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Suggestions for Insomnia


[Ma...]

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I've found that turning the alarm clock around and not looking at it until the morning is a big help.  It avoids the exposure to the light on the dial and also keeps you from constantly looking at the clock face and worrying about how much you are walking up and/or how little sleep you are getting. By the way, particularly with Melatonin, the room that you sleep in should be completely dark.

 

I've had protracted withdrawal symptoms from stopping Restoril 30 mg. + Xanax 0.5 mg. XR that my doctor gave me to control the withdrawal symptoms between dose of Restoril that I was expereriencing.  But I digress:

 

I am a non smoker/non drinker who dislikes taking medicines (non drinker because alcohol makes me sick -- headache and nausea.)  I was put on the antibiotic Flagy in Jan. 2007.  This caused an extreme adverse reaction and several months of severe gastroenteritis. When that cleared up I went through 2 weeks where I slept about 10 hours per day and then the insomnia set in. I am post menopausal and on bioidentical hormone replacement so I am cetain the stress from the gastroenteritis upset my endocrine system.  I began to have hot flashes again and developed severe insomnia. I tried all manner of natural remedies first (since I'm in to organics and health food/supplements.)  No luck.  On to Ambien and Lunesta.  No luck.  I was waking up every 2 hours (by the way, slept perfectly before the Flagyl.)  My doctor then put me on Restoril 30 mg.  It helped for a short time and then I apparently developed tolerance to it.  Looking back, I see I was going into withdrawal between doses.  Developed shakiness/parasthesia.  Asked the doctor if this was from the Restoril and she said no.   Then she gave me Xanax to control the symptoms I was experiencing (from the Restoril) and that worked for  awhile until I developed apparent tolerance to the Xanax.  I am a medical professional. Went to see an anesthesiolgist colleague of mine who confirmed what I suspected was happening.  Went back to my prescribing MD and told her I want off of the benzos now!  Stopped the Xanax cold turkey.  Had severe insomnia and severe complaints of nausea/GI upset.  Then she wrote me for a quick taper on the Restoril from 30 mg. to 15 mg. x 1 week and then 7.5 mg. the next week and then discontinue.  Had severe withdrawal symptoms each time dosage stepped down. Last dose of benzo 11-29-07.   I had severe nausea for months but that was controllable with Pepto Bismol and Hyocyamine (as recommended by my gastroenterologist.)   Severe insomnia for months; improving slowly.  I am taking Trazadone 200 mg. at bedtime and have been since the time I discontinued the Benzos. That seems to help put me to sleep and get me back to sleep faster when I wake up.   I'd like to taper the Trazadone.  I also take melatornin sustained release and magnesium at bedtime.   Insomnia 7 1/2 months into this is slowly improving but still very disruptive. I go through period of time, maybe 5 days at a stretch, when the insomnia exacerbates and then it improves.  I found a new doctor through my contracts -- a psychiatrist/addictionologist that I went to for his expertise in understanding drug withdrawal symptoms.  He has been wonderfully supportive.  I am on partial disability because of this (fortunately had good insurance)  --I had to drop from full to part time employment status.  Without the Trazadone, I'm sure I'd have wound up on full disability. The sleep deprivation was turning me into a zombie.  By the way, before getting to my current doctor, my previous one told me I needed a psychiatrist.  I also saw a sleep medicine specialist and a neurologist who told me I needed cognitive behavioral therapy, that I was OCD, possibly had traumatic stress disorder and had disordered thinking.  Fortunately, I had found and read the informaion on Professor Heather Ashton's website or I believe I WOULD have thought I was going crazy.  Despite my providing her information/research to these doctors, none of them took it seriously.  The attitude was -  well I've never heard of this so it can't possibly be true. I'm glad I stuck to my guns and have a great doctor now.

 

Does anyone have any similar experiences with coping with this type of insomnia? How long does this take to go away?

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[45...]
Good question. I've been off my benzo since June and I STILL can't sleep. I took Trazedone for a little while, but I felt groggy and in a stupor - not a good trade, imho.
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I'm experiencing grogginess from the Trazadone but it does help me sleep better.  As bad as I was sleeping and how distressed I was from it, the grogginess is a better choice for me at present. That being said, I've discussed with my doctor initiating a taper of the Trazadone.  I'm down to 200 mg., to reduce 25 mg. at a time.  I'm guessing I'll stay at each decreased dosage level for about a week, seeing how I feel after each reduction.
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Hey guys, the sleep does improve.

 

 

When I finished my taper, Insomnia wasn't a huge problem, untill about 3 weeks out. Then it was terrible. I struggled with it for about 4 weeks. Most of it was caused by my fear of it. I kept perpetuating it. When I finally learned to calm down about it, it improved.

I'm still not the best sleeper in the world, particularly when I have things on my mind, or I know I have to get up early, but generally I now get around 6 or 7 hours. I'll take it! And I do think this will keep improving. It will for you too, if you let it!  :)   

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I'm assuming you were tapering Trazadone? What type of taper schedule did you follow?

 

Well, actually I was talking about my benzo taper, but I also was tapering seroquel. I was put on klon and seroquel for severe insomnia (so bad I ended up in a psych ward, where they put me on these meds)

 

Tapering off any medication used for sleep will almost always cause at least some of rebound insomnia for awhile. It is one of the main sx of benzo wd.

But with any drug wd, there is always recovery.

 

I have taken trazadone, but only a few times at 50mg.

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hi mantis heres a sleep help i found a while back give it a try  Insomnia Tip #25

Progressive Relaxation

This exercise is most effective when you tape record the instructions in advance, preferably in your own voice. This way you don't have to concentrate on remembering the instructions.

We'll give you the instructions here. You tape record them, with a short pause after each sentence to allow yourself time to actually do the sensing and relaxing.

Lie on your back, close your eyes, and begin to listen to the tape.

Feel your feet. Feel the weight of your feet. Feel your feet relax and sink into the bed.

Feel your lower legs. Feel the weight of your lower legs. Feel your lower legs relax and sink into the bed.

Feel your knees. Feel the weight of your knees. Feel your knees relax and sink into the bed.

Feel your upper legs. Feel the weight of your upper legs. Feel your upper legs relax and sink into the bed.

Feel your hands. Feel the weight of your hands. Feel your hands relax and sink into the bed.

Feel your lower arms. Feel the weight of your lower arms. Feel your lower arms relax and sink into the bed.

Feel your elbows. Feel the weight of your elbows. Feel your elbows relax and sink into the bed.

Feel your upper arms. Feel the weight of your upper arms. Feel your upper arms relax and sink into the bed.

Feel your buttocks. Feel the weight of your buttocks. Feel your buttocks relax and sink into the bed.

Feel your back. Feel the weight of your back. Feel your back relax and sink into the bed.

Feel your pelvic and belly area. Feel the weight of your pelvic and belly area. Feel your pelvic and belly area relax and sink into the bed.

Feel your chest. Feel the weight of your chest. Feel your chest relax and sink into the bed.

Feel your shoulders. Feel the weight of your shoulders. Feel your shoulders relax and sink into the bed.

Feel your neck, both front and back. Feel the weight of your neck. Feel your neck relax and sink into the bed.

Feel your skull. Feel the weight of your skull. Feel your skull relax and sink into the bed.

Feel your mouth. Feel any tension in your mouth. Feel your mouth relax and any tension slide off into the bed.

Feel your eyes. Feel any tension in your eyes. Feel your eyes relax and any tension slide off into the bed.

Feel your entire face. Feel any tension in your face. Feel your face relax and let any tension slide off into the bed.

Mentally scan your body. If you find any place that's still tense, relax it and let it sink into the bed. i pray it helps peace the outlaw

 

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