Temazepam

[Lx91]

Hello!

Has anyone been on temazepam and come off them? I'm on 20mg a night (i think!) and I need to cut them down as I'm supposed to be returning to work next week and there is no way I can cope at the mo. I struggle to sleep when I should and then am tired all day and needing naps at least twice a day. Am hoping if I come off the temazepam I probably still won't sleep but at least won't be zoned out so much the next day. I tried halfing my dose but it really screwed me up and don't really know how else I can drop it...or do I just need to keep going with half until my body catches up and is okay with that, then cut down more? Help!!!

Thankyou.

L x

[Goldfish_]

It depends how long you have been taking temazepam as to how much difficulty you will have with withdrawal, but this is the standard advice

cks.nice.org.uk/benzodiazep...

There are 10mg tablets which you could cut into quarters to achieve a dose reduction of 2.5mg at a time. Better than halving a 20 mg one

[Lx91 in reply to Goldfish_]

That sounds like a good idea...how would I cut them up tho? Stupid question I know. I halved it because that's how I went up started on 10mg and went upto 20mg but I guess it's harder to come off than to start taking them.

Thanks.

L x

[Goldfish_ in reply to Lx91]

Certainly it won't be easy to reduce. Use a sharp knife to cut tablets. You may not be able to do this precisely but probably can manage reasonably

[deejames]

I really think you should be talking to your GP about this. How much is prescribed fro you to take at night ? You should definately know exactly what you are taking.

I doubt you can just stop all at once if you have been taking that much for a while.

So please speak to your GP as soon as you can.

Dee

[Lx91]

I do know how much I just couldn't be bothered to get up and go upstairs to be 100% sure. I feel like I'm constantly at the docs so was just gonna go it alone but maybe I should go especially as I haven't slept for more than about 4 hours for the last week or so and that's on my full dose and an feeling pretty emotionless/dazed/empty at the mo so should prob go for a review anyway.

Thanks for everyones advice.

L x

[mak4525]

i take clonazepam to sleep, and my problem sounds like yours. at first, it does't make me sleep. then i find i have a hard time getting up in the morning for work. i just want to sleep. i think that this is just some people's natural sleep order. You know, morning people, and night people. I wish more accommodation was made for night people, instead of just medicating us so we will fit into the day person's schedule. I think they would not need so many meds. I don't find it necessary to take naps in the daytime, but sometimes, Ok, a lot of times, I would like to. I hate it that morning people find us night people to be "lazy'' because of our natural schedule. maybe we should wake some up at 3 a.m. and ask why they aren't doing anything? Why are they being lazy and sleeping when they should be awake and working? i don't know what to tell you about your meds. maybe try taking a lower dose very early in the evening? I've tried going to sleep at ridiculously early hours, but i just toss and turn until it's my natural time to fall asleep.

I don't think that not being able to sleep at night is a medical condition. it is just the way some of us are. unfortunately, we seem to be in the minority. If i could only count the times i've heard, ''well if you didn't stay up all night watching TV, reading, (or doing whatever you like to do). It won't help. I don't know why more doctors just don't understand this. There is such a wide variety of habits in people and I don't see why this should be treated as something to be medicated, or to be reguarded as lazy, as if we're up partying all night. We do the same thing as everyone else, including day people, just at a different time. why is that so hard to understand?

[Lx91 in reply to mak4525]

Yeah it didn't work then it did and now it makes me sleep whenever it feels like it. Or maybe it doesn't and like you said I just feel the need to sleep at a different time. I hadn't actually ever thought of things like you said and it kinda really makes sense! I may discuss this with my doctor to see what hee take is on it. I do tend to go very manic and unsettled at about 11 when I want to go to bed, I start tidying cleaning anything but go to sleep!! Thanks for your opinion it's very interesting to hear a completely different perspective.

L x

[Clazzy78]

I would def follow the nice guidelines about dose reduction.

Prob best to chat with your GP.

I'm wondering if Gp could switch you to diazepam as it has a longer half life so stays in your system for longer. Therefore can cut down on dosage more easily.

They sometimes move people from lorazepam, temazepam and other benzodiazepines to diazepam for gradual withdrawal/reduction, with the intension to stop them altogether.

It does take time, months rather than weeks. To avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Good luck, much love ❤️

[Lx91 in reply to Clazzy78]

Thanks Clazzy.

I saw my doctor today as my depression has been slowly getting worse and worse so because the doc has increased my antidepressant he wants to leave the sleeping tablet as it is for now cos they only want to change 1 thing at a time, plus they said maybe with the increase in tablet hopefully my mood might stabilise more then the temazepam may work better at making me sleep. I did take diazepam a while ago but for pain not sleep and don't remember it making me feel tired, felt awful when I stopped it tho it was one of the worst times and I hadn't even been taking it for that long...hope that's not how I'm gonna feel with the temazepam cos I presume it will be worse cos it's stronger. Maybe I won't rush to stop them

L x