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Sleep Will Return!


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I follow these posts because my sleep is still mostly elusive.  On April 2, I had total left knee replacement and other than the first two nights on oxycodone, my sleep is either gone or I get an hour.  On Sunday night, I slept between six or seven hours. I woke up a few times, but did manage to go back to sleep.

It's gone again with maybe an hour last night.

A few nights ago, I felt so awful from no sleep.

I also wonder if the lack of sleep is slowing down my knee recovery.

On the bright side, I am able to do more each week, so in spite of so little sleep there is improvement.

NG

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  • 2 months later...
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Wish I could sleep. So miserable. I'm lucky to get 3 hours. I have dreams--slightly weird but nothing bad.

I'm honestly tempted to so a minor updose in hopes of stabilizing.

 

Can anyone give me some reassurance that I'm not going to die of sleep deprivation, have a heart attack, permanent brain damage, or anything? Been losing it the past few days.

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You certainly won't die or have a heart attack.  Why would you?  Your heart always beats even when your sleeping.  I went 10 months on very little sleep and never experienced any medical issues.  In fact I went to 4 different ERs in 4 different cities over a 4 week period and they all said there was nothing wrong with me.  I had every medical test that insurance would allow including brain and body MRIs, complete blood work, etc. 

 

Everything came back normal.  I was certain that my lack of sleep would cause some sort of medical issue, but it didn't and it didn't for many others on forum too.  Your body will get all the sleep it needs before something bad will happen to you.  "microsleeps" sustain you. 

 

Sure, it's always better to sleep, but 3 hours isn't bad.  There were many times when I thought 3 hours of sleep was great.

 

Unfortunately updosing at this point probably isn't going to give you more sleep?  Please be grateful for the sleep you are getting.

 

Your sleep may become worse up and until you are completely off, but then true healing and recovery will begin. 

 

It may not be easy but, you can do this.  I did it and so did countless others.  It's temporary, it won't last forever.  Sleep Returns given enough time.

 

Good luck

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Humm, I was hoping if I held my dose until I stabilized I would get slightly improved sleep and I could work on a very slow taper.

At least I wont die but I'm still incredibly miserable and sad.

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Humm, I was hoping if I held my dose until I stabilized I would get slightly improved sleep and I could work on a very slow taper.

At least I wont die but I'm still incredibly miserable and sad.

 

I'm sorry your are experiencing insomnia. That is my biggest symptom too. That and GAD. I also get 0 to 3 hours most nights and I am grateful if i sleep at all, which I did last night. I know it's hard, but it makes the days go by so much better if you can figure out a way to accept the page you are currently on and be grateful for what sleep you DO get along with being grateful for many symptoms you're not experiencing.

 

Here's to hoping we both have better sleep sooner rather than later but, while we're waiting, as much peace as possible.

 

HM

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Humm, I was hoping if I held my dose until I stabilized I would get slightly improved sleep and I could work on a very slow taper.

At least I wont die but I'm still incredibly miserable and sad.

 

I'm sorry your are experiencing insomnia. That is my biggest symptom too. That and GAD. I also get 0 to 3 hours most nights and I am grateful if i sleep at all, which I did last night. I know it's hard, but it makes the days go by so much better if you can figure out a way to accept the page you are currently on and be grateful for what sleep you DO get along with being grateful for many symptoms you're not experiencing.

 

Here's to hoping we both have better sleep sooner rather than later but, while we're waiting, as much peace as possible.

 

HM

 

Thanks. I'm still pretty early into getting benzo-wise, so to speak, and still coming to terms with things. I was taking benzos for sleep so my mind would calm down and not jump to bad places, so finding out the crutch was actually hurting me and I don't have a safety line anymore is pretty hard.

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I was taking Xanax for insomnia too and it stopped working. I took it and nothing happened except increased anxiety and paradoxical symptoms. I wish I could say I am a Super Hero who just bravely decided to stop benzo's, but I had no choice. It turned on me and was hurting me and I had no choice but to taper off. I know it's hard but our brains will heal and figure it out. Hang in there. Even getting 'rest' is good for your brain and body.

 

Take Care,

 

HM

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Prior to my persistent insomnia and attendant anxiety my blood pressure was good (115/60).  Now it's hovering around 145/70.  This is troubling.  Have any of you noted similar insomnia/anxiety-related bp increases?
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I don't take my BP at home but, to the best of my knowledge, my BP is the same. I haven't that symptom. I hope you are able to get some good sleep soon and your blood pressure comes back down.

 

Here's to all of us getting adequate sleep and feeling good :)

 

HM

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It's been 43 months for me and my sleep still hasn't returned. I have a continuous never ending 24 hour sleep schedule bc i can't hold it on a regular normal pattern, in the 3.5 years i have yet to even have taken a brief daytime nap or anytime nap for that matter. About 3 hours of broken intermitent non restorative sleep is all i get, its like im 50 % sleep and 50% aware im not fully asleep. Once awake it usually takes me about 13-15 hours before my CNS will allow me to fall asleep no matter what. My eyes burn , my eye sockets ache, my brain feels like permanent dementia. Im 95% home bound, non functional, head pressure, electrical feeling in the brain, nervousness, all the usual symptoms. Sarah Price Hancock a big pioneer in the PSych drug withdrawl field who was severely brain injured herself but has since mostly recovered and has been on Benzo Brains podcast mentioned the other day on twitter about a reference to something called Tardive Insomnia but really didn't go into explaining what it is or anything. Has anyone aver heard of it or know what it is ? Honestly at this point i don't think my normal sleep will ever return, i just haven't seen people this far out where their sleep hasn't returned, sure ive seen people this far out still having other symptoms and that haven't healed.
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[9c...]

It's been 43 months for me and my sleep still hasn't returned. I have a continuous never ending 24 hour sleep schedule bc i can't hold it on a regular normal pattern, in the 3.5 years i have yet to even have taken a brief daytime nap or anytime nap for that matter. About 3 hours of broken intermitent non restorative sleep is all i get, its like im 50 % sleep and 50% aware im not fully asleep. Once awake it usually takes me about 13-15 hours before my CNS will allow me to fall asleep no matter what. My eyes burn , my eye sockets ache, my brain feels like permanent dementia. Im 95% home bound, non functional, head pressure, electrical feeling in the brain, nervousness, all the usual symptoms. Sarah Price Hancock a big pioneer in the PSych drug withdrawl field who was severely brain injured herself but has since mostly recovered and has been on Benzo Brains podcast mentioned the other day on twitter about a reference to something called Tardive Insomnia but really didn't go into explaining what it is or anything. Has anyone aver heard of it or know what it is ? Honestly at this point i don't think my normal sleep will ever return, i just haven't seen people this far out where their sleep hasn't returned, sure ive seen people this far out still having other symptoms and that haven't healed.

 

Have you tried anything else in terms of medication or supplements to sleep?

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It's been 43 months for me and my sleep still hasn't returned. I have a continuous never ending 24 hour sleep schedule bc i can't hold it on a regular normal pattern, in the 3.5 years i have yet to even have taken a brief daytime nap or anytime nap for that matter. About 3 hours of broken intermitent non restorative sleep is all i get, its like im 50 % sleep and 50% aware im not fully asleep. Once awake it usually takes me about 13-15 hours before my CNS will allow me to fall asleep no matter what. My eyes burn , my eye sockets ache, my brain feels like permanent dementia. Im 95% home bound, non functional, head pressure, electrical feeling in the brain, nervousness, all the usual symptoms. Sarah Price Hancock a big pioneer in the PSych drug withdrawl field who was severely brain injured herself but has since mostly recovered and has been on Benzo Brains podcast mentioned the other day on twitter about a reference to something called Tardive Insomnia but really didn't go into explaining what it is or anything. Has anyone aver heard of it or know what it is ? Honestly at this point i don't think my normal sleep will ever return, i just haven't seen people this far out where their sleep hasn't returned, sure ive seen people this far out still having other symptoms and that haven't healed.

 

I have never heard of Tardive Insomnia. I am sorry to hear you are still waiting for your sleep to return. Obviously, it takes longer for some than others. There are a few support threads on here where we can offer each other support for our insomnia. I am also sorry you're having other symptoms as well. I have insomnia and GAD and those are my 2 biggest symptoms. I also stay home and don't drive do to my insomnia. I feel, at least some of, your pain.

 

I hope you are having as good a Monday as possible,

 

HM

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  • 1 month later...

I haven't had any sleep issues unless my anxiety was really bad or if air hunger kept me awake and unable to fall asleep.

 

However, I go to sleep at a different time everyday ever since benzo withdrawal. I just found out its a sleep disorder called non 24. I'm praying that I can heal from this.

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After months of 0 to 3 hours (usually close to 2 hours), I have finally had 3 weeks of 4+ hours of sleep. I have even had a handful of 5, 6 and 7 hours of sleep. I know that sleep returning isn't linear, so I am prepared for the worst but I am enjoying the nights when I get more sleep than what I have been getting. Ever since I have read this thread the first time, I have hoped it's true that "sleep will return". I am still hoping, for all of our sakes.

 

HM

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Another night of zero sleep.

So miserable. Benadryl does nothing, melatonin does nothing.

Just so we're clear, we're not gonna die from 0-3 hours of sleep for all these weeks and months of insomnia, right?

 

Just need some reassurance.

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Definitely not! I got only 2-4 hours of (very broken) sleep for the better part of 3 years while tapering and in withdrawal—and I couldn't ever take a nap. It was miserable, but my body adapted and I managed to work and somehow do what I needed to do to make it through life. It was an awful and extremely frustrating time.

 

And guess what? Sleep has returned! For well over a month now, I'm getting 7+ hours of sleep, falling asleep quickly and often sleeping straight through the night. I truly believed I'd never be able to sleep normally again, and it just magically returned. It will happen one day for you too!

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WS,

That sounds heavenly! I'd love to sleep 7+ hours every night. Last night, for me, was 3 to 4 hours in the wee morning hours, but at least I slept and I am grateful for that.

 

HM

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Thanks. I'm just terrified of my heart giving out or something from the lack of sleep. I just lay in bed for hours and nothing happens, aside from getting up every hour to go to the bathroom.
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Knight,

 

I feel your pain! Every night, I toss and turn for hours before sleep comes (if it does). The one thing I will say is it is better than it was 2 to 3 months ago when I had restless leg syndrome, air hunger and anxiety. I used to have to get up and pace the room. It has gotten much better even though I still lie awake. I will be so happy when this crap is out of my system.

 

HM

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Yeah, same here. So frustrating to have to claw bite and scratch for every hour of sleep. Few months ago my limbs would lurch randomly when I attempted to lay down but it's let up some now.
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