Sleep problems. Please help.

I have not posted in a while, but I am having some issues with sleep, and I need to know from your experiences what you think. I am 34 days clean today. I never feel sick anymore, and I don't think I am depressed. I just feel cravings a lot and still think about how much I want the pills. For three years I did 10-12 10/325 hydro a day. For the most part, after detox, everything got back to normal. My depression leveled off and I started to feel better. Except one thing.... SLEEP! I still have not felt tired on my own or good about sleeping. I am losing a lot of sleep and finding it difficult to function during the day from lack of sleep. Is there a point in recovery when sleep should come back to you? I take L Tyrosine, a multi vitamin, and 5HTP every morning. I do not drink caffine. To tell you the truth, the pills are the reason I began having a sleeping problem. I do not think I ever slept well when on them. They made me energetic not sleepy. So, I naturally assumed this sleep issue would get better coming off of them. I find it hard to go to sleep, stay asleep, and not wake up at 3 AM. What are all of your experiences with sleep coming back after pain pill abuse? I know I have to give this time, and I will. I just want to know if there is hope. Light at the end of the tunnel.

[Lisa0345]

Yes sleep was a big deal with me toooo.  No sleep makes me crazy.  I have found that Valerian Root works really good.  You can get it at your local GNC.  Valerian Root is natures valium.  It worked really good for me.  You are doing great!!!!!  Keep up the good work.  

Thinking of you
Lisa
Jacksonville,FL

[IamDone1222]

Did you ever try melatonin?.. Its like 10-12 bucks for a bottle of 3mg.. It helps me.

[cleanmom]

Benadryl??

[catlover8]

But without sleeping pills, will it ever come back?

[tonyw11]

Iv got 43 or 44 days clean and I've been sleeping like a baby for the most part the last 2 weeks. I've been taking naps and everything. It does come back.  But I also started working out at the gym again.  That really does help with sleep. And the 5 htp makes me drowsy so I think your supposed to take it at night.

[witsend0603]

I feel your pain girl... I have the exact same issue.. hydros gave me energy like crazy .. hence the addiction.. . now I can't sleep good at all... wake up several times after FINALLY getting to sleep ... it takes me several hours just to get to sleep and then I can't stay asleep for long.. I have tried valerian melatonin benadryl nyquil... nothing seems to make my body want to sleep... I am sure it will return in time... or at least I hope so...lol...

[catlover8]

Naps? I miss naps! Even if I do not sleep at all, I still cannot take a nap no matter how tired I am. I am exhausted, but sleep never comes. I can get down right loopy because of lack of sleep, but when I close my eyes, I am jittery. I take the 5HTP in the morning. It does not make me drowsy at all. I am wondering if the L Tyrosine is lasting that long. But seriously..... One L tyrosine at 6 AM should not do this. It's like I can't stop thinking when I lay down. This total anxiety comes over me. The anxiety is partially due to not knowing if I will get any rest. I am shot at work the next day if I do not. I tried working out. I also tried no caffiene. Everything. No sleep. I am so tired and just down right upset about this.

[witsend0603]

I am soooo sorry for you .. I wish there was some magic way to send you some sleep but you know life doesn't work that way.. I have heard so many people say this on here.. we have abused our bodies for so long what the heck makes us think we can just be normal again in a few days... you need time to heal.  I am telling myself that too.. I have overcome all the other stuff ... but the lack of sleep... ugh... I totally get you on that one.. my husband just makes me sick..lol.. he is quitting too and he just lays down and is snoring within like 2 minutes.. I lay there for hours and nothing... but I have decided that if I have to give up sleep for a little while that's ok .. it will be worth it eventually

[dominosarah]

I would take a warm bath or shower and have a cup of warm milk.....Seems that sleep is the biggest pain we can have with wd but it will come back so keep hanging in there.  You are doing great!!!      sara

[Addict63]

Kudos on your clean time. I'm clean 15 days. I too have sleep problems. I've always had sleep problems, but after WDs from vikes I REALLY have sleep trouble.  I have a script for Ambien. It's the lesser of the two evils and easy to use as prescribed. I take a melatonin and 1/2 of a 10mg ambien (I use pill cutter) I then quarter the other half. I wake up to go to the bathroom about 4 hours later and take another quarter. So far so good. Sometimes I'll need to take, yet, the other quarter. Ambien also comes in time release. My insurance won't pay for it. So I'm left to my own devices, like creating my own "time release".

The exercise suggestion is saw under this thread is also good. Anything you can do to get exercise will help.

I always try to remember that the drug I'm kicking made me nuts. That's why I'm kicking it. My worst day clean isn't half as bad as my best days using. That's why I won't use, no matter what. Some day sleep will come to us both  :)

[catlover8]

I have tried ambien, but I am not sure that is a good solution to my problem. I have take it for some time now, so it does not work the same on me anymore. I do have melatonin. I haven't tried that yet. Maybe I will tonight. Anything is worth a try. It won't make me drowsy the next day will it? I can't feel like this at work again. I am dying here. One more hour and I can go home. No napping though.

[vicki595]

Hey~~  Good job on the clean time!!!

Melatonin works great for a lot of people.  Take it one half hour before bed.  Really try to turn your brain off and relax~~   It doesn't make you drowsy the next day.

It seems energy and sleep are the last to become normal...give it more time...

Also,google melatonin to get more info and dosage... :)

Vicki

[catlover8]

I took one melatonin last night and an ambien. Still...... nothing. I laid there for hours. I am trying everything I can think. I do not want to over take the ambien or abuse it. I do not want to rely on it. I do now know where to go with this. I feel like I am going to break if I can't get some relief soon.

[sweatinit]

I used melatonin, cat. As vicki says, try to relax and make certain  the room is dark; no tv or night light. one tab didnt work for me, but 2 did.
I took a hot shower, took 2 melatonin and a calcium w/magnesium vitamin and drank a cup of sleepy time tea.
COngrats on your clean time! hope things are working themselves out for you. :)

[catlover8]

OK. I am going to try sleepy time tea tonight. I just want to sleep so badly. Without ambien. I think part of the problem is that I have been taking it for so long. My body feels like it has to have its ambien to sleep. I do not abuse it. I just take what I am told to. Still, that's no way to sleep every night. On sleep aids. I want sleep on my own, but I feel like I can't sleep by myself. My mind runs a much and I don't fall asleep. I don't know how to clear my head.

[Charetti]

I am taking trazadone.  Its not addictive and it has helped immensely.  I fall asleep like a baby and have a good rest. The pharmacist said that there shouldnt be any morning affects but I do find myself kind of sluggish so I have to take it early.  My doctor perscribed 50mg but I am cutting them in half.  I know we dont want to use any perscription drugs but this is an appropriate measure when all else fails.  If you hurt your leg you would use a crutch, the meds are just a crutch while we recover.

[catlover8]

Thanks but I have tried Trazadone. No dice on that either.

[Addict63]

I had a rough time sleeping last night. Ambien worked for awhile, but I woke up at 5:30am after only a few hours. I felt drugged when I rolled out of bed, and I've felt listless and without energy all day. I did my back PT and walked 2 miles anyway.

I, too, want my sleep pattern back without Ambien or anything else in my system.  Going back to Opiates isn't an option in my life - no matter what, and anything else mind or mood altering either. I'm waiting it out for sure and going with the flow. My sights are set on getting my brain back to the best it can be, one day at a time.

I went to my regular Wednesday AA meeting after lunch. That worked out great, but I listened to a guy who has had trouble really abusing pain killers big time. He mentioned he had sleep problems for quite awhile, months, but he's doing okay now. I'm looking forward to being okay also.