My Fun Luck for Sleep!

[[Ma...]]

2 nights ago woke up many times and every time Some part of my body was numb, why? Don't know! Then Last night Not sure if this was the reason I ate 2 pieces of Pizza an hour and half before bed, after an hour woke up, dozed woke up again...this continued for 3 hours then I got up and had bad burps and the other gas....Not sure if the Pizza Kept me waking up or not, but stayed up since so not much if any sleep!

 

I really did not think 2 pieces of Pizza would matter that much

[[Th...]]

Mark,

 

I feel for you and I am sorry you are suffering.  However, there is nothing that says withdrawal cannot last more than 14 months.  For some it lasts 5 years of more, but not at the same intense level for the entire time.  Symptoms reduce in intensity until they disappear for good, but it is still UP and DOWN until they do.  Numbness is a classic WD symptom.  See the list below.  Some just take longer to heal.  It doesn't seem fair, but it is what it is.  Eating healthy can help with symptoms and sleep.  Nothing is going to magically cure your insomnia.  But a combination of things can help.

1) Being as healthy as you can be to give your body the best chance to heal

2) Being positive.  Being thankful, showing gratitude for any sleep you do get

3) Celebrating any small improvement

4) Not lamenting/complaining/whining about how much your life is messed up...it could always be worse!

5) Trying CBT, guided meditation, relaxing music, sleep hypnosis, etc...

6) Seeing a functional doctor to look for underlying causes for sleep issues other than Benzo Withdrawal.

 

PHYSICAL SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS REPORTED AFTER DISCONTINUING OR TAPERING BENZOS:

 

    Adrenaline Rushes

    Akathisia/Restlessness

    Allergies & Sensitivities increasing or developing

    Appetite changes

    Aura

    Blood Pressure Issues, fluctuations

    Cardiac Symptoms – Bradycardia (slow heart rate), Tachycardia (rapid heart rate), Heart Palpitations, Pounding heart

    Clenching jaw, especially during sleep (TMJ)

    Chills

    Increased susceptibility to illness, stress on the immune system

    Diminished Motor Skills – Clumsiness, Coordination Problems, Difficulty walking, Dropping things, Falling down

    Dizziness/Vertigo/Balance Issues (General vestibular disturbances)

    Drooling

    Dysautonomia Symptoms

    Dysphagia (swallowing difficulty)

    Earache

    Exhaustion

    Fainting

    Fasciculations (benign)

    Fatigue/Lethargy/Weakness

    Flu-Like Symptoms

    Frequent Urination

    Gastrointestinal Symptoms

    Grinding Teeth / TMJ problms

    Hair Loss

    Headaches

    Hearing loss or changes

    Hormonal Issues

    Hyperacusis (sensitivity to sound frequency)

    Inner Vibrating or Buzzing

    Intolerance to cold and heat

    Itching/Skin Rashes/Hives

    Joint Pain (And other joint issues)

    Lightheaded

    Loss of Coordination

    Malaise

    Menstrual Issues

    Migraine with or without aura

    Motion sickness susceptibility

    Muscle Symptoms – Clenching, Cramping, Loss of muscle tone, Over-or under-active muscle reflexes, Pain, Spasms, Squeezing, Stiffness, Tension, Twitching

    Nerve Pain

    Paresthesia – Tingling, tickling, prickling, numbness, burning of skin

    Perceptual disturbance (feeling of being on a boat, feelings of unreality, deja vu, etc.)

    Peripheral Neuropathy

    Photophobia

    Phonophobia

    Respiratory – Shortness of breath, Can’t get deep breath, Labored breathing, Over-breathing

    Sensitivity to light and sound

    Sensitivity to smells, including naturally occurring smells or chemicals such as fragrance

    Sensitivity to temperature, weather and pressure changes

    Shaking/Rigors/Tremors

    Sleep Issues – Excessive sleeping, Insomnia, Myoclonic jerks, Sleep paralysis, No dreaming, Vivid dreaming, Nightmares

    Slurred Speech

    Sweats

    Tachycardia between doses or in the morning, or generalized

    Tight Throat/Ball-in-throat sensation

    Tinnitus (Ringing or pulsatile effects in ears)

    Tremors

    Vision Issues – blurred vision, seeing spots, grainy visions, after-images, sensitivities

    Weight Loss

    Withdrawal symptoms that will intensify between doses or near dosing times

 

Source:  w-bad.org

[[Ma...]]

Mark,

 

I feel for you and I am sorry you are suffering.  However, there is nothing that says withdrawal cannot last more than 14 months.  For some it lasts 5 years of more, but not at the same intense level for the entire time.  Symptoms reduce in intensity until they disappear for good, but it is still UP and DOWN until they do.  Numbness is a classic WD symptom.  See the list below.  Some just take longer to heal.  It doesn't seem fair, but it is what it is.  Eating healthy can help with symptoms and sleep.  Nothing is going to magically cure your insomnia.  But a combination of things can help.

1) Being as healthy as you can be to give your body the best chance to heal

2) Being positive.  Being thankful, showing gratitude for any sleep you do get

3) Celebrating any small improvement

4) Not lamenting/complaining/whining about how much your life is messed up...it could always be worse!

5) Trying CBT, guided meditation, relaxing music, sleep hypnosis, etc...

6) Seeing a functional doctor to look for underlying causes for sleep issues other than Benzo Withdrawal.

 

PHYSICAL SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS REPORTED AFTER DISCONTINUING OR TAPERING BENZOS:

 

    Adrenaline Rushes

    Akathisia/Restlessness

    Allergies & Sensitivities increasing or developing

    Appetite changes

    Aura

    Blood Pressure Issues, fluctuations

    Cardiac Symptoms – Bradycardia (slow heart rate), Tachycardia (rapid heart rate), Heart Palpitations, Pounding heart

    Clenching jaw, especially during sleep (TMJ)

    Chills

    Increased susceptibility to illness, stress on the immune system

    Diminished Motor Skills – Clumsiness, Coordination Problems, Difficulty walking, Dropping things, Falling down

    Dizziness/Vertigo/Balance Issues (General vestibular disturbances)

    Drooling

    Dysautonomia Symptoms

    Dysphagia (swallowing difficulty)

    Earache

    Exhaustion

    Fainting

    Fasciculations (benign)

    Fatigue/Lethargy/Weakness

    Flu-Like Symptoms

    Frequent Urination

    Gastrointestinal Symptoms

    Grinding Teeth / TMJ problms

    Hair Loss

    Headaches

    Hearing loss or changes

    Hormonal Issues

    Hyperacusis (sensitivity to sound frequency)

    Inner Vibrating or Buzzing

    Intolerance to cold and heat

    Itching/Skin Rashes/Hives

    Joint Pain (And other joint issues)

    Lightheaded

    Loss of Coordination

    Malaise

    Menstrual Issues

    Migraine with or without aura

    Motion sickness susceptibility

    Muscle Symptoms – Clenching, Cramping, Loss of muscle tone, Over-or under-active muscle reflexes, Pain, Spasms, Squeezing, Stiffness, Tension, Twitching

    Nerve Pain

    Paresthesia – Tingling, tickling, prickling, numbness, burning of skin

    Perceptual disturbance (feeling of being on a boat, feelings of unreality, deja vu, etc.)

    Peripheral Neuropathy

    Photophobia

    Phonophobia

    Respiratory – Shortness of breath, Can’t get deep breath, Labored breathing, Over-breathing

    Sensitivity to light and sound

    Sensitivity to smells, including naturally occurring smells or chemicals such as fragrance

    Sensitivity to temperature, weather and pressure changes

    Shaking/Rigors/Tremors

    Sleep Issues – Excessive sleeping, Insomnia, Myoclonic jerks, Sleep paralysis, No dreaming, Vivid dreaming, Nightmares

    Slurred Speech

    Sweats

    Tachycardia between doses or in the morning, or generalized

    Tight Throat/Ball-in-throat sensation

    Tinnitus (Ringing or pulsatile effects in ears)

    Tremors

    Vision Issues – blurred vision, seeing spots, grainy visions, after-images, sensitivities

    Weight Loss

    Withdrawal symptoms that will intensify between doses or near dosing times

 

Source:  w-bad.org

 

4) Not lamenting/complaining/whining about how much your life is messed up...it could always be worse!

 

Only thing right now that could be worse for me is death itself....most of the rest of my life really does suck with problems

[[Th...]]

Have you considered the possibility of Nyquil withdrawal?

 

Nyquil withdrawal symptoms usually start within a few hours of last use and typically peak within three days after cessation. Physical withdrawal symptoms can last for several weeks or months, but emotional symptoms can linger for months or years if someone doesn’t get help. Without assistance from doctors and medical professionals, people trying to recover from Nyquil addiction can develop long-lasting depression and anxiety.

 

What physical symptoms arise during Nyquil withdrawal?

The physical symptoms of Nyquil withdrawal can be unpleasant, painful, and potentially dangerous.

 

Insomnia

Restlessness

Stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea

Weight loss

Cold flashes

Tremors

Seizures

 

What are the psychological or emotional issues someone will experience during Nyquil withdrawal?

Anxiety

Cravings

Depression

[[Ma...]]

LOng term sleep deprivation could kill you, or at least make you very Ill and Hallucinate

[[wa...]]

Mark, depending on what you ate, it could literally be the pizza. MSG is lurking everywhere. In pizza it can be in the meat toppings, the sauces or even the dough! And people are extra sensitive to glutamate while tapering. Watch what you eat! Here is a great link about pizza, specifically:

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/foodbabe.com/if-youve-ever-eaten-pizza-before-this-will-blow-your-mind/amp/

 

 

[[pu...]]

Personally, because I have a very limited income at present and because I was so underweight when I d/c the benzo, I cannot be incredibly careful about everything I eat, and I find that obsessing over it only makes matters worse. I try to eat as as many fresh veggies and good food as I can, but sometimes I cannot afford it, or it is not available where I am at.  I have GI issues, regardless.

 

As for the sleep, my sleep cycle switches about every other day regardless of what I eat, so I think it is pretty pointless to obsess over it atm.

[[De...]]

My left foot is always numb, sometimes worse than others.

[[ni...]]

Mark, different things will bother us for no real reason, except they do.

Out of the list theway2 posted I had 37.

If you noticed pizza was a problem then don't eat any or at least be aware of what will happen if you do.

Sugar messes with my brain, so I am careful that I limit my intake, but there are days when my husband is eating peanut M&Ms and I give in and eat

some. I know I'll pay for it later.

Last night, for no reason, I slept for maybe one hour. It sucks, but I've not died from lack of sleep and believe me, I can count on one hand how many nights I've slept more than six hours in the last two years. 

 

[[De...]]

True, my left foot is not numb today, but I have tachycardia...

[[Th...]]

LOng term sleep deprivation could kill you, or at least make you very Ill and Hallucinate

 

But your body will not let that happen.  You will almost always have an "exhaustion sleep" at some point and micro sleeps will sustain you.  Don't be scared by the lies that long term sleep deprivation can kill you.  Absolutely false unless you're one of the 26 or 27 people that develop SFI, which is EXTREMELY unlikely.

 

Yes, it theory if you zero sleep for 60 days or so, you could possibly die, but aside from some type of other brain disease, there is no evidence or research to support that has ever happened to anyone.  Even an hour or 2 here and there will sustain you.  I will a long time with very little sleep and never had hallucinations.  MTFan was one of the most sleep deprived people on this forum and don't recall her saying she hallucinated? 

 

I wouldn't worry about what could happen, but focus on improving and getting past your insomnia regardless of what is causing it.  Worry about the future or things that may happen, only creates more anxiety and stress. 

 

I am pulling for your sleep to improve.  Please help yourself get better sleep by doing things to improve your sleep.  There are a lot of excellent posts explaining different things you can try from CBT, to sleep restriction, to meditation, to sleep hypnosis, to sleep hygiene.

[[Th...]]

I apologize for all of the grammar mistakes in my previous posts.  My edit rights are temporarily revoked.