My name is my condition!

Hello everyone!

I'm a seasoned benzo veteran with two tapers under my belt, but I cannot resolve my sleep maintenance insomnia, which is starting to cause adverse health effects (high C-reactive protein levels and heart issues).

I successfully tapered off 1 mg clonazepam back in early 2013 (taper 1), but I had to reinstate in 2014 after two beers precipitated a panic attack at work the next day, for which I took a piece of my left over clonazepam. That reactivated the benzo withdrawal syndrome in me (I had the same symptoms as before taper 1), so after talking with some benzo-wise friends, I reinstated and tapered (taper 2), which ended in 2016. However, unlike taper 1, the sleep issues were not resolved after taper 2. And since my health is being dangerously affected, I wanted to join the BB community

So now I'm in a double-bind: I have to try to safely resolve my sleep maintenance insomnia without touching or affecting my GABA A receptors or the benzo sites on these receptors, but I don't know how to do that or if it is even possible...

Thanks for reading!

Hello Intractable Insomnia, welcome to BenzoBuddies,

I'm glad you are connecting here for support!  Insomnia is one of those problems that is nearly universal to withdrawl.  I have had this problem myself so I am always sorry for those going through it.  Of course, most of us had to learn the hard way that benzos and Z-drugs don't work in the long run.  Have you had a sleep study done?  We have an Insomnia support board and you can access it here:

Insomnia

I found this thread particularly helpful during my taper and even beyond:

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=235100.0

Reach out when you are ready.  Let us know how we can help.

Best and again, welcome,

Kate

Thanks Kate08!

And thanks Shayna 78.  Does CBTI resolve sleep maintenance insomnia that has a physical cause (i.e., weakened/downregulated GABA A receptors)?

Hello,

Glad you came back here for support. I'm in a group for my taper from sleep med, if you want to check us out and talk to people there.

http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=97331.0

I've heard a little discussion about progesterone, specifically that it may be easier for a woman to get. I believe it is helping me with sleep. I also sometimes use valerian and hops and feel they help.

I would like to understand more about what you're talking about, I can intuitively guess down regulated GABA A receptors and physical causes but could you share more about what you mean and what you go through? Have you ID'd anything that does help you? Like a very hard work out or yoga class ... eating a lot of carbs ...

Sleep is so important. There was also a discussion about these new fangled devices back a ways in the support group I mentioned. I'll look for it for you. Found it: Ebb CoolDrift machine

Cheers,

Kachina

Hi Kachina,

Thanks for the reply and the link. I'm looking for substances that do not interact with GABA A receptors, since my body seems to be sensitive to these types of substances. So I'm trying to avoid things like progesterone and even mild substances like valerian and hops.

I tried the EBB machine, but that didn't help other than to make me feel relaxed. 

Out of desperation, I tried Belsomra (didn't work) and melatonin (worked mildly), but now I feel like I am withdrawing from the melatonin (!) - my heart rate is high, I can't sit still, etc., ...

Regards and thanks for responding,

Intractable

Wow, you did try that machine. Sorry it didn't work.

I'm going to throw one more thing out for you to look into, low dose naltrexone, LDN. I think it is why my C-Reactive Protein went down so low. Some people say it helps them sleep really well. It doesn't have side effects and has been in use for 60 years ... it's a long story. I've been taking a super really low dose for over a year for fibromyalgia. BUT the day I started it I stopped tramadol and improved.

I have been scared of not sleeping ... sounds like I need to learn more about GABA as I didn't know what I'm using affects it.

Kate thanks for that link, good stuff!

Kachina, thanks for the LDN recommendation! I previously asked my doctor to prescribe this for me and she wouldn't, but maybe if I let her know that it can lower my C-reactive protein level she might change her mind...

Yes, not being able to sleep is scary...and for me it has been made worse by being super-sensitive to things I had no way of knowing in advance that I would be (!)

Take care,

Intractable