Many of you know that I take Ambien for sleep....the highest dose possible.
I continue to read scarey things about it and am afraid that I am addicted to it....developing a tolerance.
I have read that it has very serious side effects and is very difficult getting off/ discontinuing...that the withdrawl is horrible....that it causes rebound insomnia.

Here is my question for you fine people:
How many hours do you sleep a night? Is this enough?
HOw many of you suffer with insomnia? or sleep issues for that matter?
Have you ever tried sleeping pills/aides before?
If you can't/won't take them how does your not
sleeping interfer with your life.
Does this insomnia make you manic?
HOw do you deal with not sleeping?
Do you hold a job...have to get places the next day?
I ask all of this because I worry about taking all of this medication and what it is doing to my brain.
I already know that if I don't take an ambien then I can't sleep.
I wonder how long that would last....
Has any one successfully tapered off a medication?
Benzo or sleeping pill?
bizi

I hope that you determine what is going to be best for you bizi and that you're able to get some rest soon. I know you work and have to get things done daily and I worry about you taking this medication too. I worry about anyone taking it because of the serious side effects. Take care and don't hesitate to post about it, we're all here for you.

But I do have the SAD type depression when I am deprived of light.

When I was put on clonidine for blood pressure, I developed a huge irritability from it, leading to terrible insomnia. When that started, about a month after beginning it, I went 3 days with less than 2 hrs a night. I became very manic, and disoriented and desperate. Finally I thought...what the heck is going on here?
Looking at my meds, the clonidine was new...so I searched the net aggressively on it. Sure enough it causes mania in children, along with its cousin Tenex.
I found one psychiatric site that said 2% of patients may become manic.

So I really believe that severe insomnia wreaks havoc with your brain and neurotransmitters!

One thing that really helped thru the menopause (when I had most of my insomnia issues) is methyl B12 . I have a paper somewhere here on this board about using B12 supplements to overcome sleeping issues..... let me look....

here:
http://www.dadamo.com/napharm/store3/template2/b12.htm

Here is my question for you fine people:
How many hours do you sleep a night? Is this enough?three four -no it isn't enough
HOw many of you suffer with insomnia? or sleep issues for that matter?I do
Have you ever tried sleeping pills/aides before?yes and they didn't work ambien lunesta and trazadone....now I take four m of risperdal at nine to help me sleep about four hours
If you can't/won't take them how does your not
sleeping interfer with your life.badly
Does this insomnia make you manic?mixed mood
HOw do you deal with not sleeping?badly
Do you hold a job...have to get places the next day?
I ask all of this because I worry about taking all of this medication and what it is doing to my brain.
I already know that if I don't take an ambien then I can't sleep.
I wonder how long that would last....
Has any one successfully tapered off a medication?
Benzo or sleeping pill?

What is troubling to me is this hungover feeling...a drugged feeling that I have in the morning and I am so not motivated to get up.
It is like I am in bed 10 hours and it still isn't long enough....
for the past 6 months I have been taking the ambien earlier before going to bed because it seems to not be working as quickly as it used to.
I am taking geodon in the evenings as well.
only 40mg....maybe that has a sedating enough effect to be my only sleep aid.
The only way to know is to try.
I asked hubby what he thought....we will see....

bizi

Hi, Bizi,
What are you going to try?
Going off the ambien?
I'm not clear.

Basically you seem to be saying that you don't like the side effects of the Ambien and you considering tapering it?
Does Ambien help you at all?

I wonder if it works to temporarily take a long acting benzo while tapering? Is Ambien pretty close to a benzo?


Mari

The best advice I can give you is to get on another sleeping medication as you go off Ambien. Other things you might want to try are taking a hot shower right before bed, and getting lots of cardio exercise during the day. You might also want to try Tai Chi or Chi Gong - these techniques help one relax and sleep better.

-Noah

yes bobby, I think you may be right....
having been off the ambien since 5-17-08...I am very reluctant to restart that...but my missing work really is shaking my core.
I have to be able to work...
I have to stay sane....
we can not afford to stay in our home if I can't work...maybe I am escalating this,...and I need to calm down.
i don't know.....
bizi
thank you guys for being here.

Bizi,
Have you tried a late afternoon / early evening sauna, hot tub, or steam room? Hot bath with magnesium salts? -- magnesium has some calming properties.
Raising the body temp a few hours before bed can help I think.
OK. I am sure that you remember how this works better than I do but I am putting it out there.



I hear you about the struggle to sleep while maintaining work.
I also understand about your need to keep medicine at a minimum -- esp. the meds that cause undersirable side effects.

More hugs.

Mari

thank you mari,
I felt jsut awful today....and worked to catch up on a couple of clients.
Have been taking the slow magnesium tablets about 200mg at night for muscle relaxation, mrs D recommended that a while back.
I have heard about the warm baths before but I have shower issues....
See how I do tonight...
thanks for caring
bizi