shelovescliche
12-03-2006, 10:08 PM
So in the past year I've developed severe insomnia, due to other health problems, and I've been on two different sleeping pills, because if I don't take something I won't sleep until 4 in the morning, sometimes I can't sleep all night, then pass out around 7 or 8.
I took Lunesta before I had ambien, and it worked really well. I went to sleep pretty quick, but my insurance wouldn't pay for lunesta after the first week, so I had to revert to Ambien.
Anyways, starting with Ambien, I started experiencing these TERRIFYING hallucinations. I'd actually SEE things surrounding me once the ambien kicked in; I'd see faces or just barely distinguishable shapes, and it made it harder to get to sleep knowing that if I opened my eyes, I'd see that.
I switched back to Lunesta (after FINALLY being cleared by the insurance co.) because I was having such a hard time with Ambien; I was told that it's very rare to experience such hallucinations due to sleep meds, even though it's a listed side effect, so they switched me off of it.
The Lunesta still makes me hallucinate. It's not so terrifying as when I take ambien, (I don't see objects in my room lunge at me), but it's still there. And every now and then, I STILL have nightmares, which started when I took lunesta.
The nightmares are ALWAYS about the same thing: the hallucinations I have. Except they're more vivid in the nightmares, and seem somehow more menacing or ill-intented. (By the way, I know this sounds completely insane.) When I have nightmares of them, I wake up crying. I don't scream when I get scared, ever, I just jump at the most, or in extreme cases, cry. And I wake up sobbing.
Over the counter things don't work, by the way. They seem to keep me up longer, if possible. Antidepressants don't work, and that's the first thing that they tried. I can't stop the Lunesta because I NEED the sleep.
Has ANYONE had experiences like this with any of the sleep meds? I don't know anyone who's ever had this happen to them, so I don't know if there's something I can do.
I took Lunesta before I had ambien, and it worked really well. I went to sleep pretty quick, but my insurance wouldn't pay for lunesta after the first week, so I had to revert to Ambien.
Anyways, starting with Ambien, I started experiencing these TERRIFYING hallucinations. I'd actually SEE things surrounding me once the ambien kicked in; I'd see faces or just barely distinguishable shapes, and it made it harder to get to sleep knowing that if I opened my eyes, I'd see that.
I switched back to Lunesta (after FINALLY being cleared by the insurance co.) because I was having such a hard time with Ambien; I was told that it's very rare to experience such hallucinations due to sleep meds, even though it's a listed side effect, so they switched me off of it.
The Lunesta still makes me hallucinate. It's not so terrifying as when I take ambien, (I don't see objects in my room lunge at me), but it's still there. And every now and then, I STILL have nightmares, which started when I took lunesta.
The nightmares are ALWAYS about the same thing: the hallucinations I have. Except they're more vivid in the nightmares, and seem somehow more menacing or ill-intented. (By the way, I know this sounds completely insane.) When I have nightmares of them, I wake up crying. I don't scream when I get scared, ever, I just jump at the most, or in extreme cases, cry. And I wake up sobbing.
Over the counter things don't work, by the way. They seem to keep me up longer, if possible. Antidepressants don't work, and that's the first thing that they tried. I can't stop the Lunesta because I NEED the sleep.
Has ANYONE had experiences like this with any of the sleep meds? I don't know anyone who's ever had this happen to them, so I don't know if there's something I can do.
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Jessbear
12-05-2006, 03:02 AM
I don't have hallucinations, but I do have very vivid and violent nightmares. I don't know if it's from the Lunesta I take though because I'm on a couple of other meds. If the nightmares I experience ARE a result of Lunesta, like you, I'd rather just deal with the nightmares because I need my sleep.
tami52100
12-06-2006, 05:47 PM
I have took both of them aswell I don't hallucinate the lunesta was good but my insurance would not cover it after the first months prescription but it didn't matter in about 2 weeks it started not working for me I would take it and still stay awake half the night.So my dr. pre. Ambien it works I will have to say that I take it and I'm asleep in no time but the next morning when I wake up everything is fuzzy I can't remember what happened the night before it is all just a blur to me. I know this is bad but this is how it is if me and my husband have sex that night I wake up and can not remember any of it and it makes me feel horrible because it's not like it is bad sex just can't remember. I have Ambien CR it is good but don't put you to sleep as fast and the regular and if I take it at 9 at night at 6 the next morning I am up.I know it could be atlot worse I am glad I dont' have hallucinations that would drive me crazy.
ParanoidHelix
12-23-2006, 07:22 AM
Well, the meds sound odd, and I don't plan on taking them now that I've heard that, but what helps me is Benadryl. It usually isn't used for sleeping, but since I itch at night and have restless leg syndrome, AND am an insomniac, it helps very well. Might want to consider it as a sleeping aid :)
SanyBelle
12-23-2006, 01:00 PM
I was in the hospital and I got benadryl in my iv to make me sleep at night and it worked well! When I got home, I bought a bottle of pills thinking it would work as well as the iv benadryl did. It didn't. :yawn: How much Benadryl should I take to make me sleep and how much per night is a safe dose?
kpoe
12-27-2006, 11:45 PM
I haven't had problems with ambien until this week. I did not remember the night before and now I wnder if it is causing any unusual heart rhythms that I feel. I want t get off of it now, but I can't g to sleep without it. I need to sleep so that I can get up refreshed for work and stuff. Anyone have similar issue?
ozzybug
12-28-2006, 04:16 PM
I switched back to Lunesta (after FINALLY being cleared by the insurance co.) because I was having such a hard time with Ambien; I was told that it's very rare to experience such hallucinations due to sleep meds, even though it's a listed side effect, so they switched me off of it.
Wow- I can't believe you were told it's rare to experience hallucinations from sleep meds, especially ones like Ambien! Did a doctor tell you this? What a shame. I say this because several years ago my doctor prescribed a very low dose of Ambien during a very stressful time (to my knowledge Lunesta wasn't available then), and I had a horrid time with it. I had the worst, most realistic nightmares I've ever had. I also woke up in my kitchen, and then after trying it again on another night and having the terrible nightmares, I woke up in my bedroom floor.
I spoke with the doctor about it and the first thing he said is that this is a very common problem with Ambien, and most other sleep aides along those lines. I ditched the entire bottle of those little "devil" pills. Not only was I having the nightmares, but was sleepwalking and not even remembering how I got where it was that I was waking up. My doctor also apologized for not warning me about this. He told me he usually lets people know about that particular side effect. He did specifically mention hallucinations as well. Again, this was all after the fact. I wasn't angry that he forgot to warn me about it because he's only human, but I certainly would have thought twice about taking that stuff.
Since then, I've spoken with many people who have had the same experience with Ambien, Sonata & Lunesta. My cousin, however takes Ambien and has no problems whatsoever. I guess it just goes to show how differently everyone reacts to different substances.
I know it's bad when you can't sleep, but in my opinion, it's almost worse when the medication that is supposed to help can cause so many other really bad side effects.
Good Luck!
Wow- I can't believe you were told it's rare to experience hallucinations from sleep meds, especially ones like Ambien! Did a doctor tell you this? What a shame. I say this because several years ago my doctor prescribed a very low dose of Ambien during a very stressful time (to my knowledge Lunesta wasn't available then), and I had a horrid time with it. I had the worst, most realistic nightmares I've ever had. I also woke up in my kitchen, and then after trying it again on another night and having the terrible nightmares, I woke up in my bedroom floor.
I spoke with the doctor about it and the first thing he said is that this is a very common problem with Ambien, and most other sleep aides along those lines. I ditched the entire bottle of those little "devil" pills. Not only was I having the nightmares, but was sleepwalking and not even remembering how I got where it was that I was waking up. My doctor also apologized for not warning me about this. He told me he usually lets people know about that particular side effect. He did specifically mention hallucinations as well. Again, this was all after the fact. I wasn't angry that he forgot to warn me about it because he's only human, but I certainly would have thought twice about taking that stuff.
Since then, I've spoken with many people who have had the same experience with Ambien, Sonata & Lunesta. My cousin, however takes Ambien and has no problems whatsoever. I guess it just goes to show how differently everyone reacts to different substances.
I know it's bad when you can't sleep, but in my opinion, it's almost worse when the medication that is supposed to help can cause so many other really bad side effects.
Good Luck!