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cptsdwhoa
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Default Jul 07, 2018 at 10:19 PM
  #1
Hi everyone. I just want to get some feedback from you all. I've been taking Trazodone off label for insomnia for almost three years. I have my pdoc's approval to discontinue and try other alternatives for sleep (before, if it happens, using medication therapy for sleep again).

I'm wondering if anyone has any advice on natural sleep remedies that they've used that I could do some more research on? Any advice really would be helpful on how you've dealt with rebound insomnia. The book Mind Over Meds by Andrew Weil MD has been helpful, but I want to hear from people who've been through (or are going through) it themselves.

If you couldn't tell I'm a little nervous about it! But I'm willing to do this slowly. I will also see my pharmacist for a medication therapy management session.

Thanks all!
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Default Jul 08, 2018 at 05:46 PM
  #2
Hi, cptsd. The only thing I know of is melatonin...and perhaps lifestyle changes like going to bed later, turning off PCs and other electronic devices 1-2 hours before going to bed, etc. You already know this stuff, I'm guessing. I'm still on sleep meds and am not considering going off them right now, but I hope you're successful.

Anyway, I've never heard of a "medication therapy management session." I've never been given advice by a pharmacist -- but I never actually asked a pharmacist for advice, either....except perhaps which cough medicine he recommends. Just curious what this session entails.

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Default Jul 08, 2018 at 08:41 PM
  #3
After approximately 15 years of taking a whopping dose of ambien and benzodiazepines every night, I have freed myself from them only using it from 0-2 times per week in very small amounts. I used calcium and magnesium in a 2:1 ratio. I used 600 mg and 300 mg respectively and it really helped. I had minimal problems with rebound insomnia.

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cptsdwhoa
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Default Jul 09, 2018 at 04:52 PM
  #4
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Originally Posted by Deejay14 View Post
After approximately 15 years of taking a whopping dose of ambien and benzodiazepines every night, I have freed myself from them only using it from 0-2 times per week in very small amounts. I used calcium and magnesium in a 2:1 ratio. I used 600 mg and 300 mg respectively and it really helped. I had minimal problems with rebound insomnia.
Oo! Thank you. I haven't heard that calcium and magnesium could be helpful! But that makes perfect sense to me. Vitamins and minerals keep us healthy. That's actually the approach I'm taking. Using nutrition, vitamins, and minerals to help my body prepare for any withdrawal. I just might ask my pharmacist about this.

Hmm, I think I'm a little scared of not taking it every night. It's written that I can take it "as needed," but I tried that for three days and I think I started having bad withdrawal symptoms again. However, I prefer your approach! I might adapt it to my tapering schedule. My psychiatric nurse said take my current dose for a month and then cut the pill in half for a month. That seems way to fast for me. Hmm...I guess I shall see.

Thank you so much!
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Default Jul 09, 2018 at 06:16 PM
  #5
I was quite afraid at first to even decrease my meds, but not willing to up dosages. My psychiatrist and I did a tapering using Dame Heather Ashton's model which is about a 10 % reduction every 7-10 days. For awhile I even used diazepam so I could get over the anxiety as I was tapering down the ambien. See my thread "trying to get off Ambien". This whole process took a while. Taking your time is important as it allows your body and brain to stay out of withdrawal. It is very hard to sleep when that happens. Please PM me if you think I can help further.

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Default Jul 09, 2018 at 07:10 PM
  #6
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Originally Posted by SparkySmart View Post
Hi, cptsd. The only thing I know of is melatonin...and perhaps lifestyle changes like going to bed later, turning off PCs and other electronic devices 1-2 hours before going to bed, etc. You already know this stuff, I'm guessing. I'm still on sleep meds and am not considering going off them right now, but I hope you're successful.

Anyway, I've never heard of a "medication therapy management session." I've never been given advice by a pharmacist -- but I never actually asked a pharmacist for advice, either....except perhaps which cough medicine he recommends. Just curious what this session entails.
Thank you for the well wishes!

Yes, I think I will definitely be using melatonin as a part of my arsenal. I also know about the lifestyle changes, but I can always use the reminder! I have terrible sleep hygiene.

I had never heard of MTM either until this past June! I read about it in Andrew Weil's Mind Over Meds. I highly recommend this book! Apparently, this is a service that pharmacists are trained to provide and in most cases it's free. My pharmacist (at Walgreen's who knew?) provides this for free. I just have to stop in when two pharmacists are available and they can speak with me about my questions and concerns about both prescription and OTC medications. This could be invaluable to me as I'm looking for supplements to help my body through withdrawal (as well as using nutrition), and I want to know how they could interact with my prescriptions.

The book recommends utilizing their services especially when you take multiple medications. Pharmacists are "...truly the drug experts, and yet they are an underused resource" according to the book. It also suggests using them as a part of your care team. Perhaps, MTM is something you could look into further.
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Default Jul 09, 2018 at 07:26 PM
  #7
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Originally Posted by Deejay14 View Post
I was quite afraid at first to even decrease my meds, but not willing to up dosages. My psychiatrist and I did a tapering using Dame Heather Ashton's model which is about a 10 % reduction every 7-10 days. For awhile I even used diazepam so I could get over the anxiety as I was tapering down the ambien. See my thread "trying to get off Ambien". This whole process took a while. Taking your time is important as it allows your body and brain to stay out of withdrawal. It is very hard to sleep when that happens. Please PM me if you think I can help further.
See so am I! I'm trying to be very cautious and slow. I stopped all meds "cold turkey" for three months and that was a horrible mistake. So now I'm a little scared to even decrease a little. I know this will be a journey so I'm willing to go back to my original dose if needed but no higher. Yes, I'm understanding now that your body and brain adjusts and there are ways to help keep away severe withdrawal (I never knew about withdrawal until after my withdrawal experience. I was aware of relapse but not withdrawal).

Perhaps I will look into this model. Right now I am reading Will Hall's Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Of Psychiatric Drugs. I tend towards depression so I may go ahead and take Cymbalta like my psychiatric nurse suggested to help initially, but I'm wanting to eventually be off as many meds as possible if I can.

Thank you for the advice and I will check out your thread and PM you if I can use more help.
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