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Worse insomnia please help!


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Is it common after jumping to have worse insomnia? I am 6 or 7 weeks out and since jumping i have had waves of bad insomnia, but the past few weeks its gotten worse. Is this common. I have been waking up alot all through taper. But since jumping i have nights of not being able to fall asleep or only getting 1to 2 hours total. Some nights i still getting more sleep though even with waking up every hour. Anyone have waves of only getting 1 to 2 hours? I never had problems with insomnia before.

 

Eliza

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I have bouts of insomnia too. It's very common because benzos induce sleep. Your sleep will resume as time passes. Maybe you can take some Unisom, melatonin, or Benadryl to help. Sleepy tea with chamomile and Valerian works also. Good luck. 
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Thanks for replying. Unfortunately I cannot tolerate much at all, so taking something is not an option for me. Did your insomnia go through cycles? Was it worse even after a few months of being off totally?
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Defintly do not resort to taking something.

 

What helped me was listening to sleep hypnosis videos on YouTube. It did not start to work on me for maybe 2 weeks. But over time, those videos worked like magic for me. You can listen to bedtime hypnosis stories, just to pass the time. If you do listen for several weeks, the hypnosis stuff will start to kick in. I like Jodi Whitely's recording, but also Michelle's Sanctuary. Depends on you. Some people [prefer a male voice. I don't. Check this pout on YouTube.It is worth a couple weeks of trying.

east

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Thanks for replying. Unfortunately I cannot tolerate much at all, so taking something is not an option for me. Did your insomnia go through cycles? Was it worse even after a few months of being off totally?

 

I've only been off for about 3 weeks after a 2 year taper. I have friends who have been off for months and they still have bouts of insomnia, but say it's getting better as time passes. Your brain will remember how to sleep with time. Try not to dwell on it. Good luck  :thumbsup:

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Your system will settle down. It sounds like you don't have total insomnia (zero sleep for weeks etc). I like the suggestions for the over the counter stuff, Benadryl melatonin etc. No magic bullets, but they will help a bit. I would strongly encourage you to stay away fron z drugs and benzos. If it stays bad, then a low dose of Remeron (7.5 mgs or so) would be an option.
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I had it off and on for 2 years.

I learned to just live with it and sleep when my body wanted to.

Dont get angry...that just slows the recovery.

It does get better!

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It's definitely common to have problems with insomnia. I averaged about 3 hours sleep for 8 months after jumping. It gets better, the key is to not worry about it, it comes back naturally. I found that I started improving more rapidly after I stopped trying to take supplements / over the counter meds to help. Regular exercise is also important, even if you can only walk.

 

Lack of sleep will not kill you or even really hurt your health. Interestingly, I had a blood test when I was 6 months off and had slept 3 hours a night during that time period and my cholesterol, triglycerides and other measures were somehow better than they had been on the drugs, despite a worse diet, less exercise and the sleeping problems. I was pretty amazed by this.

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Insomnia is the one symptom most here have in common. You will be surprised with how little sleep you will be able to function if you look back in a year or two. I had a lot of sleep problems before and after the taper - now completely gone. I cannot remember any more when it lifted but I remember that I thought I would die or go mad because I couldn't sleep (and elder buddies told me the same I do now tell you)..

 

Gets better!!

Do NOT TAKE ANY SUPPLEMENT OR MED - let your body adjust by itself (everything is going the right way)

 

Marigold

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Your system will settle down. It sounds like you don't have total insomnia (zero sleep for weeks etc). I like the suggestions for the over the counter stuff, Benadryl melatonin etc. No magic bullets, but they will help a bit. I would strongly encourage you to stay away fron z drugs and benzos. If it stays bad, then a low dose of Remeron (7.5 mgs or so) would be an option.

 

I am so sensitive to chemicals and meds. I cannot even take a tylenol. The only med im on right now is synthroid for thyroid and i started on a low dose bp med a beta blocker for the high bp that started during my taper. I have had nights of total insomnia during this taper and withdrawal. I am thankful to get even an hour. The night before thanksgiving i got over 6 hours of sleep. It was broken, but it was so nice. Then it went back to 3 broken ' hours, and last night, im not even sure, but I think i got 1 to 2 hours total. I know the Lord will give me what I need. Its so hard to believe that all these things can happen to your body from one pill! I never had a problem sleeping in my life. One of the first things that I noticed when I started tapering was that I could.not nap anymore at all! Oh how I miss my naps. So I guess I should have figured my sleep was going to get messed up. I jumped on October 7th. I guess im still very early in this.

 

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Yes indeed. I have been off 6 months and 14 days.  I go back and forth getting 2 hours to 6 hours.  I get up several times during the night.  Neuro says I need cpap and have tried it, but experience same problems with sleep.  I think it just takes awhile for the body to repair itself.
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Insomnia is the one symptom most here have in common. You will be surprised with how little sleep you will be able to function if you look back in a year or two. I had a lot of sleep problems before and after the taper - now completely gone. I cannot remember any more when it lifted but I remember that I thought I would die or go mad because I couldn't sleep (and elder buddies told me the same I do now tell you)..

 

Gets better!!

Do NOT TAKE ANY SUPPLEMENT OR MED - let your body adjust by itself (everything is going the right way)

 

Marigold

 

Did you have trouble falling asleep? Was your insomnia pretty severe? Like only getting 1 to 2 or 3 hours if that? Also can it last for months like that?

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Insomnia is the one symptom most here have in common. You will be surprised with how little sleep you will be able to function if you look back in a year or two. I had a lot of sleep problems before and after the taper - now completely gone. I cannot remember any more when it lifted but I remember that I thought I would die or go mad because I couldn't sleep (and elder buddies told me the same I do now tell you)..

 

Gets better!!

Do NOT TAKE ANY SUPPLEMENT OR MED - let your body adjust by itself (everything is going the right way)

 

Marigold

 

Did you have trouble falling asleep? Was your insomnia pretty severe? Like only getting 1 to 2 or 3 hours if that? Also can it last for months like that?

 

I had weeks with 4 hours sleep per week. I could not fall asleep. No matter how hard and what I tried. Then it changed and I could sleep for 4 hours after being awake 3 hours.. turning and tossing in bed.. And yes it can last months but it somehow changes. I did a lot in those nights .. watching netflix, or just napping or faking it.. changed rooms, beds,... whatever keeps you from going crazy.

In the end I am thankful I did not take any thing and just waited until it was over because a normal sleep is so much better than sleeping under meds.

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Wow. 4 hours per week! How did you function? Sometimes i cant even tell if i fell asleep or not, did you ever have that? Thank you for your encouragement. It really helps to know others have gone through it too. If you only got 4 hours per week, then you must have had alot of nights  with no sleep at all.
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Wow. 4 hours per week! How did you function? Sometimes i cant even tell if i fell asleep or not, did you ever have that? Thank you for your encouragement. It really helps to know others have gone through it too. If you only got 4 hours per week, then you must have had alot of nights  with no sleep at all.

 

Well... as I told before, you would not believe it .. the best advice a good friend gave me was "your body recovers if you only rest or nap". Thats what kept me alive. I trained myself not to panic but just to lay on the sofa and close my eyes. I listened to the tv or an audiobook and just accepted the situation. The panic is the worst and if you just let go and accept that you feel like a zombie it is possible to live like this. However I am glad its over of course.

 

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Wow. 4 hours per week! How did you function? Sometimes i cant even tell if i fell asleep or not, did you ever have that? Thank you for your encouragement. It really helps to know others have gone through it too. If you only got 4 hours per week, then you must have had alot of nights  with no sleep at all.

 

Well... as I told before, you would not believe it .. the best advice a good friend gave me was "your body recovers if you only rest or nap". Thats what kept me alive. I trained myself not to panic but just to lay on the sofa and close my eyes. I listened to the tv or an audiobook and just accepted the situation. The panic is the worst and if you just let go and accept that you feel like a zombie it is possible to live like this. However I am glad its over of course.

 

Can I ask you one more question? Did your insomnia from wd last for weeks or months?

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I said this in another thread.

I just came off of 9 days with no sleep. I might have an hour or two in there but i dont remember. I almost went crazy. I took everything i could find to make me sleep. Nothing came close to helping.

 

I still cant sleep. I take half a seroquel every other night so i can get some rest. I am going to cut that down some so i am not taking any other medication.

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I went close to three months with near zero sleep, maybe an hour or two of light airplane seat sleep occasionally but most nights zero. And this was BEFORE my detox. Depression can also screw up the brain for sleep. Strangely, I started sleeping a bit during my detox, and was sleeping 3 to 5 yrs a night after it. The AD's helped.
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Wow. 4 hours per week! How did you function? Sometimes i cant even tell if i fell asleep or not, did you ever have that? Thank you for your encouragement. It really helps to know others have gone through it too. If you only got 4 hours per week, then you must have had alot of nights  with no sleep at all.

 

Well... as I told before, you would not believe it .. the best advice a good friend gave me was "your body recovers if you only rest or nap". Thats what kept me alive. I trained myself not to panic but just to lay on the sofa and close my eyes. I listened to the tv or an audiobook and just accepted the situation. The panic is the worst and if you just let go and accept that you feel like a zombie it is possible to live like this. However I am glad its over of course.

 

Can I ask you one more question? Did your insomnia from wd last for weeks or months?

 

I cant even remember any more. This shows how much further I am now.

I remember the first 8 weeks off were hell, after that I could nap.. its not linear!

If you do not work, lay down and try to sleep when you feel that way, and if you are able to sleep at the day, dont worry. No need to take an AD, no need to practices sleep routines, just listen to the body.

After some nights everyone falls asleep. The difference is, as you have noticed, you dont know it. Cause you still feel like shit.

Its a weird symptom but the brain seems to need it to build up all the neurotransmitters by itself now..

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