scott4y2hott4y: Sleep apnea / apnoea

[scott4y2hott4y]

Hi everyone. I am wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience to me?

I have been off diazepam for over a year and off escatalopram for around 7 months.
I tapered both slowly over a period of 8 months for each of them (maybe not slow enough) 

Withdrawal was hell for me, and i experienced pretty much all of the symptoms. I don't get many withdrawal symptoms now though with the exception of globus and insomnia.
I drank around 20 units of alcohol every 
weekend throughout the entire taper process. 

I'm experiencing what I think is sleep apnea mostly on the weekdays when I don't consume any alcohol. I'm waking up with a jolt of panic, as if I've just taken my last breath. Sometimes it throws me out of bed. It can happen dozens of times each night but never on a drink night.

Do you think that by drinking alcohol every weekend, I have slowed my healing process? Perhaps maybe I've still not healed?

I have always experienced rem sleep paralysis since I was a child, but this is something a lot different.

[mammaP]

Hi Scott, welcome to SA. Alcohol does slow healing from withdrawal. Are you still drinking heavily at weekends?  20 units might not seem much but in withdrawal it is a lot for an unstable nervous system to cope with.  I would avoid alcohol for a few months and see how you are. I get similar attacks at night when i am stressed but don't drink alcohol.  Globus can be a withdrawal symptom too. It can take a long time to heal and you are doing great by the sound of it, I am sure that if you can leave alcohol for a while it will help. Insomnia is often the thing that lingers and the last to heal. I have insomnia after years of drugs and it is lingering on. I have learned to cope with it and avoid screens after 8.30. If I stay on the computer later I sleep much worse. Your brain doesn't switch off when the computer/phone/ipad goes off. It needs to wind down.   

I will post some links for you that might help.  First, we ask all our members  to fill in their signature, you can find instructions here..

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/12364-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/?tab=comments#replyForm

 

withdrawal syndrome

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/603-what-is-withdrawal-syndrome/

 

 

Windows and waves

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/82-the-windows-and-waves-pattern-of-stabilization/

 

Nightmares, sleep paralysis

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2977-nightmare-while-awake-sleep-paralysis-hypnogogic-hallucinations-etc/

 

Withdrawal insomnia

https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/53-tips-to-help-sleep-so-many-of-us-have-that-awful-withdrawal-insomnia/

 

 

[scott4y2hott4y]

Hi. Have successfully tapered diazepam and Escatalopram after being on meds for almost 20 years. I'm feeling almost 100 percent healed.

 

I wanted to ask for advice on how to taper tramadol. 

 

My sister in law has been taking 1oomg in capsule form, every day for many years.

 

Unbelievably there is no doctor involved as she has been buying them every month from "friends".

 

Can anyone offer me advice as I have no experience with the drug?

[Altostrata]

Hi, scott. Here's your Introductions topic.

 

How did you go off diazepam and escilatopram? Did you have any withdrawal symptoms? Good to hear you're feeling well.

 

Here are our Tips for tapering off Tramadol

[scott4y2hott4y]

Am i posting in the wrong topic?

Sorry.

I tapered diazepam by dry cutting from 20 mg to 10 mg.

Then I did the rest of the taper using a full fat milk and micro reducing with a syringe every day. It took me around a year using that method.

I tapered Escatalopram using a similar method but with water over a 10 month period 

I had symptoms which lasted for a long time after my taper.

When I quit weekend drinking around 9 months ago, I started healing a lot quicker.

[Altostrata]

Hello, @scott4y2hott4y, how are you doing?