As I previously mentioned; the biggest side effect is the unsteadiness when walking. That can be resolved by going to bed within 20 min. after taking the Ambien.

Also, some people do have issues with getting up and eating without realizing it. My daughter took Ambien a couple of years ago and said she would get up in the morning and find different items of food on the counter. She obviously had gotten up during the night without any memory of it. That has not happened to me.

Between my pain meds and Ambien CR, i am finally able to get sleep. Before Ambien, it was just too painful to even lay in bed. Since the Ambien...good to go to bed without pain and sleep at least until 6:30 or so.

Gerry

Erika, Willie sounds so wonderful. To think that he stays with you until you sleep, then goes to his own bed. Another story about an intelligent animal.

I too am up in the middle of the night on the computer, as that is my pattern. I sleep a short while, get up and do something and drink Ginger tea, and that will usually put me back to sleep. I took Ginger tea BEFORE bedtime tonight, and it didn't work this time. Probably an over-active day--out watching the eclipse in a park, driving to Santa Fe to see a grandson's Lacrosse game--just did too much. Tomorrow I will be mostly a vegetable.
But seriously, Ginger tea helps me sleep. I use a brand called Ginger Aide which has just the right combo of herbs for me. I too cannot take much medication and will have gastric trouble from some of them, and Ginger Tea soothes my stomach. I advise you start with half a cup and build up, as it is strong. I think other ginger forms would help, such as candied ginger cubes, but I have not had any of those for a while.

If I do not take enough magnesium and calcium during the day, I will spasm and jerk all night. I need at least 1000 mg of magnesium a day, about same for calcium. I take these instead of Baclofen or Zanaflex, which I could not tolerate, and the neuro advised magnesium. Good thing I had that Neuro. I take the magnesium at lunch and dinner, and the calcium mid-morning and mid afternoon, not at same time as magnesium.

Again I thank you all for the suggestions. Have had another horrendous night of being up ever hour from 7:00pm last night until now. This trying to get enough hours of sleep has become a job in itself.

The fatigue and increased confusion set in around 6:00 last night after an excellent morning that included a couple of walks with Willy and a visit with a firend who came over. The afternoon was pretty good too and was spent doing some light gardening. In retrospect, I probably should have called it a day right there; but headed off to the local nursery for a few vegetable plants. It was a zoo in there because of the long weekend and I already know not to go into busy market places...but I really felt quite well when I headed out.

Shortly after getting home, it took two tries to make a cup of herbal tea because on the first go I absent mindedly poured the tea into the Splenda bowl (have been off sugar for years), instead of into the tea cup.
That habitual stuff going wrong more frequently, tell me that the brain is getting more confused and at times like that I now know to just stop trying to do anything that requires proper cognition. If I push it, it can progress into scary stuff like drawing a blank at how to use a bank machine. Had that happen not too long ago when I was out and about. I knew my PIN but once I was standing infront of the machine, but I didn't remember what I was supposed to do with the card and the number to make it all work. Sorry, I'm rambling...

The sleep thing: Ginger-lemon tea is well stocked in my cupboard and yes it does help with the digestion and maybe even with other inflammation. Have also found that cammomile tea is good.
I take a mit full of vitamins and minerals including calcium/magnesium, Omega-3, Vitamin D & Bs, etc because of malabsorption syndrome and have blood levels of some tested regularly. Also take a herbal thyroid support which has allowed me to stay off of synthroid (talk about not sleeping), for the last few years. The thyroid issue turned out to be due to a problem with liver dysfunction at times, when it was not converting the T4 (storage ofrm of thyroxin) to the active form T3. So I also do things to support liver function and all has been well in that regard for the last few years as well. Rambling again...sorry again!

Anyway, the body is tired but the mind is wide awake now; so will do some yoga & meditation and then try for a lay down.
Thanks again for being here. It means so much to share this with people who understand.

Erika

I hope you feel better soon, Erika.

Erika, last night I was wide awake from the time I went to bed until 5 AM. It was probably several things causing it, but one thing was inadequate magnesium. I had changed to a new formula, and by 5 AM I figured it must not be as strong as my other formula, and I took a little more, which worked. Also, I was told years ago to take magnesium and calcium at different times; we need both but they are antagonists.

Last night my lower back went into myoclonic spasms all night, which is the lower back spasming so bad that it causes your legs to jerk, and they will jerk whether you lie on your back, L side, R side, or stomach. This is such a serious problem for me that I have developed an arsenal against it, including 1000 mg of magnesium, 1000 mg of calcium, D3, 100 mg of B1, and the Vitamin E complex i take seems also to be needed, as I've had some breakthrough "jumps and jerks" when I have not taken E.

Thanks for your suggestions and support.
I will be seeing my PCP this morning. Spasm in the back/torso has been a night time problem in the past, but now that stupid hug is back. Woke up after a couple of hours of sleep moaning from the pain a little while ago, so it looks like it will be another sleepless night...
Hope that the doc comes up with something that works. Will post with what comes of it.

Erika

Update:
I am trying baclofen to control the night spasms and it seems to be helping in that I am not being awakened so often by the jerking & painful spasms. Seem to be able to obtain more benefit from yoga stretching as well, so if that is all that comes of it, I will stay with it for a bit.
Any relief is good relief.