RacerX

<insert sarcasm here>. OK, one of my biggest fears I mentioned to my therapist about quitting alcohol was not being able to sleep. If you've read my initial thread, I'm also actively involved in seeing a psychiatrist that specializes in alcohol recovery.

This is NOT medical advise, but just an FYI on what she has me on temporarily:
Clonazepam - 0.5 MG - She is being VERY careful with this one and only prescribing a few at a time. She told me to take one right before I went to sleep, which I did.
Naltrexone - 50 MG - 1/2 tablet at bedtime, which I did.
Gabapentin 100 MG - 2 capsules at bedtime, which I did.

This was my first night to take any of these drugs. The good news is that I didn't have any overwhelming withdrawal symptoms. My blood pressure went up a bit but within what she outlined as a comfortable limit. I felt a bit of that heart racing feeling, but not all night. That was about it.

The bad news - I don't think I slept a wink. Actually, I might have dozed as a do remember something about a rabbit sitting next to me on a carousel (no, I'm not kidding) but whatever sleep I got was short lived.

Anyways, I did survive and it did feel good to wake up for the first time in a YEAR without having alcohol the night before. I had my second meeting with my psychiatrist this morning and she said I was on the right track and that sleep will come....hopefully without the rabbit.

Anyways, hope everyone has a great day today and sorry for the long post.

RacerX

jamdls

Good for you on day 1! I have terrible insomnia and haven't gotten to sleep before 2 am all week (I have to be up by 7 am) but 4-5 hrs of sleep is still better than 12 hrs of a drunken coma induced sleep and waking with a hangover. I occassionally take clonazepam as well and it doesn't put me to sleep but it definetly relaxes me, I just don't want to become dependent on it so I use it sparingly.

Ceres

"Actually, I might have dozed as a do remember something about a rabbit sitting next to me on a carousel"
Well, at least it was a "fun" dream.

I was a complete spazz when I first got sober. Skyrocketed blood pressue and I had to be constantly in motion. I think the only reason I could eventually sleep was pure exhaustion.

You could exhaust yourself during the day. long walks, whatever. I know, easier said than done.

RacerX

Thanks so much for your post, Alizerin, and very well said. Running has actually been a really big part of my life and I look forward to jumping back into the sneakers. That said, my psychiatrist did say she wants me to take things a bit slow just for now with all the new meds in my system. However, I see many long runs in my sober future!

RacerX

yeahgr8

Oh yes the super duper dreams and the crappy nights of sleep when putting down the bottle, that was great fun...i loved the sweating too...and the constant anxiety, like suddenly looking to your left or right like something is there...lovely...now there is some sarcasm for you;-)

I did some swimming actually, well it took a week or two for me to be able to string sentences together that didn't sound like ramblings of a mad man or to actually care about doing anything anyway, but after all the withdrawls a few gentle lengths at the pool would really help...

intention

Congratulations, enjoy another sober night tonight.

I am sure the sleep will sort itself out in time.

dasha

hi racer x, not touched a drop tonight an its jus after 8pm, after last nights session,this
was always gonna be the night! i expect pretty much zero sleep, maybe a couple of
hours, tommorow though should be in new mode routine booze free and rearin to go!
i too like one of the other posters, mr hyper active, when off the grogg,rarely sleepin
before midnight up at six... GOOD LUCK TO YOU TOO.

Horselover

That is something to be quite proud of I would say and I do say! I felt that way and still have feelings of gratitude when I think of how I couldn't go a full day without drinking and now . . . well now life is about more important things.

Stayinfree

Well done to you....hope you get a better nights sleep tonight.

'and the constant anxiety, like suddenly looking to your left or right like something is there...lovely...now there is some sarcasm for you;-)'...

Yeahgr8..this made me laugh thank you.....I did that last night...my first sober one too...and there WAS a small spider on my shoulder!!!!OMG..how I slept after that!!!