Please help!! Short Term Use Insomnia

Hi all,

 

I've used Clonazepam for just under 1 month and not even everyday with an average daily dose of less than 0.20 mg. I have been trying to taper down and have been on 0.125 mg daily for the past few days without issue. I tried to foolishy jump at this dose and after about 2 days, I absolutely couldn't sleep. I chickened out and have taken 0.375 mg today and still can't sleep much and it isn't making sense to me.

 

I've just so worried and scared about not being able to get off this stuff or how to deal with the insomnia. I worry this is going to become some chronic symptom. Please someone give me some guidance. I've been obsessing about trying to get off the benzos to the point where it has taken over my life and I'm barely functioning and I can't stop stressing about it.

Generally we find a dose that we're stable on and then taper from there. Dr. Reg Peart recommends cutting 2.5% off of total dose per week. Maybe it would be easier if you switched to diazepam (0.125 mg of clonazepam is equivalent to 2.5 mg of diazepam, and that's far too high a dose to jump from)?

Generally we find a dose that we're stable on and then taper from there. Dr. Reg Peart recommends cutting 2.5% off of total dose per week. Maybe it would be easier if you switched to diazepam (0.125 mg of clonazepam is equivalent to 2.5 mg of diazepam, and that's far too high a dose to jump from)?

 

Thanks so much for your reply. I guess I didn't want to slow taper since I haven't used it long term but maybe .125 was still too high. Will try to cut down lower to .0325 mg maybe.

Your benzo use was for such a short time, I hate to see you taper too much longer but if tapering to .0325 will make you feel better about your outcome then its worth a shot.

 

It sounds like you're going to feel symptoms no matter how low you go but I've seen many members with use like yours get through this faster than the long term folks.  It's not pleasant but I've seen them turn around in a matter of weeks, not months or years.  I can't promise this will be the same for you but I feel it's worth giving it a chance.

 

Finding tools to get you through the acute stage I feel will help you more than switching to Valium or tapering much longer.  Acceptance, distraction and education are key.

Your benzo use was for such a short time, I hate to see you taper too much longer but if tapering to .0325 will make you feel better about your outcome then its worth a shot.

 

It sounds like you're going to feel symptoms no matter how low you go but I've seen many members with use like yours get through this faster than the long term folks.  It's not pleasant but I've seen them turn around in a matter of weeks, not months or years.  I can't promise this will be the same for you but I feel it's worth giving it a chance.

 

Finding tools to get you through the acute stage I feel will help you more than switching to Valium or tapering much longer.  Acceptance, distraction and education are key.

 

Thank you, I think these are wise words. I have amended my plan as follows:

Yes I freaked out yesterday and ended up taking .375 mg in total...

 

Taper So far

Friday .125

Saturday .125

Sunday .125

Monday .0950

Tuesday .125

Wednesday .125

Thursday .125

Friday 0

Saturday .375

 

Plan

Sunday .125

Monday .125

Tuesday .0625

Wednesday .0625

Thursday .0625

Friday .0325

Saturday .0325

Sunday .0325

Jump

 

So this is about a week more time to taper and jump, at least I am more mentally prepared for the insomnia this time. Any thoughts on if this is too fast or too slow? I felt fine going cold turkey for 48 hrs or so off .125 mg with regards to every symptom except the lack of sleep. Any idea of when sleep starts to return even a little? I just get worried if it is even possible to survive/live with no sleep like that.

I like your plan and the fact that your symptoms besides insomnia were tolerable, this is good news.  Sleep is a tough one but it must come in it's own time just like everything else.  I know insomnia is awful but your body knows how to get past this, it won't stop working to find balance.

 

I mentioned acceptance, I got to a point where instead of dreading bedtime knowing couldn't sleep to acceptance that I wouldn't.  I'd go to bed to rest my body and even though I couldn't sleep, there were times during the night that I seemed to lose time.  It wasn't exactly sleep but what they call micro-sleep.  It may be for a few seconds or a few minutes or even longer but its your body's way of getting what it needs to survive.  I know its not enough to help you through the day and you'll be miserable but your body will continue to function as a result of this phenomenon.  Gradually your sleep will return, you can do this, I know you can.

I like your plan and the fact that your symptoms besides insomnia were tolerable, this is good news.  Sleep is a tough one but it must come in it's own time just like everything else.  I know insomnia is awful but your body knows how to get past this, it won't stop working to find balance.

 

I mentioned acceptance, I got to a point where instead of dreading bedtime knowing couldn't sleep to acceptance that I wouldn't.  I'd go to bed to rest my body and even though I couldn't sleep, there were times during the night that I seemed to lose time.  It wasn't exactly sleep but what they call micro-sleep.  It may be for a few seconds or a few minutes or even longer but its your body's way of getting what it needs to survive.  I know its not enough to help you through the day and you'll be miserable but your body will continue to function as a result of this phenomenon.  Gradually your sleep will return, you can do this, I know you can.

 

Thanks for your words of encouragement! Really appreciate it, it helps a lot. I realized I've just scared myself by reading all the scary stuff on this forum but I guess everyone is different and I should not try to predict or expect horrible things. Especially given my short duration of use. When I actually think about how bad my symptoms have been (mild to moderate anxiety during tapering and some insomnia for just 1 night when I tried to jump at .125 after 2 nights), it seems most of the terribleness has come more from my own anxiety about the withdrawal process rather than the drug itself. At least this time I will be more mentally prepared for that possible sleep issue.

 

I will follow the tapering plan above and if/when I get bad insomnia again, I'll have to try to work on developing that mindset you described so I won't get so stressed when I can't sleep. It is just hard to believe that we can function with no sleep. I also do have some Unisom/doxylamine and some Benadryl to use on very short term use if I have to along with melatonin. I have no idea if they will help but it seems it works for some people.

I can hear transformation in the words you've written, you're calming yourself and thinking through this rather than letting fear call the shots.  I get the fear, this process is all about fear, our mind tells us the worst is happening and we'll never recover, we call these benzo lies and they're real but they can be subdued and that's what I see you doing. 

 

Even though we read terrible stories on the forum its important we're here because we need those who have come through this to tell others they will too.  Sometimes it's a good idea to take breaks from this place because it can be negative for sure but when the fear and pain get too much, it's good to have a place where you're understood and validated.

 

I've read OTC medications can be helpful too if used sparingly as you plan to do. 

I can hear transformation in the words you've written, you're calming yourself and thinking through this rather than letting fear call the shots.  I get the fear, this process is all about fear, our mind tells us the worst is happening and we'll never recover, we call these benzo lies and they're real but they can be subdued and that's what I see you doing. 

 

Even though we read terrible stories on the forum its important we're here because we need those who have come through this to tell others they will too.  Sometimes it's a good idea to take breaks from this place because it can be negative for sure but when the fear and pain get too much, it's good to have a place where you're understood and validated.

 

I've read OTC medications can be helpful too if used sparingly as you plan to do. 

 

Yes, I feel it has actually been very self-defeating for me to so badly obsess about withdrawal. It has made me hypervigilent about all the physical symptoms and have constantly been on the lookout for trouble and trying to anticipate problems. What is worse is I pretty much have put regular life on hold while I handle this. The urgency to get off this drug is mostly fueled by all the horrors that I've read about Benzos on the internet.

 

I'm increasingly thinking that this is not going to be viable strategy at all. Would you say it is best to try my very best to carry on as normal with regular life and just leave the withdrawal process as a background thing that I rarely think about?

 

How do others handle this?

 

 

I'm increasingly thinking that this is not going to be viable strategy at all. Would you say it is best to try my very best to carry on as normal with regular life and just leave the withdrawal process as a background thing that I rarely think about?

 

I want you to know that your obsessing about this process is what the process does to us, this isn't a character flaw, it's a product of the drug withdrawal so please don't beat yourself up because it's front and center in your mind.  This is why we talk about distraction, anything to take our mind off the pain, misery and obsession is a good thing.

 

I worked full time all but the first three weeks of my cold turkey, it was difficult and I was miserable but I consider myself so much luckier than those who aren't able to leave their house because of their symptoms.  My work distracted me, I was cognitively challenged so I had to adapt how I performed but I'm so grateful I was able to do it.  I actually began to dread weekends when I didn't have work, how crazy is that?

 

Be kind to yourself, this is hard but you're going to come through it just fine. 

 

 

I'm increasingly thinking that this is not going to be viable strategy at all. Would you say it is best to try my very best to carry on as normal with regular life and just leave the withdrawal process as a background thing that I rarely think about?

 

I want you to know that your obsessing about this process is what the process does to us, this isn't a character flaw, it's a product of the drug withdrawal so please don't beat yourself up because it's front and center in your mind.  This is why we talk about distraction, anything to take our mind off the pain, misery and obsession is a good thing.

 

I worked full time all but the first three weeks of my cold turkey, it was difficult and I was miserable but I consider myself so much luckier than those who aren't able to leave their house because of their symptoms.  My work distracted me, I was cognitively challenged so I had to adapt how I performed but I'm so grateful I was able to do it.  I actually began to dread weekends when I didn't have work, how crazy is that?

 

Be kind to yourself, this is hard but you're going to come through it just fine. 

 

Thanks for your kind words. I am amazed that you were able to CT from such a high dose. I guess I feel a bit better knowing that if that can be done, I should be able to come off a much lower and shorter duration use of the same thing ok. I can't express how much it helps me to talk to someone like you about this, this struggle has been lonely.

 

Do you feel there is any value in finding a good doctor, psychiatrist or therapist to aid in this process or is it best to do it on your own?

I've heard members say finding a good therapist or Dr who understands this process can be very helpful.  They don't even need to be fully educated about benzo withdrawal, they just have to allow you the freedom to process what's happening to you.

 

I'm glad you're feeling better and you're right this is a lonely process.  We lose our sense of self, we become strangers to ourselves so not only do we lose the ability to connect with others, we lose ourselves.  We'll be here for you. 

Hi all,

 

I've used Clonazepam for just under 1 month and not even everyday with an average daily dose of less than 0.20 mg. I have been trying to taper down and have been on 0.125 mg daily for the past few days without issue. I tried to foolishy jump at this dose and after about 2 days, I absolutely couldn't sleep. I chickened out and have taken 0.375 mg today and still can't sleep much and it isn't making sense to me.

 

I've just so worried and scared about not being able to get off this stuff or how to deal with the insomnia. I worry this is going to become some chronic symptom. Please someone give me some guidance. I've been obsessing about trying to get off the benzos to the point where it has taken over my life and I'm barely functioning and I can't stop stressing about it.

 

Some nights of little or no sleep are unavoidable.

 

The sooner your realize that Benzo-induced insomnia will not harm you or kill you, the better

 

I used to wrongly believe I need 8 hours per night or else something bad would happen to me.

 

I kept a sleep log and had close to 70 zero nights or nights of no perceived sleep over a 10 month period.

 

Many times I would go 3 and sometimes 4 nights in a row with zero or no perceived sleep

 

We can live and function on far less sleep than we believe.

 

Your sleep will even out over time.  Time is the healer, but it can be very up and down and very erratic for some time

 

Check out this link: http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=235100.0

I know it has been a while since anyone responded to this, but I just wanted to say that you are not alone. I was on benzos short-term as well. I started due to insomnia in March, just a few times a week (Xanax 0.25mg). As interdose withdrawal started and worsened, so did my Xanax until I was up to 0.5mg five times a week for a few months. To make a long story short, insomnia was my original issue and has been one of the hardest things for me as well. Sometimes I also wake up with anxiety, sometimes I am ok, but I wake up twice a night - around 12 or 1 and around 3 or 4. I go to bed around 11 and get 6 hours of sleep. Here are some things that I have done.

 

1. Binaural beats for sleep. I keep my phone and headphones on my nightstand. I use YouTube to find binaural beats for delta sleep. I listen to them until I have a few of those nodding off episodes, then I take the headphones out and try to sleep.

2. Breathing. I breath in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4. If you ever take your heart rate while doing this, often it will decrease by up to 10 beats a minute. It's kind of amazing. It calms me down.

3. Meditation breathing. I count my breaths to 10 while trying to release myself of thoughts. When they come, I label them as thinking or feeling. I learned this from HeadSpace an app I adore. I also listen to Sleepscapes. I love them. Luckily, my husband is a heavy sleeper!

4. Valerian. Valerian helps me fall asleep faster. I know it isn't for everyone, but I've found it helps. I also like Honokiol. It's expensive but Honopure is nice. I take them in the night sometimes but not every night.

5. Self talk before bed about acceptance. I realized that a lot of my problem was fear of sleep. I dreaded it, worried about the anxiety, worried about the stress of waking and trying to fall asleep. So I had to have a talk with myself. I'd say - I accept this night for whatever it brings. If I cannot sleep, so be it. I actually sleep better. But you have to mean it, and I probably don't always. haha.

6. CBD oil and pregnenolone. I don't recommend these without your doctor's blessing, but I have just started them. I wish I hadn't started them together since now I am not sure which one is helping. I have taken CBD oil (150mg) and pregnenolone 5mg sublingual on two occasions with an amazing (for me) 7.5 hours of sleep (still with the two wake ups but still great)! I am trying again tonight after last night's success. In most cases, one night of good sleep guarantees the next is not as good so we will see.

 

I am on day 21 after stopping xanax cold turkey on my doctor's advice (not great advice). The first week was hard, but I'm much better now, and just trouble shooting my way through the rest of this crazy experience. Good luck!

 

I know it has been a while since anyone responded to this, but I just wanted to say that you are not alone. I was on benzos short-term as well. I started due to insomnia in March, just a few times a week (Xanax 0.25mg). As interdose withdrawal started and worsened, so did my Xanax until I was up to 0.5mg five times a week for a few months. To make a long story short, insomnia was my original issue and has been one of the hardest things for me as well. Sometimes I also wake up with anxiety, sometimes I am ok, but I wake up twice a night - around 12 or 1 and around 3 or 4. I go to bed around 11 and get 6 hours of sleep. Here are some things that I have done.

 

1. Binaural beats for sleep. I keep my phone and headphones on my nightstand. I use YouTube to find binaural beats for delta sleep. I listen to them until I have a few of those nodding off episodes, then I take the headphones out and try to sleep.

2. Breathing. I breath in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4. If you ever take your heart rate while doing this, often it will decrease by up to 10 beats a minute. It's kind of amazing. It calms me down.

3. Meditation breathing. I count my breaths to 10 while trying to release myself of thoughts. When they come, I label them as thinking or feeling. I learned this from HeadSpace an app I adore. I also listen to Sleepscapes. I love them. Luckily, my husband is a heavy sleeper!

4. Valerian. Valerian helps me fall asleep faster. I know it isn't for everyone, but I've found it helps. I also like Honokiol. It's expensive but Honopure is nice. I take them in the night sometimes but not every night.

5. Self talk before bed about acceptance. I realized that a lot of my problem was fear of sleep. I dreaded it, worried about the anxiety, worried about the stress of waking and trying to fall asleep. So I had to have a talk with myself. I'd say - I accept this night for whatever it brings. If I cannot sleep, so be it. I actually sleep better. But you have to mean it, and I probably don't always. haha.

6. CBD oil and pregnenolone. I don't recommend these without your doctor's blessing, but I have just started them. I wish I hadn't started them together since now I am not sure which one is helping. I have taken CBD oil (150mg) and pregnenolone 5mg sublingual on two occasions with an amazing (for me) 7.5 hours of sleep (still with the two wake ups but still great)! I am trying again tonight after last night's success. In most cases, one night of good sleep guarantees the next is not as good so we will see.

 

I am on day 21 after stopping xanax cold turkey on my doctor's advice (not great advice). The first week was hard, but I'm much better now, and just trouble shooting my way through the rest of this crazy experience. Good luck!

 

Great post, thanks for sharing all this.

 

I posted here http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=246952.30 after I finished my taper so I won't repeat it all here but basically I used a combination of small doses of Trazodone, Propranolol and mindfulness meditation to manage my WD symptoms and insomnia. 8 days off the benzos and I am now finally just feeling like myself. I feel 100% normal during the day and my sleep is maybe 75-80% back to normal and improving each day. I am not taking the Trazodone or really any other medications now but they were quite helpful in the days immediately after jumping.

 

Thanks for all the thoughts and guidance from folks like yourself and Pamster. What a scary drug this thing is, I feel like people should be given more warning about just how bad it can be to get off this stuff even for a short term user. Never touching this stuff again, I went and dumped all my benzos off at the pharmacy, want nothing to do with this poison again.

 

 

That's amazing! I am so happy for you! My sleep fluctuates from 6-7 hours now, but I had my first nighttime panic attack last night in months. It wasn't great, but I had the tools to settle down and consider it good practice for my skills. My short-term use wasn't as short as yours (about two months at xanax 0.25 - 0.5) but WOW, what a horrid drug! I can't wait to grow back all of my GABA receptors (and I think I'll grow a couple of extras  )

That's amazing! I am so happy for you! My sleep fluctuates from 6-7 hours now, but I had my first nighttime panic attack last night in months. It wasn't great, but I had the tools to settle down and consider it good practice for my skills. My short-term use wasn't as short as yours (about two months at xanax 0.25 - 0.5) but WOW, what a horrid drug! I can't wait to grow back all of my GABA receptors (and I think I'll grow a couple of extras  )

 

Thank you! Likewise, I am happy for you to be off the poison too  . I had those nighttime panic attacks too as I was coming off this stuff. I've never really experienced that until I started taking benzos. It was really alarming initially but it did help me to know that it was just from the withdrawal and it will eventually stop happening sooner or later. The mindfulness meditation has also really helped me to just observe the mental and physical symptoms without getting so tangled up in it and helps me be less reactionary. I too sleep about 6-7 hours now but the sleep can sometimes still be broken with some random wake ups in between. Minimal anxiety at night now, instead of waking up in a panic I may wake up slightly anxious but I can tell that I'm slowly but surely returning to the pre-benzo state.

 

In the future, any drug prescribed to me by a doctor will be thoroughly researched before I consider taking it. I'm not sure I would have even taken this in the first place if I had found this information before.