Temazepam- sleep aid side effects

[kanon]

My doctor gave me temazepam to help me sleep and WOW, when I took it, it totally took away the pain and burning of my dry eyes. All day I haven't been able to open my left eye (without goggles on) since the air burned and hurt it so much, and the pain radiated to my cheek, but when I took temazepam in the evening the pain and burning totally went away! It was like I wanted to stay awake to benefit from enjoying awake time when my eyes didn't burn like hell.
Has anyone else had this experience? Can't they make a medication with the same effects (all other meds I have tried NEVER take the pain/burning away) that won't make you sleepy and won't have addictive properties (temazepam is only prescribed for short term use). That would be great!!!

[Colin P]

Hiya Kanon!. Over here in the U.K a patient is only prescribed Temazepam for 2-4 weeks as the body will develop a tolerance to it, and also a dependency.
Temazepam is a Hypnotic agent and is the most widely abused legal prescription drug here in the U.K.
I would guess that the perfect sleep, and the calming down influence of Temazepam has helped you a lot, as the anxiety, not sleeping properly and mental fatigue you/we are used to makes our eyes so much worse.
You need to speak to your doctor about these results, and see what he/she can reccomend as a substitute. (the only 'over the counter drug' i found that had same results- was ANADIN-EXTRA,(not the regular Anadin)...
Maybe the calming effect of an anti-depressent may be something to discuss with your doctor also?.
.................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ..................................

ps, if anyone found this information helpfull? please feel free to click on the star symbol next to 'Blog this post'.... Thanx in advance, Colin....

[Joseph]

Temazepam is a benzodiazepine that helps calm your minds over active thoughts and is a great drug for anxiety. If you find that this medication worked well for you then you might find that anti depressents might help you with your stress and anxiety as more of a long term treatment option. Keep in mind that stress can cause eye problems like dry eyes among other health issues, so maybe by calming you stress levels down you very well could have some improvment. I think Colin has hit on some great points and is right about benzodiazapine i.e. (Temazepam) being short term. The good news is that if this helps then there are long term treatment options for you. I can't wait to read your story soon in the dry eye triumph section.

[Colin P]

Excellent reply Joseph!. (well worth a click on the above star!).
Dont anybody go-round thinking that calming down from using whatever medication= instantly no-more Dry eyes, it took me maybe 3 months to notice improvements.
I am 10 months in with Anti-depressents and no-longer feel depressed, anxiety has almost gone (just 1 episode in well over a month now(which was no-where near as bad as previous!). And as Jospeh mentions, Stress i agree will magnify your eye problems, did do with me!. If things dont deteriorate, i can now live with this!!.. Where-as Last July/August i was really 'messed-up' and ended-up on a psychiatric ward for 6 weeks over all this..

[Súil Eile]

Kanon, just be aware that anti-depressents can actually cause and worsen dry eye. Now, obviously everyone is different, but if you are talking to your doctor about it make sure he's aware that your eyes are a big issue and to check through all known side effects of any drug he prescribes. I hope you find something soon that works for you!

I've a suspicion that the Effexor I was taking a few years ago was what pushed me over the line from moderate to severe DES. However, if anxiety/ depression were to become an issue again for me I'd certainly give anti-depressents another go. The relief they could bring to my state of mind could override any small affect on my DES.

[kanon]

Thanks for the information! Years ago, when i first started dealing with severe dry eye, I started taking Paxil because of my anxiety and depression over the issue. It really helped me get out of a "bad place," mentally and then I finally got my dry eye under control when a doctor cauterized my top punctum. (But the Paxil itself didn't ease my pain, just helped me to be mentally stable). Even though my eyes got "fixed" I stayed on Paxil, finding it very hard to get off of. I've been taking it for a few years and my dry eye has been fine and I've been living a normal life. Now, with a bout of conjunctivitis, my eyes are messed up again. Colin, if Anadin Extra helped ease your pain, I'm going to go look for it. I've never heard of it (I'm an American living in the Netherlands) and I wonder if I can find this at the local pharmacy.? Glad you guys are out there to help!

[Colin P]

Hiya Kanon..
Here in the U.K you can buy Anadin almost everywhere-lol even in petrol stations!... Take a look at there website (click on link) www.anadin.co.uk Then 'products' i use the solid tablet form, and they can be taken every 4hrs.... They are inexpensive, and you will use them at some point maybe for a headache/toothache?. So well worth a try..

[Joseph]

I am starting to see a trend here with anxiety causing smptoms to feel worst. I think that there must be a link because I have read that meditation works for some, anti anxiety medications works great for some and I have even read that some find relief after accouple of drinks. Maybe being hypersensitive to your every symptom can make things seen alot worst then they really are. I am not saying that we don't truely have problems with dry eyes and pain. What I am saying is that the more we think about it, the more it becomes a bigger issue then it might be. Coincidentally a phycologist has made my symptoms alot better. Now how could that be...

[DCRdryeye]

Interesting thread! I've used Temazepam too along with Tranquil eyes and always wake with relieved eyes in the morning. If it improves your sleep then it will help the eyes. It may also assist in relaxing the musculature tension around the eyes, eyebrows, nose and forehead area. These areas are usually rather tensed with dry eyes due to reaction from pain and the mechanical disturbance of constant eye drop application. Such tension leads to headaches. Do your dry eyes cause headaches? So Temazepam in theory, would be assisting both sleep quality and tension. Unfortunately, the body adapts to it and the dose will no longer work well.
Meditation assists with both sleep quality and especially for musculature tension. Herbs like Kava and Passionflower also assist in normalizing nerve function.

[Colin P]

..................."Do your dry eyes cause headaches?"...

I occasionaly get them yes, and the headache itself, is indeed in the area behind Right Eye. I have wonderd 'is this a headache, or eye pain?. This is when i take the Anadin Extra, and it clears up both!!.. My eyes ALWAYS feel better after taking the Anadin. I only use them though on the odd occasion it does indeed become a headache, which is not often, maybe once every two weeks?...
I't can't be anything to do with repeated drop use, i have not 'dropped' for about 3 weeks now! but that is another story..