How long off and how are you sleeping?

[[Ho...]]

Another buddy had posted the sleep audio,that is where I first heard of it, but I cannot find the thread... anyway, the name is Relax Completely by Darren Marks, and I downloaded it from the app store for free.

 

I backslid and took a little more trazodone last night... I just got so exhausted of TRYING so hard to fall asleep. And trazodone is so tempting, I don't have to do anything except let it knock me out, which is how sleep should be naturally, but not with me right now.

[[ma...]]

Thanks Holly.  I'm going to look for the audio as well.  Like Maltese I have to avoid the bright light of a computer in the evening.

 

Try not to beat yourself up about the trazadone.  You're human--going without quality sleep night after night is ghastly.  Same goes for you Maltese with the wine.  I just know from personal experience with wine that in the end it increases anxiety.  I don't know anything about trazadone except that I tried it one night and it made my mouth so dry that it woke me up!  My nasal passages got so dried out I couldn't breathe and my tongue was literally stuck to the roof of my mouth.  I woke up in a panic--not a very effective drug for me needless to say!

 

Mal

[[ca...]]

Mal, I would love to see what you taper plan was like.  I want to get off of this stuff as fast as possible, and with the plan I am on, it will take at least a year.  I am 75 years old, so the time for me to taper will be longer than a younger person.  I started at 12.5 MG of V aroung the May 1, 2012 and I am now at 8.0 or 8.5.  Just cut from 9.0 three days ago, so I am not sure if I can hold at 8 or if I wil need to updose to 8.5.  I held at 9.0 for 23 days, and things have been very good for the past few days.  My only major issue is Insomnia.  I get about 3 to 5 hours of sleep.  I normally slept 7 to 8 hours before I started the taper.

 

I would appreciate a post or response when you have time.  How are you doing now?

 

It sounds like you are a very strong individual, and luckier than most, but then I am not in your shoes.

[[be...]]

Hey Maltesemom....i am just like you my dear.....have had sleep probs my entire life...got worse during college years when I seriously ill and finally dx with Fibromyalgia....many years later.

 

Now here O sit....weaned off of the Klonopin and have serious insomnia....some nights no sleep at all....i just got a job after none for over 3 years now....very disapponted that I had to call out sick on my second day....what will I do if I cant work....what if I am worse than I was before I was put on Klonopin?  The dr. I have now is useless and knows nothing about klonopin w/d or Fibro.....i am so tired, have horrible insurance and well just cant afford to see anymore doctors....any suggestions.  Sleep probs run in my family....my Dad has it and so did his Mom.

 

Help please....

 

BB.

[[ma...]]

Oh Betty I'm so sorry and I so relate. I'm so frustrated and just sick about not being able to sleep. Last nite I did some relaxing yoga, listened to meditation cds and waited till I was sleepy to get in bed. then wide awake!!! So I took a unisom and got some sleep.

Had a chiropractic adjustment today and now my head hurts.. Gotta go fix dinner.

Hope we can sleep tonite.

[[be...]]

Hey MM....well it is well after 10 pm here and I am wide awake......only got 3.5 hours of broken sleep this am.....cant do another all nighter or I will land in the er tomorrow.....took a trytophan and had a bowl of low sugar cereal....organic whole grain....so we will see.

 

Nighty night!!

 

BB.

[[we...]]

BB

insomnia is darn inconvenient, but it does not kill.  Be carefull not to set yourself up for added anxiety.  If you don't sleep tonight, it is just that,  another sleepless night.  Of course if you need to go to the hospital, then you know your body better than anyone else, but unless you want a prescription for "something" what can they do for you?  At 19 months out I've come to terms with my insomnia, sleeping 2-3 hrs most nights.  I don't panic over it anymore.  It's not great but it's not going to land me in the ER.  Why do would you want to go to the ER?

 

I had a sleep study done to rule out sleep apnea and RLS. Other than that, I don't see what anyone can do for it.  For me, taking drugs for sleep is not an option at this time (but it may be for you.)

[[be...]]

Hey Wellness...you are so right....now if I could just get myself to "accept" who I am right I think I would be able to handle things a bit better....any suggestions?  How long before you realized your limitations?

 

BB.

[[we...]]

I worked really hard on acceptance of insomnia, and it took about 14 months, I'm 19  months out.  I'm still very disgruntled about the whole situation, and still very angry, but at this stage I don't expect to be healed "tomorrow".  So not full acceptance, but realization that I'm still going to be messed up for a while.

[[be...]]

OMG!!  Wellness...how on earth am I supposed to live a normal life like this?!

 

Today I just cant fathom one more week like this let alone one more year!!

 

I am struggling each and every minute of the day....this is insane.

 

Sorry...I am overtired and just exhausted....all i want to do is sleeo right now.  Guess I stay here on BB site so I wont freak out.

 

Thanks a bunch....

 

BB.

[[Ve...]]

I am benzo free for 2 years now but still cant have a normal sleep pattern.

My biological clock is messed up, I go to sleep 5 or 6 am...but I do sleep 8 hours, sometimes more, sometimes less, but not less than 6 hours.

Today I sleapt 9.5 hours.

This sleep pattern is ruining my life, I cant do anything, I wake up in the afternoon dizzy and I cant do anything, maybe in the evening I will be functional.

And theres something else that is happening on a regular basis, every now and then I will stay awake for 30 or 36 hours.

I dont know when this will end, but I know that if I try to fix my sleep it'll get worse, so at the moment I try to accept that this is my life for the moment.

Recently I start also to manage to go to sleep between 1-2 am, I dont force myself (as this is useless), it comes naturally and it lasts a few days, this gives me hope that some day all of this will be a bad memory.

Wishing you all a good night sleep!

[[be...]]

Hey Verona....why do you believe that if you take something to help you sleep it will make things worse?  I am just curious as this is all new to me....I mean you have been benzo free for such a long time....could there be something else causing your insomnia?

 

BB.

[[Gl...]]

Your options when taking something to help you sleep is very limited.  The only stuff they can give you is beta blockers or Hydroxyzine, or antidepressants or antipsychotics.  Other than that, all the sleep stuff out there are either z-drugs like Lunesta or Ambien which shouldn't be taken in withdrawals and benzos.  The options are very limited and it is almost like a dark age of medicine.  Z-drugs or benzos will just make the problem worse and there aren't many other options.

[[JC...]]

I read someone post a drug name Rozerem - but it is not cheap - it is not a benzo and no addiction.

[[Gl...]]

I tried Rozerem before..all it is is melatonin.  I was prescribed it and it never helped me sleep....just didn't do anything.  It's the same as if you just take a melatonin supplement.

[[Ne...]]

..approaching nine months "off," (in more ways than one) and trying so hard to just accept that there is really nothing I can swallow that will restore a decent night's sleep.  (I have a basket full of remedies in a bathroom cabinet).  Luckily, I don't have to "perform" anywhere...almost delirious this morning...blessings to all, NL

[Guest [ja...]]

four months off a ct...sleep has returned 100% finally

[[Ne...]]

four months off a ct...sleep has returned 100% finally

 

I've never been a jealous person until now obviously kidding..Congratulations.. NL