[obsids]

*sigh*

I lay awake in bed last night until 1am, when it occurred to me that I didn't take my sleeping pills... aka Temazepam. I have been on this med for a few months now, and some days I worry that I am too dependent on it.

Other times, I know that it is what I need to do, as I have never slept well... chronic insomnia. And if I become sleep-deprived, I sink back very quickly into the darkness of my depression.

Anyone else have sleep issues? I hate the thought of being on sleep meds forever. I have enough problems with the thought of being on SSRIs forever.

Obsidian

[adieuolivaw]

OBSIDS: Yes, I have a terrible sleeping problem. My circadian rhythm is "broken." Not so funny, either. I tried Ambien and was terribly sick for 3 days after taking only one pill. Bigtime allergy to it, I guess. My best solution is to take 25 mg of Benadryl and 1000 mg of plain Tylenol. You might need 50 mg Benadryl if you carry a bit more weight than average.

For me, this combination of OTC meds works. However, if I were to use them every single night they might stop working. So some nights I back off and use only one of them. I try to save them for when I feel awfully wide awake --- instead of using them as a regular regimen.

For me the problem is REMEMBERING to take them! LOL

Yep. I also get into a terrible depression when I can't wake up in the AM and take care of my daily schedule. I just can't think without enough sleep. And I will fall asleep during the day. That's what scares me. I'm terrified that will happen at exactly the wrong time. Also, if I am active in the evening, no way can I sleep.

So, everything is wonderful...except for the chronic depression, anxiety, insomnia, and the OCD that also seems to kick in once this cycle gets underway. LOL



Adieu

[soledad1]

Temazepan (restoril) is a benzodiazipine. These meds are very habit forming. I used Restoril intermittently for several months when I was experiencing severe anxiety and insomnia. I tried not to use them every night because I didn't want to become dependent on them. There is also a danger of tolerance-needing more and more of the medication to get the same effect. I went through some sleepless nights rather than become dependent on it and eventually my sleep patterns did return to close to normal.

I know sleep is a key issue for me too in staying stable and I make an effort to keep to a regular schedule no matter what. I've used benadryl too.

I guess this wasn't much help but I wanted to let you know you're not the only one with sleep issues.

[cms39]

I'm having problems with sleep too, only too much. I can't seem to get up in the mornings (and I mean 10 or 11 am).

My husband says I'm a champion sleeper; there should be a tournament for sleeping - I'd win easily.

I'm actually scheduled for a sleep study this coming Tuesday evening. Wish me luck!

[danofzoo]

I too have a long term love/hate relationship with my bed. When depressed, I can sleep for 20 of 24 hours several days in a row, then the inevitable swing to mania which can keep me up for endless days when i fear going to bed because i know i won't get to sleep. The pdoc seems to think 500mg. of serequel will knock me out , but sometimes it doesn't and I resort to ambien 10 - 30 mg. I am very worried about getting strung out on the ambien and try to use it as little as possible. It also is quite expensive.
Here are some tips that are helping me:
Keep regular hours, even on weekends
Get up (and stay up) at the same time
Reduce alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine especially within 4 hours of bedtime.
Exercise regularly, but not close to bedtime.
Don't go to bed until you are tired
Avoid snoring spouces
dan

[obsids]

Yeah... without the temazepam, I wake every hour or two after bad nightmares. Then I go back to sleep and have more bad dreams which wake me up. I was put on this med to help me go through at least one complete sleep cycle during the night. I hope that once I get a better handle on my ptsd that I will be able to reduce my use of this drug.

[silver_queen]

Um I thought that temazepam became addictive after a couple of weeks. I was on it for about two weeks last year when my sleep cycle was thrown totally out of whack because of the depression, and i made sure that i didnt have to be on it longer than that, because i didnt want to become addicted... but then, that's just me. maybe it isnt always addictive, or maybe i just exaggerated the risk.

[Fuzzybear]

My personal opinion is that UK docs exaggerate the risk I think it is very addictive for some people.... but not for all....

[obsids]

I had an appointment with my pdoc yesterday, and I asked him to clarify the risk involved with Temazepam. He said that there is another drug that is more approved for long term use, but it does not have the muscle relaxant properties that Temazepam does... for me that is fairly important right now, as I have TMJ.

He also said that quitting it might mean a couple days of readjustment, but nothing serious and no longterm health effects. He did emphasize that I was to continue on the drugs, as it is important that I not become sleep deprived... off the drugs, I wake every hour or so and never go through a complete sleep cycle. He said that it might be another year or so before I will be ready to stop the drugs, but that it is more important for me to get my sleep to deal with my ptsd right now.

[Larry_Hoover]

I've been using temazepam for years. Sleep is more important than any hypothetical concern about dependency and addiction. I'm on a stable dose (addicts increase the dose), it still works (no tolerance concerns), so who would want to mess with that? I've got PTSD, and without temazepam, I do "skipping stone" sleep. Barely asleep, and I wake again, and drift off and wake again, all night through.

I've seen medical reports of temazepam remaining effective after seventeen years. I think it matters as much why you're taking it as it does the nature of the drug. People with chronic pain use opiates to function, not to get high. Same thing, sort of.

Lar

[saudade]

((Obsids))

I was on benzodiazepines for over 2 years - I was addicted after 6 months. They did wonders for my sleep, as I am very insomniac, but they bit me right back on depression - those meds are known for worsening it.

So my T and I came up with a plan to get me unhooked, switching from one med to another slowly and then finally switching to completely different substances (Stilnox + occasionally Neozine, to sedate my unbearable anxiety), which are not as harmful as the benzos :-)

[obsids]

Thanks, Larry

That makes a ton of sense to me. Yeah... I'm like you... I don't sleep for more than an hour at a time, each time waking from nightmares if I don't take the meds. I am on a stable dose, and while it doesn't really knock me out, it keeps me asleep for at least 4 hours straight.

Obsidian