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would crossing from K to V help with insomnia?


[NJ...]

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So I need opinions on whether or not potentially crossing from K to V would help with very severe insomnia I have developed. I seem to have completely stopped sleeping this week. I have slept one night this week since waking up Sunday.

 

I also posted this on the insomnia board. I am completely at a loss as to what is going on. I haven't been sleeping well since the holidays but this is a new kind of hell. I am trying to figure out what is different. I have been crossing over from brand name to generic klonopin but the problems started before then (but have worsened). I know at 51 my hormones are all over the place. I am not tapering; in a long hold since September 2018 due to my son developing a serious health condition. He is still not stable.

 

But I could always sleep, a few months ago I was sleeping great every night. I am really afraid. I can't go on like this sleeping only one or two nights a week.I am thinking of calling my psychiatrist for help but I don't want to add another drug. Wondering if crossing to Valium which I believe is more sedating might help--it would at least be a different benzo that I am not tolerant to. I don't know if he would be open to that and I would need to manage the cross myself with the stockpile of K i do have.

 

My mental health is shot, and I am constantly nauseous and occasionally dry heaving from the lack of sleep. Has anyone had success with crossing to Valium from K in terms of getting more sleep? I also had issues with my K taper so I have been considering this for a long time, as I do eventually want to taper off the K once my son is in a better place healthwise which hopefully will be soon.

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Oh, NJStrength.  I’m saddened to learn you have been experiencing insomnia. Given everything else you have on your plate, that must be unbearable.

 

Can you remind us how long you have been taking 0.75mg of clonazepam? Is it possible you have developed tolerance to the hypnotic effect?

 

I don’t have personal experience with substituting diazepam for clonazepam, so I hope other members who do will share their experiences.  For example, I’ve read about three currently active members who have completed a clonazepam to diazepam crossover and seem to be doing ok — Momof7babes, Quietquiet, and Maugham1.

 

What I can offer is the following. As you may already know, some prescribers in the US are reluctant to prescribe diazepam. So, if you do decide to approach your prescriber about this, you may want to consider using the “forewarned is forearmed” strategy.  For example, I’ve read about multiple members who found it helpful to give their prescribers a printout of:

 

Reasons for a diazepam (Valium) taper

Professor C Heather Ashton, April, 2001

https://benzo.org.uk/ashvtaper.htm

 

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Libertas, Well I have been on K for 20 years. I definitely have developed tolerance to the hypnotic effect. I have been on the .75 mg (which is down from my pre-taper dose of 1 mg) for 18 months. I am also crossing from brand to teva and I don't know if that is having an impact. I am not sure why it would be this bad though, and the sleep issues did get worse even before the cross.

 

I have always had insomnia but this is a different beast. I am regularly not sleeping at all at least four to five nights a month. That is tolerable. But now it is worsening. I slept Saturday night, then Tuesday night, and that is it for this week. No sleep Sunday, Monday, Wednesday nights. I am not sure how to handle this.

 

Thank you for the link to the resources. I just don't know what to do here. I am not keeping up with work and mental health is quickly sliding.

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