Smilax

Obviously it doesn't even need to be said that combining sleeping pills and alcohol as I have been doing is a dangerous game I know this. But I've been addicted to the high. And I just don't love myself. At any rate I really DON'T want to wake up dead lol, so I'm going to try to taper off at least the sleeping pills. I tapered off drinking and was totally sober for 8 weeks a while back so I'm going to see if I can do this. No guarantees whatsoever that I can lol. I'm just tired of gaining the weight back at a scary pace and deciding to go get more beer and taking an extra pill when I know I should not. Tired of scaring myself with the risks I'm taking. Last night I took 3 sleeping pills a bottle of red wine and 2 beers. And ate way too much too lol. Tonight it's be 2 pills and just the wine hopefully. I'm not promising to stop the drinking, that will be for later. One thing at a time. Maybe at least I can stop the really dangerous **** of mixing the 2 at least. **** I don't feel confident though. But then I didn't feel confident I would succeed when I quit for 8 weeks before either.

One thing that scares me is that when I took sleeping pills like this for a long time in the past and stopped I ended up getting terrible constipation that actually landed me in the ER with pain for a day. Nothing they could do and it ended clearing up eventually. Just not looking forward to that if it happens again. Maybe if I taper really slowly, but that's pretty hard if I'm still drinking too.

The addiction clinic called me back yesterday. Going to try to make an effort to use their services, go to the meetings. I'm sure I'll cave in at some point going forward. Just hope I can stick to getting back to quitting if I do.

What I REALLY need to fix are my emotional problems at the core of all of this. My insistence to isolate myself my whole life. My refusal to make friends or find a relationship. That's a much harder nut to crack.

Dee74

Why not run this past your Dr Smilax, especially if getting off them alone was hard last time?

D

least

I would get the doctor's advice if it were me. Did your doctor put you on them to begin with? I would tell him/her that you want off the pills and ask for help/advice in doing that.

Smilax

Good idea. I guess I'm ashamed to even bring it up though. I've brought up my drinking before that he knows about. But yeah. I wouldn't want to have a seizure for example. Although I don't think the total amounts I'm consuming are in that kind of range.

Smilax

No he didn't prescribe them. These are over the counter sleeping pills. Technically they are antihistamines really but sold and used as sleeping pills. The type you can buy in any pharmacy section.

BarbieKen

I used to take Excedrin PM with my 2 bottles of wine. Then thought Simply Sleep would be a safer choice, of course still with the 2 bottles of wine.

My husband said I would stop breathing during the night. And, our son was seriously scared, along with my husband, that I would die in my sleep. Our son would wake up and check on me to see if I was still breathing.

Of course they told me this, and being the alcoholic I am, I ignored it all.

I never stopped doing this dangerous combo until I quit drinking 4 years ago. I don't know why I didn't stop breathing completely and just die in my sleep.

I wish you good luck on your tapering.
Bobbi

Smilax

Thank you. It's good to know others can relate! Out of curiosity, how many Simply Sleep pills would you normally take?

Second how did you manage to get off both. What was your withdrawal experience like? Over how long?