[Birdiepdx]

Hi all, my name is Jim. I'm here because I've struggled with insomnia off and on for the past 12 years. It all started during a time of high anxiety due to an abusive relationship I was in. Had panic followed by several nights of sleeplessness. Since then I feared a recurrence of that episode. During times of stress/high anxiety I get a recurrence of the insomnia. It feels like it's always lurking in the back of my head. The fear of not sleeping.

For many years I took various herbal sleep aids nightly. Then 4 years ago I had a particularly strong recurrence of anxiety and insomnia. I had moved to a new city and had new care providers. I was given a prescription for Ativan, which I still use in situations of complete insomnia where I can't sleep at all. But that typically happens only once or twice every few months. At this same time I saw a Psychiatric Nurse practitioner who put me on a host of supplements one of which was called “Tranquility.” She told me it was just vitamins and amino acids. Fast forward a year and she mentions offhand that I probably shouldn't take it long term. Mind you, I'd been buying it from her and taking it daily for a year at this point. She informed me the reason for this was an ingredient called Phenibut. This supplement worked really well with my sleep so I decided to stay on, but also decided to no longer see that NP.

Fast forward to a few months ago and I decided it was time to go off the supplement. What I did not know (but do now) is that Phenibut is a prescription drug in Russia, where it was developed. And taking it for long periods of time creates dependency similar to benzos. But, since it's not controlled in the U.S. you can't get a prescription or held from a compounding pharmacy to try and taper off. So over the last two weeks I've had to switch from Phenibut to Baclofen, a muscle relaxer. It's been really rough. While the Baclofen has helped with the withdrawals, it has it's own host of side effects.

So now, I'm suffering from some insomnia due to all of the above due to the supplement I took to help with my sleep. Irony noted. 🙁

I don't want to go down the same rabbit hole again with another supplement so feel like it's time to try a non medication/supplement route and here I am. I do have some fears that I've permanently messed up my sleep and brain chemistry from Phenibut, but I know this is mostly just fear and that the brain is a resilient organ.

I'm scared, but hopeful.

[Martin Reed]

A belated welcome to the forum, Jim. I'd not heard of Phenibut before. Are you still taking the Baclofen?

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