Hypnic Jerks

Back in February I went two complete days with no sleep due to insomnia. Tried Benadryl, Tylenol, hydroxyzine to no avail. On the third day I was exhausted and thought for sure I must sleep now. Every time I try to sleep, I’d be almost there, and then a random part of my body would just jerk I’d be wide awake with a surge of adrenaline. I’m pretty sure this is all stemming from anxiety.

 

ER prescribed Ativan which I took for four days. Then normal sleep returned More or less, and over the next few weeks, or use .5 mg sparingly when I couldn’t sleep due to a doctors appointment the next day.

 

psychiatrist prescribed Klonopin. And using .125 mg a day. Then using an additional .25 mg a few times a week to sleep.

 

Of course Saturday night the .25 mg buys me maybe two hours of sleep. Last night same situation as above, just can’t fall asleep due to the hypnic jerks. Ended up with .5mg of K, which knocked me out for six hours in something that resembled sleep.

 

I haven’t started my taper yet.

 

I’m wondering if there’s a good solution here. Would adding an SSRI or another sleep drug help stabilize things before taper?

You  need to do what is best for you, but IMO, asking to add another Rx drug, such as an SSRI, is the same as asking if you should add rat poison to your food.  ALL drugs are a dead end road and all stop working.  If it's any consolation, I went with no sleep for 3 and sometimes 4 nights in a row at least a dozen times after I jumped CT.  Lack of sleep will not kill you.  It certainly sucks and is no fun at all, but is very survivable until sleep returns.  I did the same thing...had a few zero nights and off nights and went on Benzos immediately.  I guess it's all part of our "fast food" culture that wants everything fixed immediately.  However, if I had to do it over again, I would have endured the regular insomnia vs. the Benzo-induced insomnia.  The first was a puff of wind, the 2nd a Category 5 Hurricane.

However, if I had to do it over again, I would have endured the regular insomnia vs. the Benzo-induced insomnia.  The first was a puff of wind, the 2nd a Category 5 Hurricane.

 

OMG, this is spot on!

I also got put on benzos for a few nights of insomnia....nothing compared to what I would endure after CT/rapid.

And yes, during acute I also went 3 days no sleep at all multiple times. Then it began a sort of pattern...2 or 3 days no sleep, then 1 day 2 or 3 hours. Then when sleep started returning I would wake every 30 mins, then every hour, then every 2 hours....till I started reaching 4-5 hours at a time. Now can sleep all night barely waking and occasionally no waking! I am like 10 months off.

But with the hypnic jerks in the beginning I thought it would NEVER happen!!!! They were sooooooo bad! And so torturous because it's like a cruel joke to be falling asleep only to be jerked out!

I still have nights of bad sleep here and there but nothing compared to CT.

So I would wish you the best in your taper and try to EASE off the benzo.