19 replies to this topic

[Ramona80]

And I don't know what to do.  

This is due to having been raised to 90 mg Cym (which I'm weaning down from now). Getting up to 90 gave me insomnia and hypnic jerks which jolt me awake each time I fall asleep. I also have muscle twitches during the day, they jump all around my body. I get an electrical buzzing feeling in my body, too. 

 

There are nights where I only get about 1 hour of sleep. I am trying to hold it together, but I am in hell.

 

I don't want to take a benzo. Even my last time in the hospital, they told me not to take benzos. 

 

I've tried Melatonin, it helped for 3 nights, and then stopped doing anything. I started Magnesium but it gave me strange effects the next day - strange muscle pain and shakiness. I don't know if that's a sign I shouldn't be taking it.

 

Does anyone have any out-of-the-ordinary suggestions? I know all about sleep hygiene and what to do and not do before bedtime.

[fishinghat]

Ramona

 

You might ask your dr for a prescription for 50 mg hydroxyzine to be taken at bed time. It is non-habit forming and has no withdrawal.

[Ramona80]

That's what I'm in withdrawal from now! I stopped it a week and a half ago. I am one of the rare people who gets Hydroxyzine withdrawal. It's been giving me muscle twitching all over my body, and upping the "hyperactive nervous system" situation. The first 4 days after I stopped the Hydrox. I had mad itching all over my body, followed by sinus pressure & dizziness, headache, nausea, and now this. My doctor confirmed it's Hydrox. withdrawal, as did my pharmacist. The itching resolved, as did the other things, except the muscle spasms remain and my insomnia is worse.

It is very rare, most people don't have withdrawal.

[thismoment]

Ramona

I'm sorry you are distressed so.

I understand what a viscious cycle sleeplessness is, and I don't know the answer. For me, I found that in the early days of insomniac Cymbalta withdrawal I had to get virtually exhausted before I could sleep. I would walk, walk, walk miles every day. Even then sometimes I stayed awake all night.

I discovered that no food after 6PM helped as well, and no bright screens (TV, computer) 2 hours before bed. I tried to read just before retiring-- it worked sometimes, and sometimes not. You will have to experiment.

You might consider Zopiclone, a nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic. This drug will put you to sleep, but it does give a few hours of groggy hangover in the morning-- but to me that's tolerable. You will have to decide if it's worth it.

Take care.

[fishinghat]

Ramona

 

I am sorry. I forgot about that. My bad. I wouldn't recommend any antihistamines then.

[FiveNotions]

I'm so sorry you're suffering from the "no sleep demon" ... I also went through a few months of serious sleep problems during withdrawal ... horrible, like yours, at first ... then gradually fading ... as I'm sure yours will as well... but it just sucks while it's happening ...

I would have suggested Magnesium, but you've already tried that, and learned that you're one of the tiny percentage of folks who are sensitive to it ... FH found research a while back that indicated that it can, rarely, cause / increases anxiety ... TFL can't take it, either, as it increased her anxiety ...
 
The melatonin didn't work for me, either ... caused me horrendous nightmares, so I stopped taking it after just a couple of tries ... I found that a couple of the amino acid supplements helped me, but I'm not going to suggest them for you, as your sensitivity to hydroxyzine and magnesium almost guarantee you'd have a problem with them.

Here are the other, non-drug / supplement things that helped me: chamomile and valerian tea (be careful with the valerian, as it's strong stuff); warm/hot baths; sleeping in a completely dark room; taking naps any time of the day that I felt tired, or just lying down quietly in a darkened room / with a blindfold on; lying on my back with a heating pad on my chest/solar plexus; instead of a heating pad, placing a small pillow on my chest/solar plexus.

I also learned not to take B vitamins in the evening, as they energized me.

Do try to stay off the internet and tv for at least an hour, ideally several hours, before bedtime. They get our brains "wired," not relaxed ... music is good, such as Mozart ... or anything you find soothing... instrumental is better (for me, at least) because words get my mind too involved/thinking... 
 
I've recently discovered "Schumann resonance frequencies" and "solfeggio tones" ... there are a ton of them on youtube, beautiful sounds that aid relaxation, medication, sleep, concentration ... I can't explain how they work, but Wikipedia has good articles on both.
 
Here are some links to a huge selection of each, many of which run for as long as 6-9 hours so you can leave them on all night ...
 
Solfeggio frequencies playlist
https://www.youtube....encies playlist

Schumann frequencies playlist
https://www.youtube....ann frequencies

Nature sounds
https://www.youtube....sounds playlist

Sound therapy playlist
https://www.youtube....herapy playlist

[maria323]

This is all great info. I guess I wish I knew how long this misery would last? 4 months? 10 months? Has anyone taken Trazodone to help with sleep? I was told that it would impede with my healing but i'm feeling desperate.

[FiveNotions]

Please try not to dive into taking another med, especially like trazodone, for sleep ... that also has a withdrawal ...and it's not a good med in general ... I used Lunesta for a brief time ... and it did help me get to sleep, but not stay asleep ... and, I went through withdrawal from that when I stopped ... I also used Valium (also for anxiety) ... and I had to go through withdrawal for that ...

 

I learned the hard way ... more drugs to fix the withdrawal from the drug Cymbalta is not good for the brain, body, or our sense of self ...

 

Our brains don't need more drugs, they need rest from drugs ... and to be allowed to heal in their own time and their own way ...

 

Go easy on yourself, Maria ... I think you may be pushing yourself too hard, too fast ... trying to recover faster than your brain and body can do so ... I know what a nightmare (pun intended) insomnia can be ... but I made it worse for myself because I panicked about it, and tried to force myself to sleep ... which had the reverse effect ....

 

This is just another phase / wave in the healing process ... almost all of us here have gone through it ... and it does pass ... it fades ... just a few months is typical ...

 

Is insomnia the only symptom you're dealing with right now? What else are you experiencing?

[maria323]

I am so scared! Thanks for the info, You are right, I am trying too hard to get better I have been at home for 3 months trying to get better but It just feels like it is taking forever. I am really emotional and the lack of sleep doesn't help it. I live with my 51 year old fiance and 3 sons who are 18,22 and 24. I also have a 2 year old grandbaby. I feel like I want to get back to my old self. Up until recently, I was nauseated and exhausted and still getting the anxiety surges. The lack of sleep just makes everything so much worse. My mood is sooooooo low. 

[thismoment]

maria323

Trazodone is another serotonin drug, a SARI (serotonin antagonist and reuptake inhibitor) used mainly as an antidepressant and hypnotic (sleep aid). It is a MAJOR INTERACTION drug with duloxetine, and they should not be taken concurrently. The danger is Serotonin Toxicity (also called Serotonin Syndrome). See drugs.com under Interactions.

Zopiclone is a sedative-hypnotic you might consider. A 5 mg tablet may be split in two, and half seems to work fine. It is a short-acting non-benzodiazepine.

I have used it intermittently with good results.

[maria323]

I tapered Cymbalta over 9 months and have been off it since 04/20/15. Would the Trazadone still interact with it? Is Zopiclone like benadryl or advil pm? The ingredients in those make me really jittery. Scratch that.  I was just reading about Zopiclone. It's like Lunesta, a Z drug. 

[thismoment]

maria

The Trazodone should not be a problem regarding interaction now, but check with your doctor. The other issue is just that it's another serotonin antidepressant, and you will have to withdraw from it too.

The Zopiclone is an non-benzodiazepine, and is not dependency-forming like benzos. But to be clear, I don't advocate ANY drugs-- though drugs of course can be beneficial. If you are able to work through this sleeplessness by other means-- getting really tired by other means-- working out, walking, engaging physical activities etc, that is far better in the long run.

It's all about quality of life, and you have to decide what that means to you.

Take care.

[maria323]

Thank you. I have been trying to stay away from drugs. I have Lorazepam and have used it when I just feel like I need some relief. I have tried so many things. I haven't taken the traz because I realize that it is another AD. My doc told me I could use it as needed and it would be fine at a 50 mg dose with no withdrawals. I guess I'm gonna just try to exhaust myself to the point where I drop and see if that will bring on some sleep for me.

[thismoment]

Common sleep strategies:

-Avoid caffeine (from tea, coffee, colas or energy drinks) no alcohol, nicotine, or other neurotoxic drugs
-Keep a regular sleep/wake schedule every day; avoid sleeping in or napping during the day
-Avoid stimulating activities before bedtime (e.g. computer or television bright screens; no exercise late in the evening)
-Ensure a quiet and comfortable sleep environment (e.g. comfortable temperature, dark room, no pets in bed)
-Doing something relaxing or enjoyable before bedtime (e.g. listen to soothing music or take a warm (not hot) bath)
-Avoid large meals just before bedtime-- no food 4 hours before bedtime
-Exercise regularly (during the daytime)
-Use your bedroom only for sleep; remove the clock from direct eyesight; consider a fan for soft white noise
-If you are not asleep within 20 minutes, get up and go to another room and read. No bright screens. Come back to bed when you feel drowsy.
wiki

[gail]

Maria323,

A few words just to say that trazodone 50mg is easy to withdraw from. I would not hesitate to take it. That is from my experience.

Take care♥

[TryinginFL]

Maria,

 

I agree with Gail.  I am currently taking 50mg Trazodone but had taken 100mg a couple of years ago.  No problem coming off.

 

Wishing you  the best - please keep us posted!

 

Liz 

[FiveNotions]

I guess I'm the anomaly ... I tried trazodone for sleep / anxiety years ago ... didn't seem to work, so the doc told me to just quit (cold turkey) .... I had bad withdrawal from it (well, nothing like crapalta, but still unpleasant)... worsened anxiety, worsened insomnia (called "rebound effect"), plus nausea ...

[TryinginFL]

FN

 

Wow, it is sure a dilemma - we all seem to react differently to either taking or stopping a med.  I'm sorry you had this experience.  Just proves we are  all different

[gail]

FN,

As Liz said, we all react differently. Of course, I stopped many times by reducing gradually over a three week period. I would not cold turkey it ever, it is not recommended.♥

[maria323]

Thanks guys! I just want to take it to get a few nights sleep. I am averaging 3 hours right now. I was taking Lorazepam .5 mg to give me a few extra hrs but I can't keep doing that. I realize that Trazadone is an AD that affects seratonin but I don't know what else to do.