entropy1964

Ooo ya benzos are really bad. At least for me. And I have seen people struggle mightily to get off them. Xanax acts on the brain in the same way alcohol does (all benzos do) so they trigger me to drink. They are mind altering so there's the 'high' part too. Trazadone is probably a better option because at least it isn't mind altering....but obviously talk with the dr. And don't go on Seroquel! That's my input anyway....

Chase01

Hi Frickflip. Sorry about your sleeping troubles, but I did enjoy your story.

I have suffered from insomnia my entire life. Not being able to sleep is a big reason why I started drinking the way I used to. Of course, now I know alcohol is extremely disruptive to the sleep cycle. I never got on prescription sleep aids, and that seems to be a huge blessing. Valerian root and melatonin does help me. I know it doesn't work for others though. I wish I had some advice to offer, but I don't. I just wanted to chime in to say I can relate and you are not alone.

entropy1964

Thanks Chase. I do take melatonin as I've been tapering off the seroquel. I started at 100mg and I'm now down to 25mg....with the serquel that is. Over a year period so I'm not setting any speed records but I think if I'm moving down in dosage and not experiencing too much trouble sleeping so I'm doing something right. Drs don't know what the he!! they are talking about with respect to this medication. The psych that prescribed it just told me to cold turkey and there shouldn't be a problem...which is about as ignorant as they come. 2 others just told me to taper. The internet doesn't have much either except from the people in the trenches like me that concur it is a bitch. It aint gonna kill me however so I'm getting to the 'bite the bullet' time. That's what I'm struggling with. Sleep is one of my defenses against my anxiety so when I'm pooped I'm vulnerable. But I will get through it. Sucks a bag a you know what's tho.

biminiblue

Welcome to old age. I make it a very strong small cup - I have a dedicated eight ounce cup.

I am so glad to be off all medications. For twenty years I went along with my doctor on an astounding number of medications. In hindsight, she should have referred me out to a psychiatrist instead of playing doctor the way she did, but yo! She was a Harvard graduate, she must know everything. And I guess not talking about addiction was my bad. When I know better I do better.

A couple years into this last drinking career, I looked at my daily regimen of pills and thought, " Well, this is cray." I resolved to get off all of them and so I started dropping them off - by myself. It was pre-internet or at least before I started using it so much, so Doctor Google didn't scare me with taper schedules and such nonsense.

I really think the mindset of, "Take something for that," is a dangerous one. It started young in my house - and not surprisingly my mother was one of those with mother's little helpers in the sixties. For compulsive people like me it's too easy to think, "One pill makes me larger, the other makes me small."

I'm so glad to be rid of all prescriptions except thyroid. Who knew? I was perfectly capable of finding other ways to deal with my anxiety. Acceptance is the answer to all my problems today.



Keepa go, Frick.