Sleep Medications

[Frankinscense]

I have had a insomnia my entire adult life. I have taken prescription meds to treat the insomnia. I have the best luck with temezapam.(restoril) I use restoril 30mgm's one night and alternate with alprazolam 1mg. the next night. This has fair results. My only problem is the meds from the beginning have only allowed 5-6 hours sleep. This results in some daytime sleepiness in the afternoon. I have a job that requires 100% of my concentration. My health is excellent otherwise. Blood test has proven this. I get some exercise. I walk 30-45 min. 3x a week before work.  My question is>> I would like to repeat the xanax 1mg when I awaken @ 2:30 am. My doctor has ok"d this method. But in your opinion Dr. Steve. Will this effect my concentration throughout the day? By the way I am an opiate addict seven years clean. Your opinion or comment will be greatly appreciated. Thank You.
Dan S.

[Wizard]

After reading this string I must say I'm a bit worried ;-)
I'm into the end of day 4 cold turkey and trying the recipe that I got form Thomas who say's he got it from Spook... And It's helping....NOW what am I supposed to believe?  HeHe?
You are right, laughter IS the best medicine....or so I hope!
Peace to you all....by the way after all the years of oxy and hydro, percs and the rest I am taking a little lorazapem to get me through the worst first days of W.D.s  Hope I don't have to go through this all over with the Ativan later....Any comments?
Peace and Love,
Wizard

[spook]

Well I am as high as a kite RIGHT NOW!,can somebody pull my strings and make me twirl and circle in the sky.
did I ask for help?,cannot this kite fly high without the wind of drugs?and human intervention,I am alone up here please pull my strings,going around in circles is not what I thought life should be all about.
Oh no the wind stopped and now I lay deserted in the sand,even the boy that took so much interest in me before ,is having a swim,maybe I will become a fish,a STONE fish and when he touches me he will feel great pain,
Maybe I talk in riddles,maybe you think you understand,I will see you all on the other side,without the constraints of Physicality.
?..........

[Frank Lee]

I must tell you I found 'spook"'s post no more coherent than mine which was a bit tounge in cheek.You need to protect him? Sorry, I don't see anything but a rambling somewhat schizoid personality looking for a forum. Spook, say something smart/ healing/ not self stimulating or lacking the inherent affect of someone with an IQ in previously unknown digits.

I just don't buy it. I have found real advice here, but not in that gentleman's venue.

FLee

[cindi]

I don't know what to think but they think our boy is getting stoned and posting....  Imagine that..for all they know we could be the ones that are posting while stoned.....I don't think it is up to anyone but the mediators of this site to determine who is welcome here and who is not....to refrain from posting while under the influence?   When I first found this site it did not specify that people who post here have to be recovering....seems to me that we have a mixture of those that are actively using or in recovery or  not even addicts at all...and the meetings that I have attended have asked people with drugs on their person to please leave...but, they do welcome those people that are under the influence... the still suffering addict.hoping something that is said there would sink in....posting while under the influence....Obviously they don't know spook like we do,,,I am so glad he has the tongue-in-cheek humor that he does...and does not take some of these comments to heart....do ya think we are a bit too protective of our boy? LOL...He really is alot of fun....hope you had a great Easter  Annie.....Love ya'll    cin.

[Frank Lee]

Spook you are one stimulating shaman. My bowels are moved by your posts. Eat speed and read the DISM? The irony here is that the DISM and med protocol models are ripe for your sort of crticism. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

The sun's not yellow, it's chicken.

I vow to post only when stoned.

FLee

[cindi]

Oh yeah there is a test for pneumonia,  my chest x-ray showed extensive bilateral pneumonia (both lungs) and my blood work was off my white cells were super high,  this time my doc made no bones about the cough medicine, the dr. in ER would not give me ****, oh yeah Anaprox....didn't touch the chest pain,,,,she is pretty good, but i can see where spook was coming from, sometimes those of us that are addicts can really come up with some doozies,  When i was using I used to justify my demerol habit by saying I had some really bad menstrual cramps, or when I smoked if I had a hacking cough well, that was enough for tussionex or vicodin tuss....anyway,  thanks for your concern,  you are truly the sunshine    love ya   cin

[cindi]

I know what you mean about the "I will try to post straight"   only someone like our spook would come up with that....LOL  ok    ok   just try to picture it in your head..ROFLMAO    I think i have cabin fever also,,,,my winter has been long and cold.....yours?     LOL   love ya cin

[cindi]

Do ya know what our boy said to me in his e-mail.....It was so cute....I had been telling him about my pneumonia and he said Not to develop a chronic cough as to where I keep m=needing more hydrocodone cough syrup   It was so ironic.....like he really knows me or something,  I suppose he does know addicts....it was very caring of him....he really is a great guy.......But then you already know that......love ya   cin

[annie]

.....He's something alright.  Here is a thought:  You cant fake pneumonia!!!!  Maybe a cough, but not the dreaded illness.  What do your doctors say.  Is there a test to confirm the pneumonia?
You do work in a daycare, which is the primary molding ground for all sorts of illnesses. lol  I say if you have it, then dam it, they should give you the meds.  Just because you are an addict, doesnt mean that you should not be treated, but I may not be the best one to give advice on this issue.  lol
Cin, I have a feeling that your State falls right behind mine. lol
Consider that move to Fla.  May be worth while.  I was just curious.  Does you back hurt sometimes, and do you have records indicating back pain and trouble?  Will you develope problems in the future??  Cindi, even addicts bleed, and have pain.  
Only you know the truth, though.  I want whats best for you.  

Love,
Annie

[PS >>>>Annie]

.....Only Spook would get stoned, log on to an addiction forum, and start dispensing advice..........He is too funny.  
Laughter is the best medicine.     ...look for the humor in it!

[PS >>>>Annie]

.....Wait, wiping the tears of hysterical laughter away.  
All I can say is....That's Spook.  lol...no lmao

[PS >>>>Annie]

I read it again......and still lol.  Get this, " you will sleep like 2 babies, after stalking the street and causing havoc." lol
Then, after Doc dan scolds him he says, "I will try to post only when straught." lmao
I was feeling so low today, and I stumbled onto this thread and pulled myself up.  I have been couped up so long.  I guess cabin fever or something.  I just really needed a good laugh.  Hey that's the best medicine......huh?

Love,

Annie

[cindi]

ROFLMAO   glad you e-mailed me,  this is making my day.....Yep that's our boy spook!!!!!   love ya annie you along with brighty are my bright spots.   of course we can't leave out Spooky Lukey        Love cindi

[spook]

Benzodiazepines are only useful for acute (short term) insomnia,any effect you are having after a month or so is either placebo OR sleep induced by alleviating the withdrawals you now experience daily from Benzodiazepine use,Typical symptoms include waking up in middle of night and wanting to take more sleeping pills.I initially suggested Halcion because of its very short half life and very potent effect,combining it with the antidepressant Serzone will prolong its half life and double plasma levels.So you should go out like a light bulb and stay asleep for 6 hours at least,and their will be no hang over in morning.(may some retrograde ammnesia and loss of REM sleep)
However if you use any benzodiazepine for more than 4 weeks (approx)it will lose its "hypnotic" effect and if half life is short,ie xanax/halcion/temazepam,mogadon/ativan/etc then withdrawals will occur during the day,causing anxiety,etc.
Benzodizepines should never be used long term as a Hypnotic as ever increasing doses are required,they can be used long term as antianxiety agents as tolerance to this effect generally does not occur within 8 months if at all.
I have read every peice off medical literature I can get my hands on and they all confirm this.
I think you must get off Benzo`s and try something else like see an Endocrinologist.Do lots of exercise ,give up caffeine,try meditation.Ask a Doctor,I only specialize in Drugs and their effects on the brain and (mind)

[spook]

Sorry,you are right,I will TRY to post only while straught.

[Frankinscense]

What credentials do you have to give advice like you give? You claim to be a neuropyschopharmacologist. Give me a break man! It sounds like you are an individual with medium intelligence that knows drugs simply because you ingest them. It is my impression that you have a major drug problem. You give advice that could be dangerous to many people. I think you need to take your drug abuse and advice to a treatment facility. At times you may say something worthwhile. But recently your advice has been unintelligble and dangerous. You are welcome here. But try to refrain from coming here and giving advice while intoxicated. Dan...

[spook]

I just took 6 mg of xanax and alot of alcohol and do not feel sleepy at all,actually abit exited and creative in a psychodelic sense.
I would recommend 0.5mg (4 x 0.125mg tablets) and pre-dose with serzone(antidepressant for a week or so in advance)_(synergistic),you will sleep like 2 babies.after stalking the street and causing havoc,good luck.

[spook]

FORGET xanax and get a real sleeping pill(these are called Halcion-Triazolam)TAKE:_ 0.5mg(4 x 0.125mg tablets) upon retiring as late as possible better when in actual bed(short half life),But get onto SERZONE first.and do not blame me when you are tolerant and have not sleept for 3 months,but it is excellent while it Blasts ,months to years in fact in fact.

[Pixie]

Thank you, Annie for showing concern for me. Ther are a few people on this board that I specifically look for thier comments, and you are one of them. Spook is also on that list.
I am okay. I have had some intense dental work this week, and the dentist didn't send me home with any meds. I was infuriated. I sat down with the man and had an ultra long talk with him about my situation. I laid all the cards out on the table. It didn't make a difference, if anything it scared him more. I told him that I stopped seeing my last dentist for this very reason. Didn't matter.
I called the doctor who treats my fibromyalgia, and he was pretty upset about the dentist. We speak twice a week, and I write down logs of my daily activities including pill taking, and he has determined that I can handle Narcotic pain relief responsibly. He knows that it is necessary right now. He knows that I am constantly seeking a better way to treat my pain-that I abhor drugs and chemicals as a whole. Being that we have such an honest relationship, and we meet and speak so frequently, I think he realizes that any potential "problem" can be quickly nipped in the bud early. Last time I began taking more than I was supposed to, I called him and said, "don't prescribe me any more Vicoprofen for a while. I'm building up a tolerance." He helped me through the withdrawals that followed cessasion, and I went for a long run without any. I'm back on it now, but I have to be. When I can make the time and funds available to start accupuncture and massage and other "alternative" treatments a regular thing for me, I will hopefully get the pain under control so I don't need meds. (please, oh please)
Funny-insurances and medicaid will pay for pills but not accupuncture or massage, but we are scorned for using the pills.
Ah, I better not get started.
Anyway, thanks again Annie.
Pixie

[PS >>>>Annie]

I can't tell you in words, what your post means to me.  I have had some serious issues about posting on an addiction forum about my chronic pain situation.  I don't want to give anyone a leg to continue abusing.  I feel you and I are in the same boat though.  I am so glad to hear about the relationship between you and the doctor.  I aggree w/ him.  Together you will be able to responsibly take the pain medication.
It's ironic that you posted to me today, a fibromyalgia patient, because I am in the process of getting in to see a Rheumatologist to treat my arthritis long term(havent had any success finding info on degenerative arthritis on the web).  I have discovered something.  I will not be able to get an appt. till June.  This means they are very busy.  That's a good sign.  The "pain doctors" ofcs were always empty.  Sometimes I was the only patient in there.  
If you don't mind, could you elaborate on fibromyalgia...I have been having nerve pain of some sort down the "good" leg.  This is baffling to me, a bit.  Thanks for your post, it brightened my day.

Love,
Annie

[PS >>>>Annie]

I have an article under the Hedhurtz thread and it continues under the vicodin fm44 thread.  Don't ask??

You may find this interesting, if you haven't seen or heard about it yet.  It is about what happens to doctors who don't have the heart to turn people (like yourself) away.
Annie

[PS >>>>Annie]

.....I was wondering about you???  How have you been.  Has your little dilemma worked out??  I had a dreadful you know what....this week.  I thought about you. lol  
Just cking in on you.

Annie

[Pixie]

If you exercise vigorously even for 20 minutes sometime during the day, and then try a meditative routine at night that includes somthing like yoga or Tai Chi or even a visualization/relaxation tape, you may find that you don't need any meds at all.
I know this sounds very idealistic and not everybody can do these things, but they are tried and true methods.
I am sympathetic to your situation, believe me. I battle with insomnia at night and then complete grogginess during the day. I am certainly not abject to the use of medication either, as I take tons of it to relieve this or that.
It's just that using medicine may be a decent way to treat symptoms, but the underlying cause gets ignored and festers.
I have been accused of "drug seeking behavior" even by the doctor in this forum, and I have a very legitimate need for various controlled subtances. What I'm getting at is that if you can solve your problem without prescriptions, you will probably save yourself a tremendous amount of grief (on so many levels) in the long run.
That's my two cents-hope it helps.
Good Luck,
Pixie