I take it a few times a week...(5 probably) and I take half of a tablet so 5mg.

I find sometimes it works great where I sleep 6 -8 hours solid othertimes I get 4 straight and then another hour or so after tossing and turning for a few hours. But..it always puts me to sleep within 20 mins. and I cannot take it unless I'm getting right into bed (get dizzy)

I have had sleep problems long before my accident. After I built up a tolerance to trazodone, my psychiatrist prescribed ambien. It had the COMPLETE opposite effect on me. I didn't sleep for almost 72 hours straight. It was awful! (This was pre accident).

My sleep got worse after the accident, so they upped my trazodone and have me taking klonopin as needed to stay asleep.

lol I wonder if it would work now that my brain is all messed up?

I do - or doesn't the wife of a TBI person count? lol

Word of STRONG advice.... Be very, very careful with it. I have a degenerative thyroid disorder and one of the nasty symptoms of my thyroid level getting outta whack is insomnia, so I've taken ambien probably since it first came out on a sometimes regular basis (depending on thryoid levels).

Most people I've talked to DO experience some side effects from it, including the dizziness you referred to. It is very dangerous because you can take it, lie down, feel it isn't working (or you're thirsty or need to put the clothes in the dryer or whatever) and get up and do things. Problem is you are TOTALLY out of it mentally but you're CONVINCED you know what you're doing. This can create very dangerous situations.

I know there was a Senator busted for drunken driving years ago who was actually under the influence of ambien. Driving while taking ambien is one of the side effects listed, I think.

I've not had any episodes where I left the house, but I did get up and COOK (especially the first 6 months or so of taking it - this is also a recognized side effect). I'd get a craving for, say, peanut butter cookies so I'd go to the kitchen, get out a bowl and add peanut butter and God only knows what, mix it and put it in an over who knows how hot and cook it for who knows how long. It's a wonder I didn't burn the house down. In the morning I'd have NO recollection of doing it til I say the mess in the kitchen. ROFL but it's not really funny.

These days I dont get up and cook in the middle of the night (or if I do, I'm much neater and put stuff away as well as eat all the strange concoctions lol). I do find I have a weird thing that the morning after I take an Ambien I often get thru the morning and later in the afternoon I realize I don't have a real clear recollection of what I did that morning --- nothing like my psycho episodes at night, but still just feels a little "off".

So, I'd be very concerned and suggest you be monitored closely by a loved one on nights you take ambien. Given the physical and mental issues you already deal with, I'd be concerned about creating other problems.

That being said, my husband has suffered insomnia off and on since his TBI and has taken an ambien from my stash a few times. He has not noticed any side effects from them, but has switched anyway and now takes an Excederin PM or similar item about 1 1/2 hours before he plans to go to bed. That seems to help him - I know those meds have their drawbacks too, but I feel way more comfortable with him taking excederin pm than ambien and he does too.

Peace and sweet dreams to you...
Amy

I have been taking it on and off since the summer -- I have taken a whole 10mg tablet but i think that's too much for me. I have heard all the crazy things about people doing things like you mentioned. I even heard on radio one guy would go to an all night gas station stop and get rootbeer and a sandwhich and left his wallet there. The night owner knew the guy and returned it to his daughter the next day...he had no idea he had been doing this for a week!

I have not had any problems and never left the bed..but sometimes I wake during the night after about 4 hours and I just don't get back to sleep...have this weird racing brain kind of feeling (but I feel that way even if I don't take it -- and never felt this prior to pcs) I guess its just anxiety who knows! I have been an awful sleeper for the past 20 years and my husband's snoring sure doesn't help!!

I had awful nightmares when taking tylenol pm and advil pm and I feel sooo hungover the next day. I wake up (even with 4 or 5 hours sleep) and don't have a problem getting going the next day.

I really need sleep because if I toss and turn all night (2 hours at best without it lately) I just can't make it thru the day and by evening the head pain is unbearable.

What other sleep hygiene disciplines have you people tried to avoid sleeping meds?

Trazadone is a tricyclic anti-depressant. Never heard of it used for sleep. Klonopin, a benzo, is also an extreme measure for sleep. Continuous use of benzos is not recommended.

I too struggle with insomnia but when I follow my sleep hygiene properly, I sleep very soundly. So soundly that I never hear my wife's obnoxious alarm. It took a lot of experimenting to find my best sleep hygiene. Then, it still takes discipline to follow it.

All I take is 900 mgs of gabapentin (stops my body jerks and muscle tension). It does not cause me to get drowsy or fall asleep. I still need to follow my routine.

If you toss and turn, what is causing you to not feel comfortable in bed? Try resolving the comfort issues. The PCS brain struggles to ignore even very minor uncomfortable sensations. Try to find a position and situation where you feel suspended in air. No warm or cold spots. No hard spots in the bed. No sore muscles or joints.

I need something touching the right side of my face to sleep. The left side touching a pillow does not work. I also need my left arm at my side with my elbow bent and my left hand resting on my tummy. Otherwise, my left shoulder and elbow have too much sensation.

Lots of different combinations to try. Those of you who do meditation may have learned to identify a body part and relax it and ignore it. This is similar to finding your sleep position and condition.

I learned many of my sleep skills while trying to avoid carpal tunnel surgery. I needed to find a position where I could sleep soundly so I did not roll onto my arm and wrist during the night. The doctor wanted to operate but I was able to change my sleep habits so I did not need the surgery.

I miss being able to cuddle up against my wife on my left side but she also appreciates me not jerking around as I sleep silently.

Ambien every night or I do not sleep. Not happy about it, but then there's a lot of things I'm not exactly happy about.

kenjhee -- how long have you been taking it?
do you have any side effects...like vertigo?
do you usually wake up somewhat refreshed?

did you sleep soundly before your concussion?? how long pcs?

I work in the medical field and I've heard alot of people who have adverse effects to Ambien. I had one lady who was complaining of weight gain and the only thing that had changed was she started the ambien.

One night her son woke up and found her in the kitchen eating. The next day she went to get her cookies and they were all gone. She then started harping on her two teenaged boys and they were flabbergasted. They like, Duh mom you ate them last night. Needless to say she switched to Benadryl.

My husband took my ambien and one night I woke up to noise. My husband wasn't there. I got up to look for him because it was very late. I found him wandering in the hallway. I asked him what the heck are you doing? (He was loud and the kids were sleeping) He got upset and went after me. He is a very docile person and wouldn't hurt a fly.

The next morning I told him what he did. He had fleeting memories of it but thought it was a dream.

Needless to say we never took it again..

Like you, I do not sleep unless I take the Ambien CR 12.5mg, along with my pain meds before getting ready for bed. I started with the Ambien 10 mg.; but found myself waking up after 4 hrs. or so and in pain. With the Ambien CR, I am able to sleep longer.

I do not like having to take this either; but "it is what it is". I have always had problems sleeping. Tried using over the counter sleep aids; but once the Spinal pain and PN began, they were not sufficient.

I should; but unfortunately being with less pain, I hate to go right to bed. I sit in my most comfortable chair with pillows under my feet and love to sit and eat multi-grain cheerios. I frequently doze off and have gotten up around 3 or 4 a.m., then go to bed; but of course, need to eat a piece of candy or something sweet first. I do feel a bit somewhat out of it; but do know and remember what I am doing.(I have been on Ambien for a few years) I would not recommend this for anyone. You really should go to bed within a half hour. I promise most nights I will watch tv for an hour and then go to bed. So far have not kept my promise to myself. I keep hoping before I have an accident, I will get in the habit of going to bed shortly after taking the Ambien CR.

Oh, let me think...maybe five years? I can check with my doctor, but around there.

Yes on the side effects. No vertigo, but yes on memory loss. I can generally count on not remembering what I did in the last hour or so before I actually fall asleep. Also, strongly believe there are behavioral effects, i.e. I find myself doing some rather bizarre things, e.g. obsessive cleaning, that kind of thing.

No, I don't normally wake up refreshed in the morning, in fact usually come to in a fog of pain and fatigue. I will generally sleep in until mid afternoon, when a "switch" in my head gets thrown, and suddenly I feel rested and get out of bed finally.

It's hard to remember how I was before the accident...it was 35 years ago, and I was 18. I don't think I had sleep problems of any kind before.

I've tried other aids, for example melatonin, OTC sleep aids. They do nothing for me. Even a half dose of Ambien isn't enough for me. Gotta take a full round.