ShaneW

Monday is day 43 for me & Ive written many times about my battles with anxiety induced insomnia in posts & Blog 1. Ive been fully honest with my Dr, and in constant contact. During week 1, I was prescribed ambien. As its prescribed "as needed", problem being Ive needed it most nights & just took it the others. I only take minimum dose (5mg). Ive tried switching to herbal remedy (melatonin), which made me tired, but also made my anxiety worse. The problem never has been being tired, its been mind racing anxiety, followed by jerk awakes the second after I dose off, leading to more anxiety & eventually panic attacks.

Anyways...Ive felt much better lately, and feel that I am at a crossroads in the battle for sleep. Any longer taking the sleep aid Dr is giving me and I risk physical dependance...also been a good 2 months since I had any natural sleep, or just a good nights rest (ambien sleep is like half effective).

Tonight, Im going without. Ive only been able to sleep, even with the ambien, during the 7am-430pm zone, so the timing of this post doenst mean anything. I know I can do this. Sleep is essential, and I used to LOOOOOOVE it. I used to the Champion of Naps...I havent been able to nap since Mid Jan. If I cant get to natural sleep this week, Im going back to Dr to get switched to a non-addictive something. That or finally filling that prescription for Zoloft she wrote for me after my last visit. (again, she knows I havent taken it yet...full disclosure)

langkah

Wow, that's a lot to juggle, be careful. On rare occasions I've taken a glass of warm milk to aid in falling to sleep or a few aspirin if an ache is keeping me up, but nothing stronger than that.

If you feel you need to take things to shut off your head or knock you out then maybe take a look at that.

InsertNameHere

I don't know if you can have noise when you sleep but in the chat room someone shared this Relaxing music, sleep-aid, relaxation tools with me and it has really helped me to "shut my brain up" especially the drums. I try to purposefully focus on the beat and it tends to eventually cancel out the thoughts that keep me up. I don't know about you but generaly the first few nights I can't sleep for anything even if I am dog tired because the instant I lay down I start thinking about everything that is going even the slightest bit wrong and planning everything I should have done to fix it that didn't as well as the repercussions I can expect. This gets ugly so I need something else to concentrate on to keep that from occupying my mind and I find the drums interups my thoughts often enough that they can't really finish forming. Hope it helps

ShaneW

I am. Basically, Ive had anxiety all my adult life, and I self medicated for 15 years with alcohol.

Im all about trying to get to an even balance right now, trying to sleep natural, trying to go without long term meds...I want to be natural & healthy. I know it will take time, but at a crossroads right now and need to try a new route.

Also, and this is always right there in back of my brain ready to pop out as soon as I try and sleep, but I have a lot of the symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. I cant afford a sleep study to confirm this, but better believe my brain doesnt forget that, oh yeah I could die from it, each time I try to sleep.

InsertNameHere

Even before drinking I had real problems with sleep as well still do, I don't think in my case it is anything clinical though I just never made good pre-bedtime habits. Computer games and movies will 0200 then go to bed to wake up at 0530 do this for three days then be so tired after work on Wednesday I would fall asleep in my work clothes right when I got home wake up at 0100-0300 and finally change just to wake up at 0530 again and repeat that over the weekend I would stay up even later and sleep in so Sunday was typicaly only a couple of hours of sleep at best. The I started drinking on the daily and that cause a whole plethera of different issues but I am reading and working on it. I think the worst it has ever gotten was when doing shift work I had sleep paraylisis a couple of times and that **** is weird if you haven't experienced it. Basicaly you are mentaly awake and know it but you can't move for a few minutes because your body isn't awake yet or something like that. Apparently people can halluciate during those sessions but I never did that but I did feel the scared feeling that people say comes with it, after all all of a sudden you can't move anything. I haven't had that often or in a while though.

Good luck bro I haven't tried any sleep medications but like I said I think my stuff is more a collection of bad habits than a medical problem.

DarkDays

I was addicted to 18 months to zopiclione, sleep aids make you more and more dependant, I went cold turkey 2 years ago..It was tough at first but you get over it.

60 days without alcohell, and I now realise that all my sleep problems and anxiety etc in my life was caused by alcohol.

Sapling

I agree with whats been said Shane....Work those steps...Deal with all that crap that's going on in your head...I kid you not...I used to read that Big Book till I could sleep every night...Over and over...Till I understood it...I didn't take anyting for sleep...You'll get there Shane......It just takes that dirty little four letter word....Time. And like DD...I found out alcohol was the cause of my sleep problems and anxiety....And everything else it threw at me...

CaiHong

Shane,
You are still early in your sobriety and I would think twice about any medication. I was listening to a doctor talking about sleep problems and one thing he said stuck in my mind was that he said people stress out over not getting enough sleep which leads to them getting anxious and it affecting their sleep.

Try to do all the things the sleep experts advise. Dark quiet room warm drink and so on
.
I am one to talk I have the bad habit of watching TV in bed.

CaiHong

DoinThis

Hi just a few words of my experience....
Post natal anxiety baaaaad led to insomnia led to worse anxiety led to more insomnia. 50mg Zoloft daily and anxiety was gone in 5 days. I weaned myself a year later after learning how to deal with it all. Zoloft was a wonder drug for me and non addictive. All the best, I feel for u as anxiety is the worst! Good on u for 43 days!

ACT10Npack

You suffer with anxiety and your doctor gave you Zoloft but don't take it. Why do you have it, if your not going to use it. Ambien is not the type of drug you should be taking regularly and Zoloft will most likely help you with the anxiety. I'm not a doctor but if your doctor gave you Zoloft to help with your anxiety then it maybe a good idea to take it.

ShaneW

Yeah, Im leaning that way. Just had a mini panic attack trying to sleep last hour, (I havent actually gotten the pills yet, I just have the zoloft Rx paper). I didnt like the side effects associated with Zoloft, thats the reason for delay in taking it. The sex stuff & also the weight gain. Im working my butt off to lose the extra lbs Ive put on since college (120 lbs in 12 years, no joke), so the thought that the Rx may counteract good work Ive done...well, I didnt like that. Also, I wanted to be off the ambien before possibly starting the zoloft.

What happened earlier...as soon as lights go out, and I try to sleep, anxiety ramps up, heart starts beating faster and I break into a head sweat. I have to get up and walk it off to calm down. This is same stuff that happened since mid Jan...I feel trapped in my head. This is getting bad.

saphira

Hi. I've purposely stayed away from any kind of sleeping pill because I know that with my history I would probably become addicted so I can't offer personal experience. I will say though that I know plenty of people who got hooked on sleeping aids whether it was physical or psychological. I would be very careful with them.
I am a very "routine" person which is part of why it took me so long to quit drinking... I was used to my routine and without it I felt lost. Once I created a new "bedtime routine" though, like many have suggested on here, my body got used to it and sleep came easier. I do the same things every single night at the same time which gives my body the cue that it's time to sleep. It works for me. Best of luck!

DoinThis

Shane u say 'didn't' like the side effects, is that from experience or what u read in the box? Because not everyone experiences side effects. I know so many people on Zoloft and no one has gained weight. In my experience I exersized more cos I finally felt good. Even if u take them for just a few months until u get more sobriety under your belt and some tools to deal with anxiety. Sleeping tabs are soooooo addictive, more so psychologically even. I would get off them today if I was u. The sex stuff, haha didn't apply to me....the newborn baby killed that before the anti d's did

ShaneW

Thanks for the replies. I didnt take the ambien last night, as stated here, and WAS ABLE TO SLEEP. It wasnt great sleep, but the very fact I was able to get some naturally for the 1st time in 2 months, man it feels great. That a HUUUUUGE hump I just could not get over...a huge mental hurdle, if you will. I feel better on 5 hours natural than 8.5 hours ambien.

DoinThis - thats a good point about the side effects. I was/am harping on them, and they may not even apply to me.

newleaves2012

I don't know anything about zoloft but I was on 40mg of paxil for about 1.5 years and gained some weight. not sure if it was the pax/alcohol combo or moreso the alcohol. I got tired of paxil because I just sat around feeling like a glazed ham.
as for the insomnia I've heard of people staying awake for extended periods of time(like 24 hours?) to try and reset a sleeping pattern. also used to be on ambien but I started sleepwalking and fell down my stairs(18 of them) one night. so now I drink herbal tea before bed and that works for me.

eh1988

My first 2 attempts at sobriety I had that terrible insomnia that you desribe. I'd stay up for days on end, body would be in full shut down mode but my mind would be racing so I would never get to sleep. Once I felt my self dozing off I would jerk suddenly and wake back up. This went on for a while. Thank God I didn't experience that again in my latest attempt.

eJoshua

Hey Shane --

I'm glad you were able to get some sleep last night without the sleep aid. It's been so long since your body has had to fall asleep naturally; I wouldn't be surprised if it was difficult at first but I'm guess that your body will adjust within a few weeks. In fact you'll probably find that your sleep is better, more restorative and more regular without medication. The human body is really a fascinating piece of machinery. If you attempt some regularity in bed times and waking times your body's internal clock can often right itself in a matter of weeks.

Ghostly

I come from a long line of people with sleeping disorders. I have family members with sleep issues that do not have, and have never had, addiction issues. I have had sleeping problems my whole life, well before my problems with alcohol.

I take ambien. I have pretty much since I quit alcohol. I plan to for the foreseeable future. I take the prescribed amount. I do not take more than I have before (meaning my need has not increased).

Of course I would be better off if I could sleep without taking the pill. I just know from experience, sleep will be infrequent at best. I will be exhausted. I only write this to show the other side of people that take sleeping pills that hasn't been mentioned in this Thread.

Shane - Do everything you can to get off sleeping meds. If you can sleep without them, that is great. Sounds like your are being really honest with your Dr., which is good. Good luck.

NewBeginning010

Hey Shayne, Sorry to hear about the lack of sleep. I have always had a hard time getting to sleep. I also have some sleep apnea, I used to wake in the middle of the night gasping for air & feeling panic (elevated heart rate etc.). Its scary when you dont know what is causing it. This could be what is happening to you at times, its your body trying to make sure that you are jolted awake by releasing adrenaline etc. so that you don't suffocate.

Yes its true sleep studies can be very expensive, if you have a computer & web cam you can record yourself sleeping & see your waking/movements. It could tell you something about your sleeping habits. You could watch the replay at night before you go to bed... it might even put you to sleep watching it ;-) Of course having a proper sleep study is best.

I hope the sleep cycle comes back & that you are feeling better. I found that since I have lost some weight the sleep apnea has lessened. Sleeping on my side with a pillow in front of me & a pillow behind me has helped too (keeping me on my side).

Take care & let us know how things are going.

Cheers ~ NB

OheemJah

I agree with Dark Days. I've been going my GP for two years, and have been taking anti anxiety meds and she prescribed me anti depressants (which I didn't take). When I quit drinking the anxiety subsided in a couple of days, now I can drink coffee and do normal things without the anxiety and panic attacks. I really do think that the anxiety and depression could be caused by your alcohol withdrawal, then you drink to feel a sense of temporary relief, and the vicious cycle starts all over again.