6 mos off and not able to sleep/benedryl helps

[[ma...]]

I am just amazed to be 6 mos off and still not able to sleep at all naturally. With melatonin and tryptophan I can get maybe 3hrs. Last nite I took Benedryl and slept 8 hrs. I feel so great today but hate the fact that I am only able to get sleep with benedryl. I hate having to take a drug to sleep, but I feel so awful with no sleep. I am trying to quit the daily wine which I think will eventually help my sleep, but I just wonder if I will ever be able to sleep naturally. I would even be ok with taking tryptophan regularly...if it worked.

I guess I will try to have some nites with no sleep so I don't take Benedryl every nite. I used it for the 3 weeks of our vacation so I am probably hooked on it. I no others are using trazadone or seroquel. We seem to be the ones that just can't get any sleep without help and need to be able to function. Wellness, I don't know how you do it night after night with only 2-3hrs. I just gave in and took the benedryl.

Thanks for being there all you insomniacs.

Kathi

[[Ho...]]

I am going that 2-3hrs a night route now too.

I stopped the Trazodone 3 days ago. Now I'm taking herbs and other supps so help me get to sleep. Benadryl used to work for me very well but now it doesn't, it just gives me bad dry mouth.

Really... the 2-3hrs a night isn't that bad so far. I'm not THAT exhausted but my energy and stamina is still at about zero. After almost 3 years with this klonopin insomnia, I simply cannot live with taking something to knock me out every single night anymore. Cant do it. I will probably keep Trazodone around in case of "emergencies," but other than that... we'll see what happens.

[[ma...]]

Hi Holly. What supplements are you taking now? I try to alternate the benedryl with melaton and tryptophan but the melatonin nites are the ones with only 2-3hrs of sleep. I've tried everything natural for sleep and the melatonin at least helps me fall asleep eventually. I think my daily wine habit...and trying to stop that is making it harder to heal. I will use the benedryl for the next week I think as I go without wine. I know stopping daily alcohol is another withdrawal so I can't expect to sleep well. My brother in law was prescribed ativan for helping with alcohol withdrawal. Don't think I'll be using that!!! My plan is to use the benedryl while stopping the wine(not easy for me to do this) and eventually trying to do without the benedryl. The longest I've gone without wine is 10 days, so this is as difficult for me as the temazapam. That is 2 major withdrawals so I know I will need help with sleep for a while at least.

Sure wish some of these supplements helped more. I do think they help regular, non benzo people who have occasional insomnia...not us hard core insomniacs.

Thanks for being there. I'm sorry you are having the same awful sleep problems but it helps to have someone who understands. My friends just don't.

Kathi

[[we...]]

I don't know either, I'm very sick and depressed and I cry a lot, so I don't do well.  I'm just starting to get some 5-6 hrs but it's not over.  I have serious PSTD because of this, I'm sure of it.

[[ea...]]

Do not be to hard on yourself for taking benadryl to sleep. I took it during withdrawl and afterwords also with no ill effects. Every drug has side effects as we all know here, but benadryl is a relatively safe drug compared to these evil benzos! It always drives me nuts when a doctor perscribes benzos for sleep instead of benadryl!

[[Kl...]]

You can order a time release melatonin from Amazon that may give you more than 3 hours. I was taking a 3mg dose of regular melatonin and only getting about 3 hours. When my time release melatonin arrived it was a 5mg tablet......worked great the first few nights- got 8 hours sleep. I would chew the regular 3mg dose at 9pm and then take the 5mg dose about an hour later. But after a week I was having nausea etc and did some reading and realized that 8mgs of melatonin was way to much.....should be around 1 or 2mg/night.  I think I heard someone say that benedryl was ok for at least a few weeks. I hope so as I am using it for nausea and sleep as I switch from Lorazapam to 7.5mg valium. Please let me know if benedryl is not safe to use every night for the next few weeks. thanks

[[ma...]]

Hi. I've now been taking benedryl every nite for several months. Not what I wanted but I needed sleep desparately. We were on vacation for 2 1/2 weeks and I knew I would not sleep at all while traveling so got into the daily benedryl. I am going to go back on the melatonin and tryptophan as soon as I am done with my wine withdrawal. The melatonin 2.5mg from Source Naturals helps me get to sleep but not stay asleep. Usually only about 3hrs which is not enuf.

I think benedryl is ok for most people. Some have side effects and it doesn't work. I am going to do another post on bendryl and possibly causing joint pain. I have had an arthritis flare up and wonder if it is from the benedryl. Otherwise it has worked well for me. Now that I am trying to get off wine, it doesn't seem to work as well. Good luck. I have been told 3 mg is the most you should take.

Kathi