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

[[De...]]

Oh LadyD you handled that so right! Instead of going negative you reframed the situation and it worked out better than originally planned! I bet just holding your grandaughter was healing in itself!!! I cannot wait for grandbabies to hold.  I keep telling myself I must get better for that wondrous new phase of life.

 

Yes I will try walking outside at a slow normal pace and not too far.  I've done this in the past and it is always fine on the day but I always wake up the next day regretting it, but it is not just the walk, it's probably the walk plus everything else I've done.  I am so bad about metering my activity.  I was never a person to sit on the couch and watch tv and I'm finding this so hard. 

 

You are right, my neck pain is not as intense as before, but the fatigue is much worse.  It is rather new.  Could be fallout from the vaccine too, my body is busy making antibodies.  I am struggling having faith this will all end alright.  I am scaring myself that the FM and CFS will be lifelong.  I know in my heart that is the poison talking, so I am fighting that feeling.

 

I hope the rest of you all are making good progress and enjoying Spring (or Autumn for Shay)!!

[[Sh...]]

I don’t like it dee! It’s cold! Brrrr

[[De...]]

I don’t like it dee! It’s cold! Brrrr

 

:'(

[[Sh...]]

I don’t like it dee! It’s cold! Brrrr

 

:'(

 

I don’t like the cold. Plus my tan!!! Noooooo

[[Ka...]]

ohhhh!!! Shay, that's painful for me to even think of ... I'm just recovering from NO TAN and cold!! Still frost in the morning, but it makes me sad to think that it's Autumn somewhere, lolol. My face is getting tan! I look better. :-)

 

DeAnna, you're so smart and positive. I love Lady's advice to you. I'm scared to get a response to the vaccine ... I too am not one to sit around. But from Lady, and your story and others, we can be reminded that TIME HEALS. So, I'm starting a curable group on Wednesday for 12 weeks. Did you do one?

 

HAPPY for you LadyDen! Soooo sweet and a huge deal. I love hearing about your progress.

 

As for me, well, can't wait for my next taper. I love, and am grateful, that I slept well for the most part last week. I feel sooo sooo tired out and did a lot. Too busy. Some weird spaciness and other things. But the very good news is that even though I wake multiple times during the night I keep going back to sleep.

 

I'm in the countdown. It's big and it's exciting. I've been at 3.5 for almost a week and want to go down again soon, by the end of this week, to 3... then to 2.5... More light in the evening is energizing as is more light in the morning upon awakening. I'm trying to pace myself and rest and restore and relax. AGGHHH looking ahead I see that I'll be at a hotel the last weekend in May. OH NO! So scary to be away from home and think of tapering low ... guess I'll plan around that. Seriously this is how my mind works. Over 20 years. What am I going to do!!!! Okay, Be Here Now. Mindfulness. Peace. Faith. Trust. Hope.

 

I open to the truth that my body will know how to sleep on it's own. I am so excited and happy to get closer and closer to a day when I will stop this medicine. I trust the process. I can survive low sleep nights. I am so fortunate to have this time to taper.

[[Sh...]]

You really can survive on little sleep. But if that happens it will get better x how are u sleeping now? U should be proud of how far u have come kachina!

 

Ps I should stop being greedy about the sun. Sending it to u all after a long cold winter in lockdown is the kind thing to do! U guys need it more than I do right now! Luckily I can cover my white body with layers of clothes!!

[[Li...]]

Hi Zzers,

An update from me; I am having tough days at the moment. I tried to taper again but then had trouble falling asleep, so I went back to my previous amount. I will have a saxophone lesson this afternoon. That is nice. I am also waiting to get an appointment with my new shrink. She starts this week, so I have to be patient. Spring has started here, cold, but a lot of sunshine... huggs from me  Jerry

[[Ka...]]

Ohhh, very generous of you Shayna!!! Yes, we'll heat up for a few months and then send it back there for you to warm up!

 

Yes, good words, thanks so much Shayna, I am grateful and truly excited that I'm almost there. I felt at a standstill recently and didn't believe I would really continue or that I could. That's how I feel when I don't get to sleep until 3am when I go to bed at 10pm!!! How are you?!

 

I fall asleep at night, I go back to sleep, I sleep 6 to 8 hours usually. Of course nervously waiting for the nights where I can't and that is where the anxiousness comes in of wanting to hold. BUT I see that when I only have a couple of hours one night I sleep well the next night at least. So I will accept the bad nights when they come because there are more good nights and because I know it's leading someplace good--to my healing. It's been over 20 years on this drug. Really want off. I wake up early but it's light out now and I want to open the curtains to let the light start working it's magic on my brain so I can sleep at night. Then around 8pm I want to relax, take a bath, get off the internet and stretch and let the day and thoughts go so I can quiet my mind for sleep.

 

Jerry, good to hear from you, sorry to hear you couldn't fall asleep, seems that happened the last time you tried to taper. Do you have a bedtime routine of sorts to calm your mind? Are there lots of tulips everywhere where you live?!!? Hope you'll like your new doctor.

[[Sh...]]

Oh kachina, I think ur gunna be fine. 6/8 hrs most nights is fantastic and I really think that ur anxiety about not sleeping is what’s keeping u awake. Definitely look into cbti at this point I think it will really help u.

 

Hi jezza sorry to hear I’ve hit a bump in the road x have a break get strong and try again x u will get there

[[De...]]

Hey Kachina I agree with Shay I think you are going to be better than you think at sleeping on your own.  You have come down very far in the ambien and it has such a short half life that when you do fall asleep at 3a it has already come and gone and you are already sleeping on your own those nights.  I must say there was a time when I was tapering that I felt the drug was actually impeding my better sleep.  I mean that early in the night I'd konk out but it was a fake kind of sleep - no dreams, etc.  Then when the drug wore off middle of the night I got a better quality sleep and felt like I had real dreams for the first time in years!  The worst mistake I ever made was taking a second dose at 3am to make it through the night.  That's when I started going downhill.

 

Well soon you will be on the other side of this and you will be better than ever.  I can say that my pain has started to really fade.  There are still nights when I awake and get a fibro-like flare, but that is only when I overdo things during the day.  I am working on that so I can experience a smoother recovery.

 

I too have some hotel trips in the next several months and have no idea what I'll do as I am so used to sleeping alone in my bed.  I guess I will rely on earplugs and meditations.  That is life after all.

 

Keep us posted!!!

[[La...]]

Hey Team Z!!! I'm laughing at y'all. I love how crazy funny we are.

Shay you can cover up your white skin with cute outfits  I know you'll miss tanning. But winter has its perks too.

Jerry sorry you had to go back up on your dose. All I can say is just keep trying.

Kachina you're doing well as Deanna & Shay said. You might be one of the lucky ones that still sleeps well once you're off. It's good for you to see that you can sleep without Ambien. 

Deanna I agree with you about staying somewhere other than being in your own bed. Every time I do this I take everything I can from my own bed to trick my body  I take my own pillow and blanket. The only hotels I've slept well in was at ALL of the beach resorts I've vacationed at. But I'm sure being in the sun all day helped too. The sun will definitely help you sleep at night.

I'm doing ok now. Just came out of a medium wave. And I am feeling my heartburn returning. It flares up off and on. Going for my evening walk now. Love & hugs

[[Ka...]]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT!! I take it to bed with me at night.

 

Went down .50mg last night.

 

How's everyone doing?

[[De...]]

Congratulations Kachina!!!! You will never regret that you are getting closer to benzo-freedom!  I hope your healing is swift and smooth.

 

I wanted to share will all of you today that I feel absolutely wonderful today!!!  This is the best I've felt in 2 years and I am going to be euphoric for the rest of my life if this is what I can expect full healing to feel like!  I have the faintest of symptoms, and my energy level is about 75% but it is so much better than what I've been feeling lately.  I know it won't last, and I'm trying not to overdo anything while I feel this way but I felt like I had to share this wonderful moment.

 

I wish this feeling for all of you for ever and ever.  This is what we are working towards.  May you all feel this positivity very very soon!!

 

Much love and healing for all.

 

 

[[Sh...]]

That’s wonderful dee xx

[[Li...]]

Hi Zzers, ha Deanna, how great that you feel so good today! Woow!

I am still struggling a lot. I discovered that I am sensitive for walnuts, almonds and pecanuts, or one of them. I was eating them daily for a very long time, two days ago I took less and felt better the day after. Yesterday I stopped completely and felt quite bad today. So I will try get slowly of them, to see what it brings me. Weird isn’t it? Maybe I am completely wrong, but I like to find it out then. Maybe, maybe, in may the swimmingpool will open again..

Huggs Jerry 

[[Ka...]]

Oh Jerry! The pool HAS TO open in May. Food allergies is an interesting topic, keep us posted.

 

Deanna!!! Ohhh that is so good to hear. For real? Keep reporting when you feel that please. Because I've been feeling so tired and lethargic and even confused mentally and wonder how related to my taper it is. SO, you just feel good? That's it!? We don't have to attribute it to something you did or didn't do? YES I WANT THAT.

[[La...]]

Congratulations Kachina!!!! You will never regret that you are getting closer to benzo-freedom!  I hope your healing is swift and smooth.

 

I wanted to share will all of you today that I feel absolutely wonderful today!!!  This is the best I've felt in 2 years and I am going to be euphoric for the rest of my life if this is what I can expect full healing to feel like!  I have the faintest of symptoms, and my energy level is about 75% but it is so much better than what I've been feeling lately.  I know it won't last, and I'm trying not to overdo anything while I feel this way but I felt like I had to share this wonderful moment.

 

I wish this feeling for all of you for ever and ever.  This is what we are working towards.  May you all feel this positivity very very soon!!

 

Much love and healing for all.

Absolutely fabulous Deanna!!! Aren't those good windows lovely??!!! This is a sure sign that soon you'll have every day be like this. I've had a few of these days as well. It's funny because when you experience them you think " wow am I healed or is this just a treat? Either way I'm going to enjoy this!"

But you're wise to not overdo it. Because the wave is coming behind it, if you over did it then it's a terrible wave.

Thanks for sharing this. Wishing you many more.

[[La...]]

That’s wonderful dee xx

Hey sweetie shay it's your turn for a nice window. You've suffered enough.

[[La...]]

Hi Zzers, ha Deanna, how great that you feel so good today! Woow!

I am still struggling a lot. I discovered that I am sensitive for walnuts, almonds and pecanuts, or one of them. I was eating them daily for a very long time, two days ago I took less and felt better the day after. Yesterday I stopped completely and felt quite bad today. So I will try get slowly of them, to see what it brings me. Weird isn’t it? Maybe I am completely wrong, but I like to find it out then. Maybe, maybe, in may the swimmingpool will open again..

Huggs Jerry 

I've read about this happening. Many on here become sensitive to all kinds of stuff. Just shows how fragile our CNS is. Take it easy and go slow. If you become sensitive it's best to back away from it for awhile. Feel better soon Jerry

[Guest [An...]]

Hi Zzers, ha Deanna, how great that you feel so good today! Woow!

I am still struggling a lot. I discovered that I am sensitive for walnuts, almonds and pecanuts, or one of them. I was eating them daily for a very long time, two days ago I took less and felt better the day after. Yesterday I stopped completely and felt quite bad today. So I will try get slowly of them, to see what it brings me. Weird isn’t it? Maybe I am completely wrong, but I like to find it out then. Maybe, maybe, in may the swimmingpool will open again..

Huggs Jerry 

 

Are you guys using anything else to help you sleep at all?

[[Ka...]]

Hey Andros,

Well I'm still tapering so ambien to get to sleep... but I also have been taking progesterone and sometimes valerian or hops too when I have a couple of rough nights in a week. Last night I left out the progesterone as wonder if it's making me tired and learned it can affect Gaba ... so going to try without. I want to be free and feel good, lol.

I mean, we have to sleep and we have to feel secure but it isn't always pretty or good.

How are you doing?

KB

[[Tw...]]

Well, I went back from 11 mg to 15 mg of ambien.

 

Did this for a week and trying not to feel too guilty.

 

Curious if some of you have the experience of tapering successful with interval set-backs.

The horrible thing with ambien when I went back up was that I starting getting the anxiety and joint pains back.

 

I'm back to 11 mg tonight and hoping the one week relapse will not be to rough.

 

Grateful for this board and looking forward to getting this night past me.

[[Tw...]]

Congratulations KachinaBirdsong. It was so  good to read about you going down .50mg

 

I had a brief 11 back to 15 mg for a week. The w/d starting coming back reminding me to stay strong and consistent with tapering. I was amazed at the how the anxiety come back so quickly. But now at least I have some experience of the positive effects of tapering on a lower dose.

 

Way to go KachinaBirdsong; it gives me hope I can start back on my tapering as well. starting tonight.

[Guest [An...]]

progesterone as wonder if it's making me tired and learned it can affect Gaba ... so going to try without.

 

Progesterone can turn into allopregnanolone, which is a neurosteroid that affects Gaba receptors at their own site (not the Benzo receptor site).

 

So progesterone indirectly affects Gaba, and your body will reach an upper limit of how much allopregnanolone it will make, so I wouldn't worry about the Gaba end of it. I'd worry more about other effects it can have, since it's a powerful female hormone, similar to estrogen.

[[Li...]]

Hi Zzers, ha Deanna, how great that you feel so good today! Woow!

I am still struggling a lot. I discovered that I am sensitive for walnuts, almonds and pecanuts, or one of them. I was eating them daily for a very long time, two days ago I took less and felt better the day after. Yesterday I stopped completely and felt quite bad today. So I will try get slowly of them, to see what it brings me. Weird isn’t it? Maybe I am completely wrong, but I like to find it out then. Maybe, maybe, in may the swimmingpool will open again..

Huggs Jerry 

 

Are you guys using anything else to help you sleep at all?

 

Yes, once in a while I use sleeptea... that’s it...