Connect
Insomnia. What seems to help?
@josephene I am having terrible insomnia as well. Nothing seems to help. Any specific suggestions? Many thanks.
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Sleep Health Support Group.
@josephene I am having terrible insomnia as well. Nothing seems to help. Any specific suggestions? Many thanks.
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Sleep Health Support Group.
ConnectConnect with thousands of patients and caregivers for support and answers.
I am desperate to gain weight so I started mirtazipine while weaning off of Ambien.
Have you tried Lunesta? Or if your doctor would prescribe you Lorazepam....you should take that. Just tell your doctor that Ambien is just as addictive as Lorazepam....but the big difference is....is that Lorazepam WORKS!! GOOD LUCK!
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionI’ve tried Lunesta .
Ambien works better for me . I just have to split it 5 mg before bed and 5 mg at midnight 🕛 when I 1 st wake . This seems to work better than taking 10 mg at once and then walking at midnight and not being able to fall asleep 💤 for hours . Thank you 🙏.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionI also have RX for Colozapam ( Klonopin), 1 mg .. I split in half for daytime anxiety when needed . I don’t mix the Ambien w/ it .
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionBenzos work so great to calm anxiety and facilitate sleep, but they are intended for very short term use, once off, or very occasional use. Otherwise they become less effective (tolerance) at the same time you are becoming physically dependent. One in 5 or 6 people who take them have a really wretched withdrawal, so it turns out people (like me) have stayed on them even though they are harmful to the brain in the long run, because they cannot tolerate the withdrawal. It's a really awful place to be. I agree that sleep is important, but these drugs will turn on you and actually WORSEN your sleep as they change your brain architecture. How long have you taken them? Do they still knock you out? My message to professionals would be a little different. I would encourage them to get their heads out of their butts and stop prescribing harmful drugs that will hook patients but won't help patients past the very short term.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionI've only taken it for less than a year but I have sisters who've taken it (lorazepam) for many years....and still take take the same dosage they started with and it's still very effective. Ambien is just as addictive and bad withdrawals but for some reason, it doesn't get the bad rap that benzos do. Sleep is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!! And if something helps me get the sleep I need....that is helping my overall health.
As you know....Bad Anxiety is HORRIBLE!! So anything I can take that will help that is worth it to me. And sleep is also Sooooo important!! I would love to find something else for sleep that works good....but haven't so far. Because yes... I would love to take the lorazepam only occasionally so it works better. Good luck to you and wish me luck finding something else. Have you tried Lunesta or Trazodone? Or Unisom which is sold over the counter?
My heart goes out to you.... may I ask what daily dosage you take? I would think the higher dose you take, the harder withdrawal would be. Have you tried tapering down off of it?
I take 1 mg Clonazepam, but difficulty of withdrawal is not dose dependent. I think it is, however, time dependent, the longer you take them the more time they have to do damage in the brain/CNS, such as causing gaba receptors to become fewer in number. So while there may be plenty of gaba supplied by the benzo, it has forced the brain to seek homeostasis by becoming far less receptive to it. I've taken it for almost 20 years. By the time a doctor got around to telling me about risks for neurological harm and dependence, tolerance, withdrawal I was several YEARS into being prescribed this "safe and effective" drug (big fat lie), so already physically dependent. I've been told by some it was my responsibility to do my homework and that, even though there was no informed consent and no Dr Google, I should have done the research to make myself aware of the danger. I was under the impression I could trust my doctor when she said this was
the safest and most effective thing to help me sleep after insomnia became chronic pursuant to my father's death. And yes, I've done an extremely slow taper, an agonizing two years that ultimately I had to abandon because I felt I was in danger of losing my will to live, such was the agony of withdrawal. But I'm in tolerance, no amount of the drug gives relief, so it feels like "withdrawal lite" - all the same symptoms, just a little milder. My doctor has said the drug has changed the architecture in my brain to the extent I'll have to take it for life. At first I accepted that, but I am so miserable so many days of the week, I just can't imagine living like this for the remainder of my life. So I'm trying to do everything I can to prepare my nervous system for another taper. Not sure I can survive it, but I feel I have no choice, I am like a trapped animal. I want everyone who takes a benzo or is considering it to read this and be warned. This could be you. It is no way to live. I understand the relief benzos give from anxiety and insomnia, but ultimately the drug makes both of those conditions far worse. It's hard to convince someone experiencing the miracle of relief when they start on benzos that they are headed for trouble. I think it's my mission. Thank you
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
3 ReactionsWhat you’ve said is so true! Doctors should either stop prescribing or not allow refills. Took me two tries to get off lorazepam and so glad I’ve been successful.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
3 Reactions