How to handle early morning awakening?

[[Mi...]]

I’ve dealt with the insomnia issue of early morning awakenings in the past but looking for additional suggestions.

Right now, I usually wake up at 4:30/4:45am with a surge of anxiety that makes it near impossible to fall back to sleep. At the same time, I’m too groggy to be up for the day. I’ve tried reading or even going for a walk to help get back to sleep but it rarely works.

Anybody have this similar issue and been able to manage it?

[[Se...]]

Hi Mike!  I have the exact same thing going on.  I believe it’s due to benzo tapering.  I’ve had it for months.  I’ve tried forcing myself to stay up later at night but that doesn’t work either.  I lay in bed fidgeting until I can’t stand it anymore.  I just get up and use a meditation app.  It helps with the anxiety.  I can't nap during the day either.  Must be chemical anxiety. 

 

Hopefully, more than likely, it will go away sometime after the taper is finished.  I just started DLMT, daily liquid micro taper.  You may want to look into that.

 

Good luck!

 

💜

[[Jo...]]

Hi Mike. I used to suffer from insomnia for years. In fact that is part of how I got in this benzo mess in the first place. Whenever I would have trouble falling asleep I would get panicked about my performance at work the next day and other responsibilities and take a benzo.

 

It was not until I watched a YouTube video by Noah Elkrief on “How to Fall Asleep” that I started sleeping again without aids. I realized it was my thinking that was keeping me awake and the video taught me how to get that under control. There should be a link to it on his website. www.liveinthemoment.org

 

Of course, if it is chemical anxiety than that is a different matter entirely. I had that in the beginning of my taper and I couldn’t solve it. Fortunately I don’t have that right now.

 

I hope this helps!

[[Mo...]]

When you say "chemical" anxiety, is it a surge of "electricity feeling" in your brain/body versus heart pounding, sweating?  Agitation?  This is what I am experiencing and it's the strangest thing ever.  It's horrible.  The longer I lay there, the more agitated I become.

[[Sa...]]

I’ve read on bb that it can be a cortisol surge.  Seems to be for me.  I eat protein (peanut butter, banana, string cheese, etc.) before bed and when cortisol surge wakes me up @ 3:00 am.  It seems to help a little.  Time helps more.

 

We are healing.

 

SaraSue 

[[Fo...]]

5 years of 330-4 am starts.

I give it one go of relaxation podcast, if that fails tea and toast, back to bed with or without dog and open a book. Usually get another hour.

I get early morning depression which is very real and disturbing.  I have rung Samaritans and they don’t mind a bit.

Hope something works for you. 

Dick

[[Se...]]

When you say "chemical" anxiety, is it a surge of "electricity feeling" in your brain/body versus heart pounding, sweating?  Agitation?  This is what I am experiencing and it's the strangest thing ever.  It's horrible.  The longer I lay there, the more agitated I become.

 

That’s how I feel!  Once I’m awake, I HAVE to get out of bed otherwise I flop around like a fish out of water.

 

I shouldn’t jinx myself, but until recently I would wake up feeling like my entire internal body was on fire.  I still have nausea, paresthesia (burning skin, hot, cold, tingly sensations) all day long especially in my arms. 

 

I’m pretty sure getting off the crap will eventually alleviate most of our symptoms.

 

💜

[[Mo...]]

SeptGirl, Has this gotten worse the longer you have been tapering?  Was it like this before you started tapering?  I'm starting to be afraid to taper more right now.  My husband kind of wants me to updose but I am telling him that it's either 1) not going to get better or 2) I will just have to keep doing that. 

 

Yep, the paresthesia is in my arms and my legs feel like jelly as well as lots of nausea, brain fog, dizziness, difficulty concentrating.  I see you just switched over to DLMT.  I've been considering it and tried one dose in water a couple of times but my stomach got upset.  I don't sweat or have heart pounding, which is strange to me.  It's just the electrical current feelings and the akalasia and it's awful.  I am doing two times a day dosing but it's only taking the edge off.  I work at a computer and it's almost torturous - not sure if I can keep doing this.  Are you able to work?  I have 7 kids and am the sole breadwinner.  I'm so scared and tired of this.  My family has been through hell.

[[Se...]]

Hi MomOf7Babes!  I don’t think it’s gotten worse.  Some mornings are starting to get better than others. I’m still waking up early but the anxiety isn’t as intense.  When I was working, I used to get up at 6 a.m. That was a struggle! I’d give anything for a 6 a.m. wake up.  After I quit work, I would stay up later at night and sleep until 9 a.m.  I would LOVE to do that again! 

 

It’s always up to you to up dose.  I wouldn’t and I haven’t.  I feel that’s not going to help.  The intense internal furnace that actually woke me up for at least six months seems to have settled down. Now, I do find I’m sweating a bit overnight but not really feeling too hot...I’m hoping that’s a good sign!  The nausea isn’t as intense as it’s been either. The paresthesia is prominent especially in my arms and patchy elsewhere sometimes.

 

As I mentioned, I’m not working anymore.  To be honest, I wouldn’t be able to work at this point due to this ongoing mess.  I can’t give you enough praise working every day!  That’s amazing! 

 

Maybe you could try DLMT again and dose 4 times a day.  That way you would have more of a constant level of the drug in your system.  Clonazepam is a longer acting drug but you can easily become tolerant.  That’s what happened with me and alprazolam.  I’m also on clonazepam .87mg/day.

I tried to crossover over to that from alprazolam but couldn’t do it.  I’ve been on alprazolam for more than 10 years.  I’m not making the same mistake with clonazepam.  I’ve already been on it long enough, but tapering from alprazolam and Celexa at the same time is enough!  I think tapering off Celexa is playing a big role in my symptoms too.  I’m tapering very slowly from that.  I’m down to 8mg/day from 20mg. I was on that for probably 10 years, taken off in early June last year to sertaline but it was an improper crossover.  I had discontinuation syndrome from that.  I was off all antidepressants from August until the end of November when the psychiatrist said my “anxiety” wasn’t from withdrawal and like an idiot, I went back on Celexa!  That pooped out on me when I was taken off it.  I never should have gone back on it!  Anyway, once I stabilize off alprazolam, I’m going to taper off clonazepam.  I want my life back!!

 

I’m one of seven kids myself! I don’t know how my Mom did it!  I don’t know how you do it and a full time job.  Simply AWESOME on your part!  I’m 62 years old and my two sons are older and live on their own.  My oldest is 44 and the youngest is 37.

 

This is hell but we can do it!  You’ll be okay.  Sometimes it’s just one minute at a time.  You’ll get there and feel better.

 

Think about trying DLMT again and dosing 4 times a day. It may help. Maybe you’ll stabilize at 4 times a day and begin to taper again. 

 

Keep in touch!  You’re doing great!

 

Cindy

💜

 

 

 

 

 

[[Mo...]]

Thanks Cindy.  What a blessing that you are retired through this - congrats on raising two kids and getting to where you are.  You may admire me but please do't as I'm a mess some days.....I am not sure that I can keep doing it any longer.  I told my husband that again last night.  It's been a struggle.  He's the stay at home husband who homeschools our kids and is awesome at it - if he goes back to work, our income will be slashed in half so I've been trying to hang on but don't know that I can.  I've not been able to be the mother that I want or they need through all of this and my health issues.  Struggled with depression and anxiety on and off for years and that has been bad enough.  I know it's not made this whole ordeal easier. 

 

I also had been switched AD 3 times over the last year which is part of how I'm in this mess.  Start up anti-depressant effects ALWAYs are horrible for me, even when I switched back to Zoloft for which I originally tapered off of to try Cymbalta and Viibryd.  Always get horrible parasthesia in my arms and can NOT sleep, except for on high doses of K.  I had been on 100 mg but could only get back to 50 mg last fall.  I have to take 25 mg of Seroquel also.  For a long time, I was able to get by with 6 mg but I've been as high as 100 mg.  Being on and off the PPIs has caused me more issues.  Before going off the PPI, a little extra Seroquel would calm me but it hasn't been lately doing that.  My CNS is a MESS!  Yes, I am still trying to stabilize after coming off the Protonix, as I did not expect that to cause me an issue. 

 

Do you DLMT?  In water or milk?  Worried about the milk causing me issues before bed.  I split the 1/2 between this morning and afternoon and feel a little more cognizant.  Then for now, taking the other 1/2 before bed.  Used to just take the whole thing before bed but was definitely always noticing interdose W/D.  I do believe I am in tolerance, which makes me want to start cutting but I will not do that.  Wish I had started with a slow, steady DLMT last fall when I went down and continued but because of the esophagitis, etc, I have held at .5 and I think it may have made things worse to hold for so long.  Not sure.  I also thing the brand changes of clonazepam have really screwed me up.  I used to do well on Mylan when I took it PRN but have not reacted well to what's currently available.  It makes me wonder if the clonazepam itself is part of the problem and if I should switch to Ativan.  I know that's backwards but I wonder if it would ease some symptoms enough so that I could calm and start a taper from there.  Years ago, when I had my first bout of PPD and I tried Ativan, and then K,  I did not react well to the K (have wondered now if it was the particular generic) and had to go back to Ativan, then weaned off easily (short time user).  Then, years later with second PPD, used high doses of K (Mylan) and weaned pretty quickly and easily.  So I do wonder if it's the Activas brand partly.  With Accord, I feel like it does NOTHING.  Very strange......

 

Thank you for your encouragement.  Interested to hear about your method of tapering. 

[[Se...]]

I’m using water vodka/titration.  The vodka completely dissolves the tablets.  It’s just a tiny amount...2ml with 8ml of water, draw off my taper then add to 1 cup of water.  I dose 1/4 cup 4 times a day.  I’m wondering if your problem is more AD related than benzo? 

 

When I was switched from citalopram (Celexa) to sertaline (Zoloft) that’s when I got all screwed up!  I regret going back on citalopram in November! I really think that AD is my biggest problem.  As I said, I’m tapering off that too...down to 8mg.  ADs are notorious for paresthesia.  I never had it while taking it before the bad crossover.  Switching ADs, if not properly done, can cause all kinds of problems.  Look up AD discontinuation syndrome.  Your symptoms sound a lot like that.  My former psychiatrist insisted I was “anxious” from not being on an AD.  No!  It was discontinuation syndrome but the docs only believe it lasts for a few weeks and it’s over.  There’s documented evidence it can last for months...even years! 

 

I also feel I’m tolerant to the alprazolam too.  I have that lovely combo.  I always stressed over the next cut coming up every couple of weeks so I started to cut less but weekly.  That was no bargain either. 

 

DLMT seems to be okay because it’s a tiny reduction daily or every two days or hold for a few days.  So far, I’ve reduced every two days.  I’m symptomatic but I swear it’s the taper of the AD.  My primary said to reduce 5mg/month.  I had him order the solution so my titration is more like 2mg every three weeks.  The ”experts” recommend no more than a 10% reduction a month. I’m going faster than that because it makes me sick at any dose. Some days I think about just stopping but can’t go through the excruciating hell again.  If I’ve learned anything, it’s patience.

 

I take 7.5mg of mirtazapine with clonazepam at 10 o’clock.  I fall asleep within an hour, but I’m up early in the morning between 4 and 5.  The mirtazapine does help with sleep and I’ve kept the dose minimal.  I eventually want to be off everything!!

 

Long ago I was on Prilosec.  I got off of that and felt better without it.  There’s “DGL” which is good for your tummy.  It’s on Amazon.  I take it 2 or 3 times a day.  You could check that out too. 

 

Ativan is shorter acting than clonazepam.  I’m not sure it would be wise to crossover to that.  I failed to crossover from alprazolam to clonazepam so now I’ll have to taper off clonazepam when I’m finished with alprazolam!  It’s a risk if you’re willing to take it. 

 

Of course all I’ve written is just my opinion as I’m not a doc.  You’ll ultimately have to decide with your doc which is best for you.

 

You need to give yourself more credit!  You’re awesome being a Mom of 7 and working. 💜

 

Keep in touch!

 

 

[[Mo...]]

I still think you are going fairly slow but it sounds like you are paying attention to your own body - my own primary told me yesterday that to get off, you drop down to .25 every day and then every other day.  I can't imagine cutting by that much.....I look forward to hearing how your DLMT goes.  I think before I start to decrease anymore, I may switch over to the solution for a bit prior to decreasing to adjust.  Just trying to determine which solution.  I agree with you that things also feel unbearable to me and in the past, I was able to cut 1/4 of a tablet at a time but it was NOT something I think I could tolerate right now. 

 

I can honestly say I wish I NEVER would have started an AD many, many years ago but it is what it is.......I will not take Remeron again.  I took it during my first bout of post partum and was only on for a couple of weeks when it stopped really working and I felt horribly jittery while on.  Then when the psychiatrist took me off after about 1 month, it was about a 1 week taper and I went into withdrawals - akalasia, severe paresthesia.  Was immediately put on citalopram then and it took MONTHs for me to get more than 2-3 hours per night, even on benzos - now I know why.  The other times I went off for pregnancy (and then this time), it took HIGH doses of benzos to calm down my CNS.  I'm an ultra-rapid metabolizer of the SSRIs so that could be why.  I really think the PPI and coming off it has caused this - it messed with something with the other meds or in itself, was acting as a mood stabilizer of sorts and now my brain an gut are trying to adjust.  The Seroquel works for the most part and I was able to wake up, take more and go back to sleep if needed.  I'm not sure it works with the akalasia - I haven't needed to take more yet. 

 

Regarding DGL, can't it interfere with the other meds?  That's been my concern about it also......but it doesn't seem to bother you? 

 

I know I have underlying anxiety, psycho-somatic issues, and depression.  But I want to try and treat it more naturally - these drugs in the end have caused me so many issues.......I am not great with supplements either.  My Vitamin D is low and my B12 also but I can't supplement - they make me jittery, at least right now.  Maybe someday.  Trying to get out in the sun when I can (despite skin cancer history) and am trying to increase red meat intake. 

 

Well wishes on the DLMT.  Again, looking forward to finding out how it turns out for you......

 

 

[[J ...]]

YES, 73 days and I wake up around 0330 like an alarm went off. On occasions I will get a solid night and its great, I feel normal the next day.

 

My main issue (one of them) is I like two/three beers late afternoon, I was moved to evenings and I cant drink my beers now and I started having the good nights sleep. What do you know, it helps some. So no more beers!

 

And I discovered that using blue light blocking glasses (amber) helps. Our brains sees the blue light from the electronic screen and thinks it's daylight. The brain then releases chemicals to wake you up..so I read. I think it helps me. You can turn the blue light off on your iPhones as well.

 

If I could get 7 hours I would be fine. I keep hoping I will get there. 

[[Co...]]

How do you turn the blue light off on the iPhone?

[[Se...]]

It’s in “Settings”....Display and Brightness.  You can schedule it in Night Shift or manually do it any time you want.  Hope this helps.

[[Co...]]

Thank you