Why don't I feel rested after 7 hours of sleep?!

I am sleeping 4-7 hours a night but never feel rested. Earlier my taper the insomnia was horrible but it was normal exhausted tiredness which a good night sleep would cure. Now it's like a chronic exhaustion where I feel semi-unconscious and drugged of the day. I never feel refreshed in the morning-eyes tired, super groggy in a bad way. This had been six weeks now ever since the benzo flu which I had for a week! If I slept 10 hours I still wouldn't feel rested. Still have flu sx too. Dint get it.

I know the feeling, but I'm not sure of the scientific reason behind it.  The only thing I can figure is that the GABA receptors are still repairing themselves.  It can be frustrating, to say the last.  Just realize that each day you are one day closer to total healing and all this will be behind you eventually.

 

fg

Thanks FG. I am concerned that by the lack of replies I have entered into "uncommon withdrawal" territory. I keep thinking that perhaps the stress on my body triggered something else-like CFS. You had weakness and fatigue too-and it was when you c/t is that correct? How are you now? This better eventually go away-I have no windows from the fatigue, flu sx, and exhaustion-it is all day/every day.

Tina

Tina,

 

I have the same thing. I always keep thinking right after having slept 6 or more hours that I am going to feel pretty good that day, but within a few hours I start to crash. My afternoons are really pretty bad for me until about 7:00 or 8:00 in the evening, them I start feeling much better, but I need to get back to sleep soon, so back to the cycle again.

 

As "fishing guy" said, at least were one day closer to getting out of all this!

Tina,

 

To be honest with you, I have felt fatigued nearly every day for the last 2 years or so.  Staying on the Klonopin has made me fatigued and weak and cutting too quick makes it even worse.  In fact, I would say fatigue and weakness are the worst side effects followed by lack of appetite and depression.  When I was off of the Paxil, I was either sleeping or laying down close to 14 hours a day at times and NEVER felt refreshed.  I now know it was the Klonopin (since it affects Stages 3 and 4 of the sleep cycle, thus preventing restorative, restful sleep). 

 

In fact, unusual fatigue is listed on the PI sheet now for Klonopin.  I don't remember seeing it several years ago, but I could have missed it.  I do know, however, that they have now added some additional side effects to the sheet.

 

At any rate, I know exactly what you're going through.  In fact, at first I thought I had CFS, but now I know it was just the benzos.  I am still tapering from Klonopin, but look forward to the day when I can wake up feeling refreshed again instead of wanting to go back to bed (but not being able to sleep).

 

Hang in there....

 

fg

Tina- I sleep 10 hours sometimes and wake up wanting more sleep.  Fatigue is a big one for me.  I am four months out and still get hit with it, sometimes lasting for a week sometimes more.  It is a combination of a lot of things healing, I work with a benzo wise doctor who tested my thyroid and heart and both were weakened by the wd, causing immense fatigue.  It is nothing serious or anything to be worried about, our bodies are just working over time every day to try and re balance itself.  There are soooo many things healing in the process, our bodies need sleep, so sleep:)  I had fatigue before the benzo because I had a low thyroid I did not know about and gluten intolerance that I did not know about, so I kind of am used to it.  I used to sleep 10 hours before just to feel rested.  It is worse now obviously, so it is not CFS, it is stupid wd which is good news because it means it will subside:)  Do you take any vitamins?  When I do take mine, I feel much better and have more energy:)  Hang tough

I think we all are suffering from fatigue i to have thyroid disease hashimoto its awfull just keep up vitimins and gluten free ladies and guys it helps for thyroud problems and use vit d3 if you have fibromyligea it helps with muscle pain

xoxoBG

I feel tired, too. It doesnt seem to matter how much I sleep. I wake up tired.

Thank you for all your replies. I really, really appreciate the feedback!!!

 

Tina

                            i am tired all day,it dosnt leave me.i wont go back to bed ,i just keep going all day.sit and chill about 7 oclock,watch a bit of tv and go on computor.go to bed at 10 0clock.i always look forward to going to bed.then sleep through till 8 oclock the next day.i have noticed later that i am sleeping very deeply.when i wake it is like coming out of a coma.feel like have run a marathon in the night  then i start the cycle all over again.                  6 days to go and my a/d taper is finished.my god this is killing me.im hoping to get better then when i am drug free.thats the plan anyway,but sooooooo tired 

Wow Chrissy just read your sig and you have tapered off Ativan twice? I am struggling with an Ativan taper myself. Did your exhaustion get worse when you began tapering your antidepressant? have you seen improvements in your health in the 15 months since you've been off Ativan? Thank you for your response! I wish us all many healing days ahead!!

Tina

You're not alone. I'm tired too and I think I'm getting a fair amount of sleep. I think it's natural for us to feel fatigued when our bodies are healing. Isn't that when our bodies repair themselves, while we're sleeping? So even when we're supposedly resting, our bodies are hard at work.

 

I also have fatigue, my take on it is that it's just a brain healing.  Even on those nights when I do sleep, I'm exhausted.  It's still very intense, but it is better.

Thank you for responding Mnoyd and Wellness. Wellness I am so glad it us not as intense for you. When did it start letting up? I have all the sx you have listed in your sig.

 

Do any of you have an uncomfortable pressure feeling in your forehead/eye area and/or feel malaise flu sx with the fatigue and exhaustion. I just feel sick all day. It is so hard to explain.

 

I have to hear that it will all lift at some point.

tina, of all of the symptoms that I got, eye pressure was not one of them. My optometrist said that benzodiazepines withdrawals causes dry eyes. And that dry eyes are interpreted by people as having eye pressure.  She suggested eyedrops.

 

It may be of comfort to you to know that another member here called believe said that her fatigue goes away on her good days.  I have read several members whose fatigue went away. 

 

I'm sure it is part of the condition.  Some people even get misdiagnosed with chronic fatigue.  I'm convinced it will go away, but unfortunately slowly.

I'd kill for seven hours of sleep in one night  I used to be a regular 8-10 hours kind of guy, now I wander the house and read books all night.

TinaCa, I have pressure in my forehead and eyes some days. And it feels hot, like a fever. Not to touch my skin, but internally. Very weird sensation.

hi tinaCA              yes i have done this twice.it has taken a long time,and i have been through hell to get to were i am now.it all started with tolerance from the benzo ativan.it stopped working and i was w/drawing even when i was taking them.changed to valium and started taper.i was also put on a/d .that took 12months.ii thought that was the end of it.a month later tapered off a/d in 3weeks and got on with my life.then about 3 or 4 months later started to feel bad.bad anxiety panic attacts,didnt want to go out or enyone to come in.only slept 2hrs a night.couldnt function,couldnt think,phobias of everything and everyone.so sick i thought i had lost my mind.i remember it was christmas ,was taken to see doctor and he said i must get back on pills again,just for xmas to get me through it.so three mths later i started the taper again.12mths to do the benzo valium.i have been off that now for 26months.i must change my signiture,but forgot how to do it,after 2yrs off benzo i felt ready to try and taper a/d.nice and slow this time/it took me 6months,with a christmas break inbetween.so here i am.my last pill on wednesday,and i am drug free again       i still feel pretty sick at the moment,but hope this will soon start getting better.i will never give up,come to far now.i will just have to sit it out and hope that i can make it this time.second time lucky.i too feel sick all and every day,but as i am told,this too shall pass.

Chrissy-thank you for clarifying. I admire how far you have come. You have a fighting spirit in you! I have a question-did you feel relatively well before you began tapering the a/d (since being off Benzos) or have you felt this sick for 26 months? I feel either exhausted or like i have the flu every day.  But Yes! This too shall pass! We will all get our health back-eventually!!

Hi Tina -

 

Boy are you not alone in this ... I am off the Ativan for over

8 months now, and while I am doing well, the insomnia is still

a hard thing to resolve. All through my taper I had the flu-like

symptoms and fatigue that you describe ... and that "full" feeling

in my head and sinuses. Good news is that these things are gone

now. I have some residual anxiety and depression, but not bad.

The main thing is iffy sleep.....very non-restorative at times, even

when I have slept 12 hours! It is improving, but slowly. I think that

insomnia and anxiety hang on for many of us for quite awhile ... but

even that will get better. Don't lose heart, you will get past this.

Hi lovepema, great to hear that you are feeling much better

How long did the fatigue last after you had stopped taking the benzo? I'm just over 2 months off and the fatigue is still there for me.

David

Hi Lovepema-Yes so glad you are doing better. Thank you for the reassurance!!  Did you also have achy, weak muscles and/or a heavy limb feeling? Cog fog? These sx go together for me. Can you exercise yet? I used to a runner and now get winded and exhausted doing the most simple activities around my house. Thank you for your response!

Tina

I am starting to think that the benzos mess with the thyroid and adrenals and I am not sure if the damage reverses or not.

 

I look back at all of my lab work for the past few years and my tests were borderline.  During the worst w/d, I couldnt sleep and lost weight/appetite.  Then I slept too much and was still tired and started gaining weight regardless of calorie intake/exercise.  My tests started to strongly indicate low thyroid function--too high adrenal function.  My B12s and Ds were deficient--which could hinder brain function etc.  I noted that others who I knew from this list to have similar profiles were having the same symptoms and test results, some with no history of thyroid issues. 

I wonder if that is why my symptoms are coming and going and if it will reverse, or if I am going to need meds......

Shell

 

hi tinfeltaCA            how are u doing.i felt very sick at 26mths off benzo.that is the reason that i disided to come off a/d.i thought how can i feel better when i still have this drug inside me.i just feel numb,cant feel anything.cant feel happy or sad or love.i just dont connect with people.i just feel flat.do u understand what i mean.so i have stopped it.i want to feel again,and not be drugged all the time.i just hope this w/d is not as bad as the benzo one.i think that was more mental problems.this seems to be more physical.at the moment i am having contraction type feelings of the muscles.they keep going very tight and affect my breathing.it is like my body is cramping up.the other day my stomach crampped up so much,i could bearly breath.i was in pure agony and i was very sick as in through up.then it released and went.my insides felt really sore and i had to go to bed for a few hours.god knows what the hell that was all about.dont want another one like that.god i think this is trying to finish me off.haha.i am feeling sick all the time again and  tired and aching like u said.all the muscals beeing squeezed.also in the head like the brain is cramping.and i cant think. i hope it stops soon.i hope this is helping and not making you worse.i say to it bring it on,what ever you throw at me i can take,i am stronger and i will beat this.just consantrate on getting through that day.dont worry about 2morrow.one day at a time.i know why they call this a battle now.its like fighting an invisable army   i just pray to the lord for strenght every day.we can all do this.speak soon take care of yourself.u come first.dont give in to it 

chrissy- i had the exact same thing happen to me a couple of weeks ago, i thought i was dying.  My stomach cramped up so bad and I threw up to, a few times.  I had no idea what was going on, I just tried to wait it out, I was up until 5am in pain and then the next day could barely eat anything. I knew it was the wd because I had never experienced anything like it.  good to know i am not alone:)