The drugs (benzos) don't work

[the red shark]

I have been on a range of benzos for many years, I take xanax to work it helps me focus and not get stressed (6mg is prescribed daily dose)and either mogadon 2x5mg / murelax 2x 30mg to sleep. Also valium and temazepam on a cosy benzo cocktail relaxing day. I know I have an exceptionally high tolerance and have done for a while, but all of a sudden I can't sleep. 2 murelax I generally got a 10hr sleep from the two I was prescribed at night and if I went with two mogadon I could sleep for maybe 12 hours - I work hospitality so need these catch up sleeps.

I used to smoke a lot of meth but stopped that a few years ago now, there is nothing stressing me out but I've been up til about 3am-5am and waking between 5am and 9am and when I cant sleep I'll take more to try to, so the other night I'd had about 8 mogadon 4 murelax 4 valium and 5 xanax between 10pm and 5am and finally fell asleep to wake at 9

I normally stick to my scripts except for one day a week or so to relax but do not understand this sudden insomnia... I've always had it but was manageable. I had to cancel work tonight cos of such poor sleep all week which has put me out about $100 I wanted an early night, just took some mogadon and temazepam and valium to try and get an early night and I am so awake I might as well be at work. It is really frustrating.

Should I taper on valium for a week or so and just deal with little sleep but with years of use a week I dont think will do a lot, or is there any stronger sleeping tablet that wont knock me out like antipsychotics I cant take seroquel or anything.... Any advice (that doesnt include quitting benzos) would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[AfterGlow]

You say you've been on benzos for many years. You must have noticed that your tolerance over time will increase. If you're anything like me, it eventually increases to the point where the negative effects begin to become noticeable. Cognitive impairment, blackouts confusion all start to cause you problems while the hypnotic and anxiolitic effects require higher and higher doses.

I think if you taper for a week, you're simply going to start feeling rebound anxiety and have even more problems sleeping. You're going to have to be clean of benzos for many months before your mind and body will begin to adapt to coping to stress naturally. I recommend a plan to slowly taper off benzos altogether over a 3-6 month period combined with good eating and a regular regimen of exercise. It will take a while to get well, but it will be worth it in the long run. if you continue on benzos for year and years, it becomes a hug problem.

 

[the red shark]

Thank you afterglow I've come down from 12mg of xanax 3x2x2mg a day for 2 years, 5 years ago to valium ans stilnox, which wasn't cutting it and started back on 4mg and yes that has increased to 6mg - I wont let it get higher. If anything it improves my cognitive behaviour, my uni work is concise, work is focussed and I've learnt not to mix with alcohol so never experience blackouts. Atm it is just the insomnia, my anxiety is being treated. I appreciate the advice and did try and talk to my doctor yesterday, but he seemed to put it down to stress with uni work being due which was not the case at all. I got 5hr sleep last night which is an improvement from 4 the night before... it's nearly 7am here I've already done my daily exercise and am really bored. I'm curious about my past history of mwth use too and if that is having an impact.
Thanks

 

[the red shark]

Mod maybe combine with "benzo - am i going overboard?" cy StaySedated Just an idea

 

[Scheduled]

In my experience, Benzos are impossible to use responsibly. And the abuse resulted in me never getting any effect from klonopin, xanax, valium, etc. no matter how much i took. 20 mgs or more of potent benzos does nothing now.

 

[BIGsherm7272]

The truth is that benzos should not be used for more than a month or two at a time. Your tolerance will only continue to rise, and there is nothing that you can do to stop it, other than always having to worry about tapering off than starting back up and dealing with withdrawals......and even then your tolerance is right back where it was in no time.

If you are working mostly everyday and still having problems sleeping, even with high doses of benzos, than I really do not know what will help you. How is/was your sleep schedule? It is imperative to maintain and decent sleep schedule, even a few late nights can fuck it up. Other than benzos, your only other options for sleep would be weed, alcohol, opiates, barbiturates and anti-psychotics (none of which I recommend other than weed). Weed has always helped me sleep and stay asleep better than any other drug.

 

[pally pete]

In my experience, Benzos are impossible to use responsibly. And the abuse resulted in me never getting any effect from klonopin, xanax, valium, etc. no matter how much i took. 20 mgs or more of potent benzos does nothing now.

i feel the same

 

[the red shark]

I had to learn the hard way to use benzos responsibly but like I said I give myself at least a day to indulge so you are right. Bigsherm i have to get decent sleeps sunday-tuesday night cos I normally work late wed-sunday. My sleep has always been an issue till the murelax and mogadons fixed it and have done so for years. This porblem has only happened in the last week to fortnight. I get paranoid off weed but took your advice -I got some night time mersyndol took 3-4 which is doxylamine succiante 5mg an antihisamine with low dose codeine 10mg and got a couple of extra hours sleep today. I'm going to try and take them instead for a while with valium to prevent withdrawals and continue with 1 or 2 xanax depending on duration of shifts at work either 5 hour or 10 hour shifts... And yeah Scheduled I dont get euphoria or anything but they have still been effective after 7 years as far as treatment goes...
Thank-you for the replies

 

[debaser]

Well I for one do use benzos responsibly... except that my tolerance rises whatsoever. I'll have to take a break soon (2mg of lormetazepam [Noctamide] every night for one month).

 

[unsettled]

I had to learn the hard way, but I learned eventually to use benzos responsibly, it took a few years and some painful insanity provoking withdrawals, and a seizure.

Maybe try some diphenhydramine or valerian root, sometimes the simple things will work when you don't expect them to. doxylamine has worked for me in the past very well. these are all otc, doxylamine is a little harder to find but it's in most drugstores.

Also try and use the minimal amount of benzos if you can, I've been gradually lowering my Klonopin dose and it's actually refreshing and not painful as long as I reduce very very slowly. It's strange, but after you've been on benzos for a long time they stop working and eventually you'll probably get better results by gradually reducing your dose.

I also use Ambien sometimes, it doesn't work as well as Lunesta for me but it works. you could also possibly try trazadone, it's not my thing but alot of people use it nightly for sleep and it works. these are all rx'd meds, not too hard to get a script to though.

I just noticed you're in Australia, I'm not sure what you guys have available over there. Good luck in finding something, I know how much it sucks to not be able to sleep.

 

[pally pete]

@ all the doxylamine users...what doseage did you take to get sleep?

i tried this for the first time on a flight back in april and in total took 6 x 25mg tablets over the course of a few hours which did not help me at all even though this is a high dose :/