Desperate for Sleep!

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I'm just new in Benzo withdrawal. Its my 10th day and I've not slept naturally. I'm using Melatonin 1.5mg daily. Every time I try to sleep I get Brain Zaps, Head Jerks and also had a seizure. I don't know how long I can continue using Melatonin. Melatonin just knocks me out at night only. I've tried taking it in day and it was of no use. Also the sleep I get is not deep sleep. I wake up early after 4-5 hours sleep only. I went to my GP he wants me back on benzo for sleep. I hate benzos. Just want to sleep naturally. Never in my life I felt I'd be soo desperate for sleep. Any suggestions for a natural deep sleep other than Benzo will be welcome. 

 

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I've found valerian helpful.

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I'm just new in Benzo withdrawal. Its my 10th day and I've not slept naturally. I'm using Melatonin 1.5mg daily. Every time I try to sleep I get Brain Zaps, Head Jerks and also had a seizure. I don't know how long I can continue using Melatonin. Melatonin just knocks me out at night only. I've tried taking it in day and it was of no use. Also the sleep I get is not deep sleep. I wake up early after 4-5 hours sleep only. I went to my GP he wants me back on benzo for sleep. I hate benzos. Just want to sleep naturally. Never in my life I felt I'd be soo desperate for sleep. Any suggestions for a natural deep sleep other than Benzo will be welcome.

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The best advice I can give, without recreating a lot of good posts on this forum, is to simply read through these posts.  There is a ton of great information.

 

Even short-term users may experience the same type of withdrawal in terms of severity and length as long term users.

 

Early on in your withdrawal...first six months or so (for most) not much short of another Rx drug will help with sleep.

 

Melatonin is a hormone that is not regulated and is used to help reset circadian rhythms.  It can help with sleep for some, but it will definitely not knock you out like a Benzo and certainly not during the day.

 

Lots of people on this forum would be super happy with 4-5 hours of sleep.  Your sleep switch is temporarily broken.  It will fix itself, but no one knows how long that will take. 

 

I would NOT take anymore Benzos.  If they can do that much damage to you in that short amount of time, then you are very sensitive to them.  Almost all GPs are completely clueless when it comes to Benzos and Benzo withdrawal. 

 

All of your symptoms are classic Benzo withdrawal symptoms after 10 days of so of use.  Reinstating now will most likely not do anything and would likely cause way more problems and longer withdrawal?

 

Lack of sleep will not kill you.  That 8 hours a night is a complete myth. 

 

Read the current page of posts on this (insomnia) board.  Especially the posts near the top.

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I've tried a variety of things and they've all worked. Mostly, you develop a tolerance to them and then they stop working. (Don't try them together). Since benzo w/d my sleep is messed up, too. So here's my list:

 

1. Unisom Sleep tabs -- half a 25 mg tab

2. Hydroxyzine (needs a dr's prescrip)

3. Tryptophan

4. Camomille tea

5. Indica marijuana (I make an alcohol-based tincture)

6. youtube "go so sleep" music

 

At the moment, I'm using my mj tincture and camomille tea. I'm sleeping pretty well.

 

Hope this gives you some ideas. You could go out to the pharmacy and pick up tryptophan (try 500 mgs) and stop by the supermarket for tea . . . and be all set for tonight.

 

Others may chime in with suggestions. Also, there are a few threads on here dealing with insomnia.

 

Best to you,

 

 

Katz

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Should have said exercise too. Single most effective therapy for me for sleep and other things for that matter. Took awhile to get over the sleepless exercise (hated it but forced myself) beginnings but when you get through it sleep issues start taking care of themselves.

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Raiz, If you are getting 4-5 hours of sleep per night than surely you are getting some deep sleep. And as Theway2 said, 4-5 hours is something many here would LOVE to have on a nightly, consistent basis. I've gone multiple weeks with 3.5-4.5 hours of sleep while holding down a full time job in management. It wasn't easy or comfortable, but I was functional. Half the battle was simply getting over my anxiety about the whole situation. How are you managing your anxiety? There are all sorts of things you can do to settle yourself down about this whole situation, including meditation, yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, regular exercise, cognitive restructuring, designated worry time, etc. (I could go on!).

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Should have said exercise too. Single most effective therapy for me for sleep and other things for that matter. Took awhile to get over the sleepless exercise (hated it but forced myself) beginnings but when you get through it sleep issues start taking care of themselves.

 

Did you not suffer the body weakness, pounding heart on exertion.?  My sleep is horrific - I am exhausted but my brain will not switch off.

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Just getting one hour sleep after 2 days is horrific!

I cannot function any more. Having a full time job and barely able to sleep 1 hour is exhausting. Some time if I'm lucky i get 3-4 hours. I think I may reinstate if I cannot sleep any more.   Than there are electric shocks as soon I try to sleep. Body is a torture chamber. I wish my doctor goes through the same pain as I'm going. Only than he will know whats its like to be in hell. Its 1am and I'm wide awake after only 50min sleep.

 

Does sleep really improve over time? Or do we have to live in hell for the rest of life?

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Just getting one hour sleep after 2 days is horrific!

I cannot function any more. Having a full time job and barely able to sleep 1 hour is exhausting. Some time if I'm lucky i get 3-4 hours. I think I may reinstate if I cannot sleep any more.   Than there are electric shocks as soon I try to sleep. Body is a torture chamber. I wish my doctor goes through the same pain as I'm going. Only than he will know whats its like to be in hell. Its 1am and I'm wide awake after only 50min sleep.

 

Does sleep really improve over time? Or do we have to live in hell for the rest of life?

 

Sleep most certainly improves in time. You just jumped so you are now going through the worst of it now. If you give in and reinstate you will just be making yourself go through all of this again and perhaps it will be even worse next time. Each bad night brings you one night closer to recovery. Don't waste the bad nights that you already had. I think that most of us who had full time jobs during withdrawal made it through without losing them. You can always look into Family Medical Leave Act protections. I qualified and took a couple of months off, but I had enough sick time to keep getting paid.

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I agree with Aloha.  I never lost my full-time job during the worst of WD.  I had FMLA approved, but never used it as I had over 100 sick days built up.  I just used a sick day here and there as needed.  As things got a little better, I realized that taking a sick day and sitting home stewing about my life only made things worse.

 

Getting little or no sleep is terrible, but it won't kill you.  You just feel like crap.  Most of it is psychological anyway.  You think you should feel terrible and something bad will happen to you.  Simply not true.  Everyone has a different tolerance for sleep.  I was a 7-8 hour nightly sleeper for 50+ years and when I started getting 2, 3 and sometimes 4 nights in a row with zero sleep, I convinced myself that I had Fatal insomnia or I was going to die.

 

2.5 years later I am doing very well.  I slept over 9 hours last night.  Not continuous, had a few wake ups in between, but is was very good sleep. Not that long ago I had lots and lots of nights with no perceived sleep.

 

Reinstating is a terrible idea.  Benzos cure or fix nothing.  They are band aids at best.  Drugs are never the answer in my opinion.

 

Sleep certainly gets better for almost everyone, but usually does not return fast enough for most of us.

 

It will end out and end one day for sure!