Posted by Guy on December 8, 2010, at 18:39:15
Fifteen years ago, after experiencing extreme rebound insomnia from sleeping pill withdrawal, I developed a phobia of lying down. I now take Zyprexa to help me get to sleep, and clonazepam in the middle of the night to help me get back to sleep. Every time I try to wean off meds, I am stricken by a SUBCONSCIOUS FEAR. The anxiety attack is so awful it brings on thoughts of suicide and makes me a nervous wreck all the next day. I have tried meditation, hypnosis (what a joke!), yoga, acupuncture, mega-vitamins with Dr. Hoffer (R.I.P.) and blah, blah, blah...nothing works. I usually have no fear when I go to bed (while on meds), but when I awaken in the middle of the night, the fear sets in if I don't fall asleep again within about 20 minutes. My symptoms the next day are horrible: inner agitation, headache, knot in stomach, nausea, and dizziness. Zyprexa helps kill the fear at higher doses, but also gives me flu-like symptoms and makes me fat, impotent and lethargic. It's a love hate relationship. I really want to recover, but seem to be at the mercy this f***king phobia. I have twice gone ten days or more without any sleep whatsoever in an attempt to get off meds. However, rather than get more and more tired and sleepy, I get more and more agitated to the point where I am going to suffer a heart attack. Please, does anyone have a suggestion?
poster:Guy
thread:972951
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20101203/msgs/972951.html