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Can't sleep.

Old 04-07-2013, 10:42 PM
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Can't sleep.

Someone directed me to this site: Why We Don’t Get Better Immediately: Post-acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) | What...Me Sober?

It explains PAWS or Post Acute Withdraw Syndrome.

I think that's definitely what I'm experiencing. I don't know why it helps to label how I'm feeling... but somehow it does.

I'm 64 days sober (YAY) but it's slow goings and the second month was WAY harder than the first... And I'm still having a hard time. My biggest trigger right now is that I can't sleep. I often drank to get to sleep... but if my boyfriend was here or awake when I was getting ready for bed I'd take a Vicodin... I was able to sleep okay until about a week ago. I thought this was supposed to get easier. Ok, ok, I'm sure it will. My patience is still a work-in-progress.

That article made me hopeful though, and gave me another reason to stay on the wagon. If I can make it through the period where my body is still craving the substance I'll be home free. That's my hope for now.

But it's so hard to put up with my twitchy legs and racing thoughts. Benadryl makes me very sleepy, and it crossed my mind to take a dose. But I did not. Sure Benadryl doesn't seem like a drug, but I'd still be abusing it's purpose. So that was a nice little victory.

Stay sober Melvin... stay sober...
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Old 04-08-2013, 04:16 AM
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I feel your pain
I've been sober since August and still don't have a very good sleeping pattern. I tend to sleep in 3-4 hour spurts. If I can, I will slip in a nap during the daytime, which actually just makes things worse at night. My problem, among many, is that I drink too much coffee during the daytime.
Oh, well....things will get better. In the meantime, a little insomnia is a small price to pay for not having anxiety, the shakes, nervous stomach, guilt, and all the other alcohol/drug-induced problems like before.
All the best.
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Old 04-08-2013, 04:22 AM
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4am here, day 54... So yeah, I hear you!

Did you have sleeping issues before you started drinking? I did... I've been an insomniac since childhood. So for me at least I keep reminding myself that along with the physical withdrawal, I'm also trying to learn a skill that I basically never learned, or if I did a bit, unlearnt over the course of the last few years.
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Old 04-08-2013, 10:39 AM
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Mel: It's true that Benadryl (diphenhydramine hydrochloride) is an anti-histamine, but it's also a common sleep aid, look at Zzz-quil for example. I don't think you'd be abusing it if you took a dose.

A full, adult dose (50 mg) of it gives me medicine head and makes me groggy the next day. To avoid this, I take a child's dose (12.5 mg) and usually wake up refreshed when I take it.
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Old 04-09-2013, 08:34 AM
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Originally Posted by fantail View Post
4am here, day 54... So yeah, I hear you!

Did you have sleeping issues before you started drinking? I did... I've been an insomniac since childhood. So for me at least I keep reminding myself that along with the physical withdrawal, I'm also trying to learn a skill that I basically never learned, or if I did a bit, unlearnt over the course of the last few years.

Actually yes I have. And I just used stuff to get to sleep like booze, nyquil, benydryl, vicodin....

Sometimes I didn't need to, but that was only when I was dead tired. Your comment makes me hopeful. I'm relearning so many things right now. It's hard but rewarding. one more thing to add to the list :P
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Old 04-09-2013, 08:38 AM
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Originally Posted by Kawboy View Post
Mel: It's true that Benadryl (diphenhydramine hydrochloride) is an anti-histamine, but it's also a common sleep aid, look at Zzz-quil for example. I don't think you'd be abusing it if you took a dose.

A full, adult dose (50 mg) of it gives me medicine head and makes me groggy the next day. To avoid this, I take a child's dose (12.5 mg) and usually wake up refreshed when I take it.

The only reason I'm opposed to this is because I have abused those things in the past to numb out (when there wasn't anything else at my disposal).
I'm trying to avoid those slippy-slope situations...

However, perhaps using melatonin is an option for me. It's a mild natural sleep-aid.
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Old 04-09-2013, 10:59 AM
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Oh sleep, my long lost friend. I remeber you well, hopefully soon we will be friends again....I'm on week two.
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Old 04-09-2013, 07:15 PM
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Originally Posted by melivinsober View Post
The only reason I'm opposed to this is because I have abused those things in the past to numb out (when there wasn't anything else at my disposal).
I'm trying to avoid those slippy-slope situations...

However, perhaps using melatonin is an option for me. It's a mild natural sleep-aid.
melatonin is a hormone, and it does mess with people. some other good natural sleep aids that i have taken that helped are valerian and kava. They arent addicting and dont mess with sleep patterns. congrats on being sober !
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Old 04-09-2013, 07:27 PM
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Originally Posted by BruceJ View Post
I feel your pain
I've been sober since August and still don't have a very good sleeping pattern. I tend to sleep in 3-4 hour spurts. If I can, I will slip in a nap during the daytime, which actually just makes things worse at night. My problem, among many, is that I drink too much coffee during the daytime.
Oh, well....things will get better. In the meantime, a little insomnia is a small price to pay for not having anxiety, the shakes, nervous stomach, guilt, and all the other alcohol/drug-induced problems like before.
All the best.
Wow Bruce, I wanted to respond because you summed up my situation very closely. I have been sober since July. Sometimes I have consecutive nights of sleeping just 4-5 hours per night. After a few days of this I have a "mini-crash" where I'll actually take a daytime nap. The whole cycle seems to come in streaks...and then I'm fine again for a while. I drink coffee like crazy and I am certain that plays a role, along with my activity levels going up recently. Hope you get a good night's rest tonight!
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Old 04-10-2013, 06:45 AM
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Originally Posted by ML78 View Post
melatonin is a hormone, and it does mess with people. some other good natural sleep aids that i have taken that helped are valerian and kava. They arent addicting and dont mess with sleep patterns. congrats on being sober !
Be cautious of KavaKava, it's a depressant/intoxicant. It's a known hepatotoxin so extended use can cause liver damage. Valerian works as a mild sedative/relaxant but stinks.
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Old 04-10-2013, 11:37 AM
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Originally Posted by Kawboy View Post
Be cautious of KavaKava, it's a depressant/intoxicant. It's a known hepatotoxin so extended use can cause liver damage. Valerian works as a mild sedative/relaxant but stinks.
... :/ maybe I'll just stay clear of it all. Thanks for all your tips.
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Old 04-10-2013, 11:41 AM
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I got an pretty good night's sleep last night. A friend suggested that I wear a face mask to block out the light from the alarm clock, phones ect. I used a small scarf but whenever I woke up I felt the soft scarf on my eyes and saw no light to distract me, and fell right back to sleep.

I highly suggest this.
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Old 04-10-2013, 11:44 AM
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Originally Posted by Sillyboy View Post
Oh sleep, my long lost friend. I remeber you well, hopefully soon we will be friends again....I'm on week two.


Hang in there friend! We're in this together :P This site is so helpful!
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Old 04-10-2013, 05:40 PM
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Originally Posted by Kawboy View Post
Be cautious of KavaKava, it's a depressant/intoxicant. It's a known hepatotoxin so extended use can cause liver damage. Valerian works as a mild sedative/relaxant but stinks.
This is true with kava. short term use for anxiety has helped alot of people i know including myself, asits not sedating but calming to some. Valerian has always worked well for me, and so has passion flower, chamomile and magnesium citrate which i drink every night. alot of the regular otc sleep aids mess with peoples sleep quality and leave you feeling drugged ie diphenhydramine etc.
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