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can I mix it up to sleep?


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Hello,

Been on a taper for 6 weeks and am not sleeping very much.  I see the equavalents of benzos and want to know if I can stop taking restoril and change in even 1/2 as much ambien for a few days to get some sleep.  I used to mix them up to sleep with limited success.  I am at 18 mg of restoril right now down from 60.  I go to 16.5 tomorrow.  I wonder if there is damage in taking say a 5 mg ambiem cr tonight instead of the restoril?  Two nights ago I actually slept a little and then HAD to remember to take the restoril so I would not have problems later in the day or week.  I am committed to working the plan, and if this does not work then I won't do it, but I do know these drugs trade one for one.  I am pretty much in sleep hell right now.  Have lots of side effects, but dont know if they are from benzos or from topamax?  Used to take trazadone as well and have not touched it since Feb.  I have used the ambien twice since I started this taper but have not used more than my prescribed taper of restoril yet.  I am committed, just need to sleep.  I am healing and feel better, much better, but I need to sleep without it consuming my entire life.  Any advice would be appreciated, especially from someone who has experience with ambien,  temazapan or restoril, or chronic insomnia.  Thanks to all.  Don Julio

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Chronic Insomniac here. I know that feeling of desperation to get some sleep. Have been on them all over the last 12 years-used nightly until they finally messed me up to much. Like you, I have been tempted to try some of my ambien or lunesta in the middle of the night-was always glad the next morning that i hadnt. Hope you prevail in your battle.

 

I quit sleep all meds feb 22 and am due to taper to 5.5 valium tonight. One thing i think might be helping me sleep farily well. It is tart cherry juice. You can buy it in a concentrate to drink  or capsules which is what i have. I take double the recommended dose before bed and another one or two when I wake (usually a couple times) during the night.  The theory is the Z-drugs mess up your melatonin and the tart cherry encourages natural production. I had tried melatonin supplements and had sporadic results with them--better results with the tart cherry.

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I will get some cherry juice tomorrow.  Melatonin does not even touch the sleep issue for me.  Tried that years ago.  Thanks for the reply.  Just dont want to take three steps back.  But am curious if these drugs are all equivalent, then what is the difference?  I guess I am thinking along the line of alcohol.  thee beers equla 3 shots of vodka.  So...  anyway, thanks for the reply.  Just want to sleep without it consuming my life. 
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DJ,

 

I would say it probably isn't the best idea. Even if you get the equivalencies 'correct', there is still a matter of half lives. Differing half lives can effect an abrupt change like that. (Restoril has a much longer half life than ambien) Switching back and forth between benzos is not a good idea.

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I decided to just stay with the restoril and not introduce any other chemicals.  I guess this is just part of the problem.  If anyone has any other advice I am game for hearing it.  I just struggle like hell with forcing myself to take the drugs when I know they are not going to work, but read that this is part of the program to insure my receptors heal and what not.  I have experience with c/t on a/d and dont want to do that and want a healthy mind when this is completed so I will just work the plan.  I just want to be off these damn things and get my short term memory back, sleep when I am tired, and feel like when I talk I am saying what I want to say.  Thanks. 
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I thought we weren't suppose to take ambien or Lunesta because it  falls into some "Z-drug thing on the chart".

 

I did not see anything in the Ashton Manuel about helping one sleep.  I take this herbal med which seems to help. 

 

What about a strong antihistamine like phernagan (?) or antivert which also contains sedation properties?

 

Seems better than "mixing it up"--more meds but seems better than some cocktail of mix and match meds.

 

just my opinion

 

Mary

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Hi donjulio

 

 

I have desperately tried every herb,over the counter med, prescription sleep aid ( restoril, trazadone, rozerem) that I could find to help with anxiety, sleep etc.

 

After mixing and matching etc. I found a site where they said " Any thing that has an effect (even though it might make us feel better temporarily) messes with our minds!

 

Conclusion is that we may actually slow and hurt the healing of our brain/GABA sites by introducing chemicals to our brain. Less is better!

 

A slow taper, exercise, sleep tracks/hypnosis (sleep inducing cds) or white noise (fan, ocean sounds etc.) help. Just Say No! Go Natural!

 

I have come to accept my symptoms as part of the healing process and now have less intense symptoms.

 

Teakettle

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I guess that is where I come up with the mix it up saying.  I also have tried everything.  If I was told to smoke a pound of asparagus at night and it would make me sleep, I would probably try it!!  I did a/d, trazadone, ambien and cr, rozerem, flexeril, melatonin, seroquel, zoloft, lithium , tryptophan, antihistamine etc.  They all work for a while and I do know I need to get off of the benzo restoril.  I decided to not introduce the ambien or any other type of herb, or even asparagus.  I use a fan, and typically sleep in three different places every night.  This is with the restoril taper.  Perhaps the answer is accepting it.  I do hope and pray that after I get off this drug, and  "healed" I will return to some normal or more normal sleep.  I used to sleep.  I used to not have tremendous anxiety.  I want that life back.  I really appreciate everyones input because you people do this because it helps me and it helps you.  You dont do it for the money.  When it is all about the money, the real part of caring is gone and I think the trying to get to the bottom of the problem is also gone.  There is more money in treating problems than solving them.  I will now jump off of my soap box.  Thanks to all.
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