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Where's the insomnia buddies? no action on the threads.


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Hello insomnia buddies,

I have noticed there's no action on the threads so I thought I'd reach out for some support here.

 

I went 3 months on 0 to 3 hours of sleep and the last 3 weeks, I have had several nights of 4 to 5 hours and I had 2 nights of 7 hours. Then I had a couple 2 to 3 hour nights then back to 4 hours for a couple nights and then last night was a 1.5 to 2 hour night.

 

I take a stack every night to help me sleep. I'm afraid not to take it for fear of getting no sleep (which has happened twice, even with supplements)

 

I can't wait until this insomnia crap is over with. It helps to talk about it though. I feel better knowing I am not alone.

 

How are my insomnia buddies doing?

 

HM

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I'm struggling with C19 induced insomnia ATM.  It's been absolutely wicked.  One buddy told me that when she and her hubby had C19, her husband described it as "someone pouring gasoline on his nervous system and lighting it on fire."  That's about right.  It's been one of the worst times of my life other than my benzo WDs. 

 

I got some sleep last night even though it felt like it would be impossible.  When I woke with heart palpitations and anxiety after an hour of dozing, I did some EFT tapping, which calmed me down enough that a sleep hypnosis video on YouTube effectively put me out until 5:30 AM.  I went and got my ice pack and laid my head on it.  That helped my sleep another couple hours.  This is such a miracle for me.  The night before last I hardly slept at all and had horrid panic attacks all day.

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I’m here HM. Just struggling so not posting much about it x maybe the ahs are losing effectiveness . Maybe try a different one?

 

My slept atm is so light it doesn’t feel like I’m asleep. I actually don’t know if I sleep or not but today I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck my body is so sore x

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It seems like all the boards are slow right now. I took that as a sign that I should get off and start distracting myself.  BB for me  is always a double edged sword between support and scary stuff, but I'm happy to help everyone feel less alone.

 

Insomnia is a lonely thing.  So much time alone in the middle of the night.  3 hours for me last night after a steady degradation over the last few days by an hour a night from a nice and rare 7 hour night on Saturday.

 

I'm going to try to give up ahs bc I don't think they've done a thing for me the last few weeks, but it's always hard to give up something that could be helping you get what little you do get.

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I'm struggling with C19 induced insomnia ATM.  It's been absolutely wicked.  One buddy told me that when she and her hubby had C19, her husband described it as "someone pouring gasoline on his nervous system and lighting it on fire."  That's about right.  It's been one of the worst times of my life other than my benzo WDs. 

 

I got some sleep last night even though it felt like it would be impossible.  When I woke with heart palpitations and anxiety after an hour of dozing, I did some EFT tapping, which calmed me down enough that a sleep hypnosis video on YouTube effectively put me out until 5:30 AM.  I went and got my ice pack and laid my head on it.  That helped my sleep another couple hours.  This is such a miracle for me.  The night before last I hardly slept at all and had horrid panic attacks all day.

 

Sage, I don't know what C19 is but I have had all those symptoms too, with benzo withdrawal, especially the insomnia.  I've never heard of EFT tapping. I'll have to look into it. Thanks for posting!

 

Wishing you good rest,

 

HM

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I’m here HM. Just struggling so not posting much about it x maybe the ahs are losing effectiveness . Maybe try a different one?

 

My slept atm is so light it doesn’t feel like I’m asleep. I actually don’t know if I sleep or not but today I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck my body is so sore x

 

Hi Shayna,

 

I have nights where I sleep and wake up so often that I am not aware if I slept or not. I have to remember dreaming to be sure that I have slept. I'm sorry you're not feeling like posting much but I am happy to hear from you. Hope your body heals from the soreness soon and I hope you get some rest tonight.

 

HM

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It seems like all the boards are slow right now. I took that as a sign that I should get off and start distracting myself.  BB for me  is always a double edged sword between support and scary stuff, but I'm happy to help everyone feel less alone.

 

Insomnia is a lonely thing.  So much time alone in the middle of the night.  3 hours for me last night after a steady degradation over the last few days by an hour a night from a nice and rare 7 hour night on Saturday.

 

I'm going to try to give up ahs bc I don't think they've done a thing for me the last few weeks, but it's always hard to give up something that could be helping you get what little you do get.

 

Your sleep sounds like mine. I had a 7 hour night followed by a 4 hour night and then a 5 and then back to 2 to 3 hour nights for a while. I get my hopes up and then I'm bummed when my sleep drops down again. I should try sleeping without the ah's and see if it makes a difference. I take ah, CBD and melatonin every night. Don't know if it's helping or not.

 

Thanks for posting. Good to hear from you.

 

HM

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my first bout with insomnia was i think 4 or 5 days straight no shut eye[and i mean like 0 zero hours of sleep, because everytime i'd dose off my sleep apnea machine would choke me, turns out i was sleeping in a bad position and cutting off my own air]... not sleeping for that long was the craziest thing i've ever experienced in my life and only you who have gone through this know what the heck im talking about...

 

I went to the ER a couple of times for help, without getting any, and 1 of them even said, well you've not reached dementia yet... and I was like ... holy fish, soon I'm gonna become a literal zombie huh....

 

I then figured out it was benzo withdrawal symptons and went on Klonopin and fixed this thing first with a 1mg dose, and now around .3 x2 daily (DMLT) but ocassionally during my taper or just a bad night "was going thru some stuff with family" the insomnia would come back...

 

i have a real good homeopathic remedy called Bach Rescue Sleep (its on amazon) and I've taken it twice so far and its worked both times for me....

 

chamomile tea, stretching, yellow lights and not too much brightness, breathing app(doing 4-4 breaths), light snack, and yeah i still watch some netflix but really dim... and the .15mg to .3mg of melatonin for that "push"(now that I'm stable, though I've taken up to 9mg when insomnia got really bad).. thats my sleep routine... and waking up at same time pretty much everyday, even if im still tired... (though sometimes i cheat this one for a few extra minutes)

 

 

 

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I'm struggling with C19 induced insomnia ATM.  It's been absolutely wicked.  One buddy told me that when she and her hubby had C19, her husband described it as "someone pouring gasoline on his nervous system and lighting it on fire."  That's about right.  It's been one of the worst times of my life other than my benzo WDs. 

 

I got some sleep last night even though it felt like it would be impossible.  When I woke with heart palpitations and anxiety after an hour of dozing, I did some EFT tapping, which calmed me down enough that a sleep hypnosis video on YouTube effectively put me out until 5:30 AM.  I went and got my ice pack and laid my head on it.  That helped my sleep another couple hours.  This is such a miracle for me.  The night before last I hardly slept at all and had horrid panic attacks all day.

 

Sage, I don't know what C19 is but I have had all those symptoms too, with benzo withdrawal, especially the insomnia.  I've never heard of EFT tapping. I'll have to look into it. Thanks for posting!

 

Wishing you good rest,

 

HM

 

I was referring to Covid.  The symptoms are almost exactly like acute WD. 

 

EFT is a method for combining affirmations and acupressure that helps you to change how you think and feel.  Very helpful. I use an app called Tapping Solutions.  It has been a lifesaver for me.

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I'll have to look into that eft a little more.

 

HM, yeah I've resolved to try to make it a week without any melatonin or ahs, and see how that compares.  My theory is I'll be about the same, and that maybe those things are just preventing my cns from calibrating like it should. 

 

The last few days I've gotten really curious about beta blockers, thinking maybe if my tachycardia is reduced sleep will come easier.  Does anyone have experience with those? 

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Hello insomnia buddies,

I have noticed there's no action on the threads so I thought I'd reach out for some support here.

 

I went 3 months on 0 to 3 hours of sleep and the last 3 weeks, I have had several nights of 4 to 5 hours and I had 2 nights of 7 hours. Then I had a couple 2 to 3 hour nights then back to 4 hours for a couple nights and then last night was a 1.5 to 2 hour night.

 

I take a stack every night to help me sleep. I'm afraid not to take it for fear of getting no sleep (which has happened twice, even with supplements)

 

I can't wait until this insomnia crap is over with. It helps to talk about it though. I feel better knowing I am not alone.

 

How are my insomnia buddies doing?

 

HM

 

Hi HM,

I'm on holiday with my wife and kids and I crashed beyond my worse expectations.

I can't afford not being functional. Faking with zero hours of perceived sleep is rather difficult. In one week I doubled my sleep aids (200mg seroquel + 100mg trazodone) and sometimes I took liquid diazepam "as needed" during the night.

I'm at 5mg fluorazepam + 1.6mg diazepam which is useless for sleeping. I don't know if it's worth tapering adding so many rx drugs. So yesterday I decided to skip benzos and seroquel (they both gave me almost no sleep in the last three days) and took 15mg mirtazapine and 10mg zolpidem. Got almost 5h (medium quality). It's unlikely they keep working next days but I really need a decent combo for my nights.

 

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I'll have to look into that eft a little more.

 

HM, yeah I've resolved to try to make it a week without any melatonin or ahs, and see how that compares.  My theory is I'll be about the same, and that maybe those things are just preventing my cns from calibrating like it should. 

 

The last few days I've gotten really curious about beta blockers, thinking maybe if my tachycardia is reduced sleep will come easier.  Does anyone have experience with those?

 

I know some seem to have benefited from beta blockers, but others have found that they had bad side effects or that they had to be tapered to get off.  But it might be worth a try. 

 

This is going to sound strange and simplistic, but I have lately found that putting an ice pack on the back of my head and neck calms down my whole system enough to put me to sleep.  I think it stimulates the vagus nerve. 

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Hi HM,

I'm on holiday with my wife and kids and I crashed beyond my worse expectations.

I can't afford not being functional. Faking with zero hours of perceived sleep is rather difficult. In one week I doubled my sleep aids (200mg seroquel + 100mg trazodone) and sometimes I took liquid diazepam "as needed" during the night.

I'm at 5mg fluorazepam + 1.6mg diazepam which is useless for sleeping. I don't know if it's worth tapering adding so many rx drugs. So yesterday I decided to skip benzos and seroquel (they both gave me almost no sleep in the last three days) and took 15mg mirtazapine and 10mg zolpidem. Got almost 5h (medium quality). It's unlikely they keep working next days but I really need a decent combo for my nights.

 

Hi Q,

 

I am sorry you crashed and burned with your sleep recently. That's a bummer. I hear you about the 5 hours of sleep. It's better than nothing, so I am glad you were able to get that. At least the mirtazapine and zolpidem work for you. That's good. They don't work for me.

Here's hoping you get some more sleep soon.

 

HM

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So, after getting 1.5 to 2 hours on Tuesday night, last night I got about 4 to 5 hours of better quality sleep. I wish it was more predictable, but it's not. I took my usual stack.

 

Wishing you all a great Thursday and a great night's sleep.

 

HM

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Hi all, I've been following this thread and wonder what eft, ahs, and C19 is.

Thanks!

NG

 

C19 is Covid.  EFT is an acronym for Emotional Freedom Technique.  It involves using positive self-talk while stimulating key acupressure points by tapping them.  It's a very powerful tool.  I use an app called The Tapping Solution because it eliminates the need for you to come up with your own script for the tapping.  It's like a guided meditation.  There are many specific routines, a lot of them targeted at insomnia and anxiety.

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Hi Q,

 

I am sorry you crashed and burned with your sleep recently. That's a bummer. I hear you about the 5 hours of sleep. It's better than nothing, so I am glad you were able to get that. At least the mirtazapine and zolpidem work for you. That's good. They don't work for me.

Here's hoping you get some more sleep soon.

 

HM

 

Hi HM,

Unfortunately what works one day, stop working the day after. Last time I took mirtazapine was one month ago, so I expected at least a mild effect. I'm not optimistic because I get used to it quickly and as a side effect it increases my tinnitus a little bit. I'd like to find a decent antihistamine but where I'm living only Atarax is available. I'm running out of options..

 

I hope you had a better nigh

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Hi Q,

 

I am sorry you crashed and burned with your sleep recently. That's a bummer. I hear you about the 5 hours of sleep. It's better than nothing, so I am glad you were able to get that. At least the mirtazapine and zolpidem work for you. That's good. They don't work for me.

Here's hoping you get some more sleep soon.

 

HM

 

Hi HM,

Unfortunately what works one day, stop working the day after. Last time I took mirtazapine was one month ago, so I expected at least a mild effect. I'm not optimistic because I get used to it quickly and as a side effect it increases my tinnitus a little bit. I'd like to find a decent antihistamine but where I'm living only Atarax is available. I'm running out of options..

 

I hope you had a better nigh

 

Q, is there any way you can order the ah you want online? Or is that illegal? Sorry about the mirtazapine. The first time I took it, it didn't work for me so I quit taking it. Hope you can find something to help you soon.

 

Take care,

 

HM

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might sound really dumb, but being grateful for everybit of sleep, and just being grateful in general goes a long way. we all know it sucks. but its how you deal with it that matters most. if you drag on the day dreading the night (i know its tough, every night i approach bed kind of anxious at the least, in how i'll sleep but im learning to cope with it, and just be happy that i do get sleep now) but even when i didnt, what kept me going was gratitude. you just have to believe. yes there are things out there that will help you, and you have to find what works best for you.

 

id lean towards natural first, valerian, chamomile, melatonin, lemon grass, bach rescue sleep... and a good sleep habit/routine, stretching, calming down before bed, breathing deep, and if none of that works, then yeah, find the heavier stuff if you need to... but know that the little sleep you do get is repairing you and be grateful for it. i know you feel like shit, ive been there, but again, its how you deal with it that will dictate your stress levels, and help you rest...

 

my 2 cents, hope something there helps

 

 

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Anyone here on this thread tried or takes l-theanine?  If so, can you share your experiences? 

 

I've read plenty of old threads about it from users, but I'm interested in what you all have to say about it.

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Usually I can fall asleep initially just fine, I just can't stay asleep.  Tonight I couldn't fall asleep so I decided to take the l-theanine.  I slept an hour and now I'm wide awake, so I think it's a bust. 

 

I'm trying the ice pack method now and it is slowing my heart rate which is great, but sleep isn't coming.

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Anyone here on this thread tried or takes l-theanine?  If so, can you share your experiences? 

 

I've read plenty of old threads about it from users, but I'm interested in what you all have to say about it.

 

I've never tried l-theanine, but I have read a lot of good reviews for it on BB. Let us know how it works for you.

 

HM

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Usually I can fall asleep initially just fine, I just can't stay asleep.  Tonight I couldn't fall asleep so I decided to take the l-theanine.  I slept an hour and now I'm wide awake, so I think it's a bust. 

 

I'm trying the ice pack method now and it is slowing my heart rate which is great, but sleep isn't coming.

 

Sorry the l=theanine didn't work for you. I hope the ice pack helped. I can't use ice. It would keep me awake. I am very sensitive to cold.

 

Hope you have a great Friday.

 

HM

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Hi Q,

 

I am sorry you crashed and burned with your sleep recently. That's a bummer. I hear you about the 5 hours of sleep. It's better than nothing, so I am glad you were able to get that. At least the mirtazapine and zolpidem work for you. That's good. They don't work for me.

Here's hoping you get some more sleep soon.

 

HM

 

Hi HM,

Unfortunately what works one day, stop working the day after. Last time I took mirtazapine was one month ago, so I expected at least a mild effect. I'm not optimistic because I get used to it quickly and as a side effect it increases my tinnitus a little bit. I'd like to find a decent antihistamine but where I'm living only Atarax is available. I'm running out of options..

 

I hope you had a better nigh

 

Q, is there any way you can order the ah you want online? Or is that illegal? Sorry about the mirtazapine. The first time I took it, it didn't work for me so I quit taking it. Hope you can find something to help you soon.

 

Take care,

 

HM

 

Doxylamine (Unisom, Benadryl) isn't available on my country. I mean as a mass market / OTC product. Atarax is approved for short term insomnia. Doxylamine is sold at very low dose together with paracetamol (vicks medinight) in tablets for cold. But it's too low to be considered for sleeping.

 

How much mirtazapine did you try?

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