Feel like I can't sleep without pills anymore! Please help!

[8damien8]

Hello everyone,

I'm a 36 year old male, that has never taken medication or abused substances (drinking socially only).

I've always had some OCD/anxiety, but nothing I felt I couldn't deal with. I would wash my hands a lot, wear gloves to avoid touching things, etc.

Recently, I moved our of my parents place, into a home I bought with my wife (we got married this past October). The change was difficult for me, and on top of that, we had a miscarriage, and other life pressures just started adding up.

Since we moved into our home in late December, I have not been able to sleep. I started taking Zopiclone (Imovane) that was prescribed by our doctor to help with the insomnia.

I started off taking 2.5mg of Zopiclone, and it was working to get me to bed. I didn't like how I felt the next day (foggy, etc.) so I started taking it on and off. When I would not take it, I would not sleep... Not even a minute.

I got a couple Lorazepam pills from a friend in mid-February, and tried them for a week and really liked how I felt compared to Zopiclone.

Then I read how addictive they are, and I scared myself of them.

March has just been hell for me. I've been going from pill to pill, feeling anxiety about not sleeping and about taking meds. I'm at the point where if I don't take meds, or the right amount, I do not sleep at all. I ended up going 3 days sleepless last week and had to go to the hospital.

They gave me 15mg Remeron and 7.5mg Zopiclone, and after about 1 hour, it put me out.

This past week, I have been bouncing around with the meds.

Took 1.5mg Lorazepam/7.5 Zopclone for 2 nights and slept pretty good.

Then tried 1mg Lorazepam/7.5 Zopiclone and could not sleep.

Then tried 10mg melatonin/7.5 Zopiclone and slept pretty good.

Last night tried 10mg melatonin/7.5mg Remeron and could not sleep.

I'm exhausted, deflated, and feeling helpless.

Has anyone been here?

[Kabukicho]

Yup. I can't sleep without 1.0 mg of Xanax. Been that way for several months now.

Insomnia is a massive trigger for my anxiety; if I don't sleep, I'm destroyed the next day.

The Xanax works so well I don't really care if I'm addicted to it, some days.

[tezbag]

One magical word.... benadryl....
I always pass out when I take it. Its the god for insomniacs like yourself. That magical pink pill. Sorry for the odd statment.
But yes benadryl will knock you out Take 50m mg and some tension tamer tea. Ta-da. If that doesn't work you can take 75mg, But I would not suggest 100mgs or more at all. That's more for sever allergic reactions and up.

[Dahila]

Benadryl is not magical word, it is for allergies, I can take 3 of them and still will not sleep...

[needtogetwell]

Benadryl is not magical word, it is for allergies, I can take 3 of them and still will not sleep...

Unfortunately Benadryl does the exact opposite to me I get WIRED and can't sleep!

Go figure!

[8damien8]

Yup. I can't sleep without 1.0 mg of Xanax. Been that way for several months now.

Insomnia is a massive trigger for my anxiety; if I don't sleep, I'm destroyed the next day.

The Xanax works so well I don't really care if I'm addicted to it, some days.

Is Xanax much different from Ativan (Lorazepam)?

Also, is your insomnia like mine. I literally can't sleep at all. Day or night. It's only if I take the right meds, I sleep.

Is this what you're going through?

[8damien8]

One magical word.... benadryl....
I always pass out when I take it. Its the god for insomniacs like yourself. That magical pink pill. Sorry for the odd statment.
But yes benadryl will knock you out Take 50m mg and some tension tamer tea. Ta-da. If that doesn't work you can take 75mg, But I would not suggest 100mgs or more at all. That's more for sever allergic reactions and up.

So for someone that literally can't sleep at all, Benadryl will work?

[tezbag]

Its one of the only things that works for me. I've been on sleeping pills and seditives. Ty being a redhead. But benadryl works for some people and some other maybe not no reason to get fuffy puffy.

[anxietycat]

I'm currently in this same boat. It sucks.

[Dahila]

So for someone that literally can't sleep at all, Benadryl will work?
No it will not, I am suffering with insomnia from early childhood it was decades ago, and still benadryl does not work:))

There is no one who does not sleep at all, even I after 36 hours fell asleep. We are build this way , and we will sleep eventually. The question is what quality of that sleep ?

[8damien8]

I can sympathize. I went through absolute ****.

Keep trying diff meds, dosages and combos until you find something that works for ya. Have a pdoc help you.

Did you also have it where you could not fall asleep? Literally, I have not actually fallen into a sleep without first taking a pill, in 3 months!

I am currently looking for a psychiatrist to treat me. What do you think about CBT for this?

[8damien8]

No it will not, I am suffering with insomnia from early childhood it was decades ago, and still benadryl does not work:))

There is no one who does not sleep at all, even I after 36 hours fell asleep. We are build this way , and we will sleep eventually. The question is what quality of that sleep ?

I'm sure my body would eventually crash, but I feel so sick before I can even get to that point. I was up for about 48 hours, and was not able to sleep. The hospital gave me 7.5 Zopiclone and 15mg Remeron and I went out. Woke up a couple of times in the night, but went back.

I hate this feeling. I just wish I could fall asleep on my own.

I think I need to see a psychiatrist to talk it over, and maybe even CBT.

Any thoughts?

[8damien8]

I'm currently in this same boat. It sucks.

Can you ever fall asleep without meds?

[jessy]

I am having great difficulty sleeping, last night I was awake all night, despite taking 3mg lorazapam & 7.5 mg zopiclone ??? Don't get me wrong I'm sleepy & tired out but I just don't fall asleep .
This is a real problem for anxiety, the less sleep I have the more anxious I feel .
I'm going to see what my doc has to say , I can't carry on like this :-(

You are not alone x

[8damien8]

I had insomnia in every sense of the word, absolutely hideous. Still do with out meds. I have involuntary muscle twitching. A pdoc will help you get sleep if you get a good one. I sleep for 8-9 hrs/night right now.

Good luck!! :) Hang in there!!

Do you mind if I ask what your pdoc has you on?

[8damien8]

I am having great difficulty sleeping, last night I was awake all night, despite taking 3mg lorazapam & 7.5 mg zopiclone ??? Don't get me wrong I'm sleepy & tired out but I just don't fall asleep .
This is a real problem for anxiety, the less sleep I have the more anxious I feel .
I'm going to see what my doc has to say , I can't carry on like this :-(

You are not alone x

I feel your pain. Seems we're dealing with exactly the same thing.

How long has yours been affecting you?

[anxietycat]

Can you ever fall asleep without meds?

The first step is for you to realize how common this is. I was so upset and in denial when I first had to start taking sleeping meds because I thought NO ONE else had to and that something was wrong with me. No ... my pharmacist told me Zolpidem (Ambien) is the fastest moving drug they have. Do a quick internet search and you'll see people who have been on Ambien for YEARS. Some decades. Is it good for you? Probably not. Is it okay for the time being? Yes. You just have to accept it. I haven't slept without a pill since January 27th. Welcome to the club.

[8damien8]

Is it okay for the time being? Yes. You just have to accept it. I haven't slept without a pill since January 27th. Welcome to the club.

I really appreciate those words.

I hate myself every time I slip a pill into my mouth. Feel like I've lost.

I need a plan to get off the medication, get to sleep naturally, and go back to the life I was very happy with.

Are you seeing a psychiatrist? CBT therapist?

[anxietycat]

I really appreciate those words.

I hate myself every time I slip a pill into my mouth. Feel like I've lost.

I need a plan to get off the medication, get to sleep naturally, and go back to the life I was very happy with.

Are you seeing a psychiatrist? CBT therapist?

Oh ya- the whole kit and caboodle. I had anxiety for YEARS and very bad obsessional thoughts but I just put up with them and had panic attacks all the time, even on medications. It all came to a head in January and I lost it and didn't sleep for 2 days at a time and then I'd be so tired but I couldn't even nap. I tried melatonin, benadryl, all the teas, all the kooky lavender on your temples stuff and NOTHING worked. I finally had a meltdown and cried for days until my best friend made me go to the psychiatrist. Since then I've tried- Ambien, Ambien CR, lunesta, Trazodone, Seroquel, and ........ I think that's it. The combo that finally worked for me is 25mg of Trazodone with 5mg of Ambien. I hate myself every time too, but I hate myself more when i don't get any sleep at all. It's just the way it has to be right now. I used to be TERRIFIED of taking pills and hated pills. Now I feel like I could be a pharmacist with how much I know. I have some time off, so I am going to try to wean off the sleeping meds, but don't feel bad if you have to take them for long periods of time. Seriously there are some people on websites that have taken Ambien for 12 years. My Dad has taken Ambien every night for 2 years. My father in law takes Xanax every night and has for years. It's way more common than you think- that's what I had to come to accept.

[8damien8]

It's way more common than you think- that's what I had to come to accept.

I think the most frustrating part, is not being able to actually fall asleep.

If I could at least turn off, even for a short while, and then pop back, it would be relieving. I just hate that feeling of always being "on".

Is that how you feel?

I've been going back and forth with the med combos. Last night it was 7.5mg of Remeron, and 7.5mg of Zopiclone.

Tonight I am just going to go with the 7.5 Zopiclone.

What are your plans for weaning? Curious to know how you will approach it. Are you doing it alone, or with the help of a psych/therapist?

[anxietycat]

I think the most frustrating part, is not being able to actually fall asleep.

If I could at least turn off, even for a short while, and then pop back, it would be relieving. I just hate that feeling of always being "on".

Is that how you feel?

I've been going back and forth with the med combos. Last night it was 7.5mg of Remeron, and 7.5mg of Zopiclone.

Tonight I am just going to go with the 7.5 Zopiclone.

What are your plans for weaning? Curious to know how you will approach it. Are you doing it alone, or with the help of a psych/therapist?

I see my psychologist every 2 weeks and the psychiatrist every couple of months. I don't see the psychiatrist til mid April, so I am just going to try to just gradually cut back each night. I already went from about 12 mg of Ambien (what I was taking when it was really bad) to now only about 5 mg.

Yes, I feel on all day. I gave up caffeine too, and I feel like I have more energy now than I did on caffeine. I haven't napped at all since December. I couldn't take a nap now if I tried.

I have been able to fall asleep without meds, but I only stay asleep for a couple of hours and it's a weird sleep where I wake up stressed and soaked in sweat.

[8damien8]

I see my psychologist every 2 weeks and the psychiatrist every couple of months. I don't see the psychiatrist til mid April, so I am just going to try to just gradually cut back each night. I already went from about 12 mg of Ambien (what I was taking when it was really bad) to now only about 5 mg.

Yes, I feel on all day. I gave up caffeine too, and I feel like I have more energy now than I did on caffeine. I haven't napped at all since December. I couldn't take a nap now if I tried.

I have been able to fall asleep without meds, but I only stay asleep for a couple of hours and it's a weird sleep where I wake up stressed and soaked in sweat.

That's still a small victory. At least you're able to naturally turn on now and then.

I've slept a couple of times since January, but I honestly don't think it's been more than 2-3 times.

I'm 36/male. Can I ask what you are?

[Anne1221]

Have you tried an antidepressant? Some of them make you so sleepy you can't stay awake if if you tried.

[kristichanelle]

Has anybody experienced any leg swelling while taking remeron?

[8damien8]

Have you tried an antidepressant? Some of them make you so sleepy you can't stay awake if if you tried.

I'm taking 15mg of Remeron right now, and it makes me a little tired, but does not put me to sleep. Do you think going to 30mg would knock me out?

I'm also taking 7.5mg Zopiclone or 1mg Lorazepam with it, and these drugs are starting to feel useless.

Any suggestions?

[Kabukicho]

"The first step is for you to realize how common this is. I was so upset and in denial when I first had to start taking sleeping meds because I thought NO ONE else had to and that something was wrong with me. No ... my pharmacist told me Zolpidem (Ambien) is the fastest moving drug they have. Do a quick internet search and you'll see people who have been on Ambien for YEARS. Some decades. Is it good for you? Probably not. Is it okay for the time being? Yes. You just have to accept it. I haven't slept without a pill since January 27th. Welcome to the club. "

anxietycat, thank you so much for your kind words. I almost cried when I read them. It's so true that we're not alone. But it's so easy to feel alone, especially when you're trudging wearily to another pdoc appointment after a night of bad sleep. Insomnia is a very, very common disease in this modern world of ours.

Also, sorry for not answering the initial question that was asked in response to my first post:

1. I'm not sure about the difference between Xanax and Lorazepam. A Google search should get you some very detailed information. I believe Lorazepam is longer acting and more of a hypnotic.
2. Yes, I'm basically in the same boat as you. I don't sleep without drugs. Especially if I'm going through a stressful time in my life (as I am now)..

Good luck to everyone. You're never alone.

[Anne1221]

You'd better talk to your doctor. Everyone reacts differently to antidepressants so it's hard to say. Prozac made me sleep but it gave my friend insomnia and she had to take it in the morning. My Lexapro helps me to fall asleep at night. That same friend is now taking Remeron, not for depression but because she has Fibromyalgia and the doctor suggested it for sleep. The only problem for her is that she is gaining weight on it, which she does not like.

[8damien8]

I'm realizing that my insomnia is directly linked to my anxiety, and possibly my OCD. When I try to sleep, I'm anxious, and I'm also fixated on the idea I won't sleep.

I'm taking Lorazepam some nights, Zopiclone others. Never feel right in the day. Miss feeling like myself.

Wondering if taking an SSRI or something like that might help get me back to some sort of normal, without having to use benzos and sleeping pills.

Any suggestions?

[Dahila]

Body scan guided meditation puts me right to sleep in the middle of that. It not suppose to do it, but it does, My hubby gets to the end of tape but goes right to sleep after if finishes. I cut my Zoplicone to half, but I take around 7 pm 0.5 mg clonazepam.