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Insomnia after quiting Diazepam


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I quit from Diazepam 0.5 mg after tapering. All went well. Sleep was not a problem. Until 1 week after quitting. I have not slept more then 2 hours a night for 5 days now. 1 hour last night. Is this normal after tapering. Did anyone experience this?
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I'd say normal, especially if you reduced diazepam quite fast

 

A few years back, I crossed from Xanax to diazepam and was off diazepam in 10 days. No withdrawal symptoms but almost three weeks without any sleep. Then I got some OTC stuff hetbals and did acupuncture. It worked

 

So yeah, try and stick it out a bit longer. Another option is antihistamines. Benadryl very good.

 

You'll be fine and dandy. When you can't sleep, watch tv or some stupid movie

 

 

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I quit c/t and for the first 6 or 7 months I went days without sleeping. I just started month 10 and i am now starting to sleep 3 or 4 sometimes 5 broken hours a night. Its f'ng torture. I hope you get your sleep back quicker. Are you able to fall asleep easily and just not able to stay asleep? If so, that sort of insomnia seems to clear up pretty quick. Mine is that I never got tired. Now Im finally getting sleepy again but my brain still will not shut down.
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I quit from Diazepam 0.5 mg after tapering. All went well. Sleep was not a problem. Until 1 week after quitting. I have not slept more then 2 hours a night for 5 days now. 1 hour last night. Is this normal after tapering. Did anyone experience this?

Probably normal due to the long half-life of Valium. Hang in there friend. Things should start to improve eventually.
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Thank you for all feedback. So yesterday I slept really well. Almost 7 hours after 5 days almost none. So my body can sleep after all. That is also what I am a bit scared off. But this night was just as bad again. Fell asleep at 04:30 to 07:30 and really weird choppy dreams.

 

The main feeling I have at night is just such a clear feeling. Not tired and the sleep switch will just not turn off. But hope it will get better soon.

 

I am taking 3 mg Melatonine. Are there people with experiences when sleeping with 5 mg. I just don't want to dependent on that again because I just came off Diazepam :-) I do notice that when I am going to bed later then 11 falling a sleep is really hard. So I will try to sleep before 11 the coming days. But I can not believe that could be that precise.

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Like you, insomnia didn't begin for me until I finished tapering.  I didn't feel sleepy - I remember worrying that I didn't even yawn!  Things are much better these days for me and sleep is normal now.
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  • 2 weeks later...

So weird. Since quitting Diazepam (after slow tapering) I had weeks of good sleep (6 hour) and weeks of almost no sleep (1 to 3 hours). Last week was a good week of sleep but since 4 days again almost no sleep (1 to 3 hours). Same feeling again. As if I had like 10 cups of coffee. Really awake, no feeling of sleep. Falling a sleep is hard. Falling a sleep at 02:00 and this night at 05:00.

 

Is it normal to have these episodes of good and bad sleep after tapering? Really hard because last week after good sleep I really thought this is it.

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Thank you for all feedback. So yesterday I slept really well. Almost 7 hours after 5 days almost none. So my body can sleep after all. That is also what I am a bit scared off. But this night was just as bad again. Fell asleep at 04:30 to 07:30 and really weird choppy dreams.

 

The main feeling I have at night is just such a clear feeling. Not tired and the sleep switch will just not turn off. But hope it will get better soon.

 

I am taking 3 mg Melatonine. Are there people with experiences when sleeping with 5 mg. I just don't want to dependent on that again because I just came off Diazepam :-) I do notice that when I am going to bed later then 11 falling a sleep is really hard. So I will try to sleep before 11 the coming days. But I can not believe that could be that precise.

 

I have the same thing. If I am not in bed with my eyes closed before 10 I will not get to sleep. I dont really feel sleepy but I will fall asleep. Even then I still only get about 4 hors of sleep.

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Getting a bit scared. So for 5 days in a row i went from sleeping at around 2 o clock for 2 / 3 hours. I could live with that. But the last 2 nights i had zero sleep. I don’t have the feeling it is getting better. So in 5 days i got like maybe 5 hours sleep in total. Is this something people recognize. And how to handle this because i can not take any sleepless nights. And also scared that i will start hallucinating or something.
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I generally only had two terrible nights like you are describing before I would have a night where I would be so exhausted that I would literally almost pass out from exhaustion.  I soon fell into pattern of a bad night and then a decent one.  The whole thing lasted about a year.

 

I never felt even close to hallucination but some days I definitely felt mentally dull.  I'm so sorry you are struggling with insomnia - it really stinks.

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For one week now it takes me more then 3 hours to sleep. I will get sleepy but then after 15 min I am over that sleepy feeling and won't sleep for 3 hours. Most of the time I will sleep for 1 to 4 hours so I am glad about that. I am getting some sleep. And I know my body can sleep. But why won't my normal sleep return. Is this normal after quitting Diazepam to have good weeks and these insomnia weeks.
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  • 2 weeks later...

So after 1.5 week of horrible sleep. Falling a sleep after 03:00 and sleeping for 2 to 3 hours and some 0 nights. I finally slept for 1 week for almost 6 hours every night. So glad and thought it was all over. But since 3 nights again the same bad sleep pattern. Falling a sleep after 03:00 and waking up after 2 to 3 hours and yesterday a 0 night again. Why is my body not compensating those sleepless nights. Afraid that next night will be as bad as well. Or could it all be a thing between the ears.

 

Or is it normal to have the bad weeks and good weeks for the coming time.

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I'm grateful you had a good week, and I hope you can look at it as what's to come because it is.  It takes a long time to get our natural sleep rhythm back but it happens so please don't be discouraged.  The problem with our sleep is it doesn't take much to disrupt it even when we're not recovering from a medication withdrawal, life is rough on our sleep.  But eventually you'll get to the point where you'll only have a bad night every once in awhile, not suffer weeks at a time.
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So after 1.5 week of horrible sleep. Falling a sleep after 03:00 and sleeping for 2 to 3 hours and some 0 nights. I finally slept for 1 week for almost 6 hours every night. So glad and thought it was all over. But since 3 nights again the same bad sleep pattern. Falling a sleep after 03:00 and waking up after 2 to 3 hours and yesterday a 0 night again. Why is my body not compensating those sleepless nights. Afraid that next night will be as bad as well. Or could it all be a thing between the ears.

 

Or is it normal to have the bad weeks and good weeks for the coming time.

 

sorry to tell you but i am nearly 13 months off and i can get anything from 1 to 7,5 hours (although both ends are rare). I am having a bad month where i can get only 2 or maaaybe 3 6ish (broken) nights, the rest is around 3 hours... (sometimes broken). September was better it was a little window with many broken 6+ nights a week and only a few bad ones here and there. Its bean up and down up and down for ever now... sadly never much up for long. never had a sleep issue before benzo

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Thank you all for the comments. I am really struggling with bad nights now:

 

2 days ago had my first 8 hour+ sleep. The 3 days before that only like 3 hours sleep. And one zero. Now for 2 days no sleep at all. This morning 1 hour at 05:30. :-( Falling asleep is really hard and takes hours.

 

I hope this session is over soon. Because this one is the longest and hardest untill now.

 

Anyone also experiencing more nights of total sleeplessness? And how do you cope the fear and trust it will be alright.

 

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Hey everyone.  I have to chime in.  I'm getting close to 12 months off. 

Last night I got maybe 1 hour of not what I would call sleep. 

It's been like this lately.  At night,  I'm utterly exhausted... can't wait for lights out, and my head hits the pillow and then it's a no go.  It is taking me 3, 4, 5, 6 hours to drop off, if at all.  I'm so frustrated.   

None of this makes sense because a few months ago, I was getting 4 to 6.5 hours of choppy sleep fairly regularly.  Now I feel as if no progress has been made....

I feel broken. 

I have been doing moderate exercise lately.... I'm needing the oxygen and endorphins that working out brings.  Except it seems I can't get away with it.  It seems like the only thing that saves me, exercise,  hurts me now.  Am I just supposed to lay around all day?

I'm desperate  to hear from other long term users.  Why is this taking so long?

Cbd, cbn, tart cherry, l-lysine, mj.... nothing seems to be working.  I'm halfway considering revisiting hydroxyzine (which makes me feel awful next day)......but I have to remind myself that it stopped working too.

Sometimes on the sleepless nights, I am able to avoid freaking out.....  I remind myself that my nervous system is healing, etc.  That sleep deprivation won't kill me....

But today...eeeesssh....  scream, yell, *&%#&^*&*....

Something's got to give. 

 

 

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Hey everyone.  I have to chime in.  I'm getting close to 12 months off. 

Last night I got maybe 1 hour of not what I would call sleep. 

It's been like this lately.  At night,  I'm utterly exhausted... can't wait for lights out, and my head hits the pillow and then it's a no go.  It is taking me 3, 4, 5, 6 hours to drop off, if at all.  I'm so frustrated.   

None of this makes sense because a few months ago, I was getting 4 to 6.5 hours of choppy sleep fairly regularly.  Now I feel as if no progress has been made....

I feel broken. 

I have been doing moderate exercise lately.... I'm needing the oxygen and endorphins that working out brings.  Except it seems I can't get away with it.  It seems like the only thing that saves me, exercise,  hurts me now.  Am I just supposed to lay around all day?

I'm desperate  to hear from other long term users.  Why is this taking so long?

Cbd, cbn, tart cherry, l-lysine, mj.... nothing seems to be working.  I'm halfway considering revisiting hydroxyzine (which makes me feel awful next day)......but I have to remind myself that it stopped working too.

Sometimes on the sleepless nights, I am able to avoid freaking out.....  I remind myself that my nervous system is healing, etc.  That sleep deprivation won't kill me....

But today...eeeesssh....  scream, yell, *&%#&^*&*....

Something's got to give.

 

Im right behind you. Just a little over 11 months and sleep is all over the place. I never get more than 5 hours though.  Without sleep you cant live and this drug completely wrecked my sleep. I hope it comes back for all of us.

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It gets pretty awful doesn't it?  Thanks for replying.  It helps.

I'm hoping that in some not too distant future we can look back and claim victory.    I'll be praying for us.  And checking back in.... :-*

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Just a quick update coming on the heels of my freakout yesterday....

I slept 8 hours last night with one brief wakeup.  This is a first for me since involvement with benzos.

I ate about a half cup of sesame tahini spread on apple slices last night.  It was all I could find in my fridge after not shopping for a week.

I searched sesame seeds online today and found out they are loaded with tryptophan.... a potent sleep precursor.   

I am so relieved today.  I feel the healing effect of a good sleep on my brain and my emotions.  This..... coming from a woman who felt all was lost.

So I guess if I can feel this rested and right after a very tough few months of erratic insomnia....  I'm healing. 

I pray for all of us who do time on a protracted road.....  don't lose heart....

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Just a quick update coming on the heels of my freakout yesterday....

I slept 8 hours last night with one brief wakeup.  This is a first for me since involvement with benzos.

I ate about a half cup of sesame tahini spread on apple slices last night.  It was all I could find in my fridge after not shopping for a week.

I searched sesame seeds online today and found out they are loaded with tryptophan.... a potent sleep precursor.   

I am so relieved today.  I feel the healing effect of a good sleep on my brain and my emotions.  This..... coming from a woman who felt all was lost.

So I guess if I can feel this rested and right after a very tough few months of erratic insomnia....  I'm healing. 

I pray for all of us who do time on a protracted road.....  don't lose heart....

 

Thats great news!! I wish I could get one of those. Actually I would be happy with my pre benzo sleep. I only slept about 6 hours pre benzo but it was a different kind of sleep. I think that we dont get near as much deep sleep after benzo. I only seem to get REM. Pre Benzo sleep felt great when I woke up. After Benzo sleep is horrible. Wake up dizzy and retching every morning. Almost feels like an alcohol hangover every single morning.

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Hang in there everyone on this thread. I went from 7 hrs a week, to 12-14 hours, 18-21 to 28-35hrs a week. I’ve been off ummm whatever my signature says. It’s been hellish and I still have really bad nights but u learn to shrug it off more and that’s exactly what changes things. When u get to that place of I’m living my life regardless. I know it’s hard but dig deep and give it the middle finger ❤️

 

It takes time, too much time. But the more u struggle against it the more it sucks u in like quicksand x

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  • 1 month later...
It’s been like 9 weeks!!! ago i could not sleep after quiting diazepam. Since then really slept so well like 6-8 hours per night. 2 weeks ago i started to wake up more then the weeks before so i noticed something changing. This week i only slept 1 night out of four. This night only 1 hour. I am so anxious when going to sleep and the whole night that wound up feeling is there. Breathing exercises do not help and no sleepy feeling at all. Could this be a wave after so many good weeks. I really thought i was over this. Also feeling depressed more and can not get over that feeling. Really weird.
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It’s so deeply frustrating to think you’re firmly on the road to recovery only to be thrown back into distressing symptoms but it’s completely normal for this to happen.  I know I’m asking the impossible but the more you fret about not sleeping, the more trouble you’ll have.  I hope you can find a way to accept this as just more of the same to be endured and not read too much into it.
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Thank you. This is really the worst week ever.

 

Mon: no sleep 0 hours

Tue: no sleep 0 hours

Wed: 8+ hours sleep so glad

Thu: 1,5 hour sleep in the morning around 05:00

Fri: 2 hour sleep in the morning around 06:00

Sat: no sleep 0 hours

 

It is if my mind does not know how to fall asleep.

Is my sleep patern some people recognize because i am really scared about the fact that i can not sleep even i am missing so much sleep.

 

 

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Insomnia is pretty universal around here, and isn’t it strange how you’re completely exhausted but not sleepy?  Can you yawn, I wasn’t able to and it was so frustrating.

 

Have you read this post, it has some good tips but the biggest one is acceptance which is the most difficult to accomplish. http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=235100.0

 

On your zero nights, are you losing time at all, just a few minutes here and there?  Many of us have noticed what we call micro-sleep, its what our bodies to to keep us functioning and I took comfort in the fact that my body knew what to do to keep me going even if I felt awful.

 

 

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