Desperately needing encouragement!

[[Le...]]

Help. I need encouragement  to go on! I am 6 weeks off of quick taper gabapentin (because the skin burning sensation on it was so bad) and short term clonazepam.  I can fall asleep for an hour or so, but always wake up with hot flash & skin burning sensation. I can sometimes fall back asleep, but the next time I am jolted awake, the hot flash and skin burning are worse. Hot flashes woke me up at night 1 year ago when I was not on any drugs (before I went back on gabapentin & used clonazepam to deal with symptoms for a few weeks).  When a hot flash would wake me up a year ago, I would just get up, used the bathroom, and by the time I came back to bed it was over and I could go back to sleep. I was seeking hormone treatment when all of this happened.  Now I don't know how to deal with this and am really struggling!  I don't know how to keep going on. I have been up now since 4am (the last time I was awakened) and feel so much anxiety and my body Is burning and itching.  During the day, I exercise to deal with the anxiety and that helps for a short time, but I can't do that at night when my husband is sleeping. I pace the house all day then struggle with this at night.  I have not gotten ANY windows yet!  I need hope!  How long until I get some relief? This is a nightmare to deal with!

[[Ri...]]

Hang in there. I am currently experiencing the same thing as you.  I have been awake since 3:30 and I am not able to return back to sleep. I listen to guided meditation for sleep with headphones so I do not  wake anyone up when I wake in the middle of the night. It gets me to relax most of the time even though I do not normally fall back asleep. I am working on not getting upset about it but trying to accept it like others have suggested on this site. It certainly is not easy...

 

Take Care!

[[Le...]]

Thanks Riversedge.  What has your withdrawal experience been like?  Have you improved gradually?

[[al...]]

I don't know when anyone will get relief, but I do know that it WILL happen. My withdrawal was pretty unpleasant and at times I doubted if I will ever sleep again, but now I do. There were many windows along the way, but they did not last. I was grateful for every one because each gave me a chance to regroup a bit. Maybe what I am experiencing now is just a really good window, but this morning I was thinking, "my god I think it is all over!"

 

People say that they can't do withdrawal because it is just too hard for them. I say that is bullsh*t. We are not tougher than we think. We are tougher than we want to have to be. Withdrawal is very rough, but it is not a fatal disease. We get through it and are given our lives back. Don't resist as much as accept. Every day might not be as good as you would like, but it has the potential to be a lot better than it can be.

[[Ma...]]

I don't know when anyone will get relief, but I do know that it WILL happen. My withdrawal was pretty unpleasant and at times I doubted if I will ever sleep again, but now I do. There were many windows along the way, but they did not last. I was grateful for every one because each gave me a chance to regroup a bit. Maybe what I am experiencing now is just a really good window, but this morning I was thinking, "my god I think it is all over!"

 

People say that they can't do withdrawal because it is just too hard for them. I say that is bullsh*t. We are not tougher than we think. We are tougher than we want to have to be. Withdrawal is very rough, but it is not a fatal disease. We get through it and are given our lives back. Don't resist as much as accept. Every day might not be as good as you would like, but it has the potential to be a lot better than it can be.

 

[[Le...]]

Thanks so much alohafromhawaii.  Your encouragement means a lot!