# Ambien



## ButlerGirl09 (Nov 18, 2011)

So I've been having a lot of problems with sleep lately and it has started to interfere with my health and everyday functioning. I went to the internist last month and had comprehensive blood work done to see if there was any other reason for what was going on. Everything with the blood work came out fine with no problems so the doctor gave me a prescription for Ambien. She told me to take it for two nights and then skip the third then repeat. 

I've never taken Ambien before but I've heard some mixed--and downright scary--things. Has anyone even taken it before and would be willing to share their experiences?! I appreciate it!


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## Yakatori (Nov 19, 2011)

But have worked with and known some folks who've used it with some regularity. I wouldn't take it unless you have a decent window (about 12 hours) within which to get the 8 or so hours of sleep that you're aiming for.

I also think it's sort-of important for you to do as much as you can to figure out each of a number of different things that could be making it harder for you. And I would seriously recommend checking out The Harvard Medical School's Guide to a Good Night's Sleep at your local library. It's a very quick read, compact with a lot of useful information and sound tips; really, something for anyone, given the myriad of things that interfere with sleep. Like, one of the weirdest things; something I'd previously, kind of, just dismissed out of hand; was wearing a sleep mask. and wearing sunglasses on my way home from third-shift work. Made a huge difference for me; and so, depending on what's actually causing you to miss sleep, it could be something as basic as that which makes as big a difference for you.


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## HottiMegan (Nov 19, 2011)

I have a stash of Ambien. I only use it when i REALLY need sleep. It helps me fall asleep but doesn't always keep me asleep. There is a time release one that i thought about trying. My doctor said to also take half a pill to see if it helps before moving to a whole pill. I never had any bad side effects. It was helpful in getting me to sleep when i was tired but couldn't shut my brain down for sleep.

If i need a more casual sleep aid, i usually take a tylenol or advil pm. That does the trick and helps with some of my night time aches and pains. I don't take sleep aids every night for fear of addiction. 

And Yakatori, the sleep mask is a pretty good suggestion. I put a dark flannel sheet over my bedroom window and it has done wonders to help me sleep past sunrise. I can't sleep with something pressing on my face like a mask. I also have to have the room the right temp, too hot or too cold reduces my sleep.


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## ButlerGirl09 (Nov 19, 2011)

Thank you for that response, Yakatori. It was helpful!

I have changed a lot of my sleeping hygiene, routines, have room darkening curtains, and curtailed my caffeine intake. I'm also working on my doctorate in Clinical Psychology so I've done a lot of relaxation techniques and mindfulness things, but still cannot sleep and never feel rested. So that's why the Ambien was prescribed when I went to the appointment today after working/changing these habits with no relief.


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## ButlerGirl09 (Nov 19, 2011)

Glad to hear you didn't have any negative side-effects, Megan! I don't want to become addicted to anything too, which is why I'm hesitant. I've always been a light and restless sleeper, but never had problems like this and it's starting to really take a toll on me physically. Thanks for sharing your experience!


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## moore2me (Nov 19, 2011)

Yakatori,

I too take Ambien - except my doc has given me the generic version which is cheaper and works just as good for me. (I've used both.) The generic version is called _zolpidem tartrate. _

I agree with Megan in that it doesn't always keep me asleep for 8 hours. Sometimes, I sleep for 4 hours. But external factors (drinking coffee, too much TV, computer time, too cold, too hot, dogs too disruptive) can prevent a full night's even with Ambien's help. And when a real emergency comes up such as a tornado warning siren or my dog goes into a epileptic seizure, I have no trouble getting up and taking care of business. (Altho, I am a little cranky . . . but that may just be me.)

As far as getting into a car and driving, eating a meal, or robbing a liquor store while I am asleep (sleepwalking, sleepdriving, or sleeprobbery) - these are ridiculous. People who get caught doing it are probably taking some better drugs as a chaser to Ambien.

And neither it is habit forming. I had trouble sleeping before I took Ambien and can go right back whenever I want to, no problemo.


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## Diana_Prince245 (Nov 19, 2011)

No, they're not ridiculous. It's very well-documented in the medical literature (at least the sleep-walking, sleep-driving, and even sleep-sexing are).


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## Miss Vickie (Nov 19, 2011)

The way to avoid those things is to take your medicine, after you're in bed. Usually (not always, but often) it's people who have taken their sleep medication, not gone to bed, and done all sorts of crazy things in their sleep. (Burtimus did a podcast after taking Ambien). A coworker of mine took hers, called to make travel arrangements (she worked nights) and the travel agent was so worried for her safety that they sent the police out for a welfare check. They arrived to find her door wide open in the middle of winter and my friend in bed, passed out, phone in hand. She said there were worse things than waking up with a circle of handsome firefighters around you.

The long acting Ambien works much better than the regular kind if your problem is more staying asleep. However, you have to be sure you don't have to get up before 8 hours because you can be groggier since it wears off later. Some prescribers also use longacting Xanax in tiny doses, as well as trazodone, to help with sleep. They don't have the weird hypnotic side effects that Ambien has, but obviously there are concerns with giving someone a benzo for sleep every night.

Anything you take to sleep has the risk of becoming habit forming. It's not a true addiction, but a physiological dependence. But restorative sleep is so important to health, I believe that these medications are well worth it.


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## moore2me (Nov 19, 2011)

Dear Diana_Prince, 

Miss Vickie is right about taking the Ambien only when you are in bed. It will put me to sleep in less than 10 minutes. If I am not in bed, I may fall asleep wherever I am. I forgot to caution the unintiated in this respect and warn folks not to drive or go to work (even if you are a Congressman) and take sleep meds. 

In less spectacular incidents, I have been startled awake when I poured a glass of cold diet soda (with ice) down my pjs after taking a pill and didn't get to bed quick enough. The same is true of taking a potty break to drain the radiator before bed and taking too long - again, don't take too much time in the bathroom after taking a sleeping pill. 

And, for God's sake don't start to fry chicken after taking an Ambien or do any stock trading online with a credit card. As to sleep sex, well, stranger things have happened in bedrooms.


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## CastingPearls (Nov 19, 2011)

I've been taking Ambien 12.5 CR (long acting) for nearly ten years (on and off, mostly on) for chronic insomnia and I take it when I'm already in bed. I fall asleep within 10-20 minutes. No side effects at all and that includes no morning lag. When I don't take it, I don't have that rebound insomnia that might happen with other sleep-aids especially OTC like Tylenol or Advil PM. Sometimes I take half a Xanax .50 with it when I'm feeling especially anxious because I also have something called 'racing thoughts'.

If you need to know anything else about my experiences taking it, PM or FB me. <3


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## Fat Brian (Nov 19, 2011)

Crystal has taken Ambien for almost fifteen years now and her experiences are similar to everyone else. It needs to be taken in bed, especially when first taking it, it hits pretty fast and you can fall out if you aren't laying down. She does occasionally sleep eat, usually something simple like cereal or a sandwich, hopefully she won't ever try to use the stove. There have also been some sleep sex incidents but if you sleep alone that most likely won't be an issue.


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## ButlerGirl09 (Nov 19, 2011)

Thank you all for taking the time to respond to my question! I am glad to hear no one has had any extremely negative side-effects and I appreciate your advice on when/how to take the Ambien. I didn't take it last night because I was still concerned, but I plan on starting tonight.

Miss Vickie--A friend of mine had also suggested Trazodone. What are your thoughts on that versus the Ambien? Obviously I am more familiar of it's use clinically for depression and anxiety, but the friend mentioned it for sleep too.

Elaine--Do you take Ambien every night? Or has the doctor given you specific instructions on how to take it too? Have you tried anything else? Clearly I need to sleep, but given how young I am I am worried about long-term physiological dependence. I've tried the over-the-counter things with no real luck in addition to rebound and hangover effects.


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## CastingPearls (Nov 19, 2011)

ButlerGirl09 said:


> Elaine--Do you take Ambien every night? Or has the doctor given you specific instructions on how to take it too? Have you tried anything else? Clearly I need to sleep, but given how young I am I am worried about long-term physiological dependence. I've tried the over-the-counter things with no real luck in addition to rebound and hangover effects.


I take it nearly every night, nearly meaning I might fall asleep before I remember to take it LOL. 

My doctor just asked me if I had trouble STAYING asleep and I did. I used to sleepwalk and still talk in my sleep so he decided to give me controlled release and it works great. Still talk in my sleep but that's life long. 

I don't like OTC stuff--too much lag in the morning. When I used to take them, I'd drag ass all day and if I took them too long the insomnia rebound was horrible. I wouldn't sleep for days.

I have bloodwork done pretty often because I take a couple of meds that need to be monitored and labs always come back just fine if not excellent. I don't know about addiction but there have been times I've gone without it for weeks for whatever reason--I think maybe it wasn't generic at the time and I just couldn't afford it so I took a whole Xanax which worked pretty well.

Asking your doctor (write questions down beforehand) about long-term effects would be your best bet. I have a great doctor who spends a lot of time with me and is willing to try lots of different things to help me out. He's awesome.


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## ButlerGirl09 (Nov 19, 2011)

CastingPearls said:


> Asking your doctor (write questions down beforehand) about long-term effects would be your best bet. I have a great doctor who spends a lot of time with me and is willing to try lots of different things to help me out. He's awesome.



I brought up the concern before she even gave me the prescription, which is why she told me to take it for two days and then not the third then repeat. I have an appointment in a month to see her again so she can monitor this and also do blood work again. This is just what she wants me to start off with and the dose is only 5 mg so not a truckload to knock me out! 

Thanks for your help, my lovely!


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## sweetfrancaise (Nov 19, 2011)

If you do have trouble with Ambien, maybe give Lunesta a shot? I used it after a trauma left me unable to sleep for longer than a couple of hours at a time. It didn't have any nasty side effects, as long as I gave myself a full eight hours of sleep. However, I didn't use it daily for weeks at a time. Only when I was having real difficulty because I'm super weird about using prescription drugs other than the odd antibiotic. Now I use it to help me cope with jetlag! It's good stuff.


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## CarlaSixx (Nov 19, 2011)

I've tried Ambieb as an emergency sleep aid. Like when I'm in desperate need but still can't sleep. Only then. 

I was on Trazodone. It's non habit forming but I did have the problem of being physically active in my sleep. Every single time I had it. So I was taken off of it. Now I resort to smoking weed and it is the best sleep aid I've ever tried. They make THC pills now so that you don't have to smoke to have the effect, and it does wonders. No grogginess in the morning and very easy to fall right asleep comfortably. I still say the best sleep I ever had and continue to have is after just getting somewhat baked 2 or 3 hours before bed.


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## CastingPearls (Nov 19, 2011)

For some reason Lunesta didn't work for me at all. Had no effect at all. And another really common 'brand' too which name escapes me. I think it started with an 'A' as well.


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## Miss Vickie (Nov 20, 2011)

CastingPearls said:


> I've been taking Ambien 12.5 CR (long acting) for nearly ten years (on and off, mostly on) for chronic insomnia and I take it when I'm already in bed. I fall asleep within 10-20 minutes. No side effects at all and that includes no morning lag. When I don't take it, I don't have that rebound insomnia that might happen with other sleep-aids especially OTC like Tylenol or Advil PM. Sometimes I take half a Xanax .50 with it when I'm feeling especially anxious because I also have something called 'racing thoughts'.
> 
> If you need to know anything else about my experiences taking it, PM or FB me. <3



Like you, I take it without problems waking when I need to. OTOH, I'm pretty resistant to sleep so it takes a lot to knock me out, something that's worsened as I've *cough cough* matured.

The extended release Xanax is good if you're a wake-in-the-middle-of-the-night kind of person, because it lasts much longer than the regular formulation. I never have trouble falling asleep; it's staying asleep that is the problem. I wake (for whatever reason) and then the thoughts begin. So if we can keep me asleep it's way better. Meds that wear off in the middle of the night are useless for me.

And like you, I don't have rebound insomnia. I often fall asleep without taking anything and I might wake up in the middle of the night, or I might not. I swear, though, I used to sleep great. But a few years of working night shifts have ruined me for easy sleep.



ButlerGirl09 said:


> Miss Vickie--A friend of mine had also suggested Trazodone. What are your thoughts on that versus the Ambien? Obviously I am more familiar of it's use clinically for depression and anxiety, but the friend mentioned it for sleep too.



You have to be careful with Trazodone because it's in the SSRI family while not exactly being a SSRI so you run the risks of serotonin syndrome as well as all the other issues that SSRIs come with (increased suicidality in teens and young adults, etc). OTOH, it's a clean drug that's been around a long time so I think providers know it better. It works well for people who are on a SSRI that causes sleeplessness (like Zoloft). It's used in low doses for sleep (50-100 mg) versus much higher doses for depression; it's sedating quality, however, made it a problematic antidepressant.

Worst part about trazodone? The wicked headache it can sometimes cause. I think that people have to just try different things and see what works. I'm just getting started prescribing so I have a pick of a few things I like to use and talk to the patient about what they've used before that works, what their concerns are, other health problems, etc. Some people swear by melatonin. It did nothing for me, whatsoever. But my daughter is knocked out COLD by melatonin.



CastingPearls said:


> For some reason Lunesta didn't work for me at all. Had no effect at all. And another really common 'brand' too which name escapes me. I think it started with an 'A' as well.



Same here. And the metallic taste? Totally blows.


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## CarlaSixx (Nov 20, 2011)

Zopliclone gives a hoooooorrrible metallic taste. Works very well, but you stink to others after and that metallic taste pretty much never goes away.


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