kbgadhvi: Sleep Issues

[kbgadhvi]

How to regularize sleep problem after AD withdrawal? Or does it get better with passage of time? At times you just don't feel sleepy for days and weeks together, other times you do sleep but its very shallow, very unrefreshing. And then there are people who land up getting sleep apneas which is the direct result of disrupted CNS. Poor sleep causes series of physical and mental symptoms which the person doesn't understand and keeps blaming on xxx factors. Not getting sound sleep or over sleeping is a big problem.

[cymbaltawithdrawal5600]

Welcome and thank you for starting a topic in Introductions.

 

You wrote me in a PM:

 

 

I am struggling with withdrawal since 3 yrs now. I was on venlafaxine and clonazepam, but not high doses. I left both cold turkey.
My main issue today is sleep. I have developed central sleep apnea after withdrawal and poor sleep is then causing dozens of issues. I am hardly able to leave my home, may be most of it is from mind but on physical side there are so many discomforts that mind too has become weak. confusion and foggy thinking is better but unstable gait n posture are not going away.

 

So that we may better help you, please summarize the above information in a signature, which will attach itself to all of your posts here on the site. Here are the instructions:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/893-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/#entry7719

 

We have topics in the Symptoms and Self care forum on how to help but nothing that will help 'immediately'. Unfortunately, these drugs cannot be stopped abruptly without causing real problems which do reverse over time but very slowly. Withdrawal insomnia is one of the worst things to have to live through but I will tell you this: it does get better.

 

You may be doing some things and/or trying to take supplements, herbs and medications thinking they will help and they may be making you worse. Please tell us what you are taking in your signature and we can point you to helpful information.

 

Please post your questions and concerns in this topic and we will do the best we can to help. A moderator will add the member name you chose to the title of your topic and you can bookmark it so you can find it easily in the future.

[kbgadhvi]

I am not taking any drug or herbs or supplement for insomnia. I have understood it a hard way that chemicals cannot give you actual sleep. Initially i was perceiving the 'zero sleep' situation as stress but now i consider sleep problem as a part of the withdrawal package. Hopefully a time will come when i will experience genuine sleep.

[Petunia]

Welcome, kbgadhvi,

I'm sorry you are having problems sleeping. As cymbaltawithdrawal mentioned, we need a little more information about your situation, and posting here in your topic is the best way to get help and support.

Have you done a sleep study to get a diagnosis of CSA?

[Altostrata]

Welcome, kbg.
 
Given you cold-turkeyed venlafaxine and clonazepam 3 years ago, you're not doing too badly. What were your withdrawal symptoms initially, how did they go away?

 

Please see Important topics about symptoms, including sleep problems

[kbgadhvi]

Alto thnku very much for the welcome.

 

I quit venlafaxine n clonazep on 30th sept 2012. Initial 2-3 days were usual brain zaps and disoriented. Then suddenly i lost sleep, that one sleepy feeling everyone gets before sleep was getting dry, It felt like sleep mechanism has shut off, in other words i entered into a state of absolute wakefulness. Days, nights, weeks, months.. For the first 15 months i had hardly had any sleep except occasional shallow naps. This prolonged absolute sleeplessness resulted into derealisation n frontal lobe dysfunction. watching my surroundings, family, tv or computer all felt unreal, everything seemed like a dream going on, as if i am watching a film, i am not a part of it.

unable to walk, think, talk properly and unable to perceive the reality straight, so i became home bound, rather i would say bed bound. The food in plate would appear different, 2 feet distance would appear like 3 feet, objects would appear either smaller or larger, bringing hand till mouth to eat was a measured task, swallowing laboured, speech affected, limbs trembling, hyper perspiration, pittish or knottish feel in abdomen, brain functions abnormal, hearing altered with echo like sound.. Many more things.

 

My wife would take me out for a change once in few days, but crowd n traffic was extremely confusing, i would lose the sense of my geographical place n position, also feel lost in my own town.

 

Along with all this, somewhere in background, there was human spirit which was observing all this happening and my stubborn self confidence was not ready to give up.

Amidst this never ending ordeal i kept thinking positive about good days to come, always had fresh home cooked whole foods, no factory made processed food of any kind, fresh fruits n vegetables as much as possible and lots of water intake, no caffeine, no alcohol.

Finally i came in contact with a world class homeopath who made a paradigm shift in my condition. Now i am able to drive short distances myself, i get few hours of sleep daily, altho it is still not refreshing but my hopes are high.

[Altostrata]

That sounds like fairly typical prolonged post-discontinuation syndrome after cold turkey.

 

Yes, one must do everything one can to hold on through the disorientation and suffering.

 

When did you sleep start coming back? What kind of homeopathic remedies have you found helpful?

[kbgadhvi]

My sleep started coming back in two stages. First i was hospitalized for such severe insomnia at about 15 months after AD withdrawal. Of the many tests conducted, sleep study concluded mixed apneas (central + obstructive) and so breathing support machine CPAP was advised. initially it did help, but somehow the brain was resisting the sleep. Soon i was almost back to the same condition. Then second stage came when i learned about renowned homeopath Dr. Rajan Sankaran MD. He is believed to be perhaps no.1 in homeo world today. Which remedy he gives is not known to me but It was not an instant effect, my sleep started showing improvement only after 3-4 months into homeopathy. Homeopathic medicines are given as per the totality of symptoms of an individual, so what works for A will not necessarily work for B or C or XYZ.. but if you are lucky to get a good homeopath then believe me, it works wonders.

[kbgadhvi]

Dr. Sankaran homeopath. Just a small video. There are many other videos you can watch if interested.

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=szEKoY6YeZM&sns=em

[Altostrata]

Interesting. How is the apnea?

[kbgadhvi]

Apneas are a daily trouble and a real problem. I think i had sleep apneas for very long time, perhaps since early adulthood and diagnosed just last year. All these years it was camouflaged under the effects of ADs and Benzos. My apneas condition is little better than before but not satisfactory yet.