Still on meds but struggling with insomnia - Help please

[[...]]

I went cold turkey off temazapam (bad idea), but am the same as you, I sleep only a couple hours, but stay in bed until 5 just to rest. I don't have any great advice, but sometimes I listed to audio books, podcasts, etc just to pass the time.  Just wanted to let you know you're not alone.  It's been just over 4 months for me and some days I don't know how much loner I can keep doing this.  Had an appt with a neurologist yesterday to see if he could help and it was a big waste of time.

[[Mi...]]

Hi VC70

Thank you for messaging. I tried to combine my temezepam and diazepam together into diazepam to taper only one drug and it has set it all off again!

From 220am this morning I tried to listen to different stuff on insight timer and also tried to do the breathing. Not much luck. I think we are looking for answers they cannot give. When I said nooone told me amalgamating might not work they just struggled their shoulders. Bearing in mind it was their idea first!! I agreed as diazepam longer acting. Anyhow based on reading here you will hopefully extend your sleep time soon. I still have 16mg diazepam to get off. Crapping myself!!

I went cold turkey off temazapam (bad idea), but am the same as you, I sleep only a couple hours, but stay in bed until 5 just to rest. I don't have any great advice, but sometimes I listed to audio books, podcasts, etc just to pass the time.  Just wanted to let you know you're not alone.  It's been just over 4 months for me and some days I don't know how much loner I can keep doing this.  Had an appt with a neurologist yesterday to see if he could help and it was a big waste of time.

[Guest [Na...]]

Hi Miss Piggy,

 

for a long time I would split the Diazepam up to 1/8th of a pill (0.25mg). My last failed cut was from 3.5mg. Diazepam to 3.25mg. After a bad 12 days, I realized that the cuts were A) uneven (it's impossible to really cut a pill that small) and B) the cuts are too great at this point.

 

So, now I'm reducing with pills AND fluid Diazepam (I have to pay 66 euros for 100militers). I've just done a reduction of 0.1 like so: 3 miligrams and 0.4 militers of Diazepam. This is my third day. I'm not sleeping great, but not terrible either and I do have some heart palpitations.

 

Best of luck.

 

Thank you Naf. It is not an easy path to go on.

How are you reducing?

Thank you for your tip on sleeping.

Hi Miss Piggy,

 

I'm currently in Benzowithdrawal (3.5 mg. Diazepam). I originally took Benzos for insomnia, but since I started tapering (too rapidly) the insomnia became so, so, so much worse... unbearable. I know that the best remedy is the passage of time, but after barely sleeping for months I couldn't tolerate it anymore.

 

I must have read the Ashton Manual a few hundred times by now. Being so "sick", for a lack of a better defention and so sleep deprived, it took me months to process all the information in it.

 

I hate that I'm psychially depended on Benzos and I look forward to the day that I come off these nasty, toxic drugs messing up my brain chemistry.

 

Heather Ashtons mentions aids if sleeping is a really big problem (AND IT IS/WAS!). Now I would stay clear of Seroquel, but what does the trick for me is Promethazine 50mg. (heyfever pills). I'm sleeping better, not perfect, but it makes withdrawal bearable. Still, with every cut now, I will have a few bad nights.

 

Good luck!

 

 

Hi all

I have reduced my meds but still not off. I wondered if there are others out there like me who even when holding appear to be going through waves and windows.

In my wave I manage about 2-3 hours sleep then am awake for the rest of the night super anxious with horrible thoughts.

Are you the same? Can you advise?

Thank you

[[Mi...]]

Thank you Naf

What amount have you been reducing from?

How long are you going to hold? Usually hold?

Do you have any symptoms which do not go away even when not sitting?

MP

Hi Miss Piggy,

 

for a long time I would split the Diazepam up to 1/8th of a pill (0.25mg). My last failed cut was from 3.5mg. Diazepam to 3.25mg. After a bad 12 days, I realized that the cuts were A) uneven (it's impossible to really cut a pill that small) and B) the cuts are too great at this point.

 

So, now I'm reducing with pills AND fluid Diazepam (I have to pay 66 euros for 100militers). I've just done a reduction of 0.1 like so: 3 miligrams and 0.4 militers of Diazepam. This is my third day. I'm not sleeping great, but not terrible either and I do have some heart palpitations.

 

Best of luck.

 

Thank you Naf. It is not an easy path to go on.

How are you reducing?

Thank you for your tip on sleeping.

Hi Miss Piggy,

 

I'm currently in Benzowithdrawal (3.5 mg. Diazepam). I originally took Benzos for insomnia, but since I started tapering (too rapidly) the insomnia became so, so, so much worse... unbearable. I know that the best remedy is the passage of time, but after barely sleeping for months I couldn't tolerate it anymore.

 

I must have read the Ashton Manual a few hundred times by now. Being so "sick", for a lack of a better defention and so sleep deprived, it took me months to process all the information in it.

 

I hate that I'm psychially depended on Benzos and I look forward to the day that I come off these nasty, toxic drugs messing up my brain chemistry.

 

Heather Ashtons mentions aids if sleeping is a really big problem (AND IT IS/WAS!). Now I would stay clear of Seroquel, but what does the trick for me is Promethazine 50mg. (heyfever pills). I'm sleeping better, not perfect, but it makes withdrawal bearable. Still, with every cut now, I will have a few bad nights.

 

Good luck!

 

 

Hi all

I have reduced my meds but still not off. I wondered if there are others out there like me who even when holding appear to be going through waves and windows.

In my wave I manage about 2-3 hours sleep then am awake for the rest of the night super anxious with horrible thoughts.

Are you the same? Can you advise?

Thank you

[Guest [Na...]]

Hi Miss Piggy,

 

my story began in November 2022 when I was on 90 miligrams of Flurazepam tapering myself to 30mg. Flurazepam (equivelent 30mg. Diazepam to 10mg. Diazepam). I didn't understand then how Benzodiazepines work. After months of BENZO HELL and almost DIED after a cold turkey attempt, I was around around 5mg. of Diazepam when I discovered Heather Ashton, this website and so much more.

 

In a nutshell I tapered way too rapidly.

 

Not sure what you mean with sitting. If you mean the symptoms I have even during a better time during the taper. I have periods where I have very intrusive dreams and I have windows of depression. Psychially the heart palpations is something that will happen randomly. I take Proponanol for that. Specifically I take them before I go to sleep, because my pouning heart can make it difficult for me to fall asleep. When I do a cut I seem to be having more palpations and then when I wake up at night I will take another Proponanol.

 

I would recommend Googling the story of Dr. Christy Huff. She too suffered from heart palpitions.

 

In terms how long I will hold it a bit difficult to say, because I was just tapering on a whim, not knowing about Benzodiazepines and Heather Ashton. Here's what I can tell you: I had a period about 10 days when I felt really, really good. This was around 30 days on 3.5mg. Diazepam. I have discovered that at this point a cut from 0.5mg. will cause Benzo Hell and 0.25mg. is a struggle.

 

This is my 5th day from 3.5mg. Diazepam to 3.4mg. and I seem to be feeling good today. I'm trying to discover how long a cut will affect me. If I feel good like today, I will probably make another cut in a week or so.

 

Take care!

Naf

Thank you Naf

What amount have you been reducing from?

How long are you going to hold? Usually hold?

Do you have any symptoms which do not go away even when not sitting?

MP

Hi Miss Piggy,

 

for a long time I would split the Diazepam up to 1/8th of a pill (0.25mg). My last failed cut was from 3.5mg. Diazepam to 3.25mg. After a bad 12 days, I realized that the cuts were A) uneven (it's impossible to really cut a pill that small) and B) the cuts are too great at this point.

 

So, now I'm reducing with pills AND fluid Diazepam (I have to pay 66 euros for 100militers). I've just done a reduction of 0.1 like so: 3 miligrams and 0.4 militers of Diazepam. This is my third day. I'm not sleeping great, but not terrible either and I do have some heart palpitations.

 

Best of luck.

 

Thank you Naf. It is not an easy path to go on.

How are you reducing?

Thank you for your tip on sleeping.

Hi Miss Piggy,

 

I'm currently in Benzowithdrawal (3.5 mg. Diazepam). I originally took Benzos for insomnia, but since I started tapering (too rapidly) the insomnia became so, so, so much worse... unbearable. I know that the best remedy is the passage of time, but after barely sleeping for months I couldn't tolerate it anymore.

 

I must have read the Ashton Manual a few hundred times by now. Being so "sick", for a lack of a better defention and so sleep deprived, it took me months to process all the information in it.

 

I hate that I'm psychially depended on Benzos and I look forward to the day that I come off these nasty, toxic drugs messing up my brain chemistry.

 

Heather Ashtons mentions aids if sleeping is a really big problem (AND IT IS/WAS!). Now I would stay clear of Seroquel, but what does the trick for me is Promethazine 50mg. (heyfever pills). I'm sleeping better, not perfect, but it makes withdrawal bearable. Still, with every cut now, I will have a few bad nights.

 

Good luck!

 

 

Hi all

I have reduced my meds but still not off. I wondered if there are others out there like me who even when holding appear to be going through waves and windows.

In my wave I manage about 2-3 hours sleep then am awake for the rest of the night super anxious with horrible thoughts.

Are you the same? Can you advise?

Thank you

[[Qu...]]

90mg flurazepam sounds a lot.

 

Btw as long as it worked at 15-30mg wasn't that bad. Tapering isn't that easy. I'm using a compound pharmacy because there aren't dosage lower that 15mg.

[Guest [Na...]]

Hi Quarantadude,

 

I switched from Lormetazepam to Flurazepam in 2017 when the first one was out of stock. I had been taking 4mg. Lormetazepam, an equavalent of 120mg. Flurazepam (I didn't know anything about Benzos then.

 

I would have preferred tapering Flurazepam, but like you say, 15mg. capsules are the lowest dose. My health insurance won't cover custom made Flurazepam.

 

How are you coping?

 

90mg flurazepam sounds a lot.

 

Btw as long as it worked at 15-30mg wasn't that bad. Tapering isn't that easy. I'm using a compound pharmacy because there aren't dosage lower that 15mg.

[Guest [Na...]]

I had a dream I was best friends with Adele 

 

I am dreaming too.

And it is usually of famous people lol.

Last night it was Miley Cyrus.

During withdrawal I am so grateful for any sleep at all.

[[Qu...]]

Hi Quarantadude,

 

I switched from Lormetazepam to Flurazepam in 2017 when the first one was out of stock. I had been taking 4mg. Lormetazepam, an equavalent of 120mg. Flurazepam (I didn't know anything about Benzos then.

 

I would have preferred tapering Flurazepam, but like you say, 15mg. capsules are the lowest dose. My health insurance won't cover custom made Flurazepam.

 

How are you coping?

 

90mg flurazepam sounds a lot.

 

Btw as long as it worked at 15-30mg wasn't that bad. Tapering isn't that easy. I'm using a compound pharmacy because there aren't dosage lower that 15mg.

 

My taper is symptoms based (it could take ages, I don't care) and scheduled basically on a weekly basis consumption. I started taking 10mg two times a weeks, then three now four.

Flurazepam half life is so long that inserting a change 9ne day at time is fine.

At 90mg you don't need a compounding pharmacy. Btw it's not expensive.

[[Qu...]]

Hi Quarantadude,

 

I switched from Lormetazepam to Flurazepam in 2017 when the first one was out of stock. I had been taking 4mg. Lormetazepam, an equavalent of 120mg. Flurazepam (I didn't know anything about Benzos then.

 

I would have preferred tapering Flurazepam, but like you say, 15mg. capsules are the lowest dose. My health insurance won't cover custom made Flurazepam.

 

How are you coping?

 

90mg flurazepam sounds a lot.

 

Btw as long as it worked at 15-30mg wasn't that bad. Tapering isn't that easy. I'm using a compound pharmacy because there aren't dosage lower that 15mg.

 

If your insurance cover 15/30mg flurazepam only, which basically it's how flurazepam is sold, you may buy 15-30mg and then ask the pharmacy to repackage them in let's say 7.5 mg pills. You'll pay something but not the raw material.

 

Then you may move from 90mg (6 x 15mg) to 82.5mg (5 x 15mg + 7.5mg compounded). It's just an idea to smoothen your withdrawal.