Don't know what to do...
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 7
Don't know what to do...
Male
39 years old
hard liqour (whisky)
Drinking for nearly 20 years
I quit drinking 3 weeks ago with the aid of librium. I had a drink last night.
I am not feeling guity or anything like that just want to tell you guys what happened.
I have no problem being sober and it feels fine. The only thing is that I can't get to sleep. After the librium wore off i barely slept at all and that was like 3 days aftr my last drink. I've been through this before so I have tried everything; melatonin, OTC sleep aids, magnesium, valerian, b-vitamins, htp-5, bacopa, kava kava, l-theanine, gaba and just bout anything else you can think of including exercise, subliminal hypnosis music and good sleep hygene. Nothing works.
after very little sleep for the last 3 weeks and 2 all nighters in a row, I just coudln't handle it anymore and when out and bought some Dewers. I didn't even need to drink much since my mind and body was already exhausted and just needed to mentally settle down and that took the equivalent of 4 shots I guess.
I made sure that I went to the bathroom and drank water just before falling asleep and woke up 8 hours later with a slight headache, some anxiety and maybe a little depression. I went back to a light sleep for about an hour and was fine. But you guys know what, I slept like a rock. I really needed it.
Ive had insomnia my whole life and it seems to be the thing that makes it so hard for me and many here to stop drinking.
I tell myself everytime I quit that I am going to beat this insomnia. and to hell with sleep! If it doesn't come then just don't fight it! it will come back eventually....it has to.
It never does and I always find myself relapsing after 10-25 of being sober because of insomnia. The only things that work are booze and benzo and I have been addicted to benzos before and it was excuciating to taper off them so I won't go tjhat route again. Besides, the effectiveness of benzos wear off after just a few weeks.
This is my first post.
39 years old
hard liqour (whisky)
Drinking for nearly 20 years
I quit drinking 3 weeks ago with the aid of librium. I had a drink last night.
I am not feeling guity or anything like that just want to tell you guys what happened.
I have no problem being sober and it feels fine. The only thing is that I can't get to sleep. After the librium wore off i barely slept at all and that was like 3 days aftr my last drink. I've been through this before so I have tried everything; melatonin, OTC sleep aids, magnesium, valerian, b-vitamins, htp-5, bacopa, kava kava, l-theanine, gaba and just bout anything else you can think of including exercise, subliminal hypnosis music and good sleep hygene. Nothing works.
after very little sleep for the last 3 weeks and 2 all nighters in a row, I just coudln't handle it anymore and when out and bought some Dewers. I didn't even need to drink much since my mind and body was already exhausted and just needed to mentally settle down and that took the equivalent of 4 shots I guess.
I made sure that I went to the bathroom and drank water just before falling asleep and woke up 8 hours later with a slight headache, some anxiety and maybe a little depression. I went back to a light sleep for about an hour and was fine. But you guys know what, I slept like a rock. I really needed it.
Ive had insomnia my whole life and it seems to be the thing that makes it so hard for me and many here to stop drinking.
I tell myself everytime I quit that I am going to beat this insomnia. and to hell with sleep! If it doesn't come then just don't fight it! it will come back eventually....it has to.
It never does and I always find myself relapsing after 10-25 of being sober because of insomnia. The only things that work are booze and benzo and I have been addicted to benzos before and it was excuciating to taper off them so I won't go tjhat route again. Besides, the effectiveness of benzos wear off after just a few weeks.
This is my first post.
Guest
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: NS, Canada
Posts: 160
Sleep is one thing that came easy for me after quitting booze.. so I am of no help here I guess .. but I wanted to say hi anyway. 
... The one sleep aid I did use once (right after my ex left and I was having a hard time with life, including sleep) was called Zopiclone. It is prescription. Worked like a charm. I only used a piece of a pill. No hangover. I still have the bottle around here somewhere - lol.
Anyway, nice to meet you. Hope you can get things figured out.
... The one sleep aid I did use once (right after my ex left and I was having a hard time with life, including sleep) was called Zopiclone. It is prescription. Worked like a charm. I only used a piece of a pill. No hangover. I still have the bottle around here somewhere - lol.Anyway, nice to meet you. Hope you can get things figured out.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 174
Hi yamcha,
Sleep was my problem as well. I ended up digging out my old Ambien prescription to get through the first few weeks. I am just *now* starting to get a normal sleep cycle happening, and am just at 80 days since my last drink.
You say you have tried everything, but everything on your list is OTC. Have you talked with a doctor about this?
Sleep was my problem as well. I ended up digging out my old Ambien prescription to get through the first few weeks. I am just *now* starting to get a normal sleep cycle happening, and am just at 80 days since my last drink.
You say you have tried everything, but everything on your list is OTC. Have you talked with a doctor about this?
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 7
Originally Posted by Aegian 
Hi yamcha,
Sleep was my problem as well. I ended up digging out my old Ambien prescription to get through the first few weeks. I am just *now* starting to get a normal sleep cycle happening, and am just at 80 days since my last drink.
You say you have tried everything, but everything on your list is OTC. Have you talked with a doctor about this?
Sleep was my problem as well. I ended up digging out my old Ambien prescription to get through the first few weeks. I am just *now* starting to get a normal sleep cycle happening, and am just at 80 days since my last drink.
You say you have tried everything, but everything on your list is OTC. Have you talked with a doctor about this?
instant
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 5,711
I am not sure that alcohol is a recommended treatment for anything. Have you seen a sleep specialist? A friend of mine had a test where he slept at the facility for one night.
Another way to interpret your post is that you believe your body cannot function to your satisfaction without alcohol.
In my experience it takes many months for out bodies and rhythms to re-adjust after years of drinking. I am six months in and I am still noticing changes. My sleep was all over the place for months.
Another way to interpret your post is that you believe your body cannot function to your satisfaction without alcohol.
In my experience it takes many months for out bodies and rhythms to re-adjust after years of drinking. I am six months in and I am still noticing changes. My sleep was all over the place for months.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: KC MO
Posts: 980
Have you tried laying off of the caffeine? I used to replace booze with soda and coffee,and that didn't work at all. A lot of soda has more caffeine than coffee. There are other things that have it also. Like licorice and chocolate and no tellin what else.
But I was like Dee,I would drink until I passed out,then wake up in the middle of the night.
A gym also works for me. Might sound like extra money. But I was spending 10 bucks a day on booze. So 3 days of my drinking would pay for a month at the gym.
Fred
But I was like Dee,I would drink until I passed out,then wake up in the middle of the night.
A gym also works for me. Might sound like extra money. But I was spending 10 bucks a day on booze. So 3 days of my drinking would pay for a month at the gym.
Fred
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 7
Originally Posted by Nevertheless
Have you tried laying off of the caffeine? I used to replace booze with soda and coffee,and that didn't work at all. A lot of soda has more caffeine than coffee. There are other things that have it also. Like licorice and chocolate and no tellin what else.
But I was like Dee,I would drink until I passed out,then wake up in the middle of the night.
A gym also works for me. Might sound like extra money. But I was spending 10 bucks a day on booze. So 3 days of my drinking would pay for a month at the gym.
Fred
But I was like Dee,I would drink until I passed out,then wake up in the middle of the night.
A gym also works for me. Might sound like extra money. But I was spending 10 bucks a day on booze. So 3 days of my drinking would pay for a month at the gym.
Fred
I never said that i take caffine and according to my post one would think I know about caffine no? I did mention that I have tried exercise.
The only thing that works so far is booze and benzos. I would appreciate anyone's experiences with prescription drugs such as:
Which one did you take?
how long you took them?
how well did they work?
did they have any noticeable effect in your waking life?
pros and cons?
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,454
I think you'd be better off asking your Dr those kinds of questions yumcha.
Also please keep in mind we ask our members not to ask for, or give, medical advice.
Whats worked for others may not be suitable for you, for a variety of reasons.
D
Also please keep in mind we ask our members not to ask for, or give, medical advice.
Whats worked for others may not be suitable for you, for a variety of reasons.
D
Last edited by Dee74; 11-19-2011 at 05:50 PM.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 119
Yamcha
When I got clean and sober and came home from rehab I explained my inability to sleep as being similar to that as an excited child who was afraid to go to bed for fear of missing something. I was so exhausted and I wanted to sleep, but this sober world was just way to exciting and I didn't want to miss a moment of it.
I have been sober 66 days now, and I have to say that with the help of some Mindfulness breathing that I have been sleeping a lot better at night time. I actually fall asleep during the meditation and wake up surprised to see I have been asleep so long.
Like many others, I myself never fell asleep with alcohol, I would pass out cold. Your body has been through a lot. You need to give it time and be patient. You did not get where you were in your drinking over night.. and your body will not heal and be well over night either. Being tired is really hard, but I sure would rather be tired than be drunk.
When I got clean and sober and came home from rehab I explained my inability to sleep as being similar to that as an excited child who was afraid to go to bed for fear of missing something. I was so exhausted and I wanted to sleep, but this sober world was just way to exciting and I didn't want to miss a moment of it.
I have been sober 66 days now, and I have to say that with the help of some Mindfulness breathing that I have been sleeping a lot better at night time. I actually fall asleep during the meditation and wake up surprised to see I have been asleep so long.
Like many others, I myself never fell asleep with alcohol, I would pass out cold. Your body has been through a lot. You need to give it time and be patient. You did not get where you were in your drinking over night.. and your body will not heal and be well over night either. Being tired is really hard, but I sure would rather be tired than be drunk.
Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 705
As a lifelong insomniac, I feel your pain. And I too would "fix" things by drinking. Its hard cuz I feel great when I have my sober periods, but I can't sleep. I feel like **** when I have my drunk periods, but I can "sleep" (tho others are right, it really is just passing out, I just don't have to stress about it.)
I don't know man, it sucks. I'll let you know if and when I ever get this crap figured out. And early sobriety has little to do with me not being able to sleep, I have always been like this and it looks like you have too.
I don't know man, it sucks. I'll let you know if and when I ever get this crap figured out. And early sobriety has little to do with me not being able to sleep, I have always been like this and it looks like you have too.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 7
Originally Posted by BP44
Let us know when booze quits working.
They booze have always work to get me to sleep. That isnt the problem.
The problem is the hangovers, anxiety attacks, loose bowels and loss of freedom.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,126
I couldn't sleep for a lot of reasons: Shame, guilt, embarrassment, financial worries, anxiety (diagnosed with panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder 20 years ago and went the whole benzo-booze route, prescribed 20 milligrams of Klonopin daily for five years) and I drank beer like water and and smoked pot every few hours...
...And I went to AA 14 months ago. That's how long I've been off benzos and booze.
I can sleep now.
Not drinking isn't sobriety.
Many alcoholics and drug addicts are prescribed Seroquel for sleep. It's a great little anti-psychotic used for schizophrenia at higher dosages, prescribed off label for sleep at low dosages. I took it when I first got sober, then weaned off of it.
It's a great fix were in, eh?
...And I went to AA 14 months ago. That's how long I've been off benzos and booze.
I can sleep now.
Not drinking isn't sobriety.
Many alcoholics and drug addicts are prescribed Seroquel for sleep. It's a great little anti-psychotic used for schizophrenia at higher dosages, prescribed off label for sleep at low dosages. I took it when I first got sober, then weaned off of it.
It's a great fix were in, eh?
Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Singapore
Posts: 737
Originally Posted by yamcha
Why would you want to know? What for?
They booze have always work to get me to sleep. That isnt the problem.
The problem is the hangovers, anxiety attacks, loose bowels and loss of freedom.
They booze have always work to get me to sleep. That isnt the problem.
The problem is the hangovers, anxiety attacks, loose bowels and loss of freedom.
Don't get me wrong. I've had sleeping problems since I was a child, exacerbated later in life by PTSD. Insomnia bloody sucks, that is without a doubt. And I'd dare say that my alcoholism progressed a helluva lot faster because I also drank myself to sleep for years and years. I was whacked out on Ambien/Stilnox for around 5 years, and added copious amounts of Xanax to the mix towards the end, all with disastrous results.
In retrospect now, my opinion is simple... sleeping is overrated. If you can't sleep, don't. Full stop. Eventually your body will get what it requires. Thing is, whacking yourself out on benzos and booze is seriously a far worse fate than lack of sleep. Some of us have gone down that road already and have all the horror stories you might need to let you know what the end of that road looks like.
You might wanna try a bin-aural beats CD's, Valerian root, melatonin, meditation. I found this site (insomnia cures) when I was trying to battle insomnia, and there's some golden advice there. Bought some CD program off the site that truly helped me get some sleep when nothing else was working. Anything is better than booze, and far better than benzos. I qualify that statement by saying I'm not a doctor. Best to check out a sleep clinic/specialist if you can. Some of those guys are brilliant at figuring out how to get you sleeping like a baby.
1000 Post Club
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Midwest USA
Posts: 2,284
My doctor gave me trazadone which I take. It helps but benzos helped me more when I first started taking them. I think the sleepy side effects no longer work for me but the anti-anxiety part of the med still does. If I drank 4 shots I would be wide awake and craving the next drink or going to bed thinking about the 7AM liquor store opening up.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 7
Originally Posted by Justfor1
My doctor gave me trazadone which I take. It helps but benzos helped me more when I first started taking them. I think the sleepy side effects no longer work for me but the anti-anxiety part of the med still does. If I drank 4 shots I would be wide awake and craving the next drink or going to bed thinking about the 7AM liquor store opening up.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Tokyo
Posts: 43
I have always had insomnia since I was a kid, I've been off the booze for about 6 weeks now and my insomnia still is a great as ever,
In my opinion booze just gets my eye lids closed, it's not real sleep, I still feel like a pile of shite the next day, I'd rather not sleep than drink to sleep, don't make sense mate.
Maybe it's the booze that's still in your system that's keeping you awake.
good luck
In my opinion booze just gets my eye lids closed, it's not real sleep, I still feel like a pile of shite the next day, I'd rather not sleep than drink to sleep, don't make sense mate.
Maybe it's the booze that's still in your system that's keeping you awake.
good luck
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
