So I got a script for 7.5mg Temazepam, to be taken once at bedtime for my insomnia issues. Benzos really help me with my anxiety but I haven't been prescribed my usual Clonazepam in a while so I have no recent benzo tolerance.
One doesn't do anything to me. I tried taking it at bedtime a few times, to no avail. I started to just take it during the day for my anxiety because it DOES have slightly relaxing properties to it. I can take up to four and not be tired, or anything. I'm confused because it's supposed to be longer acting than Clonazepam of Alprazolam... so why am I not falling asleep?
I've never been on Temazepam before but it's been two weeks and it seems to not be doing anything for me. Does anyone have any insight on Temazepam and if it's even a good sleep aide? Are there any natural medications (melatonin, perhaps) that would potentiate the Temazepam and help me fall asleep?
If not, I'd love to hear about a few other benzodiazepines. I only have experience with Klonopin, Xanax, and now this Restoril. Any inquiries are greatly appreciated, because I just want to sleep.
Ya know, if you would have asked me a few years ago i'd say sure take 5. But knowing what I know now about how insidious habit forming drugs can be (ESPECIALLY benzos), I'd advise you to err to the side of caution here.
I remember back when I was very young, not even out of highschool yet, i'd been experimenting with various pills etc...long story short, most of the time when you look thru somebody's medicine cabinet around here, you'll find Xanax or some other benzo. Needless to say I found quite a few Xanax and experimented with them, and at the time I think I must've liked them, at least somewhat. But even then, being completely benzo niave, i'd have to take 2 + milligrams to "feel something".
Long story short, managed to get Rx'd Lorazepam, and at that time (still in highschool) I was taking the pills after school probably, drinking some beer, smoking and just hanging with the bros like ya do at that age. Now I did that for a while, thinking "oh it's nice and relaxing, no hangover, and hell maybe it'll help my weed last longer...maybe I can mix my Adderall and have a functional benzo buzz?"
Long story short, I did the various benzos (mostly Xanax and Ativan) for, really not long at all...maybe every day-ish for NO MORE than 2 or 3 months, with LOTS of breaks when I ran out etc...
Now, they did help me sleep alright, but compared to other substances I've tried, my quality of sleep was garbage...odd isn't it?
Over time (literally over a matter of weeks) my tolerance rose, and more importantly, I was like a zombie during the day, even if I took Adderall, or weed (my long time favorite at that time) I was awake, the lights were on, but I wasn't home, there just wasn't much going on in my mind.
TLDR; Gonna cut to the chase, by December of that year, I remember being really depressed, even with plenty of Adderall, Ativan, and weed. I just had ZERO motivation, not even like I sometimes get from weed, I mean not a gram of motivation. Needless to say, I realized that it was, in fact, the Ativan(& half as often, booze mixed) sucking the life out of me.
It was around that time that I pretty well swore off benzos....I sat myself down, did sort of an assessment and I thought to myself: 1st. These pills don't make me feel better, they make me cold, tired, and depressed in every way. 2nd. I had gotten FAR AWAY from using them as prescribed, and basically took them anytime I wanted an escape, sort of. 3rd. I realized that the initial "problem" (anxiety, social esp..) was only a problem because I made it one, in my own mind...I realized that my feelings don't matter, but reality does.
So combining all that evidence, I wanted off...so when Refill day rolled around, I didn't get my refill, and I never really looked back. I remember having withdrawal once...it was a school night, I came home after smoking herb and drinking beer, ready to sleep. So I lay down In bed fell asleep for maybe 30minutes.
Then for the rest of the 6 hours that night, I literally tossed & turned worse than I ever have before, or since (even my currently rather-frequent opioid withdrawals don't affect sleep like THAT did!), and I remember my back killing me...IDK why at the time...didn't think it was withdrawal, but needless to say that was one of the least restful nights of my life, tossing turning, aching, stupid dreams where you dream that your tossing and turning and aching!!
After all the benzos left my system though, things got a lot better for me, I finally got back to sleeping just fine.
Nowadays the only time I have any desire to use any kind of benzodiazepine is in opiate withdrawal, just to relax my muscles and get some sleep...or if I have stuff to do during WDs i'll take a NDRI to MAKE me go, and the benzo to hold me together, as it were.
But if you wanna know the best part, even in the midst of some pretty hefty opiate withdrawals, I don't remember ever taking more than, at most 1.5mg of Ativan a day.
Why??
They make me Cold & tired...my opiates make me warm & energetic..so I guess if I've gotta have a monkey on my back the choice is obvious no??
Though if I did just want to sleep all the time....benzos would be my DOC for sure!!
TLDR; of all the things you could be dependent on drugs to do, sleeping should be the LAST on that list. Even though my blossoming benzodiazepine habit turned out well, had a happy ending, if you will...just be careful. Can benzos be used safely for sleep? YES, but IF AND ONLY IF you follow your prescription to a T.
Drug abuse is insidious, especially with benzos..in that before you realize that you are habituated, you're already, in fact, dependent.
At least with say Heroin, or Meth, you're gonna KNOW right off the bat, "hey this could be addictive", but I think the Benzodiazepines are much, much more subtle...they may not get you "high" like more typical dopaminergic drugs, but the sure as shit WILL get you HOOKED.
P.S. I once found a bottle of Restoril, back when I still fucked with random drugs, lol, I think they were 15mg caps, and I took maybe at least 4 one evening...don't remember any really discernable effects, other than incredibly subtle benzo calm. But compared to something like say, XANAX, yeah I seriously doubt restoril is going to give you that classic Benzo-type buzz....if that's what your looking for.
If you really are trying to get to sleep, i'd say your namesake CANNABIS would be hands down the best bet...pharmaceuticals can't fix everything, neither can drugs in general, I only recommend the weed because it WORKS, especially in moderation.
If you've had anxiety from marijuana, taking 1 ONE 7.5mg restoril an hour or 3 before you smoke would probably do wonders in preventing that, and thus rendering you cozily unconscious underneath your covers....I love a good bedgasm don't you folks? Doesn't happen as often anymore, but once in a while....ohhhhhweee baby I feel one coming on tonight...around 4:20 am getting to bed early whoo!
ALright i'm done rambling now, good luck getting to sleep OP, honestly if weed don't do it, I seriously doubt anything will, unless it's anxiety related, perhaps...Godspeed.
