[TexasDumb]

Hey folks,

I am a Newbie, though I have been reading this site for months now. Mostly, the alcohol boards, because I used too much alcohol to get numb and number. Duh....

Question for y'all ---
I am going through an unwanted divorce with two young daughters involved...
About 5 months ago I thought I had had enough on my own, so I went to the doctor to get some anti-anxiety help. (if I knew then what I know now....I was doing fine and would trade back to those days, but I thought Valium or Zanax was supposed to help us...Duh, again. And I guess it is - IF - taken no longer than 4 weeks!)

To my point- My Doc prescribed me 1mg Zanax, 3 times a day.
The first three days I 'bout could not stay awake, I tried to call her I was ready at that point to stop. That should have been a clue.
Even early on, I tried to take less than 1 mg. at a time. I would try to take a .5 mg as needed and did well for awhile.
Anyway this went on for nearly 4 months before I decided I should start to wean. (Should have sooner, I know.) During this time, I stumbled across Ashton's site.
Took me two visits get my Doc to "please" switch and let me taper with Valium instead. (A funny, - I grew up in the 70s, so it's kind of hard to ask for a drug with a straight face and legitimate reasons, you know Peace and All. I figure the Cops will show up at any moment and bust down the door - 'Well, if you got a warrant, I guess you're gonna come in, Busted down on Bourbon Street......)
But I digress.
Here's my deal and question I need help with..
I only took these Devils all told about 4-5 months. I tapered as best I could within Doc's time limit, but I think I tapered TOO fast.

It's been about two weeks since I quit.
I thought, cool dude, I am through with those things forever even if they are FREE.
But, about 10 days ago, I started having trouble sleeping at night. I mean bad and I never had before that many nights in a row. I am talking maybe one hour of sleep a night, the rest just trying to fall back to sleep.
Earlier during all this my sho' nuff 70s brother gave me one of his Ambiens. I took a 1/3 tablet and slept like a baby.
So, I got Doc to write me a script. I went to pick it up and since there are no generics - it cost $61, instead of my usual co-pay of $5. (Good insurance, finally again.)
Anyway, I balked. But after 10 nights in a row of not enough sleep to function on, not to mention all the damn hours in the middle of the night - thank God for internet - I decided $61 U.S. was not a bad price. Hell, I'd paid you that much just to sleep 7 more hours last night!
So, yesterday I got it filled.
I was so confident last night. I took 1/2 half, 30 minutes later went to bed. Wham. Asleep. I woke up later and thought the clock said 7 a.m., and I thought great. Sleep.
But it actually said 9:30 p.m., and I had only been asleep 1.5 hours.
I got up, thinking maybe in a minute I could go back to sleep.
Decided I could not, so I took the other half tablet.
30 minutes later, asleep. Boom, up. This time 2 hours.
At 4:30 a.m. this morning I went for broke. Decided I did not HAVE to work today, sleep was more important and safer - so I took another half and tried to go to sleep.
No go. Could not even fall asleep.
So, with 1 and 1/2 ambien and I still can't fall asleep.
And while I am trying to fall asleep, my mind races around to all these scary images and I can't control it to relax. This morning, I even heard what sounded like a clock radio from the other room playing music and people talking. Freaked me out, until I decided to listen to it. It was weird but kinda of cool. Also, I had some body electric jerks, mostly in my chest area, that were timeable, until I concentrated on them and they quit. They would shake me pretty good..
My arms feel like "restless legs," they kind of feel like they want to fly up at the elbows..

My main question is: I am afraid I tapered TOO quickly and I may be one of those 6 months, 1-2 year prolong guys....and I do not want to be. I'll go luny.

It's only been about 2 weeks since I stopped about two 2.5 mgs Valiums a day...
Should I get my Doc to give me some more so I can taper longer or should I just ride this out?????????????????????And how long might that ride be, in your humble opinions?
I really have no other symptions, except I can't SLEEP!
Other than that, I will stand.
I'd rather burn down Roche's building than take some more of their devil-medicine. But, I can't go on like this with no sleep.
My brain will blow up...

Any help will be appreciated. Thanks for listening, no doctor would have that much time....especially for FREE!