Thought I'd never sleep again

Hi buddies.

 

I took benzo's for about 13 years total and when I began to have severe insomnia from withdrawal symptoms my doctor gave me Ambien claiming it was benzo like, but wouldn't do any damage.  He was very wrong.  The symptoms I began having from the Ambien was just as awful, if not worse than the symptoms I was having from Ativan and Klonopin withdrawal.  After months and months of only getting 1-2 hours of sleep, my sleep slowly began to come back after I took my last Amien and had already gotten off Ativan.  I never thought I'd be able to sleep again, take a nap in the day or ever feel rested again in my life.  It was torture on my body and mind day after endless day.

 

My sleep began to return after being drug free for many months and it keeps on improving as the months and years go by. 

 

Just wanted to encourage you all to not give up and know that our bodies do remember how to sleep again on their own.  Unfortunately, it was agonizingly long to get to this point, but sleep is back again.

 

Never give up hope!

 

Cedar

HI Cedar. Can I ask you how old you are? The reason I ask is I am post menopausal and am off temazapam for sleep, for 9 mos and still can't sleep without over the counter drugs like Benadryl and unisom. I have only had a couple nites of natural sleep. I just can't fall asleep and don't get that sleepy feeling. I am thankful for those couple nites I've had but worried that this will not get better since it has been 9 mos and an 8 mos taper. I know menopause causes sleep problems for even good sleepers. I've always had sleep problems but hoped by stopping the temazapam and being no longer a working person, that I could learn to sleep again. I have never taken a nap in my life(unless sick) so I appreciate your good news about sleep but wonder if it would ever apply to me.

Kathi

Can I ask you when you started seeing improvement? I'm four months off and my sleep is seriously messed up. I go days without sleep or when I can fall asleep I wake up after a few hours. Thank you so much for posting this as us insomniacs never get much reassurance!

Hi Kathy.  I'm not close to menopause yet, but I can comment on one thing.  I relied heavily on Benadryl too even after I finished my Ativan and Ambien tapers thinking it was safe enough and not aware that it could actually have it's on withdrawal symptoms.  One day it hit me that I was dependant on the Benadryl to sleep, so I stopped taking it and it literally took about 2-3 months before my sleep began to return.  I'd had it with dependancy, so I just let it go and hung in there.  It wasn't easy, but I honestly didn't know that it could cause withdrawal symptoms too.  I had sore throats, some agitaition, headaches, bodyaches and some nausea too.  Consider using less Benadryl if you can.

 

Things that helped me get some sleep back was exercising early in the day, staying busy and not napping or resting too much during the daytime.  Also, lots of warm baths before bed and at least 2 hours before bed, no TV or computers and no unnatural lighting in the bedroom.  I know it's not easy to do, but I literally tried everything in the book because I had been so sleep deprived.  Hope this helped some and hope your sleep returns!!! 

 

Can I ask you when you started seeing improvement? I'm four months off and my sleep is seriously messed up. I go days without sleep or when I can fall asleep I wake up after a few hours. Thank you so much for posting this as us insomniacs never get much reassurance!

Hey Jittery.....like the name btw, I can relate.   

 

I saw improvement in my sleep at about 6-8 months off benzo's and I had been on them a long time.  Congrats for being benzo free though!  Sleep does come back and there is a lot we can do to help with it, but it isn't easy. I really hope it starts to improve soon!

Thanks cedartree. I have been worried about getting hooked on unisom or benadryl but I've been so unable to sleep for 9 mos that I had to do something to sleep. Menopause creates more sleep problems and I have never been a good sleeper. I know not to take the otc stuff every nite, but lately since I haven't been able to use melatonin, I've used unisom. Wish my body would just sleep naturally.

((((((((Kathi))))))))

 

It's so brutal to not be able to sleep well.  Just hope that it will improve more as time goes on.  Sounds like you're doing everything you can to get some sleep, and that's all you can do. 

 

 

Bump

Shayna, this thread is from 2011.  cedartree hasn't been on since 2017.

I know I’m just bumping for others to read. Incase it could help

Unfortunately, this is just making me feel more hopeless as I sit here after another sleepless night.  I can't imagine slogging through months of total insomnia waiting for a miracle.  I'm too old; I don't have the stamina.  Do I have to feel like a faiure or that I'm poisoning myself if I resort to Ambien for a bit of relief?

KA,

 

  The last time I took ambien ( a few months ago) it didn't even work for me. Xanax doesn't work and Ambien doesn't work. I am happy you can resort to 'something' to help you sleep. I take melatonin, CBD and diphenhydramine every night but not sure it's helping me get the 2 to 3 hours of sleep that I do get. I wish Ambien worked for me. I would take it on occasion.

 

HM

Unfortunately, this is just making me feel more hopeless as I sit here after another sleepless night.  I can't imagine slogging through months of total insomnia waiting for a miracle.  I'm too old; I don't have the stamina.  Do I have to feel like a faiure or that I'm poisoning myself if I resort to Ambien for a bit of relief?

 

Ka I think u got some good answers on ur other thread. And I tend to agree with the others. I think it’s more important for u to sleep than to go night after night without.