Aid For Insomnia |

right now I’m taking .25 clonazepam two or three times a day… so up to .75 mg a day… tapering down. But I notice withdrawal just from the taper… heart beating fast, insomnia, anxiety… I’ve been on the Clonazepam for about 5 months and was up to 3 mg at one point a night… but I’ve been tapering, was at 1mg for a little over a week, then .5 for the same, now at .75… but is it safe to take tylenol pm as well until withdrawals fade? I just popped two now… Dunno if they will help or not…
22 female college student… Never thought this drug could be so addicting!! My anxiety from before starting was nowhere near this anxiety… wish I would have never started in the first place. It's practically ruining my life…

Clonazepam may be habit forming when taken for long periods of time. If you have been taking this medication regularly for a long period of time do not stop taking the medication without speaking with your doctor first. To avoid withdrawal effects, a gradual reduction in dose is recommended when stopping this medication.

Side effects of Clonazepam
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
confusion, hallucinations, unusual thoughts or behavior;
hyperactivity, agitation, hostility;
unusual or involuntary eye movements;
weak or shallow breathing;

Physical dependence (a need to take regular doses to prevent physical symptoms) has been associated with benzodiazepines such as clonazepam.Reducing the dose gradually under medical supervision can help prevent or decrease your withdrawal symptoms.

I've had insomnia all my life but last year started having headaches everyday. My family doctor finally sent me to a neurologist. After 2 eeg's, the neurologist says I have a seizure disorder and wants me to start keppra. I am really afraid of all medications. Any help out there? Thanks!!

Perhaps. I have had insomnia since I was 16. I am now 56. The first med the docs prescribed for this was klonopin, which is also used for seizures and panic disorder. For a list of everything I've tried for sleep and how it worked for me, see http://www.fms-help.com/sleep.htm My insomnia story is at http://www.fms-help.com/insomnia.htm

I do hope your headaches will go away soon. A lot of people with fibromyalgia have bad headaches. As you may know, fibromyalgia can be caused by lack of restorative sleep. My fibromyalgia story is at http://www.fms-help.com/fibro.htm if you want to compare symptoms.

Struggling get to sleep.
Waking up in the night.
Never feeling refreshed when I wake up.
Feeling tired during the day.

P.S. I do try relaxing before bed, regularity, making my bedroom a place for sleep etc, but this doesn’t stop me waking up in the night.

Thanks!
I'm 13, my matress is only four years old and I turn it over every few months.

1. Trouble Falling Asleep
View Full-SizeMany people with insomnia have trouble falling asleep. If it takes you longer than 20 minutes to fall asleep each night, you may suffer from insomnia. If however, you find you fall asleep the moment your head hits the pillow, you may not be getting enough sleep, or the quality of your sleep may be poor. Either way, having trouble falling asleep is a primary symptom of insomnia.
2. Difficulty Staying Asleep
For people fortunate enough to fall asleep, many find they are not able to stay asleep. Many factors can influence your ability to stay asleep at night

here is 2 but it 8 more
http://insomnia.about.com/od/symptomsofinsomnia/tp/InsomniaSymptoms.htm

I have been taking ambien 5-10mg. The 10mg seems to work fairly well but I worry about taking all that medication. I took the 5mg last night and was still awake at 4:30am. Not nervous, just unable to fall asleep. Once I am asleep I don't have much trouble staying asleep.

Recent research has shown that cognitive behavior therapy can be more effective than medication in controlling insomnia.In this therapy, patients are taught improved sleep habits and relieved of counter-productive assumptions about sleep.

Some traditional remedies for insomnia have included drinking warm milk before bedtime, taking a warm bath in the evening; exercising vigorously for half an hour in the afternoon, eating a large lunch and then having only a light evening meal at least three hours before bed, avoiding mentally stimulating activities in the evening hours, and making sure to get up early in the morning and to retire to bed at a reasonable hour.

Using aromatherapy, including jasmine oil, lavender oil, Mahabhringaraj and other relaxing essential oils, may also help induce a state of restfulness. Horlicks is marketed as a sleeping aid.

Many believe that listening to slow paced music will help insomniacs fall asleep.

The more relaxed a person is, the greater the likelihood of getting a good night's sleep. Relaxation techniques such as meditation have been shown to help people sleep. Such techniques can lower stress levels from both the mind and body, which leads to a deeper, more restful sleep.

Traditional Chinese medicine has included treatment for insomnia. A typical approach may utilize acupuncture, dietary and lifestyle analysis, herbology and other techniques, with the goal of resolving the problem at a subtle level.

In the Buddhist tradition, people suffering from insomnia or nightmares may be advised to meditate on "loving-kindness", or metta. This practice of generating a feeling of love and goodwill is claimed to have a soothing and calming effect on the mind and body. This is claimed to stem partly from the creation of relaxing positive thoughts and feelings, and partly from the pacification of negative ones. In the Mettā (Mettanisamsa) Sutta', Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, tells the gathered monks that easeful sleep is one benefit of this form of meditation.

Hypnotherapy, self hypnosis and guided imagery can be effective in not only falling asleep and staying asleep; they can also help to develop good sleeping habits over time. Visualizing can be effective in taking the mind away from present day anxieties and towards a more relaxing place.

Hope this helps; Good Luck!

I go to sleep instantly but am awake within twenty minutes and am then awake for the rest of the night. I usually go back to sleep around 6 am for about an hour.

Chocolate makes some people relaxed and sleep.

A bit of alcohol before sleep (eg a bottle of beer or a double whiskey).

Coffee makes some people sleep even though everyone thinks it keeps everyone awake it has the reverse effect on some people.