My doctor recentally perscribed me to 10mg ambien to go with my .5mg klonopins and 20mg celexa. Originally he said the klonopins would knock me out. They dont. Called him, he called the pharm and gave me 10mg ambien, doesnt work either. I took tylenol pm and benedryl for a long time up to 5 tablets a night to fall asleep. I had to start taking nyquil due to my natural tolerance getting built up. Nothing works like the nyquil but it leaves me so drowsy. CAN ANYONE HELP ME? i just want to sleep, im 21 and got a job and in college full time. i have to sleep.
I have very bad insomnia, ambien doesnt work, can anyone help me?
Question posted by mikec021 on 12 Feb 2010
Last updated on 19 December 2019 by cdbrooks0876
Added 12 Feb 2010:
Also, i noticed if I stay up for up to 48 hours, the ambien will make me fall asleep, but it may just me being so tired in the first place, but when i did sleep on it, i had the most horrible and weird dreams imaginable, things i dont even think about... little bit scary
Added 12 Feb 2010:btw, i have been getting panic attacks since i was about 15, they were mild then, and got a lot owrst over the years is why i was put on the klonopins, the celexa is for depression, i started on 10mg and was moved to 20mg.... i dont notice the celexa, but other people do, and as far as the klonopins go, i feel that they work a little bit when im having an attack, but doesnt stop them...., if that helps the subject..., just looking for answers
Added 12 Feb 2010:and also btw, i was originally perscribed to vistaril to fall asleep and i feel all it did was make my tolerance to benedryl go up and never once worked.
19 Answers
cdbrooks0876
20 Dec 2019
I have a very severe case of insomnia and also anxiety. I take 6 mg Xanax a day for anxiety and 100 mg amitriptyline for my insomnia. Works wonders!
GDonnelly
17 Feb 2019
I have found that Klonopin and Lexapro helps me overall. It also helps with the butterflies in your stomach and if you have the shakes at times. Ask your doctor to please change to Lexapro.
TiLiSu
17 Feb 2019
I was prescribed 10mg of Ambien. It worked maybe twice. Klonopin 2-2.5 work better to help me sleep but Benadryl works better than unisom and NyQuil works better for me, too
Questions78
9 Feb 2018
Just to pass on something my neurologist told me... People with "true insomnia", will have a revererse reaction to otc. Meds like Tylenol pm, etc. And my experience with Seroquel besides serious weight gain was that I was. Kinda asleep but I could hear and knew everything going on around me. Like I was paralyzed for 10 hours then worthless and groggybthe entire next day. trazodone stopped up my nose so I had to breath out of my mouth and it was soooo dry, my heart was racing out of my chest and for the moments I would size off for a second I had horrible nightmares. I had to put both in my "allergic to" list. I know there has to be a cure for us
Questions78
9 Feb 2018
I noticed a lot of people suggesting seroquel. I gained 40 lbs in 6 months taking that. I was starving within 30 min. Ive had chronic insomnia forb15 years. Sleep studies never worked because I never fell asleep. Finally a sleep specialist (neurologist) did a 30 day sleep study where I wore a bracelet that monitored when I was in bed, when lights were off, hthe any. Of time I was I. REM, etc. I averaged 1 hour and 28 min. Per night of REM sleep. It makes life miserable. Scary to drive, can't focus at work, constant anxiety. trazodone had reverse effect. Made my heart race and made me have panic attacks. I got a DWI while on ambien in my nightgown and the last thing I remembered was washing my face to go to bed. I have literally tried everything including a medicine that had to be sent from another state because TX hasn't approved it. I have so much empathy for you. It has cost me relationships, jobs, etc.
Because I can't even focus during the day. I used to think the answer was to just take whatever I had to to knock myself out, but that's so dangerous and your tolerance only gets higher. I now go two days without sleep and then can get some hours on the third. I have found a med. Called prazosin that was given to me for nightmares/PTSD to take along with whatever sleep aids I was prescribed at that time... I've found if I take 3 my eyes so get heavy and you don't get the nightmares that come along with trazodone and Seroquel. I wish you so much luck. People that can lay down and fall asleep don't know how lucky they are!
Questions78
9 Feb 2018
Also- Sleep Specialists have added 2 Halcion to take with ambien or lunesta (whatever I was taking. You want to switch it up because you get immune to it after a couple of weeks)... and that has helped a little. Its old school so not all pharmacies carry it) but it is a longer lasting klonopin/xanax type benzo.
W-I-L-L-O-W-44
25 Nov 2017
Ambien stopped working for me also.
She then prescribed TRAZODONE.
200 MG at night.
That worked for me... just a FYI.
garyloewenthal
24 Nov 2017
I truly feel your pain. And the pain and frustration of everyone else having sleep trouble. I slept fine until two months ago. No new sources of stress, no changes in my routine. I am SEVERELY prone to being wired by many types of drugs and supplements - including those that are supposed to do the opposite. I think with me it started as a side effect to cough syrup I was taking twice a day for a month (another story), but I haven't taken it in several weeks.
Last night I got practically no sleep. Granted, some nights I may get more sleep than I think I did, but last night I was just plain awake: doing the crossword puzzle (which worked like a charm putting me to sleep for 20 years!), doing breathing exercises, staring at the ceiling, trying not to think about this... Maybe I fell into "pre-REM" sleep for 15-30 minutes. It's scary and debilitating.
Ambien did nothing. Melatonin - nothing (in fact, if anything it made me more awake). Benadryl - wired. Valerian - wired. Some nights I actually get a whole night's sleep. I suspect that's rebound sleep. But it feels great.
At this point I think it's part mental, part physical. Mental - The trick is to not think about it. But after hours and hours and hours ... it's impossible not to think about it. My biggest problem mentally is fretting about what time it is (very common, and I really try not to), and kind of analyzing like "Oh, I'm falling into REM Sleep" - which breaks it! Honestly, outside this horrible problem, I don't have much stress - certainly no more than I've had for decades when I slept fine.
Physically, sometimes, it feels like my heart is beating too strongly and about 10 beats per minute too quickly. Sort of like I just went up a couple flights of stairs at a good pace. I may have to see a cardiologist about this. Sometimes I can trace it to food (very sensitive to salt and sugar), but other times it seems random. It can last for hours, and it impedes sleep. My health overall is - knock on wood - pretty good. I get a decent amount of exercise (more wouldn't hurt, but at least I walk nearly every day). Diet's good. Tons of veggies, not too much processed, quit caffeine long ago, etc. I almost wish there was some bad habit I could point to...
It's scary when it's 4am and I haven't gotten any sleep, and I feel wide awake despite having close to an ideal sleep environment (at least as far as I can tell). I can see how this would drive some people out of their minds. I will look into some of the treatments I haven't tried that are mentioned here. Thank you. Sorry to be so wordy. This is just on my mind and it's good to get it out. Doctors have been a little helpful but seem as flummoxed as I am. I tried acupuncture. So far, can't tell if it's helping. At least no side effects. Except paying for it! Again, my sympathies and peace and extreme hopes for better sleep for all of you!
slothhead
26 March 2018
Hi Gary - your experience frighteningly mirrors my own. I've tried a shopping list of medications to remedy my intractable insomnia, with very limited success. I too experience hypervigilance around sleep; a disruptive awareness of when I'm about to fall asleep, which immediately jolts me into wakefulness. Now my brain is now conditioned to think that sleep is a dangerous state. This is a highly damaging form of conditioning, and I don't know how to break out of it. My psychologist believes that I need to take a knock-out drug for a period of time to retrain and reset my mind. Unfortunately I have not found a drug that has this effect on a consistent basis. I am non-responsive, or at least enjoy limited response, to benzos, anti-depressants, SSRIs - those drugs which act on the histamine receptors tend to work best for me, but I only enjoy a few days of benefit from these drugs before tolerance occurs.
This isn't enough time for my brain to reset and to accept that sleep is natural and healthy.
Wondering if you have managed to find a solution to your problem?
Bennynjett
26 Sep 2017
Do u drink caffeine or take medication that keeps u up have you tried melatonin all natural and tried exercise b4 sleep
Hachimomma
24 Jan 2018
Not much caffeine it's my anti rejection medication for my new liver to stay healthy, I'll always have to take it. That's the reason of insomnia
Med-X
2 April 2017
You can take a pretty large amount of Klonopin to go to sleep but I don't advise it because it will knock you on your butt. 1mg Klonopin works for severe anxiety but you have to take it before you get into an anxiety inducing situation. If it's bad Doctors will say 2mg but not to exceed 3mg total in a 24 hour period. If your not doing anything, g you will just sleep but activity it slows the things rapidly firing out of place in your brain causing the panic attack. It's just a slower, longer version of Valium. Same reason they give it IV after or during a seizure, slows your brain down. Cut it in half, it works faster. Take 1mg with sleep meds and you'll be OK as long as you don't weigh less than 125lbs. I am not a medical proffesional so all my advice is just that, non proffesional life advice. Good luck and sweet dreams
Hachimomma
24 Jan 2018
Took klonopin and it had a reverse effect on me bp was 166/102, 177/100 and 166/99. It works opposite for me. I'm so frustrated, getting nerve block tomorrow not in the mood no sleep. Anything else?
Mandy_Leigh
15 Jan 2017
My doctor just prescribed me 10mg of Ambien because I don't sleep for 2 days, and then I crash the 3rd day and this is now a constant cycle. Last night was the first night I tried Ambien, and it didn't work. I tried it tonight aroun 9, probably fell "somewhat" asleep by 10 (definitely not REM), and I woke up at 12:00 a.m. I'm not sleepy at all. I also take .5mg of Klonopin twice a day. If I save it until bedtime, it will help me go to sleep but not really stay asleep. My doctor prescribed me Seroquel several months back. I tried the lowest dose for a couple of weeks, but it would knock me out in 10 minutes, and I'd stay asleep for no less than 12 hours, which is terrible when you have a 5 year-old and a 10 year-old to take care of. I also had terrible night terrors, woke myself up every night crying, soaked in sweat, and talking loudly in my sleep. The most horrific and depressing dreams I've ever had.
I felt so hungover when I woke up that I couldn't function the next day. Couldn't even walk straight. One evening, I took the Seroquel but had to stay up for some reason, and I was like one of those super medicated psych patients. I was walking around drooling, walking so slow, and nothing made sense. I'm not psychotic, but Seroquel is an antipsychotic drug and a sedative. I have two full bottles and I refuse to take any more. Melatonin will put me to sleep, but forget staying asleep. I'm not sure if maybe the 10mg of Ambien is just not enough, or if Ambien is just not working for me at all. It's now 2:10 a.m., and I've taken 2 Klonopin and I'm sipping wine to make it kick in faster. Hopefully I'll be back asleep soon, and up early enough to enjoy the day with my kids. Side note: I also take Paxil, Wellbutrin, Propanol, Adderall, and Lamictal. I'm depressive Bipolar. BTW, I don't recommend Benadryl for a nightly sleep ritual. You don't want to build up a tolerance for it and God forbid have an allergic reaction to something causing you to really need it.
Ambiengenericweak
9 Jan 2018
My opinion is the generic is very weak ..I have been taking ambien for 8 years .new insurance the last 2 will not pay for brand name ..I was a zombie 3 maybe 4 hours sleep on generic.the worst (TEVA) hands down . I had my pharmacy switch to brand name by sonofi.and last nite 7 hours sleep!!! Yes!! It's very expensive but I will call around and find a pharmacy that carries generic torrent.or sonofi brand they are supposed to be high rated to work ..check your bottle and s3 who the manufacturer is .that will help shop around to pharmacies that carry those brands that the reviews say works and switch over. I have read so many bad reviews about teva brand generic ambien so I feel something is not right about them (((alledgedly)))
Hachimomma
24 Jan 2018
I'm a post transplant survivor, bad insomnia from anti rejection drugs. Just tried Ambien 10mg nothing, 100mg seraquel nothing, melatonin nothing, trazadone nothing, my xanax is for anxiety i don't sleep on it. Anything else to try. My fitbit says I get 12.5 rested hours of sleep a WEEK! I need something else..
chuck1957
20 Oct 2016
Jessiegurl; I would stop taking the Ambien now!!! And you really have to get in to see the doctor and explain all of this to the doctor, They have many things but it's up to the doctor to decide what to try for you as I SEE many people said Trazodone. That has also worked well for me also, Then many swears by Seroquel also another medication that they add with others for us with panic attacks. But does help people get to sleep. This must be very hard with all the other stuff you have going on. But well worth the try. Myself I have also suffered from this junk for as long as I can remember. Best luck to you.
jessiesgurl
20 Oct 2016
Thank you for your concern. I do not take ambien anymore. I stopped because my co-pay went up to $100. Once the price went down I tried it again. I see now that it had a lot to do with my anxiety so I do not take it. I have my primary care dr and my osteopath both trying to help me with the sleep. I'm going to ask about the Seroquel. I will try anything. I have my anxiety under control but never the sleep. On a good night I sleep 6 hours. I have a lot of pain which interferes with sleep. I really do appreciate your comments. Thank you
chuck1957
20 Oct 2016
Jessiegurl; Not a problem at all, Believe me, I know how this goes and we sure need any sleep we can get. But yes there are several sleeping aids that are all in a different class that could be your answer never give up and above all, Stay Positive they well find something soon I hope.
jessiesgurl
20 Oct 2016
I am so sorry. You sound like me. Insomnia is the worst and I have had since I was a child.
I, too, had weird dreams on Ambien. I took it for 11 yrs. It was the only thing that worked..but! I had anxiety which was through the roof. I walked in my sleep. I would fall out of bed. I would do things in the middle of the night that I didn't remember. I quit taking it and still have a full bottle here.
My doctor tried Lunesta. It did not work. I have tried the very expensive Belsomra. It didn't work either nor did Doxepin.
I now take trazodone. I have chronic pain which keeps up at night. I also take Tizanidine which is a stronger med for muscle spasms and I only take it at night.
I do take 2 Benadryl as well at bedtime.
I am feeling that your insomnia is connected to some anxiety. You want to sleep so badly that you anticipate it. You keep saying "I have to sleep! I have to sleep!" but you are still awake. I used to drink Nyquil too. I don't think my MD really understands the frustration, disappointment, and depression that comes with no sleep.
I really can't give you help because I do not know myself. Clearing your mind... a hot shower. ... a cup of hot tea... and something like a lavender Yankee Candle do help. You have to try to unschool your mind from what it has been programmed to with your insomnia.
I definitely can relate to your situation. There aren't that many sleeping meds out there. I wish you lots of luck... Jamie
Buck2504
20 Oct 2016
Have you ever tried Melatonin? It's a natural OTC product that you can get at almost any drug store or box store. Its relitively inexpensive and it works for me. I take 10mg about 1/2 hour before I want to go to bed and it usually makes me drowsy enough to fall asleep. Start at a lower dose and work up to a dose that works for you. My Dr has approved of me taking this drug. Good luck.
Buck2504
Unhappilymisfit
20 Oct 2016
I agree with trying melatonin. It doesn't work like a typical sleep med, it helps the body get into a natural cycle. It has worked wonders for me now that I take it regularly... Not every medication works on everything, I would add that I exercise regularly as well, walk and/ or swim everyday!!! It is one if THE best medications for me. Mental exhaustion is difficult because your mind never stops. Physical helps put all that to rest. I know it's not easy to start, but once you do, I think it can help you and your anxiety as well. We all have the time, when you think about it 1 hour is only like 4% of our day... Get outside with some upbeat music, you have nothing to lose... You are Not alone!
Best wishes!
pendragn52
19 Oct 2016
I'm very sorry. I'm in the same boat. Three bad nights in a row, Stayed up later, took 10mg, takes almost an hour to work, and I get 3-3.5 hrs. I've been awake since 1 am. Help? The doctors will not help. I have gotten lectures from a doctor about "sleep hygiene." Taking warm milk and tryptophan. Deep-breathing exercises. They don't care and it's about doctor liability. No wonder people abuse and knock themselves out with alcohol.
Scrumbles
12 March 2012
Ambien is horrible. I tried it and felt more tired since I didn't get any REM sleep. Ambien is also very addicting. I use to work in a hospital and worked with patients addicted to ambien. I use to really struggle with sleeping. It was terrible. My md put me on Effexor. I used Xanax with it for a couple of weeks until the Effexor took full affect. Then stopped the xanax.It worked for me. Good luck, really. I know how horrible not sleeping feels. I watched more biographies on tv at 2am than I care to admit!
Related topics
ambien, celexa, klonopin, depression, anxiety, insomnia, panic disorder, anxiety and stress
Further information
Similar questions
Search for questions
Still looking for answers? Try searching for what you seek or ask your own question.
