Anyone with horrible insomnia that even 5mg of Ambien doesn't work ?

deedeecmc79 · September 2015

I am 20wks and just started with horrible insomnia. I had this with my daughter but much later in my 3rd trimester. I get a lot of activity with an very active 19 month old at at home and have tried to change all the sleeping habits I could find out there. are there other ideas people have used and worked?

BabyBump2 · September 2015

I get where you're coming from. I have a 4 year old and a 2 year old who keep me busy along with working long days. I would keep myself up all night with stress and thinking about everything I had to do. I took Unisom and B6 for morning sickness at the beginning, but I still take the Unisom every night, or I wouldn't sleep. That's all that has worked for me. I realize this probably won't help if ambien doesn't work for you. Just wanted to let you know you're not alone!!

starree444 · September 2015

I've had really bad insomnia since I was 11 weeks. I haven't tried any medications. I wouldn't think ambien is safe when you're preg, but I could be wrong.

Last night I fell asleep sometime after 1:30, then woke up at 2. Again at 3 and was up for about an hour. And from 4 to 8 I woke up about six times. Joy.

catgraz · September 2015

The same here... and no solution either...looking forward to reading other comments with advices... :-)

RunnerMeg · September 2015

Regarding Ambien. It is pregnancy category C, which means risk can't be ruled out, but risk hasn't been definitively identified either. My OB is comfortable with Ambien every 3 or so nights. Momma, have you tried unisom? When my insomnia is bad sometimes it works more effectively than Ambien.

claireloSC · September 2015

Unisom all the way!!

willashbaby · September 2015

Another vote for Unisom.

kfreeman2008 · September 2015

I take 25-30mg of ambien every single night. It's another "does the benefit outweigh the risk" drug. I have severe insomnia and have had it since I was born (I would go 3 days without sleeping at all every few weeks as an infant). I take more than the recommended amount for any person, but my body doesn't process it well.

I would ask your doctor what he would suggest. I take unisom/b-6 twice a day for severe nausea and ambien. My doctor recommended magneisum (will also help with leg cramps for some people) and less fluid after 7pm than I was drinking. Sounds weird, but eating a smaller dinner and less fluids made the unisom more effective. Benedryl is also recommended by some OBs.

I still don't sleep well at night and have to take several days off of meds every few days bc my body gets used to them. I didn't take ambien for a week and had a good week of sleep and then insomnia hit again so I am not taking it again. Could be your body adjusted to it. Also, try to take your prenatal vitamin a different time of day. I had to switch brands and it calms me down at night unlike my old stuff that wired me. Stay away from stimulants like your phone or TV about 30 minutes before bed. Some of the light colors stimulate your brain....doesn't work for me, but it does for my mom. Good luck!

mrhargr · September 2015

Benadryl is the same drug (diphenhydramine) as unisom just FYI

deedeecmc79 · September 2015

Thank you

I will keep tying to switch it up.

emzie54 · September 2015

I like melatonin! I think it is nice and gentle. If Ambien doesn't work though, I'm not sure that melatonin will. Might be worth a try though!

pattenbaby15 · September 2015

Oh I'm not alone!!! Horrrrrrrible insomnia for 2 weeks..I take unisom or bendy or another rx I got..can't remember the name. Helps some.

Beverly0628 · September 2015

mrhargr said:
Benadryl is the same drug (diphenhydramine) as unisom just FYI

There are two available formulations of unisom. One is diphenhydramine, the other is doxylamine (a different antihistamine that is more sedating than Benadryl).

deedeecmc79 · September 2015

Is doxylamine not safe during pregnancy?

Beverly0628 · September 2015

deedeecmc79 said:

Is doxylamine not safe during pregnancy?

It is perfectly safe in pregnancy. In fact, it is the same ingredient that is in diclegis (in an extended release form, along with pyridoxine, or, B6). It is a category A. Some people just don't realize that there are 2 kinds of unisom because they don't read the package carefully. If the diphenhydramine (benadryl) unisom doesn't work, try the doxylamine. I feel like half a doxylamine unisom works better than a whole diphenhydramine.

deedeecmc79 · September 2015

I believe I remember there being two different ones from when I was pregnant with my daughter. I just always stuck with diphenhydramine since it was in benadryl. I should give it a try this time. for some reason my body grows resistant to anything I take after a while

MeghaJake · September 2015

Both types of unisom are safe. My doctor told me to try both of them to see which one works better. Diphenhydramine works best for me.

elackey1 · September 2015

How hard is it to wake up from Unisom?

I'm horrible at getting up in the morning without any sleep aids. I've been waking up 4 to 5 times a night for the past couple of weeks. It's not that I have to go to the bathroom. It's more of waking up, looking at the alarm clock, and thinking, "Greetings, 2:30 in the morning. We meet again." 8-| Then I roll over and spend the next 15-20 minutes trying to get comfortable. I feel like if I could just sleep though the entire night, I'd feel better

MeghaJake · September 2015

I didn't feel as groggy on the doxylamine but it also didn't keep me asleep the entire night. I felt groggy with the diphenhydramine after the first few nights but now it doesn't bother me.

deedeecmc79 · September 2015

I wake several times a night. Around 3 or 4 am I can't get myself back to sleep and also get horrible itching

I too feel groggy after taking an sleep aids.

enkb · September 2015

I have found reading a book (the paper kind, not a screen) that I have already read before (so I'm not so engaged with it that it wakes me up) seems to help more than meds do. I have a little book light so I don't wake up my partner with the big light, and I normally get back to sleep within a half hour, instead of the 1-3 hours I seemed to be up without reading. I'm re-reading the Harry Potter series and have made it to Book 5, this insomnia thing isn't that much fun!

daisiemay22 · September 2015

I don't meet with my dr again till 24 weeks so 10/2 I plan on talking to her. I will take a benadryl and sleep from 10 till 1 for the bathroom. Then I am up about ever hour. I wake up look at clock roll over try to get comfortable again and fall asleep to do it all an hour later. Getting very sickening.

deedeecmc79 · September 2015

I hear you. this sleeplessness is making me ill and loopy. I really hate having to take Ambien especially this early but if I take the 10 MG it works

Want a personalized experience?

Anyone with horrible insomnia that even 5mg of Ambien doesn't work ?

Re: Anyone with horrible insomnia that even 5mg of Ambien doesn't work ?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards