Success stories of long term benzo users who won insomnia needed

I'm looking for success stories of long term benzo user (5+ years) where insomnia was a primary issue and / or a preexisting condition.

 

Strongly needed for morale boosting!

You can check out my one year success story.

 

I used Lorazepam and Ambien for over 5 years for insomnia. 

 

I’ve been off for 13 months now and my sleep is pretty good.  Yes, I still have some nights where it is difficult but this does not happen often. 

 

It takes some time but sleep does return, and when it does, you really appreciate it as it feels so good.

 

All the best to you, you can do it and it is worth the fight.

Thank you very much! Can you link it? I'm very happy.

I guess you know how do you feel when you get used to chemical sleep: you're afraid you won't be able to sleep by yourself anymore. Success stories, tips and tricks are much needed.

I was about 20 years polydrugged, changed from one kind of drug to another one or stoppered cold turkey and after a time put again on other, the last years of those 20 I was taking Ambiem (zolpidem, which of course it was not working.. tolerance...) and Abilify. A benzo-wise doctor put me on a slow diazepam taper (6 months) and although I suffered a lot during the taper, after it I healed 100% and my sleep was recovered 100%.

 

Now after a doctor put me again on a benzo after 6 years benzo free, I soon hit tolerance and was all the time with sleep problems (besides many other of course) until I realized I was again suffering from benzo dependence and started my current taper.

 

As my previous taper healed me 100%, I'm confortable knowing I will heal again. Everyone heals, sooner or later.

20 years is a lot. It's wonderful to hear that healing is possible even after such a long time. Did you suffer insomnia during / after withdrawal? Did you take other med to cope with symptoms?

20 years is a lot. It's wonderful to hear that healing is possible even after such a long time. Did you suffer insomnia during / after withdrawal? Did you take other med to cope with symptoms?

 

I suffered insomnia during withdrawal (during tapering) but not after it finished, I healed 100%. I can't say how long it took after my last dose, but not much based of the events that happened that year. My life changed 180 degrees. Now looking back I can't even believe how much everything changed in my life.

 

No I didn't take any other med or supplement. It's funny how with my current taper I can't stop trying supplements(*). I think it's a matter of the things you know. In the first taper, I knew nothing about supplements and even if I would read something about one, I was not able to buy anything anyways. This makes me wonder if many of our symptoms and how many people take longer to heal, even years, it's more a psychological/mindset thing caused by reading a lot about how awful withdrawal is, and it becoming somatized. In my first taper I remember I stopped visiting this site before ending it, in fact I've looked at my posts list and I only posted the introduction post that is needed to register here.

 

I'm confident that as I healed 100% in my first taper I will heal 100% this time again, but I must confess that I have an inner fear of not healing this time or it taking longer. It must be the typical benzo-lies. But what if it's real? I prefer not to think about it... the more you stress about something, the more you attract it (I'm not talking about attraction law, just psychology and how brain neuroplasticity and somatization works).

 

(*)The only one I found doing something is magnesium, but the ones I tried, one have citric acid, that puts my stomach on hell and revs ups my symptoms, and the other one have all the B vitamins, which also rev up my symptoms, specially B12. Calcium is also very bad because calcium and magnesium does the same thing with nerve impulses as glutamate and GABA. Calcium increases nerve impulse intensity, magnesium reduces it. An imbalance can make withdrawal symptoms worse. I didn't take calcium supplements but a vegetal milk (almond) that had a lot of calcium carbonate added, and it drove me to a wave. After I finished the brick, I tried the magnesium with citric acid, it put my stomach on hell again, but it make me feel very "soft", my muscles were more relaxed and less tight, and I was able to move more easily. But the stomach burning made me take hours to fall asleep  :'(

This is a good thread.

 

I am basically at 100% my regular self, BUT I'm still using medications to sleep, so it's not a "success" story yet.

 

It will be when I can sleep on my own, unaided, for at least 5hr everyday.

You're benzo free, you're doing great. You're managing your insomnia with more sustainable sleep aids. 

 

I am at 25 months benzo free (clonazepam) which I took mostly for sleep. As should have been predicted I reached dose tolerance and the fool of a dr. added Trazadon. I would fill the scripts and saved them for some reason.

 

Fast forward to my w/d. I was maybe a few weeks past jump day and my brain would not turn off. The memory of the trazadon popped into my hear. I took 50mg and upped to 100mg and it helped my sleep. I did some reading and consulted with a few medical friends. It was a good move to use. My sleep pattern would change every few months. I use a Fitbit to track my sleep patterns which helped me. I got to where I would wake up around 3'ish....I would take a 1/4 of a pill.

 

This drug helped me through the hard parts....Now at 25 months I am coming off the trazadon....life is good, well almost great. Sleep can be a problem somedays but I think everyone struggles with the issue.

 

I use melatonin now and on occasion I will take a trazadon.....my goal is to reach zero on that drug as well. Its fairly benign....

 

Good luck everyone..

 

 

I understand. I need something to make me fall asleep too. I'm taking 50mg Quietapine (Seroquel) with mixed results. Likely I'll ask my doc to try something else like Trazodone or Mirtazapine.

Unfortunately withdrawal brought me tinnitus, which is something you want to avoid when you have sleep issues.

Tinnitus is common.  I’m at 14 months off and when a wave hits, the tinnitus returns.  It’s much less intense but still noticeable.  I get the kind that sounds like a radio playing in the distance.

 

Spring allergies are here and I’m actually using Benadryl for its intended purpose! 

I finally went back to my cannabis microdose mint ( candy) this last week and finally slept better . 6-8 hours .

Ill never go back on a benzo but I didn't have sleep problems ever before . Only since I jumped have I had insomnia and its been bad . I am 58 and my therapist and family have wanted me to do this for months so I could get some quality of life back - when the insomnia is eve a little bad I get dark thoughts ( you know what I am talking about )  .  I know its from the benzo injury but still .  I fought and fought to do it alone but this is better . I will still have to take a little 1.5 mgs of melatonin with it some nights .