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Non-benzo hypnotic sleep aid

elbroski

elbroski

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Apr 6, 2008
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This may or may not be the correct place for this thread, plz feel free to move if there is a more suitable arena of discussion.

I am currently on Methadone maintenance (50mg's) and I am obviously not allowed to take any benzo's (unless they are prescribed by a psychiatrist, not a doctor), but I have severe insomnia and so my doctor prescribed me to 10mg ambien a night. My initial reaction to the ambien is iffy at best and was wondering if there is a better, more potent (i.e. recreational) hypnotic that I would be able to be prescribed to that won't come up as a benzo.
 
You might have some luck with hydroxyzine. It's a prescription antihistamine with anxiolytic properties. It doesn't have the abuse or addiction profile of benzos so doctors are much more likely to prescribe it, but it's been shown to be as effective as bromazepam. It's not recreational but it works for a lot of people, so I guess it depends if you're looking to get fucked up off your sleep aid or not.

I really doubt you'll be prescribed something recreational (besides methadone) for obvious reasons. You're doc will probably throw something shitty like trazodone at you.
 
My doctor was amazed when I told him the hydroxyzine (vistaril) 25 mg didn't help me sleep. I guess it affects people differently. I would like to try some ambien but he won't prescribe it for me. My mother has been on ambien for many years and it works great for her. Plus she drinks vodka along with it so maybe that helps it kick in. I think I must have mentioned this a hundred times here but I'm a chronic insomniac. Hate it, hate it, hate it ~theresa
 
uggh trazadone is a horrible nasty nasty drug I would rather take seroquel as it has just as many side effects but is guaranteed to knock you the fuck out.
 
doxylamine, alimenazine, diphenhydramine can all be usefull to help you get to sleep
 
I found noting bad about Trazadone. It helped me sleep a bit but nothing special, didn't help enough to renew the Rx more than once I think.

Ambien affects everyone differently. So you might just not be affected much by it. It didn't he;p me sleep at all nor did it make me 'trip' as many people report.

Lunesta (Zopiclone) is another Z-drug [non-benzo] hypnotic. Its worth a shot. A good friend of mine can't take ambien because of the 'tripiness' but lunesta knocks her out cold.

If you are really looking for a recreational drug though, I'd say hypnotics aren't the way to go. They are just too hit or miss if you are looking for them to replace a benzo.

Various Anti-histamines can help as sleep aids but they shouldn't be used every night, that'll just prolong your insomnia.

Various herbal things can help : Valerian (need a high dosage), Kava (works better if you have fresh plant rather than OTC pills/tincture/extract), Chamomile, Lemon Balm, Orange Blossom, etc..
None of these can replace a benzo but they can help with insomnia. They are CHEAP if you go to a store that sells bulk herbs. You can make a nice tasting sleepy time tea mixture out of hibiscus, lemon balm, chamomile, skullcap, passion flower, and others. Careful as the passion flower I think has some mild MAOI effects so watch your drug combos (I think the amount of passion flower you'd be using makes the MAOI effect miniscule however)
 
Thanks for the replies....

Thanks for all the posts/replies guys n' gals. The hydroxyzine I used to be prescribed to for the GAD and it wasn't even as potent as benedryl at relieving anxiety or insomnia so that's out. Seroquel, trazadone, and various other neuroleptics have been somewhat helpful in "knocking me out", but the horrid side effects simply aren't worth it. I think I'm going to stick with the ambien since it doesn't seem like there's anything else out there that works well that isn't a benzo...(which sucks because they truly do work for me). If I could switch clinics it wouldn't be such a problem because the one that I'm at now is not only a "low dose" clinic, but they have a ZERO tolerance policy on using benzo's, even if they are legitimately prescribed...:\
 
Transcendence said:
You might have some luck with hydroxyzine. It's a prescription antihistamine with anxiolytic properties. It doesn't have the abuse or addiction profile of benzos so doctors are much more likely to prescribe it, but it's been shown to be as effective as bromazepam. It's not recreational but it works for a lot of people, so I guess it depends if you're looking to get fucked up off your sleep aid or not.
Click to expand...

Hydroxyzine is a great antihistamine, and works great as a sleep aid. I think it has the least "after-effects" of any anti-histamine that I have tried.
 
Meh..

Ya i've tried most of these meds/herbs at least a couple times and maybe one or two are worth their weight in gold. Trazadone, hydroxyzine, and seroquel did absolutely ZERO for insomnia or anxiety, and hydroxyzine i've had scripts for more times than I can count since doctors, for whatever reason, think this drug is some kind of miracle panacea....it's benedryl with a bit of umpf for god sakes. A year long heroin addict who has been on klonopin and xanax for 4 years isn't going to get an effect off most of these drugs, just lettin' you guys know so that your not disappointed or think theres something wrong with how your taking it and what-not.

So far, the only non-benzo drug that has helped knock me out at night is zolpidem (ambien). The only complaint I have is that it has given me some FREAKY crazy nightmares that I can totally remember when I wake up...Oh and there can be a slight hangover the next mornin', nuttin bad though.
 
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