Aster
08-02-2002, 10:39 AM
Ambien is not addictive.
Some people can take it forever and it will still help them.
Daniel S. Harrop, M.D.
[removed]
oh, really? I'm quite surprised; this is not what I've been reading from many patients. Comments?
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Aster
[edited to remove address. Please do not post
contact information on the message boards, whether
yours or someone else. Thank you.]
[This message has been edited by moderator2 (edited 08-02-2002).]
Some people can take it forever and it will still help them.
Daniel S. Harrop, M.D.
[removed]
oh, really? I'm quite surprised; this is not what I've been reading from many patients. Comments?
------------------
Aster
[edited to remove address. Please do not post
contact information on the message boards, whether
yours or someone else. Thank you.]
[This message has been edited by moderator2 (edited 08-02-2002).]
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Megherc
08-02-2002, 03:53 PM
These doctors, really....
I am copy/pasting a portion of the PDF by Searle, the company who makes Ambien, that is available on the internet.. to use a very old phrase, this is called getting it from the horse's own mouth, I believe......
Tolerance: When sleep medicines are used every night
for more than a few weeks, they may lose their effectivenessto help you sleep. This is known as “tolerance.’’Sleep medicines should, in most cases, be used
only for short periods of time, such as 1 or 2 days and
generally no longer than 1 or 2 weeks. If your sleep
problems continue, consult your doctor, who will determine
whether other measures are needed to overcomeyour sleep problems.
Dependence: Sleep medicines can cause dependence,
especially when these medicines are used regularly for
longer than a few weeks or at high doses. Some people
develop a need to continue taking their medicines. This is known as dependence or “addiction.” When people develop dependence, they may have difficulty stopping the sleep medicine. If the medicine is suddenly stopped, the body is not able to function normally and unpleasant symptoms (see Withdrawal) may occur. They may find they have to keep taking the medicine either at the prescribed dose or at increasing doses just to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
All people taking sleep medicines have some risk of
becoming dependent on the medicine. However, people
who have been dependent on alcohol or other drugs in
the past may have a higher chance of becoming addicted
to sleep medicines. This possibility must be considered before using these medicines for more than a few weeks.
If you have been addicted to alcohol or drugs in the
past, it is important to tell your doctor before starting Ambien or any sleep medicine.
Withdrawal: Withdrawal symptoms may occur when
sleep medicines are stopped suddenly after being used
daily for a long time. In some cases, these symptoms can occur even if the medicine has been used for only a week or two.
God, I love the internet......
I am copy/pasting a portion of the PDF by Searle, the company who makes Ambien, that is available on the internet.. to use a very old phrase, this is called getting it from the horse's own mouth, I believe......
Tolerance: When sleep medicines are used every night
for more than a few weeks, they may lose their effectivenessto help you sleep. This is known as “tolerance.’’Sleep medicines should, in most cases, be used
only for short periods of time, such as 1 or 2 days and
generally no longer than 1 or 2 weeks. If your sleep
problems continue, consult your doctor, who will determine
whether other measures are needed to overcomeyour sleep problems.
Dependence: Sleep medicines can cause dependence,
especially when these medicines are used regularly for
longer than a few weeks or at high doses. Some people
develop a need to continue taking their medicines. This is known as dependence or “addiction.” When people develop dependence, they may have difficulty stopping the sleep medicine. If the medicine is suddenly stopped, the body is not able to function normally and unpleasant symptoms (see Withdrawal) may occur. They may find they have to keep taking the medicine either at the prescribed dose or at increasing doses just to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
All people taking sleep medicines have some risk of
becoming dependent on the medicine. However, people
who have been dependent on alcohol or other drugs in
the past may have a higher chance of becoming addicted
to sleep medicines. This possibility must be considered before using these medicines for more than a few weeks.
If you have been addicted to alcohol or drugs in the
past, it is important to tell your doctor before starting Ambien or any sleep medicine.
Withdrawal: Withdrawal symptoms may occur when
sleep medicines are stopped suddenly after being used
daily for a long time. In some cases, these symptoms can occur even if the medicine has been used for only a week or two.
God, I love the internet......
Megherc
08-02-2002, 04:18 PM
Also, I noticed you mentioned taking Xanax in a different post...that one is a benzodiazepine...typing benzo withdrawal in the search should pop up a website from the U.K., the one I mentioned before with loads of info...
Aster
08-02-2002, 04:20 PM
I believe the PDF, Meg. But I've nonetheless read that Ambien is not addictive (along with desperate pleas for help from those who can't sleep without it)!
It IS addictive for me but Xanax is not. I recall begging for Ambien last year before a one week trip and our pharmacist GAVE 10 to me and said I could pay him later! Which I did. I felt rotten each day following my taking it. It scares me now and I very rarely take it. Besides, I have an antihistamine , Atarax, that works well.
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Aster
It IS addictive for me but Xanax is not. I recall begging for Ambien last year before a one week trip and our pharmacist GAVE 10 to me and said I could pay him later! Which I did. I felt rotten each day following my taking it. It scares me now and I very rarely take it. Besides, I have an antihistamine , Atarax, that works well.
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Aster
chrysanthemum
08-02-2002, 09:22 PM
[deleted]
[This message has been edited by chrysanthemum (edited 01-06-2003).]
[This message has been edited by chrysanthemum (edited 01-06-2003).]
Megherc
08-03-2002, 04:41 PM
Chrys is right. Also, I imagine anything taken for sleep can be habit-forming to some degree, BUT between the three choices of Ambien, Xanax and Atarax, I'd chose the Atarax or any antihistamine over the other two in a heartbeat....antihistamines are definately safer and if you read the info, have less problems with side-effects and are basically non-addictive.
If it works for you, why not forget about the other two?
If it works for you, why not forget about the other two?
Aster
08-03-2002, 05:33 PM
Meg--if it works why not leave out the X? Here's why:
I have no side effects from the X. But an antihistamine will not work for more than a few days . Then the nightmares and waking up start. Just like with the OTC drug that starts with dyh....can't remember.
Works great for 2 nights then you crack up at 2am. And...that's the Reason people don't just stick with the OTC's to sleep! Right? If they were that great we'd not need scripts.
I'll do the best I can .
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Aster
I have no side effects from the X. But an antihistamine will not work for more than a few days . Then the nightmares and waking up start. Just like with the OTC drug that starts with dyh....can't remember.
Works great for 2 nights then you crack up at 2am. And...that's the Reason people don't just stick with the OTC's to sleep! Right? If they were that great we'd not need scripts.
I'll do the best I can .
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Aster
Megherc
08-04-2002, 04:11 AM
OTC meds are usually too mild, that's why they don't always work. Atarax is a prescription, so it's alot stronger, but sometimes when people take benzos for a long time or Ambien, other things will not be able to work. It's like bringing a pop-gun to war.
And it's war to your brain...it will fight the intruders(ambien, xanax) intil they are weak, then a stronger dose will be needed, or more meds that will make them more effective(aka drug cocktails). The brain needs natural sleep, and non of these drugs really give that.
If you look on the website, they explain insomnia and anxiety can last for months, or sometimes 1-3.5 years after the last pill! This doesn't mean 1-3.5 years without sleep, just sleep problems like sleep onset, length of sleep, broken sleep and REM rebound(nightmares). Doctors would typically say "you have been off pills for two weeks now, it's not withdrawal", but these are the same guys who say ambien is not addictive!!!
Technically, it isn't withdrawal, but a post-withdrawal syndrome, a recovery period which can be quite long...so sometimes a patience beyond reason is required, but it is worth regaining precious natural sleep, which no pill is able to really provide.
[This message has been edited by Megherc (edited 08-04-2002).]
[This message has been edited by Megherc (edited 08-04-2002).]
And it's war to your brain...it will fight the intruders(ambien, xanax) intil they are weak, then a stronger dose will be needed, or more meds that will make them more effective(aka drug cocktails). The brain needs natural sleep, and non of these drugs really give that.
If you look on the website, they explain insomnia and anxiety can last for months, or sometimes 1-3.5 years after the last pill! This doesn't mean 1-3.5 years without sleep, just sleep problems like sleep onset, length of sleep, broken sleep and REM rebound(nightmares). Doctors would typically say "you have been off pills for two weeks now, it's not withdrawal", but these are the same guys who say ambien is not addictive!!!
Technically, it isn't withdrawal, but a post-withdrawal syndrome, a recovery period which can be quite long...so sometimes a patience beyond reason is required, but it is worth regaining precious natural sleep, which no pill is able to really provide.
[This message has been edited by Megherc (edited 08-04-2002).]
[This message has been edited by Megherc (edited 08-04-2002).]