How To Taper Off Temazepam Completely (Page 5)

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Please help; doctor doesn't want me as a patient anymore, reasons are ridiculous and too long to get into, but now she has put me in a jam. I was taking Clonazepam 2mg. 2 tablets 2x per week(for anxiety & sleep), & Temazepam 30mg. 2 tablets 2x per week(for sleep). I have been on both these drugs for 2 1/2 years & want to get the heck off them. I noticed the last couple months; neither appeared to be helping the anxiety/sleep issues I have had; so basically I just want off both. I have been Clonazepam free for 11 days now. I CANNOT believe how I feel--like I could crawl right out of my skin; anxiety ridden, non stop talking,completely wired,nerves jumping in arms & legs, more and more and on and on. Bad idea to go cold turkey, but did & now out of them. So I have to deal with the withdrawal with that one I guess.... But like I mentioned, I also want to get off the Temazepam. Am not going to go more crazy & quit cold turkey on that one too. My tablets are 30mg. & I normally took 2-30mg. tablets on Mondays & Fridays. Since I don't have a doctor anymore--can anyone suggest how to taper till completed weaned off? I want to get off this crud asap. (as you probably notice, I have a high tolerance). Thanks everyone!!!

142 Replies (8 Pages)

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81

Kent, I'm not sure everybody knows what CBT-I is. Is that a therapy term?

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82

Allie: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - Insomnia (see post 42). Replies to new people on this thread often include the suggestion to read the entire thread, because what someone needs to know to get off Temazepam (Restoril), as well as other psychoactive drugs, is there and the answers won't be changed by asking again. For a very few, it might not be too difficult to get off a psychoactive drug, but for most people who want to get off one, it's because the drug is making them miserable, and that generally means getting off will make them more miserable (that's what dependence is). Antidepressants often have insomnia or anxiety attacks as side effects, in which events, doctors add hypnotics (sleeping pills) and anxiolytics (sedatives), respectively; but hypnotics and anxiolytics also lead to dependence. You correct a problem by addressing the cause. If a person has insomnia because of worry or a bad sleeping habit, CBT-I helps them address the cause (worry or bad habit). If a person has insomnia as a side effect of antidepressants or anxiolytics (or both), addressing the cause requires stopping them, too, even if the person may find them otherwise tolerable.

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83

Ok, thanks, have practiced as a licensed therapist for 25 years and I guessed that. Lay people may not get it though.

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84

Allie: From the point-of-view of a therapist, psychiatrist, psychologist or doctor, everyone is a lay person. Still, anyone who is capable of posting to this web site and who has the commitment and mental fortitude necessary to go through withdrawal, is capable of learning enough about their psychoactive drug(s) to understand what they've gotten themselves into (anyone else may not want to know...). The income stream from a psychoactive drug can very lucrative if the patient becomes dependent on it. If a lay person doesn't read and understand the product information sheet that comes with a drug, they open themselves to being deceived, directly or indirectly by a businessperson with a conflict of interest in providing clear, accurate information on the product. A typical clinical trial for a psychoactive drug might claim to compare the drug with a control and a placebo. Consider what you, as a therapist, should know about the "placebo effect": 1) it applies to the drug and the control, and to all PERCEIVED effects, including side effects, not just to the placebo; 2) the placebo effect of every preceived effect of drug, control and placebo can be different for everyone; 3) it can be more powerful than a "desired" effect; 4) it cannot be specifically identified, because there's no objective way of measuring its cause(s) (unlike e.g., an antibiotic). These facts mean that unless drug, control AND placebo have IDENTICAL perceived effects for EVERY trial participant and from participant to participant, there is no way of knowing if the results of a trial are caused by the "desired" effect(s) of the drug, the placebo effect, skewed/manipulated trial data, or a combination. In other words, until a placebo (and a control) are found that have effects identical to those of the drug, a valid clinical trial for a psychoactive drug cannot be performed. Looking through a clinical trial is educational if you have some understanding of scientific method, statistics and the placebo effect.

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85

Okay, thanks!

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86

try melatonian 3mg at 7:30 then 6mg at 10.00pm only time released 10 and only walgreens has it talk to Dr first but temazepam is a slow rocess to come of of and make sure to go on line to see if you can mix both as you wean yourself i think you can GOOD LUCK

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87

Hi I'm very sorry you're going through that.(going cold turkey) If your Dr. knows what they are doing, he/she should be gradually tapering you down until you're down to the lowest mg possible, then take that every other day. Not to make u even more nervous, but stopping any benzo that you've been taking daily is not a good idea. You can actually die from that, I had a seizure when I abruptly stopped taking Xanax. I would talk to another Dr and explain what's going on. Good luck

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88

You CAN open the capsules. I have been taking them this way....opening and taking half the powder...ever since I started them and doc said its fine. Now trying to get off them. Down to 1/4 of a 15 mg pill. Side effects suck even at this small dose!

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89

Thank you for saying that your Dr. also said you could break capsules. I have really felt bad since posting that- I was only trying to help. I am still taking the partial capsules but I hate it. I just don't have the courage to go cold turkey yet because I have to keep a job and I can't do it if I don't sleep. I really, really wish I never started taking these.

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90

I have stopped temazepam cold turkey for one week today, I was taking 30mg nightly and even 60mg on average twice/weekly(stopped working) for the last 15 yrs.I am still going through the unpleasant withdraw symptoms. I am a recovering Alcoholic and have a addictive personality. My guts are killing me,headache,aggressive towards my loved ones, cold chills are the big ones.Also my insomnia is still there.This is what they don't tell you.it felt great to flush them down the toilet,never again

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91

I am so sorry that you are going through that. I am sorry for everyone on here that has to deal with the wretched withdrawals.
I am NOT a Dr. At all. In any sense. That being said, people have told me that the herbal supplements, valerian, melatonin, st. john's can help. OTC sleeping aids too, like Nyquil. Please watch your blood pressure. I have detoxed from Zanax, I know you are suffering.

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92

Sending prayers your way! It will be over soon. So sorry to hear of people suffering, hang in there.

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93

My shrink had me on a variety of meds for years and they really screwed me up. Don't know anything about temazapam but stopped seeing shrink and my GP continued my prescription for clonapin for a few years...but as I needed more he cut me off and told me to see a shrink. I just was too scared to do that again, as I remember by boss telling me how "stonefaced I appeared every morning during one period where I was takeing Seroquil and Trazadone...same time! Christ...I'm lucky I did not get a DUI....driving to work...but the clonopin withdrawals were so horrible I remember having screaming fits and panic attacks requireing emergency room visits. BTW Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac went through some of this. There is a new recognition world wide of the danger of these drugs. Great Britain has made this entire family of drugs illigal to prescibe for more than a week. For some people the hell of withdrawal is beyond any imagination. I still take valium, but limit my use to extremely stressful situations. I do know I have been changed for life.

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94

I have insomnia and in desperation for sleep finally went to the dr. I ended up seeing a nurse practitioner who rx'd me temazepam 30mg... I didn't do any research (mistake) and trusted her advice. It only worked 50/50 for 3 weeks. I stopped taking them last nite and had a hellish nite tossing turning swearing freezing and the most vivid nightmares. How long will this last?

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95

temazepam is a very potent benzo and sleep aid. the only suggestion i have for u since u no longer have a doctor is to go to the ER. they can monitor your heart and brain activity to make sure you dont have any seizures and they can help u by using other meds to help with the process. once in the ER the doctor may send u to an addiction rehab center to finish the process. i spent 5 days in the hospital after using xanax for 10 yrs. good luck to you. you'll be fine but DO NOT DO THIS ALONE. see an ER physician.

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96

Hello, I am an on and off insomniac. I am just going to share my experience with temazepan. It worked for me when Lunesta failed. I only took 15mg each night and was able to get OK sleep 5-6h. After a month I cut my dosage to half, then to quarter, then stopped all the way. No withdrawals at all. Thank God I started sleeping without pills and sleep better than ever. Good luck all of you. Life is no fun without sleep, i've had my share.

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97

Hyperthyroidism causes acceleration in all bodily organs making you UNABLE to sleep, diarrhea, unable to sit still and other problems.
HYPOthyroidism, on the other hand does the opposite. It makes you sleep a lot, you can get fatigued and too tired to do anything.

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98

does anybody remember the movie "I'm dancing as fast as I can?" altho this is not considered a "real" drug, the effects on the body are irrefutable. i have been surprised at the efficacy of more basic drugs, such as benadryl to wean you off several medications, tho you may need to bevrepeated every two to three hours; and, as others have pointed out, a support network or a very strong mind set makes a lot of difference. i don't know if you can be functional as far as driving, etc., tho, becuz the original drug (the benzo) has flat-lined ur physical/mental interface (?) with the world, your reality. it can feel like every molecule is vibrating becuz the medicine has artificially suppressed the the normal ebb and flow of emotions we experience in response to life.

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99

I do remember that movie with Shirley McClain. I finally quit 30 mg of temazepam by taking lorazepam as a substitute. The lorazepam was tapered very slowly. But at least I was free of the restoril. My gosh, I was having such horrible nightmares on that drug. I am still not 100% free-I take .05 mg of lorazepam here and there but I am SO GLAD to be away from temazepam/restoril.

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100

i took 3, 22.5 mg tonite as 2 dont make me sleep well i hope i awake in the am

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