Hi kc -
One of the reasons I started drinking was to help with insomnia. A few beers would relax me and help me get to sleep. After doing that for a while, though, alcohol seemed to have the reverse effect. Drinking would give me more energy. At the same time, I was dragging myself through the day. I didn't realize I was making things worse until I got sober and started reading about it.
Were you drinking at all during the time when you saw the specialists? It does take some time for our brains to adjust after we stop drinking and it often gets worse for a week or two before it starts to get better.