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@ashleyharris728
Thanks so much! No, nothing else for sleep at the moment and getting extremely little and have to figure that out asap. Managed for decades just dealing with it naturally, because meds I tried did not work ultimately or had paradoxical effect, etc. Yes, CBT, sleep hygiene, etc ongoing but not much help, but sure doesn't hurt. Glad the Ativan works for you and wow, .25mg reduction over 6 weeks? I'm starting taper tonight, going from 1mg, to .75mg and am really scared, but hoping for the best,

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Replies to "@ashleyharris728 Thanks so much! No, nothing else for sleep at the moment and getting extremely little..."

@happytoseeyou yes I’m very sensitive to meds and I have to ramp up and down very slowly. I have bipolar disorder so I have a lot of meds. Speaking of bipolar, ever try Seroquel? I know people use it off label for sleep all the time. I cannot believe how much it knocks me out. Ultimately I tried to come off it due to some weight gain, but if my insomnia ramps back up, I’ll end up going back on it. And yes I suffered chronic insomnia for years as well so I really feel your pain. I tried everything under the sun (moon? Haha) and the meds were the only thing that finally helped get it under control. Once I got it under control, I finally started to taper, but that was basically two years of meds at least and I like to have them in my pocket.

This is probably weird advice but if you’re going to do 1mg to 0.75mg, this helps me with the anxiety over cutting down.

Use a pill sorter to do 1mg odd days, 0.75mg even days for example. Check the pill sorter well for accuracy.

But don’t commit to memory which days are 1mg and which ones are 0.75mg! Just dump all the pills for the evening right in your mouth. You won’t know if that night is a 1mg night or 0.75mg night.

This helps me feel a lot less anxious during my tapers. I document everything carefully like which week I started the taper, so when refilling my pill dispenser, I know when it’s time to cut down further.

Obviously it’s always best to discuss strategies with your prescribing physician.

Maybe this unconventional method will help you! Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself.

Good luck and best wishes for a good night’s sleep!