I can’t sleep without Twmpezpam.

Posted by skullbasecancer4 @skullbasecancer4, Jan 24 8:53am

I am struggling thru life . My husband has cancer . I take many meds to function . I have terrible anxiety and take Klonopin . Zolloff used to work for that . I am terrified to try another antidepressant because I am scared and have been on Zolloff highest dose , for a long time and would rather struggle then go thru changes . I have terrible insomnia . Trazodone used to put me to sleep
but it stopped . My life is extremely stressful. I fear every thing . I see a therapist. I still fear COVID . My husband’s cancer is very rare and after brain surgery, they could not get it all . It returned 27 years ago last year . We constantly have scans and he is watched . Has anyone been on klonopin and Tempezpam for a long time ? I am
so sacred.

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Sorry for spelling errors and typos . Just realized after post .

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@skullbasecancer4

Sorry for spelling errors and typos . Just realized after post .

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I don't have a lot of personal experience with this but have some. My thinking for what its worth...

My first recommendation is to see a physician (like a psychiatrist, not a therapist) in addition to your therapist that has a lot of experience with anxiety, depression and medications to help figure this out. What you're taking now is clearly not working.

As you probably have experienced, getting the right meds and right dosage requires time - first to get off what you're on and second to build up a new therapeutic dose level of something that may work better. It often requires a lot of experimentation to figure out what works and what doesn't - none of which can be done quickly. The drugs all have side effects (some serious) and largely unknown effects when taking more than one.

Hopefully someone with more experience with this can be of more help.

I wish good health for both you and your husband.

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Hi Sweet Lady…You have a lot on your plate, as my Mom used to say. First of all please stop right now and take some deep breath‘s. I really mean this…Take a deep breath in and blow it out slowly through your mouth. Now do that again two or three more times very slowly. Relax your shoulders…relax your forehead. More relaxed, I hope!
I used to have terrible issues with anxiety and stress. I would always poo poo meditation as being over the edge until a friend sat me down in the middle of a panic attack and had me “breathe.” She thought I was really going to loose it, she told me later. Then, she told me once again how much meditation had helped her and this time I listened.
I think it might help you, as well. I did take a formal class in meditation but that really isn’t necessary I don’t think. There is a lot of information online and videos on YouTube about how to do it. It will give you a feeling of having some control of your life and a way to pull yourself out of a hopeless feeling.
Message me if you want some more information… I am more than happy to help you out.

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If the Klonopin and Temazepam is working for you....then keep taking them. You obviously need them right now. But yes, a therapist or psychiatrist might be helpful too. Worth a try. Prayers for you and your husband.

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I have been on 5 mg of klonipin and went from 30 mg of temazepam to 15 mg. I also take trazodone 100 mg for sleep issues.

I feel better that I have reduced the temazepam to half of my former dosage since I am 70 yrs old. I have signed up for a sleep study through a very good medical school and hope to see further reductions in my sleep meds.

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I also recommend a sleep study. I have signed up for one because a psychiatrist suggested it
I take Lorazepam but have also tried Tylenol PM, and ZzzQuil. I say whatever works along with
advice from a psychiatrist. I am not sure what you are worried about besides your husband.
There are so many meds out there that you just have to find what is right for you. If you worry about addiction that is something to discuss. Good luck.

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As for Klonepin (clonazepam) you should try dosing down if you can, and perhaps just take it a bedtime. It is the longest acting in the body in that class of drugs. You didn't say the dosage you are taking. If it is just 2 mg a day, that's a pretty low dose, I would not worry about long term effects. I've been on it for several years now. Temazepam is shorter acting, perhaps your doctor could get you off of that and adjust upwards your clonazepam dose. I always tout an antihistamine That Costco sells as "Sleep Aid". Very inexpensive, pretty effective. It is doxylamine succinate. Try half a tablet and see if that is too strong for you. You would know if you have hangover like effects in the AM when you wake up. At any rate, I'm no doctor, talk these options over with your doctor and try antihistamine meds if any of the benzos are too worrisome for you.

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@laughlin1947

As for Klonepin (clonazepam) you should try dosing down if you can, and perhaps just take it a bedtime. It is the longest acting in the body in that class of drugs. You didn't say the dosage you are taking. If it is just 2 mg a day, that's a pretty low dose, I would not worry about long term effects. I've been on it for several years now. Temazepam is shorter acting, perhaps your doctor could get you off of that and adjust upwards your clonazepam dose. I always tout an antihistamine That Costco sells as "Sleep Aid". Very inexpensive, pretty effective. It is doxylamine succinate. Try half a tablet and see if that is too strong for you. You would know if you have hangover like effects in the AM when you wake up. At any rate, I'm no doctor, talk these options over with your doctor and try antihistamine meds if any of the benzos are too worrisome for you.

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Thank you so much for your response . I take .75 to 1mg , to control anxiety . I won’t let myself take anymore then that , so I push thru the anxiety . It does not make me tired . I just lowered my Tempezpan to 22.5 . I am so anxious with my husband’s cancer . I know that’s not an excuse . My zolloff used to help me and I am
not in the position to change ssri and deal with side effects . Thank you for your suggestion . I greatly appreciate that .

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@laughlin1947

As for Klonepin (clonazepam) you should try dosing down if you can, and perhaps just take it a bedtime. It is the longest acting in the body in that class of drugs. You didn't say the dosage you are taking. If it is just 2 mg a day, that's a pretty low dose, I would not worry about long term effects. I've been on it for several years now. Temazepam is shorter acting, perhaps your doctor could get you off of that and adjust upwards your clonazepam dose. I always tout an antihistamine That Costco sells as "Sleep Aid". Very inexpensive, pretty effective. It is doxylamine succinate. Try half a tablet and see if that is too strong for you. You would know if you have hangover like effects in the AM when you wake up. At any rate, I'm no doctor, talk these options over with your doctor and try antihistamine meds if any of the benzos are too worrisome for you.

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I also have tried antihistamines , I was so hung over and could not function .😢I don’t want to be on a sleeping Benzo and I wish the trazodone still worked for me .

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@skullbasecancer4

Thank you so much for your response . I take .75 to 1mg , to control anxiety . I won’t let myself take anymore then that , so I push thru the anxiety . It does not make me tired . I just lowered my Tempezpan to 22.5 . I am so anxious with my husband’s cancer . I know that’s not an excuse . My zolloff used to help me and I am
not in the position to change ssri and deal with side effects . Thank you for your suggestion . I greatly appreciate that .

Jump to this post

Well, since the clonazepam has about a 12 hour effectiveness in the body, you could possibly take another small amount, maybe that 0.75 mg 12 hours after the previous dose. Taking 2 mg total of clonazepam is a low dose, not a high one. As for the antihistamines, Benadryl (diphenhydramine) will make you drowsy no matter when you take it. As for the doxylamine succinate, just cut the tablet smaller and smaller to get to the dose where, after you take it before bed, it leaves you with no hangover in the AM. My wife has been taking temazepam 30 mg before bedtime, along with 100 mg of trazadone for decades now, and she is in her 60's with no side effects from those doses. It's just that you must try and try again with different sleep aids until you find what works. I agree with a previous commenter who said to see a psychiatrist, yet there are sleep specialists MDs who would take more of a vested interest in your case I think.

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