common with these types of drugs. The good thing is that you figured it out and got off and now there is lots of living to be done. Thanks for sharing your story.

 

pianogirl  :smitten:

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[bl...]

[bl...]

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You've come a long way from the time when I first joined this forum and you were in the thick of hell. I'm happy you're finally able to move forward. I wish you the best in the future. I can't say it's been a pleasure commiserating, but I do appreciate all the advice and support.
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[Ma...]

[Ma...]

Posted
Posted

It has been 15 months and I decided that I am now pretty much over my run-in with Ambien (along with Lunesta and Ativan). Most of my physical and emotion symptoms let up months ago, but insomnia remained a problem for a much longer time. The quality of my sleep is now improving and probably will be for a while longer until it is more or less normal, but at least I now fall asleep fairly easy and go back to sleep just as easily after awakenings.

 

I know that it is time to leave this behind me and move on. My withdrawal has been the central focus of my life for too long. It is time for me to close this book and file it away as an old horror story. Everyone said that it will end some day and now I know that they were right. I hope that anyone reading this who has doubts about their own recovery will take heart. Thank you BenzoBuddies for all the comfort and help that you provided to me!

 

 

Hey Aloha!!!

I am so so so so happy for you!!! You did such a great job. Please go out and ENJOY LIFE forever no matter what will come. Thank you for telling us because so many of us are still waiting to reach finally the point which you have reached.

Big hugs!

Marigold :smitten: :smitten:

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[ci...]

[ci...]

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Aloha, wow, I am so so happy for you. You were my ambien brother BB in this process. Thank you so much for all your positive advice and encouragement. Best Wishes to you, cindy
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[Bu...]

[Bu...]

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Congratulations Aloha!!  Thanks for posting your success story and inspiring those of us following in you footsteps!  Enjoy your life!!!
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[el...]

[el...]

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Congratulations, Aloha - thank you for writing your success story and for providing so much advice and help on the Insomnia thread...you helped more people than you know.

 

Wishing you much happiness and complete healing.

 

Ellen :smitten:

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[il...]

[il...]

Posted
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Isn't it funny how our sxs all vary in severity, duration and length of time? My insomnia left months ago but I'm not yet healed. For many, like you, that one lingers. Congratulations!!! Enjoy your new life!
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[al...]

[al...]

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Hi my buddies,

Got news to share. I only got 2 or 3 hours of sleep last night just like the not so good nights of the past, but I am not bummed at all. I had to get up at 4 am to fly to another island and put in a full day visiting clients so of course the pressure was on to sleep. That pretty much ensures little or no sleep. When I stated that I was healed, I was referring to my attitude as well as my sleep that is mostly (but not always) much better. After all, if good sleep was always assured, I never would have taken Ambien in the first place.

 

The point that I am trying to make is that you don't have to wait until all symptoms are completely gone before you allow yourself to declare victory. Recovery is also measured by an attitude shift that allows to your move on and stop defining your existence by your withdrawal experience. I for one held on longer than I perhaps should have. Being in withdrawal had become such a prominent part of my self-image for so long that I began to use it as an excuse for all of my woes. Now it is just something that I have to deal with from time to time.

 

Anyway, thanks to all of you for your kind words of support.

 

 

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[d3...]

[d3...]

Posted
Posted
Thank you for the post.  I have been almost desperate thinking I won't ever be free.  It's actually kept me from even trying--as if the mountain is too high to even attempt.  :-\
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