Joined: 03 Oct 2006 Posts: 2 Location: South Carolina
My Sleeping Pill Addiction Posted: 10-03-06 17:10pm
I have an addiction to sleeping pills
which began in 2003. To make a very long
story short, I suddenly became chroniclly
nauseous. I also suffer from emetephobia,
which is overwhelming fear of vomiting.
The nausea continued. I went to my
doctor. She ran every test known to man
and found nothing. She prescribed
phenergan. It worked like a charm but
then I began to abuse it. I started
taking it to make me sleepy. Then when
that stopped working I was given something
else. Again, I abused it. I had a
cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) and
was put on another drug. It kept on and
on. So, I started taking over the counter
things that work for nausea such as
dramimine, bonine, benedryl, and many
other things. As usual, I liked the
sleepiness feeling so I began to take them
alot. I was prescribed ambien to help me
through the nights when the nausea was
really bad. (my doctor knew how bad my
fear of vomiting was). I began to use
them every nigth and would make up excuses
to get more. She never hesitated
prescribing it. Then in january of this
year, I took 10 of the ambiens in an
attpempted suicide during a bitter
seperation from my husband. We have then
reconciled. I didn't trust myself to have
them around so while I was in the mental
hospital, I was prescribed seraquel (a
less potent sleeping pill). Once I was
discharged, I took those. Then I added
other pills on top of the that pill. I
was given some percocet for an injury and
took one a night. Then it went up to 2 a
night plus 2 unisoms and 2 tylonal pm.
When that didn't help anymore, I added
nyquil to the mix. I then up'ed the
mixture to 4 unisoms and 4 tylonal pm's
and a dose and a half of nyquil. Then I
went up to taking 3 percocets, 5 unisoms,
and 6 tylonal pm's and 2 full doses of
nyquil. My perscription ran out and went
back to the doctor. I lied to him and
said I lost my medicene. I got more but
when I ran out I started stealing from my
dad. My father had 2 bottles of it. One
smaller one and one bigger bottle. I
would take some from both bottles so that
he wouldn't suspect anything. Last night,
I went to get some and they were gone. I
think he knows someone has been taking
them and hid them. I thought no big deal.
I will just take the other pills. I took
6 unisoms, 6 tylonal pm's, 2 medicene cups
of nyquil. I had never ever been sick
with any of the combinations. Last night
was different. I was up until 4am trying
not to throw up! I was miserable! I
can't understand why that made me sick but
when I took the percocets with the meds, I
didnt feel sick. Anyway, I have a very
supportive family although my husband does
not know the extent of the addiction. I
am so scared to stop taking pills. I do
not want to go days without sleeping but I
know have to. My husband would stay up
with me and help me through it. I have 2
wonderful children who know nothing about
any of this. I know that I was stupid to
try to end my life when I have kids but I
wasn't thinking clearly at all!
How can I get through this?? Should I
do this cold turkey or should I wean
myself?