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Tips to help sleep: so many of us have that awful withdrawal insomnia


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Is it possible to not be able to sleep due to being over tired?

 

I am beyond tired, delirious is more like it. I am so tired I am nauseous.

Each night I thought I would just pass out, and it isn't happening.

 

I think I am incredibly stressed and not sleeping makes this a vicious cycle.

 

I do have alot of interruptions during the night even when I am in a sound sleep. Daughter leaving and coming home. My chihuahua is quite old so he wakes me up to go out, and my westie wants to see my daughter when she comes home,so I get her off the bed and then later on she scratches at the door to come back in.

 

I should have tried reading. Can't seem to focus on meditation tapes.

 

I so wish I could not worry, put things in their proper perspective, do what I can and let it go.

 

Meds were supposed to help with this. :(

Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1902-nikki-hi-my-rundown-with-ads/

 

Paxil 1997-2004

Crossed over to Lexapro Paxil not available

at Pharmacies GSK halted deliveries

Lexapro 40mgs

Lexapro taper (2years)

Imipramine

Imipramine and Celexa

Now Nefazadone/Imipramine 50mgs. each

45mgs. Serzone  50mgs. Imipramine

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I can't say exactly what is going on when one gets the sense one is too tired to sleep, Nikki, but yes, I know that well. I call it being strung out and it's ugly...it's downright physically painful.

 

It doesn't happen as often to me anymore. that's about all I can say at this juncture. It happens much less frequently.

 

Hang on.

 

Oh, and also I know it may not be entirely possible but minimizing whatever disturbs your sleep is really important. I'm sure you realize that too. If you can use a white noise machine of some kind (anything that makes white noise is fine like a fan or something) so that you won't hear your daughter coming and going for example...

Everything Matters: Beyond Meds 

https://beyondmeds.com/

withdrawn from a cocktail of 6 psychiatric drugs that included every class of psych drug.
 

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hi Nikki, feeling a lot of compassion for you with all the nighttime interruptions you have! sleep is such an elusive creature during different "seasons" of life. i have been struggling with it as well. in response to not being able to sleep due to being over tired, my answer is yes. i have been seeing an Ayurvedic practitioner for a year and a half now and she explained that paradoxically, we need enough energy to sleep. i actually FEEL this when i wake up to the cortisol alarm clock::: like i'm using a lot of energy trying to get back to sleep, which actually seems to make me more tired. this is a tough one for us in w/d, such a catch-22. for the year before i started tapering, i was taking Ashwagandha, which is wonderful for bringing the body back to a place of sustained energy, and consequently (took several months of consistent use) i started sleeping better. i recently stopped taking it because it warms the body up and well, most of us here know that we don't really need help in that department! i agree that supplements are a slippery slope, helpful, but also wanting to encourage my body to relearn without being dependent on pills of any sort. drinking warm, local whole milk with nutmeg and a little brown sugar has been useful for me, though i know not everyone can do the milk thing. the sweetness of the milk helps cool the body down.

thinking restful thoughts for all of you here! so glad we can share our experiences and support each other, ablesprout

2.5 years on Mirtazapine 30mg., then switched to 10mg Paxil + 2.5mg Zyprexa (because Paxil made me manic so duh, add an anti-psychotic!)

weaned off Paxil + Zyprexa 6 years ago and it wrecked me, so back on Mirtazapine 30mg. that dose didn't work so up to 45mg.

took a different generic and it put me into withdrawal. tried to stabilize again at 45mg, didn't work, so down to 30mg.

tapered from 30mg to 15mg from June 2012 to Dec 2012 at 3.75mg per drop. (too large of drops, i now know.)

currently at 15mg.

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Interestingly, I slept off of the machine last night and woke up after 4 hours. Lay back down listening to a podcast and fell back asleep for nearly 3 hours. By the way, I had consumed coffee at 3pm and had little expectation of being able to sleep. Hmm.

 

 

I think I've posted about this before: a little coffee in the afternoon helps my sleep at night. I wonder if the coffee you drank at 3 pm helped your sleep during the night. If this worked for you once, would you be willing to try it again? 7 hours with one interruption sounds pretty good.

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Interestingly, I slept off of the machine last night and woke up after 4 hours. Lay back down listening to a podcast and fell back asleep for nearly 3 hours. By the way, I had consumed coffee at 3pm and had little expectation of being able to sleep. Hmm.

 

 

I think I've posted about this before: a little coffee in the afternoon helps my sleep at night. I wonder if the coffee you drank at 3 pm helped your sleep during the night. If this worked for you once, would you be willing to try it again? 7 hours with one interruption sounds pretty good.

 

Hi Georgia,

 

Thanks for chiming in.

 

Unfortunately, even though I slept, it was horrible quality due to my severe apnea. And since I am hypersensitive, drinking coffee in the afternoon is not conducive to sleeping on the machine unfortunately.

 

CS

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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I have had insomnia for a week. I think I asked this on my own thread, but I'll ask it here.

 

Is there such a thing as being beyond exhaustion and not being able to sleep because of being beyond exhaustion?

 

My daughter said yes and there is a name for it which she could not remember.

 

Like Flower I am weaning off Aspartame.

 

The doctor dropped my Progesterone dose from 100 to 25. It is a cream and it is compounded with a small amount of Testosterone. He said progesterone is bad for the heart and my dose was high.

 

The Celexa/Imipramine is the same: 30 an 30

 

I have been working 7 days a week. My business is busy :) and TJMaxx keeps putting me on the schedule on Saturdays when I have requested not to be. I only wanted to work there twice a week. Working to closing is rough. I am wired when I come home on those particular nights.

 

Sadly my mother has been acting out alot. She does not have Alzheimers or Dementia. I have never really been able to identify what it is, but it is draining. It could be narcissism. It may be some form of Bi-polar stuff. She gets ugly, and survives on pandemonium and fighting with people.

 

When it happens I go right back to the old tapes of childhood. I am not afraid of her like I was when I was a kid. I am angry and very tired of it. It's been a life-time of this nonsense. The stress keeps me awake at night and depressed during the day ruminating over the latest escapade.

 

I was wondering if I am in a "poop-out".

 

I just paid my property taxes, income taxes, and now the HOA is due along with Life Insurance. Had the car done, new refrigerator, and a few more things which ran into the thousands. Stressed.

 

Can seem to meditate or read.

 

Can someone please come over and club me over the head so I go into a Coma :lol:

 

Solutions please :(

 

PS my alimony went back up :P

Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1902-nikki-hi-my-rundown-with-ads/

 

Paxil 1997-2004

Crossed over to Lexapro Paxil not available

at Pharmacies GSK halted deliveries

Lexapro 40mgs

Lexapro taper (2years)

Imipramine

Imipramine and Celexa

Now Nefazadone/Imipramine 50mgs. each

45mgs. Serzone  50mgs. Imipramine

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Nikki, that's an awfully big and sudden drop in your progesterone. Progesterone is calming -- it actually impacts GABA like a benzo -- and stopping or decreasing it abruptly could definitely have a bad effect on sleep. When did you make the cut from 100 to 25?

 

Did your doctor happen to offer any details or evidence to support his claim that progesterone "is bad for the heart?" Everything I've read points to quite the opposite conclusion for bio-identical P taken early on in menopause.

 

Hoping you get some relief soon. Have you tried melatonin?

 

Hugs--

Sparrow

2009-2011: tapered off Trazodone, Namenda, Lamictal, Dextroamphetamine, Zyprexa; cold-turkeyed Pristiq; reduced Lexapro dose 50%.
On clonazepam since 2004, 0.5 - 1.0 mg daily PRN. Three failed (too rapid) partial tapers, 2010 - 2011.
Dec. 2011 - March 2013: Tapered off 0.5 mg clonazepam (Klonopin)

August 2013: Switched to liquid escitalopram (Lexapro) and began tapering from 10 mg.

January 2014: 4.5 mg escitalopram

March 2014: One year off benzos

May 2014: 3.0 mg escitalopram

June 2014: severe depression, updosed to 4.0 mg

Sept 1, 2014: 2.7 mg

Dec 7, 2014: Can't get below 2.5 mg without unbearable symptoms. Doing an extended hold (I hope)

March 2015: TWO YEARS POST-BENZO

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Sparrow....

 

Maybe I should call and tell them to change the Rx and bump it back up to at least 75mgs.

He is a young doctor. Thank you for the info.

 

I don't usually have trouble going to sleep. I do now :blink:

 

That is a big drop. Maybe I should use it twice a day until I get a script to up the dose.

 

Never ends with medications, does it <_<:huh::blink::angry::(

Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1902-nikki-hi-my-rundown-with-ads/

 

Paxil 1997-2004

Crossed over to Lexapro Paxil not available

at Pharmacies GSK halted deliveries

Lexapro 40mgs

Lexapro taper (2years)

Imipramine

Imipramine and Celexa

Now Nefazadone/Imipramine 50mgs. each

45mgs. Serzone  50mgs. Imipramine

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I don't think I've talked much about the insomnia I experienced when I first discontinued (too rapidly) Effexor and Risperdal. I know insomnia is a very common and disruptive side effect but we all just use the word and I'd like to explain what happened to me.

 

I didn't suffer chronic sleep disturbance with two or three hours of sleep or less. I didn't wake frequently during the night. Instead I simply could not fall asleep. Has anyone else experienced insomnia in this way?

 

After waking up I'd give my best effort at a functional day. At day's end, I'd be exhausted and go to bed. I'd lie there for hours and hours. Once the sun came up, I'd get out of bed, very tired, resigned that sleep wasn't happening. Due to exhaustion, I'd be nonfunctioning. Periodically during the day, I'd get back into bed but I could not fall asleep.

 

Sometimes I'd be awake for a 2+ days. Maybe I'd wake up Monday at 11am and not fall back to sleep until Wednesday at 11pm, something like this. But then, after falling asleep, I'd sleep solidly, 12-20 hours. Then I'd wake up -- at some ridiculously random time -- and the cycle would start again.

 

From what I've pieced together this type of unwelcome, extended awakeness followed by sound, extended sleep is not how withdrawal insomnia typically manifests. At my worst weeks, this cycle would run such that I'd get an average of 8 hrs a night each week, except I'd only get any sleep at all on 2 - 3 nights.

 

Combined with severe anxiety, this form of insomnia disturbed my life so profoundly that I decided to restart on klonopin.

 

Finally, I remember how impaired my thinking and emotional state would become during the latter hours of sleeplessness. I made more decisions. Not reckless decisions, but desperate decisions or confused decisions because it is very difficult to think clearly in a severely sleep deprived state. Or be emotionally coherent. I bet this feeling of sleepless desperation is consistent in all sleep disorders.

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

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Alex, I had that when I went cold turkey and then when I tapered too quick a number of years ago. I couldn't drive, work or think. My eyes went all jitteryoving backwards and forwards really quickly after days of not sleeping

 

I said to the doc it's like a switch is stuck on and no matter how exhausted I am I can't sleep

 

Was truly awful and very clear why sleep deprivation is a technique of torture

 

Dalsaan

Please note - I am not a medical practitioner and I do not give medical advice. I offer an opinion based on my own experiences, reading and discussion with others.On Effexor for 2 months at the start of 2005. Had extreme insomnia as an adverse reaction. Changed to mirtazapine. Have been trying to get off since mid 2008 with numerous failures including CTs and slow (but not slow enough tapers)Have slow tapered at 10 per cent or less for years. I have liquid mirtazapine made at a compounding chemist.

Was on 1.6 ml as at 19 March 2014.

Dropped to 1.5 ml 7 June 2014. Dropped to 1.4 in about September.

Dropped to 1.3 on 20 December 2014. Dropped to 1.2 in mid Jan 2015.

Dropped to 1 ml in late Feb 2015. I think my old medication had run out of puff so I tried 1ml when I got the new stuff and it seems to be going ok. Sleep has been good over the last week (as of 13/3/15).

Dropped to 1/2 ml 14/11/15 Fatigue still there as are memory and cognition problems. Sleep is patchy but liveable compared to what it has been in the past.

 

DRUG FREE - as at 1st May 2017

 

>My intro post is here - http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2250-dalsaan

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I don't think I've talked much about the insomnia I experienced when I first discontinued (too rapidly) Effexor and Risperdal. I know insomnia is a very common and disruptive side effect but we all just use the word and I'd like to explain what happened to me.

 

I didn't suffer chronic sleep disturbance with two or three hours of sleep or less. I didn't wake frequently during the night. Instead I simply could not fall asleep. Has anyone else experienced insomnia in this way?

 

After waking up I'd give my best effort at a functional day. At day's end, I'd be exhausted and go to bed. I'd lie there for hours and hours. Once the sun came up, I'd get out of bed, very tired, resigned that sleep wasn't happening. Due to exhaustion, I'd be nonfunctioning. Periodically during the day, I'd get back into bed but I could not fall asleep.

 

Sometimes I'd be awake for a 2+ days. Maybe I'd wake up Monday at 11am and not fall back to sleep until Wednesday at 11pm, something like this. But then, after falling asleep, I'd sleep solidly, 12-20 hours. Then I'd wake up -- at some ridiculously random time -- and the cycle would start again.

 

From what I've pieced together this type of unwelcome, extended awakeness followed by sound, extended sleep is not how withdrawal insomnia typically manifests. At my worst weeks, this cycle would run such that I'd get an average of 8 hrs a night each week, except I'd only get any sleep at all on 2 - 3 nights.

 

Combined with severe anxiety, this form of insomnia disturbed my life so profoundly that I decided to restart on klonopin.

 

Finally, I remember how impaired my thinking and emotional state would become during the latter hours of sleeplessness. I made more decisions. Not reckless decisions, but desperate decisions or confused decisions because it is very difficult to think clearly in a severely sleep deprived state. Or be emotionally coherent. I bet this feeling of sleepless desperation is consistent in all sleep disorders.

 

Alex,

 

I forgot, is this still an issue or not? I am so sorry you experienced this. I can't imagine trying to lie down and get zero sleep.

 

Yup, I feel like my thinking is impaired big time even when I am aware that it is. It is a horrible way to live.

 

And if I can't resolve it after I optimize my pap therapy and have tried OTC remedies, I will look to a regular med for sleep, whatever that may be. At that point, the health risks of not sleep outweigh whatever the risks are in taking meds.

 

I definitely understand why you resorted to taking Klonopin.

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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I didn't suffer chronic sleep disturbance with two or three hours of sleep or less. I didn't wake frequently during the night. Instead I simply could not fall asleep. Has anyone else experienced insomnia in this way?

Me. I go into bed, stay there for a while, then I fall asleep. After that, I sleep roughly 4-5 hours (quite deeply); then, after I have to go to the bathroom, I can't fall asleep for hours. Then I manage to fall asleep again but it's very intermittent.

From 2001 to 2010, I took almost continuosly a host of different SSRIs , including Prozac, Celexa and Paxil, plus various benzodiazepines and Bupropion for a limited period of time.

 

From July 2010 to April 2012 >> Duloxetine, dose ranging from 60mg to 120mg.

 

From August 2012 to September 2012 >> reinstated 30 mg of Duloxetine

 

From September 2012 until present days >> Valproic Acid/Sodium Valproate, dose ranging from 300mg to 1000mg. Now I'm on 400mg. I've also taken Amisulpride (50mg) for 9 days and Abilify (10ml) only once.

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Alex, Wjen I was over-activated on Cymbalta, cruising towards mania, I did the no sleep thing. But I felt relaxed, sliding off to sleep when I could feel my brain suddenly bounce from almost asleep to wide awake, then would gradually slide down over the next few hours and repeat over and over. Somewhere on SA is an explanation....it's hyper-alerting of some sort. A place in your brain with a lot of control believes you're not safe enough to go to sleep, so it faithfully wakes you up as needed. Thanks brain! But I never did the long rebound sleep. Definitely saving the benzo for last!

1st round Prozac 1989/90, clear depression symptoms. 2nd round Prozac started 1999 when admitted to dr. I was tired. Prozac pooped out, switch to Cymbalta 3/2006. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder due to mania 6/2006--then I was taken abruptly off Cymbalta and didn't know I had SSRI withdrawal. Lots of meds for my intractable "bipolar" symptoms.

Zyprexa started about 9/06, mostly 5mg. Tapered 4/12 through12/29/12

Wellbutrin. XL 300 mg started 1/07, tapered 1/18/13 through 7/8/13

Oxazepam mostly continuously since 6/06, 30mg since 12/12, tapered 1.17.14 through 8.26.15

11/06 Lithium 600mg twice daily, 2.2.14 400mg TID DIY liquid, 2.12.14 1150mg, 3.2.14 1100mg, 3.18.14 1075mg, 4/14 updose to 1100mg, 6.1.14 900 mg capsules 7.8.14 810mg, 8.17.14 725mg, 8.24.24 700mg...10.22.14 487.5mg, 3.9.15 475mg, 4.1.15 462.5mg 4.21.15 450mg 8.11.15 375mg, 11.28.15 362.5mg, back to 375mg four days later, 3.4.16 updose to 475 (too much going on to risk trouble)

9/4/13 Toprol-XL 25mg daily for sudden hypertension, tapered 11.12.13 through 5.3.14, last 10 days or so switched to atenolol

7.4.14 Started Walsh Protocol

56 years old

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Yes exactly what you're describing happened to me about 10 years ago when I went cold turkey (or the alternate day thing) of getting off Zoloft. I had two young boys and a husband working a long way from home, and I'm quite horrified when I think of how I was actually driving the boys about in this state, simply because I didn't know what the hell was happening to me and someone had to ferry them about, I should've asked for help. It cleared up when I gave in and reinstated. Nowadays since tapering excruciatingly slowly I don't get the chronic no sleep for nights on end insomnia, just odd nights where I catch up the next night.

*** Please note this is not medical advice,discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner***





http://prozacwithdrawal.blogspot.com/
Original drug was sertraline/Zoloft, switched to Prozac in 2007.
Tapering from 5mls liquid prozac since Feb 2008, got down to 0.85ml 23/09/2012, reinstated back to 1ml(4mg) 07/11/2012, didn't appear to work, upped to 1.05ml 17/11/2012, back down to 1ml 12/12/2012 didn't work, up to 1.30ml 16/3/2013 didn't work, bumped up to 2ml (8mg) 4/4/2013 didn't work, in July 2013 I reinstated Sertraline (Zoloft) 50mg, feeling better now. 

A few months down the line I switched to 5ml liquid Prozac and tapered down to a compromise dose of 3ml liquid Prozac and have stayed there ever since, no withdrawals and no emotional blunting/loss of libido.

 

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Very interesting.

 

I still have some sleep issues, pretty well correlated to bdz reduction, but nothing like insomnia as I had it before. I haven't got multiple days without sleep since 2010.

"Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast
I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past
But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free
I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me.

Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there
Everybody's got to move somewhere
Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow
Things should start to get interesting right about now."

- Zimmerman

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I'm somewhat relieved to hear others report this. I don't think my doctor ever believed me. I tried numerous benzos but they would work for a night or two and that was it

 

Interestingly I also had this when I was first put on ADs. It was Effexor I went for 8 weeks getting less than ten hours a week andost nights none. That's why I ended up on remeron I have sometimes wondered whether that initial adverse reaction harmed my sleep mechanism and that's why sleep has been such an issue for me in withdrawal

Please note - I am not a medical practitioner and I do not give medical advice. I offer an opinion based on my own experiences, reading and discussion with others.On Effexor for 2 months at the start of 2005. Had extreme insomnia as an adverse reaction. Changed to mirtazapine. Have been trying to get off since mid 2008 with numerous failures including CTs and slow (but not slow enough tapers)Have slow tapered at 10 per cent or less for years. I have liquid mirtazapine made at a compounding chemist.

Was on 1.6 ml as at 19 March 2014.

Dropped to 1.5 ml 7 June 2014. Dropped to 1.4 in about September.

Dropped to 1.3 on 20 December 2014. Dropped to 1.2 in mid Jan 2015.

Dropped to 1 ml in late Feb 2015. I think my old medication had run out of puff so I tried 1ml when I got the new stuff and it seems to be going ok. Sleep has been good over the last week (as of 13/3/15).

Dropped to 1/2 ml 14/11/15 Fatigue still there as are memory and cognition problems. Sleep is patchy but liveable compared to what it has been in the past.

 

DRUG FREE - as at 1st May 2017

 

>My intro post is here - http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2250-dalsaan

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When I first went into withdrawal from Lexapro this is exactly what the insomnia was like. I would not be able to sleep for one and a half to two days at a time and then I'd drop off sometime in the afternoon and sleep for maybe five to seven hours. I tried everything I could think of from benzos to booze, but the only thing that worked was darkening the room and wearing a sleep mask. Once I tried that I was able to sleep on a more normal schedule and I began to heal. My light sensitivity during the first few months of withdrawal was severe to the point of painful and caused a lot of irritability that would have appeared irrational to someone who didn't know what was going on.

 

I probably sleep too much now that I can, because I'm so afraid of not getting enough sleep again.

Psychotropic drug history: Pristiq 50 mg. (mid-September 2010 through February 2011), Remeron (mid-September 2010 through January 2011), Lexapro 10 mg. (mid-February 2011 through mid-December 2011), Lorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg. as needed mid-September 2010 through early March 2012

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." -Hanlon's Razor


Introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1588-introducing-jemima/

 

Success Story: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6263-success-jemima-survives-lexapro-and-dr-dickhead-too/

Please note that I am not a medical professional and my advice is based on personal experience, reading, and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers.

 

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I'm somewhat relieved to hear others report this. I don't think my doctor ever believed me. I tried numerous benzos but they would work for a night or two and that was it.

 

Interestingly I also had this when I was first put on ADs. It was Effexor I went for 8 weeks getting less than ten hours a week andost nights none. That's why I ended up on remeron I have sometimes wondered whether that initial adverse reaction harmed my sleep mechanism and that's why sleep has been such an issue for me in withdrawal

 

Please don't worry about your "sleep mechanism" being damaged. There's nothing mechanical about the brain and as we've all seen here, some of the worse cases of AD withdrawal eventually heal.

 

Antihistamines are notorious for "backfiring" as sleeping medication. After some period of time, they become stimulating instead of sedative. I had this happen to me in a period of about three months so probably your being on Remeron for close to eight years has already had this effect for a long time. I keep wondering if there's something you could switch to that would allow you to sleep while you taper off altogether. Maybe a tricyclic? I don't know, but it seems worth considering.

 

Here's a quote from Alto on the subject of antihistamines for sleep from last summer:

 

For withdrawal insomnia, people often use Benadryl, a sedating antihistamine, to help sleep.

 

It's often an ingredient in nonprescription sleep aids, such as Nytol, Unisom, Tylenol PM, Excedrin PM, Midol PM and Advil PM.

 

Info about Diphenhydramine

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000704/

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diphenhydramine

 

The problem with is diphenhydramine is its beneficial sleep effect can wear off and it can go paradoxical -- it will keep you awake instead. So use it sparingly if you can.

 

Emphasis mine.

Psychotropic drug history: Pristiq 50 mg. (mid-September 2010 through February 2011), Remeron (mid-September 2010 through January 2011), Lexapro 10 mg. (mid-February 2011 through mid-December 2011), Lorazepam (Ativan) 1 mg. as needed mid-September 2010 through early March 2012

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity." -Hanlon's Razor


Introduction: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1588-introducing-jemima/

 

Success Story: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6263-success-jemima-survives-lexapro-and-dr-dickhead-too/

Please note that I am not a medical professional and my advice is based on personal experience, reading, and anecdotal information posted by other sufferers.

 

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  • 3 months later...

I am going through the most extreme disrupted sleep nightmare.

I have learned in a survival mode, and I don`t know how, to get back to sleep, but it is really scary.

I wake up every hour! LIke, if I get asleep at 12, at 1am I wake up;back to sleep; 2am, I wake up,back to sleep;·3am,4am,etc etc.

It's a on and off crazy thing.It is ironic because by day I'm handling things better....

I prepare to sleep with herbal tea, Melatonin, Valerian,I've darkened the room...nothing seems to work.

I am almost 1 year off; I guess it is a matter of time????

At LEAST i'm able to get some rest, but the trauma is big.

This is serious stuff.

4 years aprox. on 150mgs.Effexor for situational major depression.No AD before.
Tapered 150-0mgs in 3 months.

Tapered Quetiapine,Xanax in the last 18 months.NO med of any kind anymore.
First 3 months off acute w/d
Protracted w/d ever since.
Symptoms:Anxiety,anhedonia,insomnia,tinnitus,PSSD

04/13/2014 Awful Relapse.Recovered fairly fast.

3 years and 4 months off.

waves and windows.Very much recovered.

November 2015,health issue.Setback.
 

 

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Alex is there any underlying stress going on?  Anythng on  your mind?  When I am worried over something or procrastinating with something it affects my sleep.

 

Lucinda Bassett who developed Attacking Anxiety and Depression said when she was having insomnia she just coped with it and when her body had enough, sleep arrived.

 

This may be a passing phase...and that it passes quickly.  Living in Costa Rica, can you go for a evening swim?  Get a little sun during the day.  That puts me to sleep at night.

Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1902-nikki-hi-my-rundown-with-ads/

 

Paxil 1997-2004

Crossed over to Lexapro Paxil not available

at Pharmacies GSK halted deliveries

Lexapro 40mgs

Lexapro taper (2years)

Imipramine

Imipramine and Celexa

Now Nefazadone/Imipramine 50mgs. each

45mgs. Serzone  50mgs. Imipramine

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  • 3 weeks later...

I have posted here that I've seen substantial improvement in areas like anxiety and anhedonia, and some physical symptoms.

But insomnia is relentless.I am sarting to wonder if it is w/d or something else.

When I had the terrible major depression, I had exactly the same symptoms of broken sleep;but it was worse.

The thing is that I have seen people here who never had this condition before and now in w/d they have sleeping issues.

So I don't know;it would be VERY helpful to hear from people that have seen improvement in their sleep.

Looking for some encouragement here.

Thank you.

4 years aprox. on 150mgs.Effexor for situational major depression.No AD before.
Tapered 150-0mgs in 3 months.

Tapered Quetiapine,Xanax in the last 18 months.NO med of any kind anymore.
First 3 months off acute w/d
Protracted w/d ever since.
Symptoms:Anxiety,anhedonia,insomnia,tinnitus,PSSD

04/13/2014 Awful Relapse.Recovered fairly fast.

3 years and 4 months off.

waves and windows.Very much recovered.

November 2015,health issue.Setback.
 

 

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Hi Alex,

 

I've struggled with insomnia since my updose in February. Before that I slept 10 hours per night regularly.

 

I've had various other symptoms including hot flushes, nausea, depression, acute anxiety, OCD thought processes, nightmares, muscle twitches and hypnic jerks.

 

For the most part all of these have subsided EXCEPT the insomnia. I continue to wax and wane with my sleeping. Some nights are great (9 hours) and some are awful (4 hours, broken). It's still up and down and I honestly don't know when it will get better.

 

From what I've read here and on other forums, insomnia seems to be the most persistent of the symptoms and often lingers on far longer than the other symptoms.

 

You're definitely not alone!

July 2001 prescribed 20mg citalopram for depression;
On and off meds from 2003-2006.
February 2006 back on 20mg citalopram and stayed on it until my last attempt at tapering in September 2011.
By far the worst withdrawal symptoms ever. Reinstated to 20mg citalopram
October 2012 - found this forum!
Nov 2012 to Feb 2013 did 10% taper, got doen to 11mg - was going great until stressful situation. Cortisol levels hit the roof, hideous insomnia forced me to updose to 20mg.
March 2016 - close to 100% back to normal!



****** I am not a medical practitioner, any advice I give comes from my own experience or reading and is only my perspective ******

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Hi Alex,

 

I feel insomnia was my worst symptom in getting off of psych meds. Totally understandable since two of them were sleep meds.

 

Of course, for all I know, what I blamed on the meds, could have been due to the sleep apnea.  Hard to tell.

 

You may have mentioned but can you at least nap?

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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Adopting good sleep hygiene and some of our tips for helping withdrawal insomnia can reduce "normal" insomnia as well.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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You may have mentioned but can you at least nap?

 

No, the other day I laid down and closed my eyes and I "think" I fell asleep...

It is a very thin line though.

The good thing about my night sleep is that even though very broken, it is becoming more natural, since I tapered off 12.5mg Seroquel and I am holding 0.25mg Xanax and going down to 0.20mg aprox.

I never had sleeping issues, just with the big depression.

Tough ride this is.

4 years aprox. on 150mgs.Effexor for situational major depression.No AD before.
Tapered 150-0mgs in 3 months.

Tapered Quetiapine,Xanax in the last 18 months.NO med of any kind anymore.
First 3 months off acute w/d
Protracted w/d ever since.
Symptoms:Anxiety,anhedonia,insomnia,tinnitus,PSSD

04/13/2014 Awful Relapse.Recovered fairly fast.

3 years and 4 months off.

waves and windows.Very much recovered.

November 2015,health issue.Setback.
 

 

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Please try to remember that you are seeing gradual improvement and include that in your posts. Try not to be panicky and negative, that will make the waves worse.

 

Thanks A,yes, there has been "significant" improvement in anxiety and anhedonia.Yesterday I went out to the sea.shore in a 4 hrs ride in car with my best friend, and I was able to enjoy,interact, tell a few jokes, LAUGH, I felt really great.3 months ago I did the same trip and it was completely different; I was very anxious,anhedonic and had bad DR.

I can tell the difference, absolutely.

I am waiting for my sleep to improve...

4 years aprox. on 150mgs.Effexor for situational major depression.No AD before.
Tapered 150-0mgs in 3 months.

Tapered Quetiapine,Xanax in the last 18 months.NO med of any kind anymore.
First 3 months off acute w/d
Protracted w/d ever since.
Symptoms:Anxiety,anhedonia,insomnia,tinnitus,PSSD

04/13/2014 Awful Relapse.Recovered fairly fast.

3 years and 4 months off.

waves and windows.Very much recovered.

November 2015,health issue.Setback.
 

 

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This sleep video is great to try.  This lady will bore you to sleep though she is quite loving! 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqLzR7gLQmw

2013:   (Aug) Lamictal: 75 mg (Since 2003: 25 mg  - 200 mg or more while hospitalized)

2013:  Mental Health Advance Directive completed (which I recommend to others for their own protection)

 

2011:  Last hospitalization:  Lamictal, Geodon, Trazadone, Celexa (even though caused me to become mania, I was given this in hospital), Prolixon (made my arms swing and my right side paralized for several minutes until I received an antidote to the poison) Prolixon also caused 6 months of toe twitching)

 

Celexa: caused me to become manic to the point of hospitalization above

Lamictal: since about 2003

Previously:  Lithium (gave me current disease, hypothyroidism, for which I take Levoxyl) Depakote, Wellbutrim, Paxil

 

Early Adulthood:  Thorazine, Trazadine, Stellazine, Haldol

 

Recommended video that has put me to sleep anytime:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqLzR7gLQmw

 

Recommended video to heal thyself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvF7m4gUi3o

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  • 1 month later...

 

Does anyone else feel guilty for laying down in the afternoon istead of doing something productive??????

Absolutely not. The only reason I am trying not to take naps period is I feel they disrupt my sleep in general. But if I felt they didn't, I would haven't the least bit of concern about it.

 

If laying down is helpful to you, I would lose the guilty trip in a hurry in light of what you have dealt with.

 

CS

Drug cocktail 1995 - 2010
Started taper of Adderall, Wellbutrin XL, Remeron, and Doxepin in 2006
Finished taper on June 10, 2010

Temazepam on a PRN basis approximately twice a month - 2014 to 2016

Beginning in 2017 - Consumption increased to about two times per week

April 2017 - Increased to taking it full time for insomnia

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Ditch the guilt :P Good advise CS.  I think I am adjusting to not having to go to work at TJMaxx.  Did it for a year.  Still feel like I am supposed to be somewhere.  I guess it will take a week of so to adjust.

 

I did ask my daughter to please, please be quiet and not cook dinner at midnight so I could get some sleep.  She looked at me and said "we don't make any noise".

 

When do they move out??????? 

Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1902-nikki-hi-my-rundown-with-ads/

 

Paxil 1997-2004

Crossed over to Lexapro Paxil not available

at Pharmacies GSK halted deliveries

Lexapro 40mgs

Lexapro taper (2years)

Imipramine

Imipramine and Celexa

Now Nefazadone/Imipramine 50mgs. each

45mgs. Serzone  50mgs. Imipramine

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  • Moderator Emeritus

The latest upload from Jody Whiteley: Sleep Hypnosis

 

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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I subscribe to her on my youtube channel

I'm not a doctor.  My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one.

My Introduction Thread

Full Drug and Withdrawal History

Brief Summary

Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects

2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010

Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal

DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms

Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal)

May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins.

Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes

Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine

Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D

June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens.

Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered

Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days.

April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close.

VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from?



VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made?



VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?



VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects?

VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes

 

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Well I've been going through some bad insomnia for that past 6 weeks or so. Some nights I get zero sleep, some nights I would get 4-5 hours broken sleep, and on the best nights I would get 4-5 hours in a row.

 

However the last week the pattern has changed and it's pretty frustrating. Now I can only sleep one hour at a time, whereupon I wake up, feel anxious and have adrenaline coursing through me. It takes me an hour to calm down, and I am able to fall asleep again, again I wake up after an hour with anxiety/adrenaline. This repeats all throughout the night. So on good night I am lucky to get 4-5 broken hours, but on bad nights it's more like 1-2. Has anyone else experienced this?

a.k.a JMarie

Paxil since Mar.1998

2006-2007:40-20mg
2009: 20mg to 14mg 2010: 14mg to 10.5mg 2011: 10.5 to 7.6mg  2012: 7.5 to 6.8mg

2013: 6.7-6.3mg 2014: 6.2mg-5.8mg 2015: 5.7 to 5.15mg 2016: 5.1-4.6mg

1/19/17: 4.5mg 3/17/17: 4.4mg

6/15/17: 4.35mg 8/10/17: 4.3mg

1/29/18: 4.1mg 5/07/18: 4.0mg

7/31/18: 3.9mg

 

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Yes, it's called Fight or Flight Syndrome and it's from excess Cortisol pumping thru your system (withdrawal symptom).  I started becoming afraid to try and sleep because being so "startled awake" was scarey. It will go away but for now it's awful to experience.

Unable at this time to correspond by private message.

 

Link to my Introduction thread: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2477-aria-my-psych-journey/

Reading my psychiatric records: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/5466-drugged-crazy-reading-my-psychiatric-records/

My Success Story is listed under "Aria's Recovery".

 

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  • 1 month later...
  • Administrator

I would take it to mean you are starting to sleep more deeply and getting that paradoxical alerting reaction. This is a stage in healing. Eventually your sleep will knit together.

 

Make sure you are sleeping in a room that is cool and very dark.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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I'm happy to report that my sleep has slowly improved since the original post. In fact, last night I got 8 hours total- one five hour block, and one three hour block. This is one of the best nights I've had since this newest rough patch began. I'm sure it will get bad again, as it seems to be a windows/waves type thing when it comes to all of my symptoms. I am just grateful for any windows I get!

 

Alto, what you said about my alerting system is very interesting. I had an awful time with severe hypnic jerks for over a year and a half. I do still get hypnic jerks, though not nearly as bad as they were before I quit Magnesium Glycinate. I've been meaning to post about it in the Magnesium thread. I would love to start taking Magnesium again, and the Glycinate version is the only one I can tolerate, I'm just scared of the hypnic jerks worsening. I will make that post now.

a.k.a JMarie

Paxil since Mar.1998

2006-2007:40-20mg
2009: 20mg to 14mg 2010: 14mg to 10.5mg 2011: 10.5 to 7.6mg  2012: 7.5 to 6.8mg

2013: 6.7-6.3mg 2014: 6.2mg-5.8mg 2015: 5.7 to 5.15mg 2016: 5.1-4.6mg

1/19/17: 4.5mg 3/17/17: 4.4mg

6/15/17: 4.35mg 8/10/17: 4.3mg

1/29/18: 4.1mg 5/07/18: 4.0mg

7/31/18: 3.9mg

 

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