I'm taking my first Ambien tonight!

[Pamlur]

I have taken it for years, and while I do get the munchies sometimes, I have never hallucinated or left the house, or anything like that. I was a complete insomniac from my early 30's on, and Ambien has been a life-saver. I don't go directly to bed, because for some reason, that makes it not work right, but I do go about 30 minutes later.

 

[r1lissa]

Isn't it scary that you can do things that you can't remember?

Guess you've never had a long night of partying

Seriously though...no, it's not scary. I need to sleep. I tried a dozen different over the counter and natural remedies before I resorted to prescription meds. This is what works for me and obviously for many others.

 

[phillmolly]

another one here that took ambien for years! I took it every night for about 4 years and never had any problems. Once I stopped working I weaned myself off of it and havn't needed it since. I had insomina due to stress from work. Now that I am chasing a two year old around all day I NO problem falling asleep at night, although its been over two years since I have had a full nights sleep LOL!

quick side note, about 7 years ago I was RX'ed with Hodgkins Disease. One of the symptons for me was that I was falling asleep without having to take an ambient.

 

[Tiggeroo]

Ambien has been a lifesaver for me. I try to do 2 weeks on 2-3 off so I don't build up a tolerence. I have had no side effects. I have SLE lupus and suffer with dreadful insomnia. The 2 weeks off are loathsome.
Sweet dreams

Did your dr say it was necessary. I have taken it for four years and have never needed to increase my dosage. In fact I went from a full pill to a half pill and occasionally a quarter. If you don't need to increase your dosage and it has no serious side effects why stop taking it if it makes you feel so badly. I know when I stop taking it I feel awful. I only occasionally do it to see if I can I guess. Also, sometimes I forget to fill the script or travel without it. But from what I understand if you are not increasing your dosage you really don't have anything to worry about. I don't have lupus which I am sure is much worst but it really helps my fibro. With fibro if your body does not go into deep sleep at night your muscles don't recover and heal like they should which increases your pain. I can clearly feel the difference if it has been acting up and I haven't taken the ambien. I will be sore everywhere.

 

[momof1princess]

good luck, OP! my mom's former boyfriend took ambien for a while, and had HORRIBLE episodes of sleep-eating. food was constantly disappearing from his house and he gained about 40 pounds and couldn't figure out why, lol. my mom stayed over one night and watched him-he'd get up about 2-4 hours after taking the ambien, pull a chair in front of the refrigerator or cabinets and just gorge himself on whatever was in there. and had no memory of it.

 

[clutter]

I've taken it on occasion with no known side effects. (I say no known because it's only me and my dd in the house and she'd never notice if I was sleep walking. However, I will say that I haven't noticed missing food or unexplained credit card charges, lol. I'm thinking maybe I'll take some tonight and when I wake up the kitchen will be cleaned?)

Anyway, like others have said, I only take small pieces of the pill. I find myself feeling sleepier the next day on a full dose.

 

[MoniqueU]

I have severe insomnia as I have posted here on the board. I take the maximum dose along with dozipine at a high dose to sleep at night. I have never driven, I mostly sleep eat (packed on the lbs) and have sleep walked where my kid o have caught me walking into furniture and still going. As far as taking it off the market I don't know what other med are out there that would help me. Lunesta is a joke and I have tried many of them to no avail. Even ambien on its own doesnt work on me. The last time I had a servere event of sleep loss because my sleep meds stopped working I ended up in a medical hospital for 3 days. Insomnia for me is nothing to be screwing around about. I am not talking about getting 5 hours of sleep, I am talking about being up for days and then falling asleep for 3 hours and then staying up for another 2 days. I don't think peoples bodies are meant to do that. And you would think I would crash and burn after that amount of time with no sleep but it doesn't happen. I went months with the severe insomnia and almost died. If someone can give me a workable alternative that works despite any and all of the meds I have tried let me know.

This medicine is really needed by some people. OThers just take it becausse it is pushed by doctors or they think they can't live on 6 hours of sleep a night but I assure you I need it and can't imagine them taking it off the market.

 

[SeaSpray]

I have taken ambien for a long time. It really helps with my fibromyalgia which is made worst by my not getting deep sleep. I only take half of the very small pills and find it's enough. I don't hallucinate, sleep walk or anything. I guess occasionally I do get a little goofy if I try to stay up after taking it. They help me tremendously. If I am feeling really good I start to not take them for awhile, but when I start to get alot of pain I go back on it. I have never had to increase my dosage. I do feel a little badly for a night or two if I don't take it after taking it for a long time. I think you will do better if you exercise caution but not worry too much. Many people take it without any side effects.

I could've written this word for word, fibromyalgia and all. DH and I both take 5mg of Ambien each night (we each have our own prescriptions), and we haven't had to increase the dosage at all, and as far as we know, no negative side effects at all.

OP, I hope it works as well for you as it has for us.

 

[tvguy]

Wow, I hope it helps, all these posts are amazing, I can't imagine not being able to sleep. One good side effect of 25 years of working graveyard shift is, once I lay down, I'm out.
During my graveyard/sleep in the day years, I even slept through them adding onto my house, and putting a new roof on.
Until I got out into the working world, I always was a light sleeper. Never did sleep well in the dorm, I'd come home on the weekends and sleep 14 hours both nights.

 

[manning]

I could've written this word for word, fibromyalgia and all. DH and I both take 5mg of Ambien each night (we each have our own prescriptions), and we haven't had to increase the dosage at all, and as far as we know, no negative side effects at all.

OP, I hope it works as well for you as it has for us.

Boy I can hear the conversation now

wife: where did this kid come from? I don't remember us doing anything

Husband: Gee I don't remember either. Matter of fact I don't remember going to the hospital.

Wife: me neither (as she walks to window looking out) maybe there is something to that story about storks.

I know, it's late.

 

[tonilea]

Sweet, black, blissful sleep. I took it right after my last miscarriage - no known problems.

My neice, on the other hand, woke up walking down the stairs from her appartment, keys in hand.

Oh and when you wake up it is like... instant on. I don't know quite how to explain it.... one minute you are deeply asleep and then you are suddenly wide awake.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

I am thinking that I need some of this because I don't fall asleep easy at all.

My mom takes it but she has to be IN the bed, or else she will act all crazy and whatnot. She got stuck in the bathroom for a few hours one night and my stepdad never heard her. She couldn't get off of the potty. (I can't believe that I just wrote that on the Dis! )

It's late here... goodnight!!

 

[Hootiss]

Did your dr say it was necessary. I have taken it for four years and have never needed to increase my dosage. In fact I went from a full pill to a half pill and occasionally a quarter. If you don't need to increase your dosage and it has no serious side effects why stop taking it if it makes you feel so badly. I know when I stop taking it I feel awful. I only occasionally do it to see if I can I guess. Also, sometimes I forget to fill the script or travel without it. But from what I understand if you are not increasing your dosage you really don't have anything to worry about. I don't have lupus which I am sure is much worst but it really helps my fibro. With fibro if your body does not go into deep sleep at night your muscles don't recover and heal like they should which increases your pain. I can clearly feel the difference if it has been acting up and I haven't taken the ambien. I will be sore everywhere.

Unfortunately I already take 10mg. I am not like some of the others that have posted. I can take the pill and it will still take 1-2 hrs to fall asleep. The good news is when I do fall asleep, I stay asleep. Like yourself, my body needs the sleep to heal. Fibro shares some same traits as lupus, my joints ache horribly. You are very lucky that you can adjust your dosage and still benefit, I am truly jealous.

 

[GAGirlInVA]

I took it at the end of my pregnancy. I'm a wreck without my sleep.

DH thought I acted nuts, until I read him some of these stories...

 

[rascalmom]

I took Ambien off and on for about 6 years. Other than noticing some mild habituation, I had absolutely NO side effects. Hubby is a light sleeper & I would have heard about it if I'd done anything odd.

I still will ask for a few tabs if I am going to be traveling - I have a hard time sleeping in a strange bed and this really, really helps me.

 

[princesshannahsmom]

This post is ironic tonight! Here it is 3:12 a.m. I am wide awake and need to be up at 6! I have tried Ambien and the benefits do not outweigh the side effects for me. Too much craziness and sleep eating. My problem is, I fall asleep just fine, but I wake up and can't go back to sleep (hence my being awake at 3 a.m.)!

DH has been taking Ambien for a few years and has some of the sleep walking, sleep eating problems, but for him the benefits outweigh the side effects. Problem is, his waking up, wakes me up and I can't go back to sleep, and am awake long after he is snoring away (which is why I am on the couch right now)!

Anyhow, I hope the Ambien works for you OP, and howdy to all od the insomniacs that are still awake and on the DIS!

 

[tammymacb]

My friend took ambien and ordered a couch online. She didn't remember a thing and then the doorbell rang and the delivery men were on her porch....

I went to a nursing conference once and we ( for girls ) shared a room to save on the hotel cost. I slept with a nurse who took ambien. All was good until she got out of bed in the middle of the night, took off her clothes and folded them and put them on the floor. I woke her up as she was getting back into bed with me. Naked.

I also take ambien. I haven't had these problems.

 

[aprilgail2]

Did your dr say it was necessary. I have taken it for four years and have never needed to increase my dosage. In fact I went from a full pill to a half pill and occasionally a quarter. If you don't need to increase your dosage and it has no serious side effects why stop taking it if it makes you feel so badly. .

My mom has been taking Ambien for about 8 years now and has never had to increase the dosage- and she takes it every single night. Her Dr said not sleeping is worse on her heart than being addicted to sleeping pills. She has never walked, talked, been on the computer etc at night. She takes it then watches TV in bed or reads until she falls asleep.

 

[powellrj]

I took it for years. My problem wasn't falling asleep, it was staying asleep. I did notice there was a window for me. If I took it and went right to bed, I was fine, but if I stayed up I would be up all night. The thing I didn't like about it was the instant wake-up. I would always wake-up to a falling sensation and wake-up with a thud.

I have tried every sleep aid known to mankind. I have been through countless sleep studies, and for whatever reason a few months ago I started sleeping 6 or 7 hours a night unassisted. I hadn't slept for over 30 years so the past few months have been pure heaven. I may actually have to go and buy an alarm clock. I have never needed one before because I never slept past 5am, but last week I actually slept until after 7 and DD was almost late for school!

Good luck and I hope you were able to sleep!

 

[Disnydad]

I've taken it a few times over the years without any side effects. I only took it for short times.