Z-Drug Support Group (Lunesta, Imovane, Zimovane, Ambien, Sonata, Zopiclone)

[[on...]]

Shayna 78. Yes, I have Aston Manual and read it.  I'll recheck to see if it says anything about benzos and Z combination.

 

I clarified my signature.  Thanks again.  On .5mg Klonopin two times a day.  So, 1mg total.  10% taper plan for Klonopin based on Ashton Manual and BB benzos forum.

 

I welcome everyone's thoughts.

 

 

[[Sh...]]

Most people will tell u reduce short acting med first x

[[La...]]

Hugs to all & im happy to see 2 new people. 

Sounds like both of you are in tolerance. Shay is very correct. It's best to taper the Z drug first. Naturally you will be afraid, worried about sleeping, etc. that's ok. We all have been there or still there to an extent. You're entering the unknown and you're in tolerance/ interdose withdrawal.

Here's HOW to taper Ambien properly...this will not guarantee that you won't have withdrawals. Neither will it guarantee your withdrawal will be very minor. That aspect has to do with your individual body make up, how long you were on it, how high your dose, what parts of the brain needs most repair etc. Having said that.....

 

Whatever dose you're on cut it by 5- 10% then hold that dose for 10-14 days. Then reduce again by 5-10% & hold 10-14 days. You do this until you're at zero or just a tiny crumb left. At any time if your symptoms are bad, hold for another week. Close to the end of my taper, I didn't stabilize much by holding another week because I had paradoxical reaction after each dose. This means, it made me sick with side effects symptoms listed on the pharmacy leaflet when I took it. IF this happens, just stay on a 14 day reduction. Reduce anyway!

To cut pills: I used a razor blade, thin sharp knife & a nail file (to reduce the tiny bits). I also made a diagram on paper of my pill & marked where 1 mg was. This is useful with the 10mg pills and the 5mg. I can post a picture of my model if you like.

Other method: on a nail file using a sharpie, draw 2 dots 1/2 inches apart. Scrap your pill 3x's from dot to dot. Do this 10-14 days then scrape dot to dot 5 x's hold 2 weeks. Then 7 x's...and so on.

YOU CAN DO THIS!!! We're cheering you on & here for support.

[[wa...]]

Yes - What Ladyden said!

[[on...]]

Ladyden, thank you. 

 

Please post picture of your model.  If you have a model for 5mg and 10mg tabs, that would be great.  My tablets are 5mg oblong, by Torrent Pharmac.  As I mentioned I've taken 2 of them, 10mg for approx. two years now.  Really not sure how to cut them.  I am receiving my milligram scale hopefully on 9.25.  I could use the formula to taper by weight, when it comes.  Thoughts?

 

If I taper the Ambien, before starting the Klonopin, it looks like a few months until I could start the Klonopin taper.  I hope I don't have to go thru WD symptoms\hell, twice!  And then, there's the "healing process"

 

I must admit, my brain has been going wild today, as the more I read on BB, the more I've asked, why should I, is this the right time to do it, etc., but I know it's the right thing to do ultimately.  Covid fears also make me ask if time is right.  I guess I could make many excuses, right?

 

Looking forward to hearing from you.  Thank you Wannabebetter, for your thoughts, as well!

[[Sh...]]

There’s never going to be a right time. I waited too. Choose your life and take it back x u will get all the support u need here.

[[on...]]

There’s never going to be a right time. I waited too. Choose your life and take it back x u will get all the support u need here.

 

Great point.  thank you!

 

Ladyden, I hope you got my reply and look forward to hearing from you, getting model pics and thoughts about using scale.

[[La...]]

Hello Wanna, Shay,Oneday....all. Yes shay is right! We only needed 1 excuse to take the medicine but a million why we wait to get off them. That speaks volume. Time to get the tapering party started.

Here's a picture of the tablet model. I'm glad you're not on Ambien CR...are you? If so, you CANNOT cut those. Very dangerous!!! You must switch to regular Ambien first. I was on CR & went to regular then tapered.

I'll post the pictured diagram in a sec....

[[La...]]

You can use a scale but I used the dry cut method. It's up to you.

 

[[La...]]

How's everyone doing? Hope you've been sleeping well. I slept better last night but strange symptom this morning....

Everything looked like I was seeing through an old fuzzy tv. Like back in the day when the picture wasn't clear. You had to slap the tv to make it straightened up 

Any of you had this happen?

[[Sh...]]

Terrible night again. Feel very down today. Glad I had a good sleep lady x my vision used to be like that but that was more to do with amitriptiline. Couldn’t see hardly when I was on that. Couldn’t drive at night

[[La...]]

Wow. I'm sorry you're feeling down. You will feel better soon. My vision stayed like that for about an hour. I could see very well but fuzzy tv screen vision. I thought oh no I'm about to have a big wave.

My Saints lost their game yesterday. I hope I'm well enough to watch their next game. This boaty ride is so annoying.

how was the theme park? Tell me did you go on any rides

[[Sh...]]

I hope so. I’m so exhausted. Just staring out the window again. Watching the sun come up. I hope u had a better day. I went on some slides with my little boy. But the water was cold so I struggled a bit. My temps all out of whack I feel the cold alot more now

[[La...]]

Sounds like you had fun. I've heard many Z drug users have cold spells. I have them too. Last year my whole house was cool in the summer except my bedroom. I have a fireplace in here and I had to use it the whole year.  my family would come hug me or touch my skin then jump! They said I was ice cold....face, hands, legs. I shivered the whole year.

[[Sh...]]

Yes it’s so strange. My family days that to me too. I’m always cold

[[La...]]

I sleep with an extra blanket. The added weight is soothing especially when I'm in a wave

[[Sh...]]

I have a weighted blanket but I’m having a lot of night sweats so it’s hard to keep them on atm!

[[De...]]

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Hoping everyone has experienced some healing.  I've not posted for a few days.  I had a window starting last Sat and it was bliss with more energy, clearer head and NO PAIN....but alas it only lasted about 3 days.  I could almost feel like I had my life back! But by Sunday I was back with pain, headaches and uneasy feeling in my whole body and greater fatigue :-(  Huge renovation going on in my house that is causing stress and demanding my energy.

 

I've noticed insomnia starting to be an issue.  When I first jumped off the ambien I slept better than I could have thought (6-8 hours, broken up but fell back to sleep just fine), but now almost 2 months later I have most nights with 2-3 hours of lying awake tossing and turning and during that time my symptoms flare which makes it hard to get back to sleep.  I haven't yet tried to hop onto the insomnia thread bc I didn't want to fill my head with "thoughts" that make sleep an issue.  I notice I harp on anything negative and it makes me ruminate.

 

[[La...]]

Hello Deanna! Glad to see you back. You've experienced Windows that's awesome! Aren't they heaven!!!! But as you experienced, they don't last long.....YET! Having them is a great sign of healing. Although you're back in waves, rest assured that you will have another window soon. Don't be surprised if it's shorter than your last one or your wave is bigger than before. This is normal and happens throughout our journeys. Some small, some long, some big, some small,etc

Also, your sleeping changes are normal too. I had the EXACT same experience. When I first got off, I slept pretty long & good quality of sleep. I also implimented CBT-I while tapering so I'd have a tool in place to help get me to sleep. I religiously use this. I'm now on month 3, my sleep has been tougher to achieve recently. But once I'm asleep, I sleep well. This is the second time this had occurred. But I'm not stressing over it because just like before, I know it will return to being easier & longer. Please know that this is OK & common.

[[Sh...]]

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Hoping everyone has experienced some healing.  I've not posted for a few days.  I had a window starting last Sat and it was bliss with more energy, clearer head and NO PAIN....but alas it only lasted about 3 days.  I could almost feel like I had my life back! But by Sunday I was back with pain, headaches and uneasy feeling in my whole body and greater fatigue :-(  Huge renovation going on in my house that is causing stress and demanding my energy.

 

I've noticed insomnia starting to be an issue.  When I first jumped off the ambien I slept better than I could have thought (6-8 hours, broken up but fell back to sleep just fine), but now almost 2 months later I have most nights with 2-3 hours of lying awake tossing and turning and during that time my symptoms flare which makes it hard to get back to sleep.  I haven't yet tried to hop onto the insomnia thread bc I didn't want to fill my head with "thoughts" that make sleep an issue.  I notice I harp on anything negative and it makes me ruminate.

 

 

Hi Deanna so glad ur getting some waves. Don’t go on the insomnia board is my advice. It’s just the advice u already know... sleep hygiene ect. There’s some pretty heavy stories on there and sometimes when I read them I get scared so I try not to look x

[[La...]]

Yes I made that mistake as well earlier in my taper. 

[[Sh...]]

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Hoping everyone has experienced some healing.  I've not posted for a few days.  I had a window starting last Sat and it was bliss with more energy, clearer head and NO PAIN....but alas it only lasted about 3 days.  I could almost feel like I had my life back! But by Sunday I was back with pain, headaches and uneasy feeling in my whole body and greater fatigue :-(  Huge renovation going on in my house that is causing stress and demanding my energy.

 

I've noticed insomnia starting to be an issue.  When I first jumped off the ambien I slept better than I could have thought (6-8 hours, broken up but fell back to sleep just fine), but now almost 2 months later I have most nights with 2-3 hours of lying awake tossing and turning and during that time my symptoms flare which makes it hard to get back to sleep.  I haven't yet tried to hop onto the insomnia thread bc I didn't want to fill my head with "thoughts" that make sleep an issue.  I notice I harp on anything negative and it makes me ruminate.

 

 

Hi Deanna so glad ur getting some waves. Don’t go on the insomnia board is my advice. It’s just the advice u already know... sleep hygiene ect. There’s some pretty heavy stories on there and sometimes when I read them I get scared so I try not to look x

 

Sorry Deanna I meant windows not waves xxx

[[La...]]

How's everyone doing. How was your night? How's your taper going? Have you noticed any new symptoms or any getting better or worse?

[[De...]]

Thanks Shayna - I did not go on the insomnia board! You are right I know all the rules about good sleep hygiene.  When I'm lying there in bed for the 2nd or 3rd straight hour I run out of things to think about...I try to stay on happy memories or topics.  I know they say get out of bed and do something relaxing but I'll wake up my husband and he doesn't sleep well either.  So I just try to entertain myself in my head LOL.

 

Trying to rest and get back into a window.  I do too much during the day I think - trying to be normal, but just climbing the stairs exhausts me.  I've been wondering - is it absolutely best to listen to your body and rest rest rest, or push yourself to do some activity even though you are feeling symptoms.  I just can't figure out when I'm pushing myself too much.

[[La...]]

Deanna asked that same question on another thread about exercise. I was given some great answers & advice. Perhaps check it out.  my sleep is doing ok. Some nights take longer to drift off. I also just stay in bed because I do know that if you get bored, that helps to drift off. I do CBT-I to go to sleep. Lately the past few nights, I've been having waves at bedtime. This is what's making it more difficult to fall asleep. But I don't give up & eventually drift off. I LOVE it when it rains at night. I sleep the deepest & longest on those nights. Another secret weapon of mine is a weighted blanket and sleep naked as possible. I'm not trying to be x-rated. But I read a scientific proven study on it. The reason you go to sleep faster if because it helps drop your body temperature. I thought to myself...heck yeah! We are all born naked!