Sleeplessness From Diazepam Withdrawal

Pretty much kicked the VA to the curb to get me off Valium - went back to my 'old school' psychiatrist for help. I'd been on 7.5 mg per day since June 16 and wasn't scheduled to go to VA for another couple weeks. He immediately cut me to 2.5 mg twice a day for one week, then drop to 2.5 mg once a day for a week then quit. Monday will be the end of the twice a day routine then I'll start the single 2.5 mg dose  on Tuesday (Aug 4) and see him Wednesday. Not much problem so far except ongoing mild nausea and trouble sleeping. The VA had given  me some Phenergan (promethazine) for nausea (also makes you sleepy). I ran it by him and he said it should be no problem and to give it a try. The only interaction is:  they both make you drowsy which is sort of what I want anyway. Family doc says he's taken it  while in the gulf fishing and it cures seasickness but makes him too sleepy to fish!

Anyone else had experience with these two together? I really need to get some rest-been averaging 3-4 hrs a night if I'm lucky and it makes me pretty useless during the day, plus, I don't want to sleep during the day because I won't be able to sleep at night. These are 25mg tabs - I thought I'd try 1/2 tab before I go to bed.

The end is in sight with the Diazepam if the next cut and jump goes as smoothly as this past one and I'll be clean in another week and hope the side effects don't stay around. I haven't been on it that long so hoping that will make things a little easier (fingers crossed).

I took phenergan a few times while on Valium. It's an antihistamine based nausea med, so it's sleep effects are similar to Benadryl, etc. Fairly safe.

Your taper looks fast, and be aware that Valium withdrawals take a few days to catch up to you.  Currently I'll take a 0.1mg cut and feel it 2-3 days later (insomnia and restlessness).

You a guitarist? I play acoustic fingerstyle, though I'll go weeks without picking it up these days...

Hi Mr Guitar ,  nice name  & nice guitar photo !! i was a percussionist a long time i've had a 5 piece ludwig drug set with paiste cymbals i took a few years off from playing my drums i started again around a year ago . i like to play along with music. long ago a family of a deceased friend gave me my friend's guitar its really nice even tho its old lookin its a martin accoustic guitar with a plug to plug in a amp every time i hear a song i like that has an accoustic guitar such as neil young- old man i  say to myself " i couldve played this damn song by now if i  played my guitar alot ever since i got it "

when i was going thru acute withdrawals from xanax i was having insomnia problems i was able to sleep bettre when i took vitamin D , vitamin C , Magnesium & potassium al of those helped me fall asleep i took those aftre my brakfast i took all of those at once with a cup of milk  vitamins are more affective when taken with milk . in the evening i drank some chamomille tea or sleepytime tea slepytime is new to me it works extremly well i fell asleep in just 5 minutes after taking both of those teas you can find at your local supermarket . i sleep with a fan on pointed away from me i just use that fan to make noise to cover outside noises such as dogs barking or loud cars passing by i dont hear those when my fan is on . i also like to use a contour pillow i got 2 from target 11 years ago and  5 years ago tiey were around $15 theyre shapped like this o-O  those give me very very GOOD sleep posture sometimes i like to use a oversized fluffy pillow i got at walmart the Giant fluffy pillow i use is white with blue stripes on it those are like $3.50- $4.50 at walmart in the late evenings after i exercise i take a shower & i  fill the bathtub with hot tub temperature water i lay there for 20-30 minutes it feels so relaxing i massage my neck shoudlers in there those areas feel chronically tense that medication stress has caused  after i dry off from bath  this sounds yuck but i dont put on deodorant im senstive to smell i know you probably dont have long hair but for the ladies reading this after my bath i put my hair in a pony tail if i dont do this fine strands of hair touching my face when im aslep wakes me up soemtimes .

im sorry about the long letter Mr guitar , i really hope this helps you as much as this has helped me , 

god bless you

Katie (babyangel)