Ambien - I have been taking zolpidem for 20 years at 10mg. I decided to start tapering by a quarter?

Hello debsneedssleep, I've posted updates so far (on day 4 lol). I hope that encourages you too to have faith and know you'll kick the habit. Updates will continue

Sometimes, when I try to fall asleep without it, I have what I call mini seizures. I usually have two or the back of my head jerks all the way down to my leg. And then I get aroused and I’m fully alert. Other times, I will start drifting into sleep, only to feel like I’m falling and have a panic attack. It is pretty serious stuff. I too have been doing like you and cutting little pieces and taking it every few hours but I am going to try and just stop that. I think I am going to just stick with 5 mg and if I wake up then I will just stay awake or let my body eventually fall back asleep. It sounds like our sleep patterns are very similar to eventually cut that 5 to 2 1/2 and then nothing.

Hi. I have been reading & wish to help, if it does..My daughter worked for a Pharmaceutical Company, at the facility that makes the pills. She warned me that meds are mixed differently. The ones w/a score mark are made w/equal amount of drug so when you break at that point you will get as close as possible to the dose stated... However, once we try to break into smaller doses, or cut the ones w/no score mark, we can get mixed amounts... You may have better luck some nights & less on others.."you could literally get All one night & none the next"... The best way to taper is to ask your Dr. to write you More pills at a smaller dose... As you get closer to your goal, you can ask again. I understand NOT wanting to ask in the beginning, as we don't want our doses taken away from us! However, if you want a better success, this could help.
I have been tapering down for 3 years now... It's Not fun, it's very disruptive to your brain, and we need all the help we can get. Best of luck everyone, it's going to be worth it!