Insomnia

pennynjon

I am really worried that i have become dependent on ambien.  I had never taken a sleeping pill in my life until after Ella passed.  My  doctor sent me home with a prescription.  I didn't start taking them until a few weeks later when I wasn't able to go to sleep.  And I only took them 3 to 4 nights a week.  Now, I can be exhausted, but I just can't fall asleep without them  I will skip three nights or so and only get a couple hours of sleep-then I will cave and take one or a half of one.  Has anyone ever expereinced this?  How did you stop taking them without dying of exhaustion?

ColleenS629

I tried Ambien only a few times because it made me forget the whole next morning. Like I would be teaching in the afternoon and wouldn't be able to remember my drive to work or my morning classes. It was scary. Therefore, I never had time to get dependent on those. However, when I was really sick once before, the doctor gave me cough medicine that would make me pass out. After the bottle was gone, I couldn't sleep without it. After many, many sleepless nights I guess my body adjusted and let me sleep again.

CashewsMommy

I first took Tylenol PM for a while to help me sleep and for the pain. Once the pain was gone I went on benedryl to help me sleep. It was the same medicine as in sleeping pills and cheaper. I was taking 3 a night!

When DH started getting worried i'd become dependent on them, i started downgrading. I took 2 a night for a few weeks. Then 1 a night.. and finally none.

Now, every once in a blue moon i'll take some to help me when i'm having a bad night.

ikissedthecook

As a guideline, doctors will tell you to never take Ambien 14 nights in a row. IMO, that's way too many. You sound like you started off right by taking one, then skipping a couple of days. However, it doesn't take long at all for your body to "forget" how to sleep without them. After just one night of aided sleep, the next night can be rough. I found that the best solution to me is the night after I've taken Ambien to take Benadryl (or Tylenol PM or Simply Sleep- it all has diphenhydramine as the active ingredient). Then go without any sleep-aid at least for one night after taking the benadryl. I think it helps that lag in between an Ambien night and a non-medicated night.

Please note that I am in no way a physican or a medical expert. This is just a handy trick I've learned to help. You should always consult with your phyiscian before taking any medication.

 HTH!

rock-elle

I was on the generic form of Ambien for a year or two, way longer than two weeks and my dr kept renewing my rx.  I was sooo busy with school and work that when I came home from all of that I knew I had to go to sleep right away in order to get 7 hours of sleep before starting it all over again, and being so wound up from the day I could never go to sleep right away..my mind would keep going and going and going and I could never shut it off!  Thats how I ended up on ambien.

Now I take whatever is over the counter thats benadryl-like.  I still have the absolute most aweful time getting to sleep these days, but at least I work eve's now so I can sleep in if I need to.

((hugs))

pennynjon

rock-elle:

I was on the generic form of Ambien for a year or two, way longer than two weeks and my dr kept renewing my rx.  I was sooo busy with school and work that when I came home from all of that I knew I had to go to sleep right away in order to get 7 hours of sleep before starting it all over again, and being so wound up from the day I could never go to sleep right away..my mind would keep going and going and going and I could never shut it off!  Thats how I ended up on ambien.

Now I take whatever is over the counter thats benadryl-like.  I still have the absolute most aweful time getting to sleep these days, but at least I work eve's now so I can sleep in if I need to.

((hugs))

Thats how I feel.  My body is so exhausted, but I can't turn my brain off.  I work evenings too.  I think that is part od it- I am so wound up when I get off at eleven.  I just can't unwind and go sleep. 

nbbride06

When I was studying for the bar exam I took Ambien for probably 2 weeks.  It took me about 3 days of literally no sleep before I could sleep normally again.  Never again...

BlakeG

Do you take a whole Ambien or half?  I have a friend that takes them and she claims that when she only takes half a pill it still gets her to sleep but doesn't effect her the next night if she's not taking anything.  I've never taken it so I'm not sure if that would work but maybe you could start off by taking only half a pill to ween yourself off? 

I usually have trouble falling asleep to and I don't really like pills so I haven't taken anything for it.  One thing that I find helps me is falling asleep with the TV on.  Thankfully DH doesn't mind and is so used to it now he can't fall asleep without it.  I put on something that takes no brain cells that I've watched a million times (like Friends or Seinfeld reruns) and have the volume so low i can just hear it.  I find my mind focuses on the show and stops thinking about anything else and eventually I drift off and I set the sleep timer so it goes off by itself. 

If I am in a silent room, my mind will never turn off.  Not sure if this would help at all but it's just an idea.

ravenorchid

I have never taken Ambien, but I have had serious sleep issues since the loss. I was taking Motrim Pm to help me sleep for a while and I worried that I had become dependent on it. I basically just tried taking it only a couple nights a week instead. But I know Ambien can be habit-forming, so you might want to talk about it with your doctor.