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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

Sleep medication, what next?

Where I am, the official information labels don't mention insomnia as conditions to be treated with clonazepam, lorazepam, definitely not alprazolam - the main ones used (apart from z-drugs and in rarer cases antidepressants/antipsychotics) are temazepam, oxazepam, diazepam, nitrazepam, triazolam and midazolam - but I've heard of at least clonazepam being prescribed off-label for insomnia here.
I know from experience that temazepam and oxazepam are not really gonna cut it, probably diazepam neither (except if I eat loads and then wake up real tired). Lorazepam seems to be used for insomnia elsewhere and seems to be slightly shorter-acting so that might help me better than the nitrazepam. Clonazepam is even longer-lasting, but I've never found it anywhere near as hypnotic or sedating, so I might be able to function better in the morning, although it has helped me sleep - I just doubt they'll write me a script.

Triazolam and midazolam are also very notorious drugs that docs hesitate with.
 
Thank you all for the great information! I've got a lot of research to do.

I want to go into the psych armed and ready so if he tries the this doesn't work crap I can say actually the way this drug is....etc.

You guys are really helping me with many options to research and arm myself with. thank you again. I really appreciate it! :)
 
BabyGurl3171 said:
You mean of the seroquel?
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I play the sandwhich game with seroquel. I find that it makes me really hungry, and if I can make a sandwhich and eat it before passing out into a coma I win. - I don't win often.

Not something to take everyday, and yea it's an anti-psychotic so has a pretty bad stigma to it, but so far it's the only drug that actually has knocked me out into basically a full blown coma, aside from taking a bunch of other drugs/high levels.

Of course, it might not be restful sleep, you might just be in a seroquel induced coma, and you might end up sleeping for like 16 hours, but you'll be asleep, technically.

There's also hydroxyzine. It's an antihistamine which acts more like a benzo than an antihistamine, and I can take it fine and have no horid flashbacks to diphenhydramine, even thinking about taking that makes me gag.
 
Hydroxyzine is Vistaril right? I'm so immune to that b/c of being on it so long back when I had surgery (it was prescribed to help the demerol work better).

I'm going to research Seroquel more and see what I come up with b/c something has to change. This not sleeping is for the birds!

I've been using my bars and oxycodone to fall asleep and I can't keep doing that or I'll run short and be right back where I was.

Thank you :)
 
JamtasticX said:
I play the sandwhich game with seroquel. I find that it makes me really hungry, and if I can make a sandwhich and eat it before passing out into a coma I win. - I don't win often.

Not something to take everyday, and yea it's an anti-psychotic so has a pretty bad stigma to it, but so far it's the only drug that actually has knocked me out into basically a full blown coma, aside from taking a bunch of other drugs/high levels.

Of course, it might not be restful sleep, you might just be in a seroquel induced coma, and you might end up sleeping for like 16 hours, but you'll be asleep, technically.

There's also hydroxyzine. It's an antihistamine which acts more like a benzo than an antihistamine, and I can take it fine and have no horid flashbacks to diphenhydramine, even thinking about taking that makes me gag.
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Seroquel will knock you out, night-and-day, and the withdrawals are horrid. The same goes for benzos though. Hydroxyzine, I find, is not very potent at all in its sedative properties. Good for potentiating opioids and reducing itches, but that's about it. Never helped me sleep.
 
BabyGurl3171 said:
Hydroxyzine is Vistaril right? I'm so immune to that b/c of being on it so long back when I had surgery (it was prescribed to help the demerol work better).

I'm going to research Seroquel more and see what I come up with b/c something has to change. This not sleeping is for the birds!

I've been using my bars and oxycodone to fall asleep and I can't keep doing that or I'll run short and be right back where I was.

Thank you :)
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None of which are really good long term options, and hydroxyzine is vistaril and atarax. Hydroxyzine HCL= Atarack, Hydroxyzine Base = Vistaril.

Psychonauticunt said:
Seroquel will knock you out, night-and-day, and the withdrawals are horrid. The same goes for benzos though. Hydroxyzine, I find, is not very potent at all in its sedative properties. Good for potentiating opioids and reducing itches, but that's about it. Never helped me sleep.
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I always have a horrible time with sleep. I don't find anything really puts me to sleep. The only thing ever to knock me out was seroquel, but I've only used it like one day, months apart, never close.

I prescibed to hydroxyzine, suboxone, gabapentin, clonazepam, and I have trouble getting to sleep all the time. If I go a while without the clonazepam sometimes with some alcohol I can get out fast, but usually not. I have the worst sleep problems, can't even nod out on good amounts of heroin anymore.
 
Pretty sure he does, 50 mgs of seroquel would be plenty for most people. But it isn't any fun, if your Dr will give you temazepam that would good but for sleep and fun.
 
kokaino said:
Seroquel withdrawals?? u get withdrawals when u stop taking seroquel?
never heard ppl getting withdrawals when they stop seroquel or at least its very rare or mild.
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I've heard of seroquel withdrawals, but along the lines of paxil or zoloft withdrawals. You're going to become accustomed to it, and stopping suddenly can cause withdrawals, but I wouldn't consider it anything like opiate/benzo
 
kokaino said:
Seroquel withdrawals?? u get withdrawals when u stop taking seroquel?
never heard ppl getting withdrawals when they stop seroquel or at least its very rare or mild.
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Well, kinda depends on dosage and how long you eat them for, and whether it's just for sleep or antipsychosis, but still, I personally know of people getting withdrawals lasting for 3-4 months. Awful stuff.

@jamtasticX: None of those drugs you listed, although sedating, are primarily designed for insomnia. I can't tell from your post or not, but have you had hypnotic benzos for insomnia? I know Seroquel will knock your ass out (and have refused this script every time offered by a doc - tried my friend's, heard experiences, and no thank you), but a lot of hypnotic benzos will too. Clonazepam makes many people feel quite active, although I can sleep on it, but a lot of other stuff is real sedating.
 
Psychonauticunt said:
Well, kinda depends on dosage and how long you eat them for, and whether it's just for sleep or antipsychosis, but still, I personally know of people getting withdrawals lasting for 3-4 months. Awful stuff.

@jamtasticX: None of those drugs you listed, although sedating, are primarily designed for insomnia. I can't tell from your post or not, but have you had hypnotic benzos for insomnia? I know Seroquel will knock your ass out (and have refused this script every time offered by a doc - tried my friend's, heard experiences, and no thank you), but a lot of hypnotic benzos will too. Clonazepam makes many people feel quite active, although I can sleep on it, but a lot of other stuff is real sedating.
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I've had them, but not prescribed. I'm probably not going to get much better from my current doctor, at least while still on suboxone. Maybe a z-drug, but can't see getting anything else. It's not the best, but I enjoy them all, still fill them and take them all, so I'll deal with it for now. Although not the best fit, why complain when I'm getting some relief, plus all my scripts (with exception of paxil, I fill but have never taken) I enjoy for something, and have some value.

BabyGurl3171 said:
What is Temazepam? What can it be compared too?
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A hypnotic class benzo. Usually things ending in "pam" are benzo, benzodiazepine>benzodiaze"pam". ClonazePAM temezePAM oxezaPAM etc
 
BabyGurl3171 said:
What is Temazepam? What can it be compared too?
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Anyone of the hypnotic class benzodiazepines like Triazolam. Its not comparable to Xanax, as that doesn't have much hypnotic properties, its a more potent anxiolytic. If you give up the Xanax for a hypnotic like Temazepam you will be giving up the anti-panic and anti-anxiety effects that you need. Although Temazepam does also have some anxiolytic properties, it won't be prescribed during the day. This means you'd need another anxiolytic and I think that Lyrica would be helpful, not for panic attacks although it would also help your sleep, especially if you have RLS. The hypnotic benzodiazepines don't work for panic attacks either. I don't know what could be replaced for your panic attacks if you switched to a hypnotic benzodiazepine. The only option I could see would be a doctor prescribing an SSRI UNLESS he would be willing to prescribe you two benzodiazepines in which I'd switch from the Xanax to Klonopin, which is also helpful for sleep to since its long acting, has muscle relaxant effects and also some hypnotic properties.
 
Usually just for sleep, although many consider it the best benzo of them all for recreation. Never tried it myself, I'm getting to try drugs I never dreamed I would, and yet the "to do" list just gets longer and longer=D
 
BabyGurl3171 said:
So, is it stronger then Xanax? And how is it usually prescribed? Like 3 x's a day, as needed or just at bedtime?

Thanks! :)
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Sorry to double post but read my last post or just hear this. NO it is not prescribed x3 times a day only at night which is a big problem switching Xanax to Temazepam. Unless your doctor is willing to prescribe two benzos than you'd still need something for your anxiety and panic attacks.
 
BabyGurl3171 said:
So, is it stronger then Xanax? And how is it usually prescribed? Like 3 x's a day, as needed or just at bedtime?

Thanks! :)
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How "strong" a benzo is is kinda subjective. It's definitely not as potent, and I don't find it nearly as "strong" as alprazolam in equivalent doses (0.5mg alpraz = 20mg temaz), but alprazolam is generally considered one of the strongest. Here, people seem to praise temazepam though. It might be considered "strong" in that it is hypnotic and sedating. It is definitely more suitable for getting to sleep.

It has slight anxiolytic properties as well, but it probably won't do if you've been taking Xanax for anxiety, and you will only be prescribed it for bedtime - 10-40mg, probably. It's not all that long-lasting, 7-8 hours (8-22 half-life), but should prevent nighttime awakenings, unlike midazolam or triazolam, which are fucking potent sledgehammer knockout benzos, but only last an hour or two.
However it won't keep going into the day, so unless your doc will prescribe you another benzo for the day, I dunno - your best might be a an anxiolytic also used for insomnia (eg. clonazepam, diazepam, oxazepam, lorazepam are all indicated somewhere, but it varies in different countries) that has a long half-life and/or that you can take day and night.

Also, obviously note that eating benzos day and night will make you fucking addicted.
 
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