[EasyMeds]

quote:Originally posted by Insomniac

Another option is Lunesta. That and Rozerem are the only ones approved for long term use. Lunesta reports from people seem to be more effective than Rozerem. Rozerem is helpful in falling asleep, but Lunesta is used for all types of insomnia: falling asleep, staying asleep, and waking too early.

I agree with Insomniac that Lunesta is another option. But I have found that it doesn't really help me fall asleep. It will keep me asleep, but I don't wake early, but falling asleep is just as difficult. That is why I like Rozerem better. For me it hits all 3. But things work differently on different people

[Insomniac]

EM - go read your own site. Rozerem is not indicated for anything but falling asleep. Don't know how it would work on all 3 - that's not it's mechanism of action.

[scartwink]

Greeting's...

I've read all the posts here and needed to add. I've been suffering with insomnia on and off for years now...I can't fall asleep without some drug...I have to agree with Elfqueen that if you've ever suffered with day after day insomnia you would loose your mind...I guess I did and I was hospitalized then diagnosed bipolar for having a sleeping problem...I question but so I've been on diff drugs and so on. My father has been taking Ambien for awhile I take it when Lunesta doesn't work like last night I went to bed around 10 couldn't sleep popped a 3mg but my mind wouldn't rest sooo talked on phone bad idea and then at four decided to take another...so I worry about tonights sleeep. Well it's good to share with others and am comforted to hear I'm not alone but I hate having to rely on a pill to put me asleep. I lift you all up in prayer I also heard of 5htp and I want to possibly start taking any insights?

I went 3 days without sleeping not on purpose...I didn't feel tired I felt alive but my bones began to ache...strange... I just want to warn anyone about trying to see how long they can go without sleeping...it hurts

Well if anyone needs someone to talk to and let out their aches I am here lightofsons@yahoo.com

Son

[coming home]

I haven't read all of the responses to this thread, so forgive me if this is a repeat.

First of all, I love ambien, and if they want mine they are going to have to come take it away from me ( and don't try to pull the old trick of knocking on my door and telling me you just ran over my car in the driveway, to get me to open up, cuz I'm wise to that trick )

Seriously though, they have just came out with an extended release ambien CR, that is supposed to be approved for long term use of insomnia, according to ambiens own website, so those of you worried about ambien for long term use might check into that.

[Beautiful]

I took Ambien for about 3 years. Just like "AMbien Lady" and "Mailman", I thought I had died and gone to heaven. It is miserable not being able to sleep. Noone understands. Everyone tells me, read a book, watch tv, don't go to bed untill your sleepy. Drink warm milk. Well let me tell you, none of these things work when you have insomia.
The first night I took Ambien I was watching tv and the next thing I knew I was waking up in the morning, feeling very refreshed!
The only side effect was that if I took it, I really couldn't remember what I said or did afterwards. My husband would tell me that I was saying or doing things I didn't usually do. Good or bad? He didn't complain.
When I became pregnant last year, my doctor made me go off Ambien. I thought I was going to die. It's hard enough to sleep without it, but being pregnant too? I would never get any sleep!
Well, I still had refills, so I continued to take it during my pregnacy. After delivering a healthy baby, I realized that I was definitly addicted to it and could have risked not having a healthy baby by continuing to take it against dr. orders. I was determined to get off of it.
It took sheer willpower, but I stopped taking it. I still needed something for sleep, so the dr put me on Klonopin. It gradually makes you sleepy instead of knocking you out like AMbien.
Today I am glad that I could get off. It made me gain weight and I was addicted to it.

[sleeplesswonder]

does the rozerem need to "build up" in your system before it works? i just started taking it, and i'm not super impressed. i'm still only getting 4 hours at best with it. i was hoping for at least 6!!!

( i used ambien for a week. got one or two great nights out of it, then was up for five days straight with it. i guess i'm weird!!)

[mailman]

Well I have been switched to that new drug on the market...ambien CR ....and I am very disappointed..it doesn't work near as well as the regular ambien..am going to talk to my Dr. and see it he will switch me back to the regular ambien...has anyone else any thoughts on the new ambien CR?

[sleeplessinscottsdale]

I came to this site to see what was being said about Ambien CR. I would characterize my sleeplessness as "occassional". I have taken Ambien and CR off and on for a few months,and had escallated my frequency to every night, not because I felt that I needed it every night, but because it had become "a friend".
I decided to stop the use of Ambien CR one night when I felt very tired and thought I would have no trouble sleeping. I apparently experienced some weird withdrawl symptoms. I never felt like I was asleep, though I was. I had several intense terror-type nightmares through the night that people were breaking into my house and standing in my bedroom, and that I couldn't wake-up or defend myself. These dreams seemed extremely intense and real, like trying to scream and nothing would come out. These went on all night and I woke-up several times in a sweat. I was never so happy to see the sun come up.
I still have some CR but I'm now scared to take it...even on those occassions when I feel like I'll need something.

[bluegirl]

Ive been taking ambien for two years. Ive had to increase my dosage for it to work. I hate depending on pills but have horrible insomnia and can do without it. Are there any side effects to stoping ambien cold turkey besides rebound insomnia? I also tried the new ambien CR and was disappionted, didnt sleep a wink that night and was drowsy in class all day. I have memory problums too and act strange so you have to take it while sitting in bed or you might do something wierd and not remember

[debbie724]

My ex was taking ambien... along with pain meds, and alcohol. We didn't know it was the ambien at the time, but he was absolutely going NUTS! Hallucinations! Crazy stuff! Speaking backwards! Psycho! Our poor daughter... to see her daddy like that. We had him hospitalized a couple times. They couldn't figure out what the heck was wrong with him. Kept sending him back home with NO answers. The last time... he ended up having siezures (spelling?) and on life support. We thought he was going to die. The doctors still couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. My ex's girlfriend ended up putting two and two together... realizing that he only acted NUTS when he took the ambien. He no longer takes it! Thank God! For those of you that it works... great! But, don't mix that _ _ _ _ with ANYTHING else that alters the chemicals in your brain! [xx(]



debbie

[Moody]

I went through terrible insomnia in the last year. Ambien didn't work more than a couple of days for me. What has helped me was anti anxiety meds(Lexapro)and I can use anbien with a low dose of Lexapro. Most of my insomnia was due to internal anxiety (not being able to turn off my brain). Ambien works great for me or I can use over the counter stuff with the use of Lexapro. I hate the idea of being an "antidepressent" user. However, rest is essential so I will do it. It shows that my insomnia is tied to low serotonin for me and serotonin regulates mood, sleep and appetite.
Hope that helps
Moody

[bluegirl]

debbie so sorry to hear you went thru that. Did your ex have any withdrawl symptoms when he quit? I would love to stop but im afriad of withdrawls. Moody i tried lexapro adn had a horrible reaction that drug is not for me. Glad it works for you though =) I feel like ambien controls me because i cant sleep without it. But i definatly dont abuse it i dont drink alcohal or anything and i never take more than the recomended does but i really want to get off of it. Should i just try tapering?

[debbie724]

blu, I really couldn't tell you if my ex had any withdrawal symptoms or not... as we are no longer together. We are however still very close friends. Addicts tend to hide what is really going on... and he is an addict. Pain killers and alcohol. So, I can only believe so much of what he says. He is no longer living with his girlfriend... which really scares me... as no one is there to help him if anything were to happen again. With that said... I think it wouldn't hurt for you to tapper yourself off of the ambien... if you really want to stop taking it. I sleep horribly... but I catch up eventually. The worst thing to do when you are having trouble sleeping is to get mad. Truly, just count sheep or something. Just get your mind off the things that stress you out.


debbie

[opiattire]

hey guys, i'm just writing to share my own experience and see if anyone's had anything similar happen to them. i've been prescribed ambien for the past month but have only been taking it for about two weeks every night and this is my first night without it. i haven't been abusing it, but i lost some pills and the controlled release ones are almost impossible to split and some exploded on me when i was trying to cut the dose in half (very very aggrivating). my mom knows about these things cause she's been present when this has happened, and knows i'm not abusing it. The most i've taken a night is the 12.5 mg. threshold. I misplaced another eight pills because i put them in a pillcase (which i'm never doing that again.) So now, it's about 5 in the morning and i can't sleep, my legs ache for some reason, and i've popped nyquil and a zyrtec to help me sleep. Even though i feel drowsy i'm still wide awake due to the way i feel right now. has anyone else felt sick after taking it for so short a time? i've heard horror stories of hallucinatinons caused from this drug and addiction in hardcore terms after only short use, but i only had one hallucination (the first night i ever took it i thought my room was full of people, which was weird as hell, but not too scary for some reason as well.) Aside from the hallucinations has anyone else felt this way after taking it recommended dose for so short a time? Also i have some clonidine left over which used to help me sleep also, do you think that would work better than taking OTC stuff? Any response would be beyond grateful...thanks...

We were somewhere near barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold...

[lauriel13]

Hi everyone. I wanted to post my personal experience with Ambien. I am no longer taking it because of what it did to me. I'll explain as briefly as possible: I started taking it when I was 17, and I am now nearly 21. From the very beginning, Ambien had a strange effect on me, especially mentally. Throughout the course of taking Ambien, I experienced COUNTLESS "psychotic" episodes while under the influence. In the beginning, I would cut myself while on it. (I now have over fifty self-inflicted scars all over my body.) I would call people crying. I'd go outside in the middle of the night in nothing but my pajamas and walk around the block. Of course, I'd never remember any of this until something or someone reminded me of it. Later on, my episodes became worse. I had horrible, very realistic hallucinations and thought I heard voices. I'd drive my car to Wal-Mart and purchase something (still in my pajamas) or become so severely depressed that I wanted to (and almost did) kill myself. From the beginning I ALWAYS took the dose reccomended to me by my Dr (one 10mg tab) at the beginning of the night and go straight to bed, but, because of my insomnia, I could never fall straight to sleep, and once the medication kicked in, I'd get out of bed and do all of these insane things. And, under the influence of Ambien, I'd take more pills without realizing it. I only found out because of my constantly rapidly diminishing supply. The last time I took Ambien it was the worst. I don't really remember what happened that night (I could NEVER remember anything that happened to me under the influence of it), but the next morning, all I could do was vomit (and I have a VERY strong stomach) because I felt like I was under the influence of it just enough to make me feel crazy, woozy, and like I was in a sort of 'haze.' I was VERY sick. I lost my job that day because I could not work because I was so sick. I took myself off of it ever since that experience. I NEVER drank a sip of alcohol while on it.

Some background info: I have a feeling--albeit uneducated-- that the reasons for my actions while on Ambien were because I have had severe depression since I was 11. I have also taken lots of different kinds of antidepressants since then and did take my regularly scheduled antidepressant pill at the time when I took my dose of Ambien. (I take all my once-daily meds at night before bed because it's the only way I remember to take them.) I felt like Ambien horribly intensified all of the thoughts and feelings I felt through the day. I'd like to hear if anyone else has had some similar experiences, especially if they too are on antidepressants or have depression.

Ambien may work for some people, just NOT for me.

Sorry for this being so long, but I'd really appreciate feedback!

Thanks,
Laurie

[lordhelmit]

I took an Ambien once. Then I turned on my TV, somehow forgetting I took it and then I felt sleepy, but I fought it off. Next thing I knew, I started seeing 2 of my TVs and 2 of pretty much everything...then I got up to get some water, and walking was difficult; I felt totally off balance. I tripped a couple of times. I tried to focus on making the TV one again, but then 2 seconds later it would turn into...2.

Bottom line, Ambien is really not a good pill for you whether you have insomnnia or not, it seems to be a recreational drug. Which means you can get addicted to it. After that, I never took it again, and I just tried to sleep normally...which worked okay.

[tamara02]

AMBIEN: very crazy ****,Do not take it if your life depended on it,my best friends sister died because of it ,she got addicted and took them day or night forged rxs from doc,crashed her suv into someones from living room ,would wake at night and make all kinds of crazy **** to eat and not remember a thing,she was well educated ,had a great job husband you name it ,these pills are very dangerous,she just ate them and ate them ,she was losing her mind and health,she is dead and its due to ambien,try otc meds not these,these are worse than trippin on lsd.

[Xnuiem]

Tried Ambien a few times, didnt care for it much. I ended up talking to walls and seeing things that werent there. Freaked my wife totally out. It was about like getting Adivan and Morphine in the hospital last month. Same basic effects, be careful.

[Duglacias]

try lunexa, its not as strong as ambien but works well and is supposed to be non habit forming, the down side is it creates a wierd aftertaste in your mouth and seems to make you drowsy the nest day not real bad but still drowsy unlike ambien, but ambien is short term relief and addictive.

[Dave the Dude]

AMBIEN kicked my butt also, eventually I could not sleep with or without it. Dr said I had sleep apnea and kept giving to me along with the CPAP machine which worked but not without AMBIEN. Now I am on ROZEREM and seems to work ok. Has anyone have a story about this drug?

dms

[sarmedic]

Used it, worked for about a week. Used Lunesta, same thing. Benadryl doesn't work, so I am back to doxepin starting today.

I have found that insomnia is very hard to work around, and for others to understand. So, when you tell your doc something doesn't work they are sometimes slow to listen. Be your own advocate and really let them know what works and what doesn't.

P.S. I find sleeping with a fan running (or rain sound machine) on the nightstand helps with any distracting noises. (I am also a light sleeper, too many years with the pager and radio waiting for dispatch to call us.)

I'm a real paramedic, I don't only play one on TV.

[two little kittens]

I have been on Ambien for more than a year. The doctor recently changed my sleep medicine per my request. Ambien works great but is way to expensive. I'm now on Klonopin. I get my 5 hours of sleep. The only thing I don't like about it, is that it takes atleast 1 hour or more to work. where the Ambien took me out in 15 minutes.

[fadedhorizon]

Originally Posted by mailman

Has anyone had any trouble with Ambien? I have been on it nearly a yr. and can't sleep without it...

Ambien is a severly addictive drug. I tried it for a month and I needed something different because I was excited to go to sleep so I could take my ambien. Try something like trazadone.

[fadedhorizon]

Originally Posted by two little kittens

I have been on Ambien for more than a year. The doctor recently changed my sleep medicine per my request. Ambien works great but is way to expensive. I'm now on Klonopin. I get my 5 hours of sleep. The only thing I don't like about it, is that it takes atleast 1 hour or more to work. where the Ambien took me out in 15 minutes.

Klonopin shouldn't be used as a sleeping medicine, try trazadone, it's covered by most insurances, kicks in immediately.

[fadedhorizon]

Originally Posted by sleeplesswonder

does the rozerem need to "build up" in your system before it works? i just started taking it, and i'm not super impressed. i'm still only getting 4 hours at best with it. i was hoping for at least 6!!!

( i used ambien for a week. got one or two great nights out of it, then was up for five days straight with it. i guess i'm weird!!)

Sleeping pills don't build up in your system... you're only going to get 4. I've tried all sorts of sleeping pills... the best one I found was trazadone. atleast 8 hours of sleep and knocks you out right away.

[fadedhorizon]

Originally Posted by Insomniac

EM - go read your own site. Rozerem is not indicated for anything but falling asleep. Don't know how it would work on all 3 - that's not it's mechanism of action.

Different medications work differently for different people. And I think that statement on lunesta's website is a ploy... lunesta gave me 4 hours of sleep.

[NoOtherOne]

I was on Lunesta for a year and a half or so, and it originally worked well, but its effectiveness declined and since I was on 3 mg already, my doctor decided it was time for me to take a "break" and take Ambien CR instead. Instead of helping me sleep, Ambien kept me awake, and I felt anxious and on-edge constantly, with my heart racing, etc. On the third day after taking it, I had my first and only panic attack and nearly had to go to the ER. I know this drug works great for some people, but my point is that everyone is so different. I hope you all find something that works for you. After the "ambien incident," I started seeing a psychiatrist instead of getting my meds from a family doctor, and he switched me to Trazodone, which has been much better, although that has started to decline in effectiveness too, after only a couple months, so he just increased the dose on that.... Hopefully this will do the trick. If there were natural remedies that worked, I'd be thrilled!

[SleepKing]

What is a good pill to switch to *just below* the potency level of 12.5 mg Ambien CR (not WAY below it, like Rozemrum, which is about as effective for me as Sleepytime tea.). I've been on the Ambien for about a yr and my doctor is trying to get me off it, but I have grown accustomed to getting a decent night's sleep! I know it is said to be short-term, but as someone else has said, once you've gone sleepless for a big chunk of your life...you realize that some "addictions" may be well worthwhile.

[SleepKing]

Rozerum has so far caused me nothing but nightmares and constant waking in the middle of the night...Hooray! Such much better than being addicted to Ambien CR...hmmm...or is it?

As for anyone taking Ambien "just before driving home" that is about the most insane thing I have ever heard of. Most people wouldn't drink half a bottle of wine before driving home, and Ambien should be treated as any other strong sedative, it's supposed to be powerful enough to help serious insomniacs to finally be able to sleep deeply and through the entire night, in order not to die from health problems or dangerous daytime grogginess associated with prolonged sleep deprevation--not really for people who just can't sleep "sometimes". There are times when I am about to pass out within an 30 min to an hour after taking it, and that's what's SUPPOSED to happen...when I wake up in the mornings nowadays (after taking AMbien the night before), I feel better than ever. I've actually been getting better while on Ambien. For instance, now I don't have to keep the room temp down to 65 degrees or less, I can keep it at 72 degrees and I'm just fine. I also don't need to eat so late anymore, my stomach is not grumbling and keeping me awake. Ambien is one of the best things that has happened to me in a long while. I stopped smoking due to stress of sleep deprevation about the same time that I started taking Ambien, as well. I actually work out now and do way more exercise every week. I cut back on caffeine and sugars. But don't take away my Ambien...pls doc!

[dnaleri]

Originally Posted by SleepKing

What is a good pill to switch to *just below* the potency level of 12.5 mg Ambien CR (not WAY below it, like Rozemrum, which is about as effective for me as Sleepytime tea.). I've been on the Ambien for about a yr and my doctor is trying to get me off it, but I have grown accustomed to getting a decent night's sleep! I know it is said to be short-term, but as someone else has said, once you've gone sleepless for a big chunk of your life...you realize that some "addictions" may be well worthwhile.

There is an Ambien 6.25 MG CR.

I have taken both the Ambien 12.5 and the 6.25 as well as just plain old Ambien. On Ambien I would wake up and see things that were not there, so I stopped taking that and went to the controlled release type. It works for me. And for those of you that talk about being addicted, that is an awful thing, but I have to take Ambien at times because I have hyperthyroidism and am extremely "wired" all the time. I DO NOT take Ambien every night. I go for as long as I can without it and when I get so tired that I no longer can function then I take an Ambien CR at bedtime to sleep.