any luck with any over the counter meds?

[[...]]

I've been 2 years benzo free, from a long xanax to valium taper, sleep is still 2 weeks ok, 2 weeks horrific, considering some over the counter meds that don't impact gaba, any recommendations? 

[[...]]

meds for sleep*

[[Kr...]]

No help. Wasted a lot of money. If you’re not that severe maybe it will help you. Whatever you do, stay the heck away from magnesium.

[[ns...]]

There isn't one over the counter med that I can take. Not even ib profin. Can't take vitamins, supplements, minerals nothing, no pain meds, ssri, nothing!

I don't understand it but I've heard this from many. Hope u find something,  some people can take anything!

Ns

[[Er...]]

I'm curious why Magnesium is to be avoided. I was just about to take some... not bc I'm convinced it works but perhaps hoping for even a placebo effect. 

[[ns...]]

1 hour ago, [[E...] said:

I'm curious why Magnesium is to be avoided. I was just about to take some... not bc I'm convinced it works but perhaps hoping for even a placebo effect. 

EricaR, hi, I've heard that too. That it actually causes a reverse effect. Interesting you mention this today, I eat a lot of nut butter, namely almond and cashew. Both are pretty high in magnesium, in fact just about everything I eat has quite a bit if potassium and magnesium. Lately I'm noticing that after I eat the cashew butter sandwich and really anything with more magnesium in it I feel terrible and I'm getting a nasty taste in my mouth afterwards. Not sure if it's the magnesium or something else yet. I tried magnesium glycinate powder and that was a no! I can't eat many foods now so the butters are my way of getting fats and nutrients i need. 

Everything has changed since benzo withdrawal, can't wait to be past this!

Ns

 

[[or...]]

@[...] I used Unisom for sleep problems. It worked well and didn't set me back any. I was about a year post-benzos when I tried it. I used the sleep tabs, not the gels. And only half a tab. Also melatonin 2 mgs extended release. I also tried CBD gummies but they didn't do what I wanted them to do (put me to sleep). However, who knows . . . they might work for you. They do relax you. If you are going to try them, order from a reliable source, like Lazarus Naturals or Charlotte's' Web. Both companies ship all over the US. Unisom is great, though . . . it slays insomnia!

[[Ma...]]

A lot of people take magnesium glycinate and find it very helpful. I don’t because it knocks me out for 36 hours…go figure.

[[Pi...]]

Right now I take a sage tincture in a glass of water before I go to bed.
 I also take a little Benadryl sometimes. 

[[Li...]]

I finished my taper about 2 months ago.  My doctor has tried to send me things to help with sleep and they never work.  What I have found that works best for me is right before bed I take Zinc, Magnesium L-Theonate, L-Theanine, and a low dose of Melatonin.  I do this for about a week and take a break for a 2-3 days and then back on.  I am usually asleep by 9:30 and lately I have been sleeping until my clock goes off at 5:30am.   I use supplements and herbs and I haven't had a reaction to using them during me taper or now.  Good luck!  I hope you find something that helps.  When I don't sleep my withdrawal is way worse.  

[[Id...]]

17 hours ago, [[E...] said:

I'm curious why Magnesium is to be avoided

This is what is linked about magnesium on benzoinfo

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18799816/

[[Th...]]

Not much short of another Rx drug will help with Benzo-induced insomnia.  The insomnia you get at 2 months out most likely will not be helped by anything OTC.  Nothing OTC worked for me early on (during the first year after my CT).  I never really tried anything until about 2 years off for those one-off nights.  Now that I am going on 8 years off, Unisom 25mg (tablet) does a great job of inducing sleep for those nights when I have trouble falling asleep.  I also take Magnesium Glycinate with no issues.  CBD gummies help too.  Again, I only take these as needed, maybe once or twice per month.  Peace

Edited February 29 by [Th...]

[[...]]

@[or...] how often did you cycle using it and stopping it. I took it last night, I tablet, 25 mg, I was able to sleep for 3 hours but couldn't fall back asleep much even though I felt very groggy and tired from the unisom which is a feeling I never have naturally. 

[[or...]]

@[...] I used half a tab of the Unisom for about a 4 week period on and off. It worked very well for me . . . I read a bit, then took my half tab at about 11 p.m. I slept til 6. A good night's sleep for me. Then it started to be ineffective and the whole tab was too much for me (left me too groggy) so I tried CBD and melatonin to take a "holiday" from the Unisom. They worked just so-so . . . and I went back to the Unisom in about 2 weeks. Then cycled off it to CBD again. 

I still take half a tab of Unisom now and then. Sorry it didn't work for you. Unisom, which is just a sedating antihistamine, comes in another variety -- a "sleep gel" which contains the active ingredient in Benadryl, but more of it. Ppl seem to like it, too. I never tried it, but that might work for you. 

Best  to you.

Katz