7 days since quiting pain meds and cannot sleep help?

[father26twinb]

I have been taking prescription pain killers for the past 5 yrs. off and on from different injuries that that led to surgeries. I have taken about every type of pain killer steady for the past year. I went to the Dr. for lower back pain. I was shortly after diagnosed with facet arthritis in my lower 2 vertabras. I was up to taking 10-15 lortab 10's a day. We soon after tried Percocet 10's and then on to Fentanyl patches, avinaza and then back to lortabs. I finallay decided that this cirlce of emotional up's and down's had to stop. Not to mention my wife about left me after finding out i snorted a few Oxycontin 80's about 1 1/2 weeks ago. I have been completely cold turkey for almost 8 days. The worst 8 days of my life. I just want to lay around and sleep and feel totally worthless. The withdrawals seem to be getting better day by day. Which finally leads me to my question. I have not been able to sleep at all at night when i get into bed, despite taking sleep medicine it does nothing. Will this end and will i be able to sleep again? And is there a light at the end of this tunnel of hell?

[FLbella]

PS. KeeptheHope has a very valid point.  I don't pray, but I ......well maybe it is praying of sorts.  I talk to my Grandfather whom has passed on.  (You know, think to myself as if I'm talking to him, hoping he hears it).  My sleeping is really out of sync, but when I reach my breaking point and talk to grandpa, I too find myself waking up hours later not remembering quite when I drifted off.

[FLbella]

I can't sleep ON them.  I've been staying awake until 7am and then squeaking in maybe 4 hrs of sleep for the day.   It will take a toll on you...    Please go see a Doctor about your sleeping issues.  There is a new sleep aid that is non addictive.  For the life of me, I can't remember the name.  I wanted to try it but I can't because I have a seizure disorder and that makes it a poor choice of medication for me.  Right now, the only way I sleep is when I am totally exhausted to the point that thinking is a chore.

[Sappy1]

My neuro wants to do the same L3-L4 L4-L5 L5-S1 fusion...and Im scared "stiff" Long recovery???How old r u??? Is the fusion taking??? Were you a smoker??? Its a big step I can't commit to yet...

[cburke]

PS  Let me add, I was only a total of 20-30 mg in a total of 24 hours.  I can't imagine the hell some of you have gotten through.  I felt like I had been through so much.  I lift you all up and I will pray for anyone struggling.  I made it (just 12 hours) and feel great.  Still need suggestions since I am only 5 months out of surgery. Thanks!

[cburke]

I can't imagine....what courage you have.  I had L3 4 5 S1 laminectomy with fusion at the beginning of June this year.  I was just on about 2-3 extended release oxycontin when I went cold turkey 3 weeks ago.  It felt like someone was doing surgery on my back with no anesthesia.  I know what you mean about no sleep, but I totally understand what it is now.  Have you noticed that ALL you nerve (not just pain) sensors are back times 100?  Things taste better, smell better (or stronger), and seem funnier or gloomier?  I went a few nights scared to death of not having sleep because my back got tighter and began to hurt worse.  I am leveling off now, and getting sleep.  I am still waking up from discomfort (still relatively early in my recovery) 2 - 3 times a night.  I am very lucky in the world of pain meds.  I have had no psychological addiction at all......just chemical dependence.  Any suggestions on what to try for the pain?  I had rather not take narcotic pain reliever, but it seems that anti-inflammatory is burning a hole in my stomach and doing very little for my pain. Thanks!

[Sappy1]

Try Melatonin and/or benadryl for sleep and advil for pain. It's worked for me.

[Sappy1]

Fentanyl patches are very hard core meds. I was given those when taking 10-12 vicodens and 30mg vallium wern't doing the trick. Finally got pneoumonia...Dreadful detox in the hospital but only for a few days. This was for back surgery a year earlier.
Now I'm stopping 2-3 vicodens I've been on for the past year (trying to put off another back surgery) and beside night sweats, it's been OK. If you want to quit on your own, I'd strongly recommend a slow taper. But I'm bipolar I and I take Lamictal (anti-convulsant) and Seroquil so I sleep fine.

[keywhite]

I am on day 6 and still cannot sleep. Maybe get 3-4 hours too.   But the way I look at it - it is better than nothing....I;ll take what I can get and expect it to get better from here.  I was feeling a little down this afternoon -- then I called a  friend and took the dogs for a walk.  Feel much much better tonight.   Hang on and keep going -  don't turn back now you are almost there!!!!

[justlikeyou]

you will start to sleep an hour here and an hour there soon, just rest when you can, your doing great.dont go back.

[ToManyToCount]

Just know that you are not alone in the sleepless night.  I've tried a few things and posted practically the same question.  I'm now working my way through the herbal alternatives - I think I posted my plea for help a few days back - titled "you are getting very sleepy" or something sarcastic like that.  

I know with me I've had an underlying screaming case of insomnia long before the addiction came a-knocking.  Could you be the same?  Out of the Rx sleepers (mine was the little psychedelic butterfly Lunesta), the OTC, and the herbal the only one that has gained me any sleep since the problem began is this little OTC herbal cocktail they sell at Walgreen called SleepEZ.  It's a store brand with Valarian and Melatonin in it.  It isn't getting me tons of sleep but at this point the those 3 hours of ZzzzZZzzz's I scored last night felt pretty good.

TMTC
Just A Few Ahhhh-Choo!

[Calzy]

You are doing good if your down to not sleeping and not complaining of aches and pains, each day will get a little better. 5 years is a long time to be jacked up so you cant expect much after 8 days. Are you taking any vit's yet? There are some good lists on this site. They took a while for them to work for me but i am feeling better and sleeping more each night. Your body is still in shock that it's not getting the daily pills it was use to, so it is just going to take some time and it is different for each person. When i cant sleep i take a hot bath and that will help some. You probable have a lot on your mind dealing with all of this so you have to learn to relax again and know you can only work your recovery one day at a time.

[father26twinb]

Yes i have tried ambien actually for about 3 nights straight and they did nothing. In the past i would only have to take 1/2 to 1 pill to go to sleep. I took 2 ambien 2 nights ago and did nothing, i couldn't believe it. I took about 250 mg of trazadone (another sleep aid) last night and got about 3 hrs of sleep. I have wanted so badly to take a few pain killers to go to sleep, like you said in you remarks. You are so right if i take them i will be back to day one. I just hope the end of the tunnel will come, and i can once again be the father and husband that i once was.

[KeepTheHope]

Have you tryed Ambien? That stuff is good....but during withdrawls i know what u mean nothing really "seems" to work. esp with just qutting like you did. sometimes I pray with my hands folded under my pillow that i'd be able to fall asleep and it doesnt seem like its gonna work, but each time the next day i realize that I fell asleep at some time soon after my prayer. pretty crazy how suttle it is or whatever. And sometimes I wonder if a horse tranquilizer would help! haha. If nothing else though just think about how strong you've been....WOW you have done so good from 10+ per day to now over 8 days clean! dont think for one second that taking "just a couple" will help you sleep....cuzz it wont. taking just a couple might even get you high and feeling good, but i'm pretty sure you still wont be able to sleep. So your mind will think of plenty other reasons why you should take some pills.....dont let sleeping be the excuse though. Know what I mean?