In the middle of a 3 and half week insomnia wave --man....

Im 80 percnt off my topamax after being on it for 30 years and I am 13 months out from started a rapid taper.  I had insomnia really bad for the first 4-6 months in the beginning but slowly it started getting better. But I had a bad wave a couple months ago that lasted a couple weeks and it corrected.

 

But now I am in the middle of a 3 and half week wave of insomnia that is horrible. I tried to not take anything but after 3 or 4 days of zero sleep I had to. I started taking a 1/4 of a 50 mg seroquel every other night just to get some sleep. And on the nights that I dont take that I get zero sleep. I mean none. I have no idea whats going on. I had cut my topamax just a little. So that could be it but I hate to think every time  I cut 2 or 3 percent I am gonna be hit with a month or 2 month wave of zero sleep insomnia.

 

Ive also be goign thru some muscle pain as stuff as well.

 

Anyone got any advice or anything? Thanks for listening to me,.

You're only a bit over 4 months off of Xanax.  Xanax WD is most likely causing your sleep issues (IMO)?  I didn't get hit with severe insomnia until between month 3 and 4 after a CT from Xanax and other Benzos.  I know how bad it sucks to not sleep for days on end.  I tried seroquel too, but it only worked for a few days.  Remember that recovery/healing is non-linear...very UP and DOWN and very much a roller coaster ride.  I had a month long insomnia only wave at 18 months off and that was after sleeping OK for 6 months prior to that.  I had 4 zero nights and a bunch of 1 or 2 hour nights.  It evened out.  I still get an off night every few months but nothing like early on.

 

Topamax works on GABA....not sure if it does the same way as a Benzo, but it appears to do what a Benzo does?  Topamax is thought to decrease abnormal excitement in the brain. Among other actions, Topamax affects the activity of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyrate (GABA). GABA is involved in the excitability of the nervous system.

 

So Topamax coupled with Xanax WD is most likely creating all of your sleep issues? 

 

I normally don't like using or even suggesting Rx drugs, but you are probably OK with the low dose seroquel?  Do you what you need to to get through the bouts of zero sleep, but never go back on a Benzo (IMO).

 

Hang in there, it will even out.

You're only a bit over 4 months off of Xanax.  Xanax WD is most likely causing your sleep issues (IMO)?  I didn't get hit with severe insomnia until between month 3 and 4 after a CT from Xanax and other Benzos.  I know how bad it sucks to not sleep for days on end.  I tried seroquel too, but it only worked for a few days.  Remember that recovery/healing is non-linear...very UP and DOWN and very much a roller coaster ride.  I had a month long insomnia only wave at 18 months off and that was after sleeping OK for 6 months prior to that.  I had 4 zero nights and a bunch of 1 or 2 hour nights.  It evened out.  I still get an off night every few months but nothing like early on.

 

Topamax works on GABA....not sure if it does the same way as a Benzo, but it appears to do what a Benzo does?  Topamax is thought to decrease abnormal excitement in the brain. Among other actions, Topamax affects the activity of the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyrate (GABA). GABA is involved in the excitability of the nervous system.

 

So Topamax coupled with Xanax WD is most likely creating all of your sleep issues? 

 

I normally don't like using or even suggesting Rx drugs, but you are probably OK with the low dose seroquel?  Do you what you need to to get through the bouts of zero sleep, but never go back on a Benzo (IMO).

 

Hang in there, it will even out.

 

I really appreciate you taking the time to reply. Yeah I am guessing that topamax acting very similiar to the way benzos do but I have a rough time finding any information on it.

 

Maybe it will work itself out. Tonight is the night  I normally take a small amount of seroquel but i think I am gonna try to skip it.

 

Again, I really appreciate the reply.

Ok this is now into like week 5 or 6 i dont remember now.

 

I have to a small part of a seroquel every other night. And this week I have taken it a few nights in a row because i had the flu and I needed the rest. I think I am taking around 5 mg of the seroquel. I have reduced it. Not really sure why this wave of insomnia hit so hard. The last one was only a couple weeks. These waves seem to be getting longer :[

 

 

I was never able to discover why setbacks and improvements occurred during my healing and I have yet to communicate with anyone who did. A common belief was that it had something to do with the brain resetting itself, but that was just pure speculation. Even now, I have stretches of worse sleep (but much better than before) only to be replaced by stretches of good sleep. It would be easier to understand if the bad sleeps only lasted a night or two. I think that the up and down pattern can continue for a long time, but the downs just get less bad as time passes.

Aloha,,,,,,thank you for the post......I am in a bad wave right now....I guess that is what we call it, right?    I was doing a little better with sleep,  then, like a light switch came on and I am in a horrible week of insomnia again.....I  ask myself,  What is wrong with me?  Do I have Cancer,  Do I have a disease., etc......I am getting too old for this...ha  ...ha...

Runnergirl,

You probably don't have cancer or any disease because what you are going through is very common for folks who experience benzo and z-drug withdrawal.

I was never able to discover why setbacks and improvements occurred during my healing and I have yet to communicate with anyone who did. A common belief was that it had something to do with the brain resetting itself, but that was just pure speculation. Even now, I have stretches of worse sleep (but much better than before) only to be replaced by stretches of good sleep. It would be easier to understand if the bad sleeps only lasted a night or two. I think that the up and down pattern can continue for a long time, but the downs just get less bad as time passes.

 

I appreciate the post. Sleep has really been the worst symptom for me. I have had almost every WD symptom that one could have but sleep is the one that really pushes you to your limits because it affects everything else or makes everything else worse.

 

The wave that this thread had passed it was a long one. I had about a week or two of ok sleep and then I got hit with another wave that last a few weeks. None have been as bad as they were when I first got off but I have quite a taper left so I am sure that it will get worse before it gets better but thats part of it.

 

I hope you are healing and doing better yourself.

Aloha,,,,,,thank you for the post......I am in a bad wave right now....I guess that is what we call it, right?    I was doing a little better with sleep,  then, like a light switch came on and I am in a horrible week of insomnia again.....I  ask myself,  What is wrong with me?  Do I have Cancer,  Do I have a disease., etc......I am getting too old for this...ha  ...ha...

 

I doubt you have cancer. In the last year I have talked myself into every fatal disease there is to get so dont let your mind get the best of you. I can tell you that last winter I was having pain in my side and my bowels were messed up and my liver enzymes were elevated. I thought I had something bad then. I got so worked up that I was almost throwing up everyday. Also, tho the anxiety from tapering from drugs is playing a huge part in all of this as well.

I remember trying to take a walk and I had so much anxiety that it felt like a mountain had settled on me. It was overwhelming. But I got thru --I have the rest of the taper now.

You will get thru it. Just take it a day at a time and try not to let the worry and fear get the best of you.