[Sees1970]

Hi there Greenleaf67. It seems like a common theme, post-menopausal and post-antidepressant insomnia. I’m in the same boat. If you’re getting 4-5 hours of sleep during your window, I would count that as a win. Our brains are trying to figure out how to sleep again. I tried a rigid sleep window and a less rigid one. I seem to do better when it’s not so rigid. I’m committed to getting up at 6 am, but sometimes I let myself go to bed early if I’m exhausted. I’m on week 6 of the program, and sleep isn’t especially better. I think my commitment to live a full life, even with no sleep, has improved, and I’m learning how to accept wakefulness. A lot of the learning comes in accepting whatever sleep we get and moving forward as best we can. That’s what I’m focusing on right now.

[Greenleaf67]

Hi Sees1970, thanks for your reply! Yes, we are in the same boat. Thank you for the perspective on what might be a “win” …yes I’m starting to learn that my brain needs time to reorganize but it’s hard letting go of this goal to “get normal sleep”. I appreciate your encouragement and I’d like to send that right back to you as well, keep up with the positive mindset even on hard nights. I’ve started learning that life is not over and I can still have a great day even after a poor night’s sleep!

[Sees1970]

Buddy370 how are things for you? We sorta met on the client forum a few months ago, and I’m wondering how you’ve done. And Whiskers, how are you?

[Buddy370]

Hi Everyone
Sorry I’ve been absent on the chat lately. Probably because I’m feeling much better and I think I’m moving away from the struggle. Don’t get me wrong I still have bad nights but they are fewer and less intense. I just don’t worry anymore if I don’t sleep and I often forget during the day that I had a poor night. Last night was a poor night but was because I’m worried about my dog as she had surgery last week and I’m waiting to hear the pathology results . Since her issues I’ve had a few bad nights. And I think that’s normal if you have something on your mind. I’m so happy to not be relying on antidepressants anymore so if occasionally I slip up and don’t sleep that’s still ok. The biggest help to me is to befriend wakefulness and get on with my life regardless of how I sleep. I think you need to rewire your brain and it takes time. If I have a speed bump that’s just part of the recovery. After over 40 years of on and off insomnia this education has changed my life and I’ll never suffer like I’ve done in the past.
Your sub conscious brain is just trying to protect you but you can change the wiring
I hope you are moving forward too.. it’s a long game not a short game but we will all get there
Much love and hang in there xx

[Jmd]

Currently tapering off Celexa, after about 25+ years. I too, am experiencing chills, sweating, nausea, and lightheadedness. And seem to be on an every other night sleep disturbance cycle. Hope to learn from others here how to navigate the insomnia and other unpleasant symptoms.

[Sleepy Otter]

I’m new here and right now just extremely sleep depraved and cognitively not in a good state, I will introduce myself later properly.
In the past I had multiple periods of insomnia on and off, clonidine helped me the most, it was worse before that.
But a felt depressed for a while so I finally dared to try an anti depressant.
And just want to say that Lexapro (escitalopram) ruined my life right now.
I started it but the side effects were so extreme… the clonidine that helped me so much just STOPPED working and after a month of insomnia, cognitive decline, dizziness, mood swings, my doctor suggested to stop it (taper it off).
After the final dose the insomnia didn’t stop.
A month later and I have the most severe insomnia I ever had.
Days and days awake, my body is a mess, muscles are gone, cognitively I’m so slow I’m going insane.
I started diazepam a week ago and that helps to sometimes have an hour or maybe two.

[Author]

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