8 nights - 0 sleep, going mad

[[Mo...]]

Started 15mg Mirtazepine. It did not put me asleep and I had to use Ambien and Clonidine again, but I used half the dose I normally use and slept longer. I think it is because Mirtazapine does the opposite of what Clonidine does - it raises blood pressure and heart rate. I will just slowly taper off Clonidine and Ambien while taking Mirtazapine. It helped with the itch a bit and I slept 10 hours straight with many wet orgy dreams, no nightmares.

[[Mo...]]

Mirtazapine made me manic and I got so angry I almost got in a fight. I went to see another Sleep specialists and he literally told me to GTFO because there is nothing else he can prescribe. What should I look forward to? In college I slept 20 minutes per day, never sleeping at night, and going half asleep throughout the day. That's no way to live and there is NOTHING that helps that is not addictive.

[[mu...]]

I'm so amazed that you only slept such a little amount of time in college.

 

Did you ever in your life sleep "normal"? 

 

If you never have slept 6-8 hours a night not sure how you expect to sleep that much now in life?

 

I think a lot of people can survive on little sleep but I would say at least 6 hours is needed to feel and live normally.

 

Sleep doctors probably get a lot of doctor shoppers meaning patients looking for a new Dr to give a new script so many Dr's are leary and afraid to hand out meds.  So many people abuse them and you'd be surprised how many people OD when combining sleeping pills and other opiates or alcohol.  I don't think their is anything out there that will help you at the moment.  I think time is what heals,  yet time and no sleep is what hurts and makes us feel shitty.

 

Hope you can get some sleep tonight.

[[Mo...]]

I'm so amazed that you only slept such a little amount of time in college.

 

Did you ever in your life sleep "normal"? 

 

If you never have slept 6-8 hours a night not sure how you expect to sleep that much now in life?

 

I think a lot of people can survive on little sleep but I would say at least 6 hours is needed to feel and live normally.

 

Sleep doctors probably get a lot of doctor shoppers meaning patients looking for a new Dr to give a new script so many Dr's are leary and afraid to hand out meds.  So many people abuse them and you'd be surprised how many people OD when combining sleeping pills and other opiates or alcohol.  I don't think their is anything out there that will help you at the moment.  I think time is what heals,  yet time and no sleep is what hurts and makes us feel shitty.

 

Hope you can get some sleep tonight.

 

That is the problem. It is likely I will not be getting much sleep no matter what and its TORTURE. I don't see how TORTURE is better than being dependent on drugs.

[[mu...]]

Hey I say you have to do what's best for you.  I am not a professional so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

 

But I think if drugs can make your life better than that's an easy choice.  Only problem is the slippery slope of taking more and more for less results.  If you can find a med and a dose that works with helping you sleep and function a relatively normal life I would vote for that route.  No shame taking a med if it helps improve your life.  These boards are full of people wanting off drugs and or getting off these benzos so of course most will say "get off" "don't reinstate" etc.  But only you live your life and only you know what your best choice is.  I wouldn't want to torture myself either abs that's why I am stuck at my current dose.  Any lower I barely sleep and life sucks.  At my current dose I sleep 5-8 hours with some random crappier nights but over all I feel almost normal so I choose this until I get the strength to start cutting again and challenging the sleep gods.

 

 

[[jo...]]

Time to be evaluated for depression IMO ! It can take away sleep believe I know !

[[Mo...]]

I need to get back to Xyrem/GHB then. It is the only non-habit forming super sleep medicine. Its addictive and creates dependence ONLY if taken throughout the day, but not if taken only at night at recommended doses. It's just it causes severe morning anxiety for 6-7 hours.

[[MT...]]

Monarch, Xyrem IS habit forming, hits GABA and has devastating wd. I looked into taking it several years ago but further research revealed a very dark side. Here's a thread on BB: http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=38026.0

 

Please be careful.

[[Mo...]]

It's only addictive if taken throughout both night and day. If taken ONLY at night at prescribed doses, it is not habit-forming.

 

 

[[Ch...]]

I can see you are going to do what you want to do, despite excellent scientific guidance. I am sorry for your suffering but you are NOT alone.

[[Mo...]]

Every sleep specialist I visited told me Xyrem is not habit-forming when taken at night only and in the right doses and all of them were against prescribing Ambien and benzo's because those ARE habit-forming.  I was on and off of it for years and not once did it cause any kind of WD after stopping

 

Back when it was a supplement some idiots abused all night and all day long and yeah, in their cases, GHB/Xyrem WD was horrific, worse than benzo WD because of GHB's rebound dopamine-releaaing effect, something benzo's do not do.

[[Ce...]]

Monarch, Xyrem IS habit forming, hits GABA and has devastating wd. I looked into taking it several years ago but further research revealed a very dark side. Here's a thread on BB: http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=38026.0

 

Please be careful.

[[MT...]]

Monarch, how many of us were told that benzos weren't addictive? That's typically what docs believe, especially with a relatively new drug. The horror stories about wd from Xyrem are real. Do some research. Here's just one example. Notice the same pattern of tolerance wd, the need for escalating doses to cope with that and the resulting wd. https://erowid.org/experiences/exp.php?ID=86922

 

You may choose to take it anyway. Regrets are painful. Most of us have them. I hope you can choose the safer option here.

[[Mo...]]

That guy kept using Xyrem throughout the day - it's abuse and when you're on Xyrem 24/7 then it's more addictive than benzo. When taken ONLY at night (2x per night) as prescribed, even at the highest dose, it does NOT cause physical or psychological dependence. I was on and off of it for years and never experienced WD from it.

[[Ch...]]

MonarchX, I feel like a broken record...why are you keeping this thread going when you are going to do exactly what you want despite asking for others opinion? Yes, I could and will stop reading and you can of course keep on going with this insanity.

[Guest [Th...]]

How should I take Xyrem?

Take Xyrem exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow all directions on your prescription label.

 

Xyrem can slow or stop your breathing, even at regular doses or if you are also taking stimulant medicine. Never use this medicine in larger amounts, or for longer than prescribed.

 

Xyrem may be habit-forming. Never share this medicine with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. Misuse of this medicine can cause breathing problems, seizure, loss of consciousness, or death. Selling or giving away this medicine is against the law.

 

This medication comes with patient instructions for safe and effective use. Follow these directions carefully. Do not allow anyone else to use your medication.

 

Take Xyrem on an empty stomach at least 2 hours after a meal. It is important to take the dose at the same time each night.

 

Xyrem must be taken at bedtime and again two and a half to four hours later. This medicine works very fast and should be taken while you are sitting in bed ready for sleep. Prepare both doses while you are getting ready for bed. Place the second dose next to your bed so you can take it without getting up. You will most likely need to set an alarm to awaken for the second dose.

 

Each dose must be mixed with two ounces (one quarter cup) of water in the child-resistant dosing cups provided with the medication. Both doses must be used within the same night. Throw away any dose that has been mixed with water but not used within 24 hours of mixing.

 

Do not stop using Xyrem suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Ask your doctor how to safely stop using this medicine.

[[Mo...]]

Bottom line for me is this:

- From 18 - 25  years of age I had terrible insomnia throughout college, where I would not sleep at night at all, go to class half-asleep, come back to my dorm and get a 20 minute sleep-paralysis nap. That was all without any drugs. Later I was diagnosed with Narcolepsy, which means my brain reaches REM stage too quickly within minutes instead of hours and skips Stages 3 of restful sleep. Sleep study confirmed Narcolepsy. Xyrem was prescribed and it worked, but left me anxious in the morning. Then doctors prescribed Xanax for anxiety and it went on like that for years until I quit Xanax XR.

 

There is nothing for my sleep to recover to because it was horrible without medications. I have nothing to look forward to since sleep won't come back because it was not there to begin with!

 

All anti-depressants, anti-histamines, anti-psychotics make me either manic or depressed or just do not work. That only leaves me with 3 possibilities: benzo's, hypnotics like Ambien, and Xyrem.

 

Where am I wrong?