Any Ambien users out there?

[happybratpack]

I'm having a horrible time with my sleep patterns lately. I can't fall asleep, I try to go to bed early for it but then just lie there for hours. So what happens is I stay up forever then can't get up in the morning, then once I do I'm a wench from hell. (I admit it)

I've never taken a sleep aid except a otc pill once that made me feel really drowsy the next morning. I've been active thinking that would help but nada and I've cut out almost all caffeine except for a tea or two in the morning. Anyway, was going to ask my dr about it but wanted to see if anyone had tried Ambien and if it helped. (or had any other suggestions)

Thanks!

 

[meandtheguys2]

I'm taking it now as I adjust to my CPAP unit. Frankly, it gives me a headache if I take it more than a day or two in a row. It does help. The sleep isn't the same as real sleep, though. Have you, by any chance, tried melatonin? I take one with no calcium or B6, because both of those keep me awake.

 

[hydster]

I was on it for a really long time and it eventually got to the point it wasn't helping me sleep either so I decided to get off it. I swear if people coming clean from Heroine have it worse than I did well let's just say I'm glad I'm not a Heroine addict!

I did try Lunesta but it gave me a horrid taste in my mouth and everything didn't taste right until it was out of my system.

I have the best success now with Melatonin supplements. They help put me to sleep. That and a glass of wine and I'm out!

 

[meandtheguys2]

Oh man, I miss the glass of wine! I can't drink it at bedtime anymore.

You have me fearful of Ambien now!

 

[hydster]

Don't be afraid of it from my experience. I was taking it every single night for over a year! If you take it just a few times a week you'll be fine and probably be withdrawl free!

Talk to your doctor! You CAN always get off it if you don't like it but that first really good night's sleep is addicting!

 

[PrincessKitty1]

Ambien works great for both DH & I. We cut a 10 mg Ambien into at least 10 pieces (DH likes them even smaller) and take a tiny Ambien chip (or dust, or quark, or molecule as DH calls it ) instead of the full dose.

We found out DH's sister and B-I-L do exactly the same thing and it works great for them too.

When I was in college in my late 30s I was so stressed out that I didn't sleep more than 3-4 hours a night for two years. If you are like me, you may have worked yourself into a "can't sleep" frenzy that becomes a vicious cycle! Ambien helps break that cycle.

If you work, try it first on a night when you will not have to work the next day.

Don't be afraid--Ambien is not nearly as bad as OTC sleep medications. I wouldn't take it every night ( I take a chip about 3 nights a week) but if you need to take it regularly to break the sleep anxiety cycle, it will be OK. I would recommend starting with 5 mg max and make sure (as the directions tell you) that you will be able to sleep in for at least 7 hours (you will have more of a drugged feeling if you have to set the alarm for less hours of sleep).

 

[teacups]

I rotate between ambien and lunesta... both stop working after a while for me. Honestly the best thing for me has always been Childrens Liquid Benedryl. The adult caps dont work as well, cant explain why. Ive heard a lot about melatonin too, but it did nothing for me.

 

[lyzziesmom]

I have tried melatonin in the past with no result. I am currently on Ambien for when I have trouble sleeping, and I LOVE it! There is no drowsiness in the morning, as long as you take it early enough to allow yourself 8 hours of sleep. It is exactly the same as "real" sleep to me. The Ambien helps knock out your short-term memory so your thoughts don't keep you from falling asleep. It also keeps you from waking up during the night. (But if you have to go to the bathroom or something you will still be able to wake up, you will just feel very sleepy and go right back to sleep easily). It works quickly and is not habit-forming or addictive. I have also found that taking half of a pill works just as well as a whole one, and I am actually even more alert in the morning that way because I have gotten a good night's sleep, and I pop awake almost exactly 7 hours after falling asleep.

With my pain from my chronic back problems, and the fact that pain relievers and muscle relaxers keep me awake so I can't take them at night (I know I'm weird!), I have to say that Ambien is a godsend. I strongly recommend at least giving it a try. Do not try the Ambien CR, which is an extended-release tablet with a higher dosage. That one does tend to result in a lot of next-day drowsiness. If you try it and find yourself too drowsy in the morning, try taking half. Only you can really tell if it works for you, but it can't hurt to try.

 

[HOGFAN]

I take the OTC sleep aid, but I cut it in half. Maybe if you only take half it wil still work without the groggy morning. I have Ambien but its too expensive to take all the time.

 

[clutter]

Ambien works great for both DH & I. We cut a 10 mg Ambien into at least 10 pieces (DH likes them even smaller) and take a tiny Ambien chip (or dust, or quark, or molecule as DH calls it ) instead of the full dose.

I break a 5mg up into thirds!

The 10 and 5 mg make me so sleepy the next day, but the chips don't. Although I only take on every once in a while.

 

[Blondie]

I've been taking Melatonin now since the spring, and it works great for me to help me fall asleep, but it often doesn't keep me there. I have to combine it with Unisom, the one with Doxylamine Succinate in it, not the Unisom Gel Caps, which is the same thing as Benadryl.

I took Benadryl for so long that it stopped working for me. It'll also give me restless leg syndrome now, and I'd rather not even go there!

I can't find a doc that will prescribe me Ambien, Lunesta or any of the others. I get a "they're highly addictive & not good to get used to taking" lecture.

 

[Puffy2]

Ambien is not supposed to be addictive - not sure what the "withdrawal" comments are about (unless more of a pyschological dependence).

Be careful with Ambien. I know two people on it and one has a tendency to do things in her sleep (well, actually she is up and walking around - sleep walking - ) this is dangerous (she could fall, start the stove, or whatever). Always make sure you are in bed when you take the pill (as opposed to taking it while out of bed - because you could literally fall asleep standing up, even though your eyes are still open.) use w/ care.

 

[dcentity2000]

Do not use it for more than a couple of weeks as it will lose it's effectiveness. Take about 20 minutes before bed and be sure to have at least 8 hours to rest. Ambien worked well for me for the short while I used it.

Try here:

http://www.seratis.net/page3/page12/page12.html



Rich::

 

[Christine]

I've tried it twice and, believe it or not, I stayed awake all night!! Then when I got up, I had short-term memory problems for about an hour or two. Weird. Finally I just gave up.

A friend of mine took Ambien and said it made her feel weird when she woke up but did not get those effects at all from Lunesta.

 

[MoniqueU]

I have been on ambien long term and only occasionally does it not work for me. I like it, it works for me and thats that.

 

[LBAK]

I also take Ambien and have no problems with it. If I feel I need to stop using it I wean myself off it over several night. I'm never drowsy the next day and feel well rested.

 

[lsyorke]

Ambien should not be taken for longer than 2 weeks. It has not been clinically tested beyond that time period for dependence.

 

[Taylor]

I was on ambien for almost 3 years. I will not take it again. It is an addictive drug that is hard to get off from. I had several episodes of things happening to me after taking ambien that were disturbing. You can PM me if you want details.

 

[Lachesis00]

I take ambien and lunesta. Not at the same time. Once in a while Lunesta doesn't work for me, and if I have gone 4-5 days with little or no sleep (under 5 hours) I will take an ambien. I only take it once every 3-5 days, sometimes I won't take it for 2-3 weeks or more.

I think my sleep problems are a combo of stress (I tend not to sleep when I am stressed out), anxiety, depression, who knows. It comes in cycles. Some times I will sleep 20+ hours with NO sleep meds for days and then I go into a cycle of not sleeping for days. It is terrible. If I don't sleep my anxiety goes out of control

I feel for people with sleep problems!

FYI My mom takes ambien and says it works for her whereas ambien CR does not. Go figure.

 

[lyzziesmom]

I've been taking Ambien as needed for at least a year now, with no dependency or withdrawal problems. I can take it as little as once a month, or as often as every night, depending on how much I've been having trouble sleeping. I guess it works better for some people than for others. I do know that if I take it and then make myself stay awake too long, weird things happen. Sometimes I will be unable to walk straight, almost as if drunk, but my mind feels fine. Other times, I will see things moving that I know are not supposed to move. Once I was looking at pictures and the picture of my mom started waving at me! Another time I took my Ambien and then like a dope I got on the DIS because I figured I had 20 minutes before it started to work. As you all know, DISing can make the time fly, and pretty soon the words marched off the edge of the screen and around the room as I was typing them!

I guess what I'm trying to say is, Ambien can be useful when used as it is intended, if it is something that works for you. It's a lot less addictive than the OTC stuff because it works on your brain differently. I did have to undergo a questionnaire from my Dr. before she would prescribe it to me, to ensure that I had the "right" kind of insomnia that Ambien would be able to treat (i.e. waking several times throughout the night, difficulty falling asleep even when tired). Good luck to the OP!