Crying Now at 40 hours awake.....

[[Ma...]]

Sick of this......I was wake 36 hours I slept 8, then awake again 36 more I slept 7, now up 40 and I took Nyquil and cant sleep, so yes I have now started to cry, I layed in bed for 2 hours and couldnt sleep, I truly am about ready to giv up and go back to the ativan, I guarantee you this is NOT withdrawl because as I stated before the getting to sleep issue was the whole reason I got on the ativan so I had that pre ativantaking

[[Ba...]]

Mark are you okay?  Can I help you?

[Guest [ba...]]

I feel your pain.  I took klonopin then Ativan to help me fall and stay asleep.  They worked great until they didn't.  Then they started causing me all sorts of problems, and I knew that I needed to get off of them.  Took me three tries - I wasn't prepared for the insomnia that accompanied jumping off those pills.  Insomnia was definitely my worst issue, but another BB suggested that I just relax about the whole sleep issue.  That turned out to be really good advice.

 

By accepting your sleep situation, you remove the emotion and anguish.  You'll be calmer which can aid in your ability to get more sleep.  And even if you find yourself awake at 3:30 am (like I am now), it's OK.  We won't die from 3-4 hours of sleep per night (really!).  Sleep deprivation is not the most desired experience on the planet, but you can learn to deal with it.  A whole bunch of us have had to.

 

Seek calm.  Be calm.  I found a bunch of relaxation meditations on-line to help me be calmer during my withdrawal.  Warm baths also helped me.  OTC meds like NyQuil didn't help me very much until I was off the benzos for a few months.  Now they work pretty well again.  It just takes time for your body to adjust to no benzos.  You'll be OK.  Just learn to accept the situation.

[[Ma...]]

Yeah I slept finally but as usual ONLY after taking Nyquil, no doubt I would still be up if I didnt take it......I mean come on 1mg off for over 3 months I should be healing some, its just WORSE!

[[Ma...]]

Also as usual I woke up feeling Extreamly tired and had an overhang, unless thats in part due to the Nyquil as Im still feeling it now

[Guest [ba...]]

I'm glad you got a little sleep.  Instead of NyQuil (which contains some antihistamines that won't help you sleep), consider taking Unisom (the version that contains doxylamine succinate).  That's the stuff in NyQuil that makes you sleep.  Interestingly, the same company makes Zzzz-Quil, but it contains the antihistamine found in Benadryl instead (diphenhydramine).  For me, doxy worked better than diphen, although doxy left me feeling really groggy in the mornings.

 

Your sleep will return.  Try to be calm about this.  I really did write you early this morning (at 3:30 am).  I often wake after only 4 hours of sleep, but if I'm calm, I can get back to sleep eventually.  I got another hour or two after I wrote to you.  I can function pretty well on 5-6 hours per night. 

 

You might look at some of the posts by ThEwAy.  He had terrible insomnia, and was really freaking out about it.  A bunch of us kept encouraging him to relax about it, and he's now finally starting to sleep a little better.  Insomnia is tough, but you can get through this stage.  Just relax about the whole sleep issue and sleep will return in time.

[[Ma...]]

Yeah well I might try my Remeron again tonight, thats not a benzo so Ill try it, I do recall 2-3 weeks after I stopped Ativan I had a week just like this where I went every other day sleeping, is that a symptom that can reoccour?

[Guest [ba...]]

I've heard some people say that they slept better every other night.  I tended to have two 'decent' nights, then three lousy ones ('decent', of course, being relative).

[[Ma...]]

Well I tried my Remeron last night and wow of course I did not work, took it at 12:30am maybe slept by 6:30am till 10 if I was lucky, jeez It seems to me I am truly losing my ability to sleep

[Guest [ba...]]

You'll sleep again.  Actually, 3.5 hours isn't all that bad, all things considered.  I'm sure there are a few buddies out there who would be glad to get 3.5 hours.

 

Just try to relax about the whole sleep issue.  It will get better in time.