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

[[La...]]

Hey Kachina! I saw the YOU on Netflix but after reading the plot I didn’t know if it would be too stimulating so I’m watching Versailles instead. It’s pretty good so far.

I’m enjoying the fall weather too. Just wish I could be outside walking in it.  Fall is perfect weather. Not too hot not too cold. Maybe next week I’ll try to go out on the patio for a few minutes. If I remain stable with improving.

Great to hear that you’ve made some money. Now things will be rolling for you! Way to go girl 

Get that cheddar! 

Yes I agree that this forum has been a lot of loving support for me too. Without it, I don’t know what I would have done. Especially in my situation physically and personally. With friends like you, shay, Trina, begood and a few more I get the answers I need to keep going or to make something more bearable. We all benefit greatly.

Btw, I have a poetry cafe in the philosophical thread. Everyone please hop over there and enjoy beautiful helpful poetry. You’re also welcome to post a positive poem or highlight parts of a poem there that grabs at you.

Team Z guess what???  YOU ARE THOUGHT ABOUT and LOVED! ❤️❤️❤️

I know our lives are rough quite often but be proud that you’re doing what’s best for you. Great job!

[[De...]]

Hi Team Z - I was feeling very unsettled last couple weeks, and I believe it was the combination of the new kitty activity, as well as trying to ease up my restrictions for gluten and caffeine.  The first few days I had a 1/2 cup of caffeinated coffee, and it felt GREAT!  More energy and pizazz!  I didn't get anxiety, but with the good energy level I did too much yard work and well you know what happened after that, right?  Back to my painful exercise intolerance.

 

I also have noticed that I really feel worse when I consume too much wheat products.  I can do a couple crackers or 1/2 slice pizza here and there every other day or so, but when I heaped on more each and every day I really slipped backwards.  I had two nights of anxiety at 2am again which I didn't have for months.  It wasn't terrible, just s teeny bit with 3 hours of insomnia, but I can't help bit think this gluten thing is real.  So back on the gluten free wagon I go.

 

Just can't understand why though.  Perhaps gluten in the diet changes the microbiome, and when I have enough to push me over the unknown limit, I succumb to painful fibromyalgia and anxiety flares.  So frustrating 

[[Li...]]

Ha Zzers, I am wondering, does any of you get (mental) problems when the pharmacy changes the brand of your medication?

Jerry

Sorry Jerry that you’re going through this with a switch of brands. Me personally didn’t have this issue when I was on ambien ( zolpidem). But I have read on other threads of this happening. Try to use the search bar at the user right corner to read what others posted about it. 

Hang in there my friend. Hugs 

 

Jerry, recently my pharmacy, for the first time, switched brands on me.  Did not know til it was delivered.  Aurobino (I think is brand) made me crazy dizzy... can't take it.  So dr. rx'ed the brand I can tolerate, Torrent.  Plus this one you can break in half etc.  The other is really tough to do that with.    But I don't know about mental symptoms-- just horrible dizziness.

 

I had Aurobindo (my medication is clozapine), the brand changed in Auro. Luckily I had still two Aurobindo (the old ones) packages so I was able to slowly change over to the new ones. This took me almost three months. And still with the last little step I feel really bad.

Jerry

 

Hey Jerry, how's your week? Are you swimming these days? Do you get the Fall blues? I sure do. Winter too, lol.

 

Ha Birdsong,

Since last saturday, a week ago, I have two of my saxophones back from revision. It is very nice to play on them again. My alto and tenor saxes. I also have a soprano and clarinet which I will bring to the shop next spring. 

 

My mornings are still rough, but I finsihed the switch between brands, so, I think, next week I will restart my zopiclone taper.

 

Hugs everybody  Jerry

[[De...]]

Jerry - that is great news! We are here to cheer you on!

[[Li...]]

Thx Deanne! 

[[La...]]

Hi Team Z - I was feeling very unsettled last couple weeks, and I believe it was the combination of the new kitty activity, as well as trying to ease up my restrictions for gluten and caffeine.  The first few days I had a 1/2 cup of caffeinated coffee, and it felt GREAT!  More energy and pizazz!  I didn't get anxiety, but with the good energy level I did too much yard work and well you know what happened after that, right?  Back to my painful exercise intolerance.

 

I also have noticed that I really feel worse when I consume too much wheat products.  I can do a couple crackers or 1/2 slice pizza here and there every other day or so, but when I heaped on more each and every day I really slipped backwards.  I had two nights of anxiety at 2am again which I didn't have for months.  It wasn't terrible, just s teeny bit with 3 hours of insomnia, but I can't help bit think this gluten thing is real.  So back on the gluten free wagon I go.

 

Just can't understand why though.  Perhaps gluten in the diet changes the microbiome, and when I have enough to push me over the unknown limit, I succumb to painful fibromyalgia and anxiety flares.  So frustrating 

Well your body is telling you that it’s not quite ready yet. You’re wise to listen instead of pushing it. So just to give you some information on tomato based sauce that’s common on pizza and spaghetti. The sauce contains oregano which is known to rev up those in recovery. My suggestion is to make your own sauce skipping the oregano. That’s what I do. I don’t have any problems when I do this. It allows me to still enjoy the foods I like. I’m not sure about the gluten but you can buy gluten free products. I also cut out as much gluten as possible just as precaution. I’m not brave enough to try caffeine lol

Word on the benzo street is that the further we are into our recovery, the more sensitive we are. I’ve been trying to understand why. I’m thinking it’s because the brain is trying to protect you from undoing the healing it’s done so far. This is just my opinion. But it makes sense to me. Like if we injury anything, our bodies make us protect it. For example, if you sprain your wrist then try to use it normally. It will hurt like hell just as bad as when you initially injured it. After some time it’s healed a bit but not quite ready for normal usage. So what do we do? We try it out and oh man it hurts! Why? It’s not ready. Anyway this is just my take on it.

Hopefully things will settle again for you soon. Hugs to you Deanna. Good to hear an update of you testing your recovery. And pets are a lot of joy but also very stimulating especially if it’s a baby. It’s funny I just explained to Kachina that I’m not getting a pet any time soon. Because even after I heal I want to be free to go enjoy myself after being bedridden and housebound for sooooo long.

 

[[He...]]

Oregano revs up symptoms for some of us?! Good to know. I will be mindful of this now. Thanks Lady Den.

[[De...]]

Thanks LadyD, I really like your analogy to the injured wrist.  And it makes me feel better to think that all my sensitivities are due to the progressed healing.  I hope that is the case indeed.  I must say when I'm feeling good (10% of the time maybe) I feel really good! Like I can take on the world again 

 

And as for the kitty, thank goodness he's a foster,  He's adorable and I love him, but he has highlighted my advancing age and limited energy LOL.  I brace for the mornings when he is screaming for food and I can barely get his food onto the plate fast enough    I plop down on the chair next to him to watch him eat bc he doesn't like to eat alone.  And on top of this my husband pulled HIS back out and has sciatica and on all those meds so it was a bad time to foster a kitty LOL.  But he's still so darn cute, especially when he is sleeping haha.

 

LadyDen do you babysit your granddaughter?  I hope I can recover enough to help out when my grandbabies are born!!

[[La...]]

Oregano revs up symptoms for some of us?! Good to know. I will be mindful of this now. Thanks Lady Den.

Yes Helen it revs up pretty good. There’s a list of things to avoid that Dr Ashton put out there. If you’d like I can post them…matter of fact I will on my next post. Just so anyone can save themselves any unnecessary suffering.

How are you doing today

[[La...]]

Thanks LadyD, I really like your analogy to the injured wrist.  And it makes me feel better to think that all my sensitivities are due to the progressed healing.  I hope that is the case indeed.  I must say when I'm feeling good (10% of the time maybe) I feel really good! Like I can take on the world again 

 

And as for the kitty, thank goodness he's a foster,  He's adorable and I love him, but he has highlighted my advancing age and limited energy LOL.  I brace for the mornings when he is screaming for food and I can barely get his food onto the plate fast enough    I plop down on the chair next to him to watch him eat bc he doesn't like to eat alone.  And on top of this my husband pulled HIS back out and has sciatica and on all those meds so it was a bad time to foster a kitty LOL.  But he's still so darn cute, especially when he is sleeping haha.

 

LadyDen do you babysit your granddaughter?  I hope I can recover enough to help out when my grandbabies are born!!

No I don’t babysit them because I’m not mobile enough to care for them and I’m too sensitive for the noise. But I really wish I could. I miss them. I’m missing out on their milestones. So I had to make peace with that.

Sounds like you got your hands full with much going on. Just take care not to overdo it.

[[La...]]

Things Dr Ashton warned not to take while recovering

Chamomile

Passion flower

Magnesium

Oregano

Absinthe

Saffron

Quinine

Kava

Skullcap

Progesterone or estrogen

Valerian

Baclofen

Alcohol

Ashwaganda

Fluoquinolone antibiotics

Penicillin

Picamilon

Lidocaine

Exhilarin

Phenobut

Marijuana products ( cbd, weed,etc)

Naltrexone

LDN ( low dose)

Soma

Certain anticonvulsants ( those that act on gaba receptors )

Lemon balm

Beta-lactams antibiotic

Amoxicillin antibiotics

Cephalosporins antibiotics

Carbapenem antibiotic

Bicuculline

Cipro

Levaquin

Caffeine

 

These are the basics but there’s a few more things like supplements, herbs and medications that act on gaba receptors directly or indirectly.

[[De...]]

Very nice of you to post these here again LD....Oh how I miss my camomile tea  :'(

[[He...]]

Lady Den,

 

Thank you so much for that list. I know I have  seen it before but had forgotten some of it. I really appreciate you taking the time to post it.

 

I am doing ok so far today, thanks for asking. Lots of tingling and some weird feeling but still ok. How are you?

 

[[La...]]

Deanna I miss drinking tea too. I have a special jasmine rose green tea that smelled like heaven, tasted like sunshine and soothed me like being in grandmas arms! I ordered it from China many years ago. Even ordered the special canister to keep it fresh for years. It works like a charm….I opened it the not too long ago. Yep still as fresh as when I got it in 2014? I wanted to make a cup soooooo bad but I knew better, I’m sure it’s loaded with caffeine. Also it’s beautiful to watch as it brews. It’s hand rolled into cute rosettes. As the hot water steeps it, it unrolls slowly. Ohhhhh the aroma!!! Nothing short of being called a smile in a cup. And the leaves are to be placed on a paper towel to naturally dry out. You take those same leaves to make a second cup or a 3rd if you don’t mind a slightly weaker brew.  One day soon enough I’ll enjoy it again. And you’ll enjoy your chamomile tea again too. Until then we better make an alternative.

Helen you’re very welcome. I’m glad to post anything that benefits us all. Sometimes we forget about things we’ve read so it’s good to repost them after awhile. Someone new gets a chance to see it as well. Glad to hear you’re doing ok. I’ve had a nasty wave since last night. It’s starting to let up about an hour or so ago. Typical same old symptoms that’s been plaguing me for 16 months. Lol BUT I’m not complaining because it could be worse and has been worse.

Jerry it’s good your playing your saxes still. I know you’ve had it rough lately as all of us have but yet we must keep going.

Hey Team Z guess what? One of these days soon we will all be healed. Back to a new healthy symptoms free life. Enjoying ourselves everyday. Instead of not being able to do nothing, we’ll be stumped on what to do first. 😂

I have an important question for you all. DO YOU BELIEVE IT!!! Believing will help propel us to our healing. We will look back on this and say to ourselves “ well we’ll well all those crazy scary annoying uncomfortable debilitating symptoms was withdrawal. All I had to do was not fight it. Don’t let it get the best of me. Distract and wait. Look at me now!” 

[[Ga...]]

Good grief, what can we take???  The only two I have taken is Baclofen and Lidocain.  The Baclofen was given over a year ago, and the Lidocain last year for a sore back.  I am going to give this list to my doctor who can use it as a good reference point....he already knows that I do not do well with most antibiotics, mainly Cipro which almost killed me after a kidney infection put me in the hospital two years ago.

 

I now have a sinus infection which I am managing with Benadryl Allergy and NeilMed saline rinse twice a day.  I used to use Flonase before I knew that it is a steroid, which I now know I had a reaction to.

 

Oh, woe is us, will we ever revert back to homeostasis where we can treat ourselves with medicines that will heal us, rather than kill us??

 

Hugs and healing wishes for each of you

 

GG

[[Ga...]]

Oh, and most importantly, I believe believe believe that we will heal and return to our former selves, but much better for having fought a battle that has brought us to our knees for way too long!!!!!!

 

[[La...]]

Good grief, what can we take???  The only two I have taken is Baclofen and Lidocain.  The Baclofen was given over a year ago, and the Lidocain last year for a sore back.  I am going to give this list to my doctor who can use it as a good reference point....he already knows that I do not do well with most antibiotics, mainly Cipro which almost killed me after a kidney infection put me in the hospital two years ago.

 

I now have a sinus infection which I am managing with Benadryl Allergy and NeilMed saline rinse twice a day.  I used to use Flonase before I knew that it is a steroid, which I now know I had a reaction to.

 

Oh, woe is us, will we ever revert back to homeostasis where we can treat ourselves with medicines that will heal us, rather than kill us??

 

Hugs and healing wishes for each of you

 

GG

Garden, I thought the same thing when I initially saw the list. 😂 o the answer is we better not take nothing if we can help it! I do believe that we can go back to prebenzo health of tolerating pretty much anything in moderation. I say this because I’ve read success stories about it. But you know what? I’ll really believe it when it happens to me. 

Hope you’re doing good today. Thanks for the post it made me laugh.

[[La...]]

Oh, and most importantly, I believe believe believe that we will heal and return to our former selves, but much better for having fought a battle that has brought us to our knees for way too long!!!!!!

Yes maam Garden. If I didn’t believe that we’ll heal then why waste all this time and suffering of tapering then cycling through waves? So yeah I’m with you. This can’t all be for nothing. Common saying around here that healing is feeling it. But it sucks!

[[Be...]]

Atlas is very cute and so small. 

[[La...]]

Hey Team Z! Hoping all is well with everyone. It’s 7:45am here. As usual I’m greeted with morning dread and a wave. This one is rough. I’ll be so glad when I can wake up feeling normal again. Yesterday I was talking to another buddie discussing what normal felt like ( before we were injured by meds). We couldn’t really remember how it felt but we did remember what we used to do. How our mornings was, places we’d go and vacations etc.

Do any of you recall what normal felt like? You know, we’ve been feeling bad for so long that it’s hard to remember. We also said that if we wake up one morning healed then we’d be in shock not feeling symptoms anymore. I told her I’d be frozen in amazement. Probably have to pinch myself to make sure it’s real. Matter of fact, a few pinches lol

What do you all think about how you’d feel? 

[[Ba...]]

Thanks, kind of have done most of the sleep stuff as this is chronic state for me and I have DSPS ;(

About the weighted blanket, was thinking of this but I understand they are really hard to move.  My bedroom is tiny and can't access one side of mattress.  Wondered what size to get (bed is a double or full size)?  Don't want one that gets hot because no a/c here.

 

Thank you.

 

I have a single size blankie I put on top of me and the extra weight is comforting although not a weighted one. Seems a single size could work for you. I googled DSPS, wow challenging! I understand your use of the meds ... they are so cruel though. Do herbs help? They help me now that I'm off meds. I rotate 2 weeks on one, then change.

 

I've never found herbs that help me.  During this, have tried them and most I cannot take.  The others don't do much.  I mean they are small potatoes vs. drugs.  Which is why I wound up on drugs.  sigh.

Yeah think maybe a single size might work and not have as much of weight so could make bed (if I do!) easier.

[[Ka...]]

Happy Monday Morning Team Z!!!

 

Deanna, that word. Fibromyalgia. I HATE that word and I am so so sorry to hear of your suffering.

LadyDen, you will REALLY SOAR in this world when you're recovered with all that positive energy being successful coping with being bedridden.

Jerry, Yay glad you have the instruments out and in use and finished the crossover. It's a great time to return to your taper ... dark cozy nights to chillax and fall asleep in.

 

About gluten: I've read that one problem is how toxic our wheat is in this country; I love buying pasta from Italy!

 

About the do not take list and recovery, at present I do not feel it applies exclusively in my case and I feel good about using the herbs I use. Unlike LadyDen and Deanna who took ambien and are suffering horribly over a year later, my experience personally seems a bit different in that I had horrific symptoms literally for decades, BEFORE my taper and not after. My life was narrowed down to surviving pain and mysterious symptoms; not being able to tolerate activity; scents; noise; life. The pain would escalate as the day wore on. I sobbed, I begged, I wanted to die. Getting through work was awful and my weekends and nights were about recovering which didn't ever happen anyway. NEVER knew it was the pharmaceutical medications I was on--why didn't any of the many doctors I saw know??!!!

 

Curable health is helping me re-wire my brain, which is also done in our recovery from these meds, and I aslo practice intermittent fasting and have the whole taper. Autophagy is a body repair system that occurs when we fast and it's our body eating the bad stuff in our cells. I cannot know but wonder if these 2 things helped me avoid after-effects.

 

So, just want to make a plug for my experience here ... with recovery from ambien and living such a better life. I still really value this thread and the people here, the connection and support is wonderful even if I'm not suffering horribly!!! And, I hope to always be here supporting anyone who is recovering.

 

I was raised that I could not ever disagree or stand up for myself without traumatic consequences ... so it is very scary for me to speak out and say, hey, I hear you, Dr. Ashton has this list ... but, for me, at this present time, I can use some of that stuff after my taper. That is why I take a stand today to share my experience. Part of my healing. 

[[De...]]

Wow Kachina you sound like you are doing great!  I am sorry you suffered so much before your taper but so happy that your jump off the meds was the start of a whole new life for you!  You go girl!!!

 

I have heard that our wheat is GMO and has much more gluten than decades ago.  I am now staying away from any of it, but when I do try it again I'll try imported stuff.  Thanks for that idea!  I am currently researching the best way to optimize my microbiome, hoping that gives me a boost in my healing.  I am very tired of this lingering nerve pain 

 

Glad you love the Curable app so much!  Did you hear that the medical ppl who work at Curable did a study with Harvard and demonstrated that the program and methods used at Curable were superior to standard of care for back pain like PT and/or steroid injections.  Alan Gordon wrote a book about it, now called Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) and his book is titled "The Way Out"...I might buy it!

 

I so want to try IF again.  I did it 3 years ago and I lost 10 lbs - and felt great.  I tried it again about a month ago but found that my blood sugar isn't stable enough to go 12 hours without food.  I thought maybe the attempt triggered my last wave, but maybe I'll give it another go sans gluten.

 

Hang in there Z-sters!

[[La...]]

Hugs Team Z!

Kachina I’m so glad you’re not suffering like me and Deanna. Just goes to show you how your genetic makeup makes a difference in how your ambien was metabolized. This is why you’re not having trouble eating, drinking, taking etc pretty much whatever you want. And it’s funny that you took it way longer than us. I’m truly happy for you. I’m sure Deanna and everyone on here will agree that we don’t want to suffer or see anyone else suffer either.

But we must not discount professionally proven admonishments to not take any chances on the things listed. Everyone has their own personal choice after being informed on what they want to do. And that’s ok. But I’ve learned the hard way that it’s better to take Dr Ashton advice. Seeing she’s the one who’s put in many years of research. I’m fool enough to believe her. 

Kachina I think you know exactly why your doctors never warned you. Let me spell it

MONEY. You guys would be shocked if you knew how much money doctors get for each prescription. Get their patients dependent on a medicine or multiple medicines and they’re set! Think about that! Let’s say a doctor has 105 patients. 100 of them are on Valium. For every prescription he gets 2 grand. Let’s say Valium is written twice a month for each patient. 100x2000 = 200,000 times 2= 400,000 per month. Just for Valium. This doesn’t include other medications.

Although this is just an example, you get my point? One patient $2000 for 12 months! Times how many years they’re on the medication. Or is it just me that thought about this???

Someone please chime in.

[[Ka...]]

Hugs Team Z!

Kachina I’m so glad you’re not suffering like me and Deanna. Just goes to show you how your genetic makeup makes a difference in how your ambien was metabolized. This is why you’re not having trouble eating, drinking, taking etc pretty much whatever you want. And it’s funny that you took it way longer than us. I’m truly happy for you. I’m sure Deanna and everyone on here will agree that we don’t want to suffer or see anyone else suffer either.

But we must not discount professionally proven admonishments to not take any chances on the things listed. Everyone has their own personal choice after being informed on what they want to do. And that’s ok. But I’ve learned the hard way that it’s better to take Dr Ashton advice. Seeing she’s the one who’s put in many years of research. I’m fool enough to believe her. 

Kachina I think you know exactly why your doctors never warned you. Let me spell it

MONEY. You guys would be shocked if you knew how much money doctors get for each prescription. Get their patients dependent on a medicine or multiple medicines and they’re set! Think about that! Let’s say a doctor has 105 patients. 100 of them are on Valium. For every prescription he gets 2 grand. Let’s say Valium is written twice a month for each patient. 100x2000 = 200,000 times 2= 400,000 per month. Just for Valium. This doesn’t include other medications.

Although this is just an example, you get my point? One patient $2000 for 12 months! Times how many years they’re on the medication. Or is it just me that thought about this???

Someone please chime in.

 

WHAT??? Doctors get paid for the Rx they write? Never heard of that. 2 grand? I don't follow!!!