Temazepam/Restoril cold turkey

One at a time, over 6 week's time, I've tried 7 different prescription sleep meds (2 were benzos). Had to stop temazepam cold turkey (read below). I took temazepam for “just” 11 days. My insomnia started about 10 days after I had covid. Dr. said the insomnia may have started because of "covid inflammation". 

 

Just like the other drugs I tried for sleep, temazepam/Restoril only let me sleep a few hours per night and made me feel awful the next day. By the time I tried this drug, I was craving sleep so badly I took several 30 mg temazepam capsules at night just to get a few hours of sleep. I used up a one-month prescription within 11 days= VERY BAD IDEA because then I had to be off of it cold-turkey since it's a controlled substance and I wasn't due for a refill yet.  Doctor wanted me to try a higher dose of mirtazapine/Remeron instead. I refused it.

 

Because of cold-turkey withdrawal from Restoril/ temazepam  I’m getting zero hours of sleep per night.  From reading other posts I realize I may have many more sleepless nights ahead of me. Can barely function during the day from lack of sleep. I am retired, so I can stay at home.  Husband helps me get through the days. Horrible benzo withdrawal symptoms, including no appetite/losing 17 pounds in 6 weeks.  I quit Ambien cold-turkey 15 years ago. This withdrawal is 100 times worse. 

 

Other sleep drugs I recently tried (one at time, disposed of a drug when it didn't help well for insomnia and tried another):

Mirtazapine (Remeron)-took 5 nights, only 3 hours sleep. Made me very anxious during the night and made my nose bleed.

Trazodone-  tried about 6 different times at different strengths, stuffy nose, anxiety, only slept about 2 hours if at all.

Zolpidem (Ambien)- took for 10 days. Quick tolerance to 5 mg, then 10 mg.  Only slept 1 or 2 hours on 10 mg.  Stupid to try it again after getting off of it 15 years ago.

Buspirone (Buspar)- tried it once  for insomnia-induced daytime anxiety. Made my anxiety worse.

Quetiapine (Seroquel)- took 1 night, only slept for 30 minutes, caused terrible dizziness.

Lorazepam (Ativan)- took 1 night, slept about 2 hours.

Temazepam/Restoril- took for  “only” 12 days.  Had to cold-turkey (see above).

 

Non-prescriptions I’ve tried:

melatonin (doesn’t work for me at any strength, only gives me headaches )

Magnesium glycinate- sometimes relaxes me for a few minutes, doesn’t help me sleep, though.

Magnesium citrate- took it for a few months, possibly magnesium contributes to my insomnia?

Unisom/ doxylamine succinate- makes me wired instead of sleepy.  (Same with Benadryl).

Alteril- didn't work.

L-theanine- sometimes helps anxiety during the day but keeps me awake at night.

 

 

So a combination of medications for about 6 weeks?  That’s long enough for your body to become dependent and it sounds like you were tolerant as well.  Do you plan to continue with this cold turkey?

So a combination of medications for about 6 weeks?  That’s long enough for your body to become dependent and it sounds like you were tolerant as well.  Do you plan to continue with this cold turkey?

 

I took one medication at a time.  When one didn't help much with my insomnia, I disposed of it and the doctor had me try a different one. Within 6 weeks time, 7 different medications were tried, each individually. The longest I took any one was temazepam for 11 days. I was so desperate for sleep by then I took double of my prescribed 30 mg dose of it, though.  Was hoping to stay cold turkey, if I had temazepam or any other sleep medication in my house I know I'd for sure want to take too much of it just so I could get a few hours of sleep. (I haven't slept all, zero hours, since my CT 5 days ago).

Also, my prescription of temazepam is 30 mg capsules, there's no way I would have the patience to weigh out the powder to taper.