roller coaster feeling when trying to fall asleep

[COSGringo]

Since I've been taking Bac I get this really odd feeling at times.
When I am very tired and I try to fall asleep I sometimes get this really odd "roller coaster" like feeling and I can't sleep. It makes me snap back up. It's kind of terrible.
The only thing that helps me get over it and sleep is a Benzo and that's not a good option.
Any ideas? I am desperate. I really miss sleeping.

[spacebebe01]

roller coaster feeling when trying to fall asleep

I dont know what dose you on Gringo but I think its quite high. I take LDB and I just take valarian based pills every night. I suppose you have tried having a routine before bad, relaxing, dont watch the news of an evening, warm baths, hot milk and a banana, if you take calcium take it at night. Otherwise I dont know, I used to have to take zopiclone if I wanted any sleep of a night but my sleep just seems to have got better over time by doing those things even tho I felt like punching anyone who suggested it to me I was in such a state, its a good idea I think to do those things as well as taking a benzo, thats how I did it and then there just started to be nights I didnt need the zopiclone and I just took it less and less Also if your still drinking that disturbs sleep as well.

[COSGringo]

roller coaster feeling when trying to fall asleep

Thanks. I am at 140mg now. It's not an every night occurrence but it happens and it is lame.
I was told to take Xanax when it happens and it can help but I can't be taking that often.
I've tried the whole natural approach such as melatonin, chamomile, keeping up good sleep habits. Not much luck. It's a really odd feeling. Almost like a dizzines feeling at times. I found forums on this whole issue so it looks like I am not alone. Not sure it's all Bac's fault but I never had this before.

[spacebebe01]

roller coaster feeling when trying to fall asleep

I do get it that its almost as if Im dozing off but then Im awake again but thats when I am going to sleep and it might happen a couple of times and then I go off to sleep, but honestly I found that keeping up the good habits while taking the zopiclone got me into a routine for when I stopped taking it, could you cut the xanax in half and try taking that but every night for say a week then seeing how you feel. I know what you mean by not wanting to take it too much but one week wont get you addicted will it?

I am not a doctor just talking from my own experience

[GingerDust]

roller coaster feeling when trying to fall asleep

I remember having the feeling of rushing forward but it was not very bothersome. It sounds like what you are having is worse. I hate to suggest it, but could you take Nyquil or something like that?

[Ne/Neva Eva]

roller coaster feeling when trying to fall asleep

Morning, COS.

Yeah, I had that. Slippery Pete had it too, and relatively recently. You might reach out to him and see what he did. I think I still might get it occasionally. Like I'm falling? It feels familiar though, so I'm not sure if it's bac or just falling asleep...Or if I'm so used to it that I wouldn't know! The other thing is that I don't really know what it's like to fall asleep. For years if I wasn't so drunk that I passed out, I lay awake sweating and restless. So who can say?

The xanax thing...hmmmm. At the very realistic risk of getting a bunch of PMs from people who don't know anything about bac, I'll share two experiences. They are my opinion, and obviously not medical...
I didn't take anything while I was titrating up. That, in my opinion, was a huge mistake. But after indifference I took xanax when I was still having trouble sleeping, or when I had huge anxiety. It was and is a tool. I treat it as such. Here's how I differentiate: Yesterday I was a lazy bum and sat on the couch for most of the day. I took a 5 hour nap. I am very nervous about some meetings I have today, but it wasn't the 'anxiety' that is related to my own chemical imbalance. (I can differentiate.) I could have taken a xanax and relaxed a little bit more readily. Instead I stayed up too late knowing I was going to have a long day. Xanax is medicine. Not play-thing.
Three days ago I was freaking out. We're looking into buying a house. It's feckin' scary. The anxiety I was feeling had me jumping every time I heard a noise that was out of the ordinary. I worried about my dog being hit by a car when we were walking. I worried because Ed doesn't have a life insurance policy. When I tried to meditate, I found myself continuing the 'worst-case-scenario' scenarios.
I took a xanax. I can't control or manage that kind of anxiety yet. And it's a function of the disease (in my humble opinion.)

Ed (my husband) used to loooove benzos. We had some for our dog. He took the whole damn bottle over a period of a week. (And when I had it filled, the pharmacist said, "That must be a biiig dog!" :H She's not, but she used to have an anxiety disorder too... Anyway.) He almost ended up in the ER and lost his job and lost his wife.
When he was titrating up he was under the most stress he has ever experienced in his life. Ever. I reluctantly gave him some of my xanax. He ended up taking one in the morning and one before bed for a while. When he stopped, after indifference (or close to it) he just stopped. He takes it now when he has to do a PR thing on tv. That's it.

I am not suggesting that bac inoculates us against addiction of all kinds under any circumstances. That seems silly to me. I am suggesting that bac comes with some unpleasant SEs that are hard to manage, and that managing the sleep disturbances is VERY important.
So... I get your trepidation. If it was a choice between being a slave to something again and not sleeping for ages, I would choose sleeplessness. I am still very, very wary of every pill I ingest. And when I do, it's with a plan, toward a goal. (Adderall is another one I take for ADD.) I have yet to take anything for fun, for relaxation, for (as Dose might say) sh*ts and giggles. And if I did, that stuff would be gone, out of this house, never to return, immediately.

And another thought. It might be kinda fun. Eventually. It still sometimes jerks me awake, but I recognize it as a prelude to deep sleep. And it's...interesting or something. Just like a roller coaster. Down, down, down lickety split and then zoooom, up again! (maybe I'm weird like that.)

[COSGringo]

roller coaster feeling when trying to fall asleep

Thanks everyone. Last nite I slept harder than I can remember. I did medicate though. I really needed it. I took melatonin, tryptophan, ambien, and a .25 xanax (very very small). I did not wake up until 5:30 am which is perfect. Not sure I feel great but I slept. Won't do that often but I might try the trytophan and melatonin combo again. That rollercoaster thing is terrible. I even managed to scrape my car pulling out of the garage on my other car I was so tired yesterday. Not a happy day but worse things can happen. I think I will hold on to the xan for when I wake up and can't sleep again.