Looking for advice three months off temazepam after two months usage

[[Jo...]]

Hi guys Im looking for some advice. Back in September I was put on a slew of various sleep medications for chronic insomnia due to rebound insomnia of taking zquill for a couple of months. Anyway, long story short I was put on temzaepam and gabapentin after being experimented on with various sleep medications. I was on temazepam for about 8.5 weeks including a three week taper, my last does was on 7 December and I started to taper gabapentin a week after. I was at 600mg gabapentin for about two months and tapered off of that cutting to 300mg for four days then to 200 for four days and then 100 for four days then off. I started taking Hdyroxyzine at 50-100mg to help with the insomnia and withdrawl affects from temazepam and gabapentin. I was also taking 10mg of Dayvigo while I was on temazepam and gabapentin but I have cut that down to 5mg. 

So its been three months now since I have been off of Temazepam and I am still having a hard time sleeping at night. One month ago I did try to cut the meds because I thought they were really doing anything and I actually fell asleep for about three and a half hours but woke up with extreme anxiety. I tried to sleep naturally the next day and couldnt and I freaked out and reached for the hydroxyzine and dayvigo to get some sleep. I still didnt sleep becasue I think I was to worked up. Anyway about a week ago i did sleep for about 7 hours one day with the meds. I became very whatever mind set and have become more accepting of my situation. I have thought about doing NAD+ therapy to help.

I am a very healthy person and was a personal trainer. I only drink water and I eat a high protein diet with vegtables. I exerciseabout four times a week (do what i can) and go to the sauna every night about three hours before bed time. I also take CBN and some herbal sleep aids to help with sleep about 45 minutes before I take the hydroxyzine and dayvigo.

I worry about being on these drugs that they are actually preventing my healing or is somthing that I have to do for right now? People say since im at three months that i am still early in the recovery process. i thought since I was on temazepam for two months and not over three months that I would i guess heal faster. I know everyone is different. I know im not as bad off as I was a couple months ago but its still hard. I want off of the meds but I dont know how to get there. Does hydroxyzine prevent your healing process from benzo use? I know Dayvigo is a orexin antagonist and doesnt affect gabba receptors and I guess hydroxyzine doesnt affect gaba receptors either. Im just trying to find out if im doing everything right or is there something else I should be doing that would be expedite my healing process. Like if i stay taking these pills will my brain still heal from benzo use? Am i stuck taking these pills for the rest of my life? Are they hindering my recovery?

Edited March 1 by [Jo...]

[[Ne...]]

I was on Temazepam for only 21 days and I am now in month 31 post CT.  The only symptoms left are broken sleep and tinnitus.  I actually had five hours of unbroken sleep the last couple of nights which is a major milestone for me. Acceptance was key for me to get through the many months to now.  Accidentaldependent (Benzo Buddy) had short-time use as well but then used hydroxyzine which hampered his recovery and he had withdrawals from that as well. IMO, hydroxyzine comes with its own dependencies and it is best to tough out the nights of little/no sleeping as it does get better.

[[Jo...]]

12 hours ago, [[N...] said:

I was on Temazepam for only 21 days and I am now in month 31 post CT.  The only symptoms left are broken sleep and tinnitus.  I actually had five hours of unbroken sleep the last couple of nights which is a major milestone for me. Acceptance was key for me to get through the many months to now.  Accidentaldependent (Benzo Buddy) had short-time use as well but then used hydroxyzine which hampered his recovery and he had withdrawals from that as well. IMO, hydroxyzine comes with its own dependencies and it is best to tough out the nights of little/no sleeping as it does get better.

I am currently trying to taper hydroxyzine and I have cut dayvigo down to the lowest dose they make. I was at 150mg of hydroxyzine at one point and now im holding at 75. I have been taking it for about two and half months now. I am just trying to do things the best way I know how and I take herbal supplements to help with sleep as well. Although I dont know how much they are helping. I know if i take dayvigo by itself I wont sleep and if i take hydroxyzine by itself I wont sleep well either. I dont know what else to do lol

[[Jo...]]

12 hours ago, [[N...] said:

I was on Temazepam for only 21 days and I am now in month 31 post CT.  The only symptoms left are broken sleep and tinnitus.  I actually had five hours of unbroken sleep the last couple of nights which is a major milestone for me. Acceptance was key for me to get through the many months to now.  Accidentaldependent (Benzo Buddy) had short-time use as well but then used hydroxyzine which hampered his recovery and he had withdrawals from that as well. IMO, hydroxyzine comes with its own dependencies and it is best to tough out the nights of little/no sleeping as it does get better.

I went on hydroxyzine and dayvigo because I needed to sleep so bad. I hope I havent hindered my recovery. The Drs tried to put me on antispychotics for sleep but I kept denying them and the only one I agreed to was hydroxyzine and dayvigo. Since they dont affect the gaba receptors. I know I need to get off of them so im trying to taper and do the best I can. I have to be able to work too so its even harder. I was a very healthy person before all of this and I want to think I still am. I am seriously contemplating NAD+ IV therapy right now to see if that will help get me off of these meds and the benzo withdrawl

[[Ne...]]

How much are you sleeping?
 

[[Jo...]]

23 hours ago, [[N...] said:

How much are you sleeping?
 

Well it varies but with the meds some days I sleep about 4-5 hours but the last couple nights its been about 3-4 which ill take but I want off the meds so bad. Im trying to taper hydroxyzine and I am finding it difficult. I am trying to stay at 75 rn for at least a week and hope it will get better.

[[Ne...]]

3 hours ago, [[J...] said:

Well it varies but with the meds some days I sleep about 4-5 hours but the last couple nights its been about 3-4 which ill take but I want off the meds so bad. Im trying to taper hydroxyzine and I am finding it difficult. I am trying to stay at 75 rn for at least a week and hope it will get better.

 

[[Ne...]]

1 minute ago, [[N...] said:

3 hours ago, [[J...] said:

Well it varies but with the meds some days I sleep about 4-5 hours but the last couple nights its been about 3-4 which ill take but I want off the meds so bad. Im trying to taper hydroxyzine and I am finding it difficult. I am trying to stay at 75 rn for at least a week and hope it will get better.

Expand  

My advice that I received from ThEwAy2 very early on is  acceptance.  There are no fixes to sleep except for time for the brain/CNS to adjust back to pre-benzo.  Any RX fixes come with their own issues such as hydroxyzine.  A BB on this forum used hydroxyzine to help him while he was recovering from benzo and it set him back a bit.  Also as ThEwAy2 says, you will not die from  lack of sleep as your body will do what it needs to keep you afloat.  Many nights what I thought was zero sleep was pseudo sleep where I would drift in and out of sleep.  What reassured me that I was sleeping was my hubby recording my snoring and silly stories that would be in my head throughout the night.  Only 3 to 4 hours of sleep is not unusual/to be expected in withdrawal and it does get better.  Being 30 months out and experiencing broken sleep and light sleep from 3 am on is not what I had hoped for but it has gotten better and I know I am progressing, although very slowly.  Try to accept and best wishes for being a strong self during this recovery.