Ambien withdrawal

[BH2004]

Anyone knows how long ambien withdrawal lasts. I only took it for 7 days. Also, the first night I took 5mgs then halfed them for the rest of the time. About two days after I stopped I started having heart palpitations and extreme anxiety. I seem to have an upset stomach everytime I try to lay down too. I have been through this once before when I was on Ultracet a year ago. I sure hope it does not take a long as that did to return to normal.

[Jasmine3704]

Hi - it sounds like maybe its something else that is going on with you. I dont think taking 7 nights of ambien will make you dependent on it - especially enough to go through w/ds like this. Did you ask your doctors office?
I dont take sleeping pills though so I dont know for sure. Maybe someone else can help you out - hope you're feeling better.

[sk777]

I think everybody reacts differently. I read one person who was here who had been taking it for 3 months and had no w/d whereas mine has been rather protracted. But I took it for a long time and a lot of it.

For 7 days I wouldn't expect much w/d but it sounds like you are having the same rxn I did: anxiety and heart palpitations, etc. My guess is at worse you'd have insomnia for a few days. I understand the lying down thing, for me it was extreme restlessness when I'd lie down that would feel sort of stomachache-y. I would have to kick my feet to expend the energy.

Hang in there, I can tell you from experience, get off now while it's easier. I kept putting it off and getting readdicted and this was probably the hardest week of my life.

Another thing, even at the doses I was taking, a lot of docs think the w/d is only a few days, but it's more like benzo w/d (also I was sprinkling in a bunch of ativan) than they realize. Is it possible though that you were having a lot of anxiety to begin with? Or are you w/d from something else as well?

[Arememom]

Hey BH2004,

I too doubt that 7 days worth of Ambien will cause withdrawals. I take them as needed and have taken as long as 5 days in a row without any problems. Same doses as you take. But who know how someone's body will react to any meds. Talk to your doctor.

[Constant]

Unfortunately, taking a benzo, if one suffers from anxiety is going to exacerbate the condition once the medication is stopped...it's a catch 22.

Speak to your doctor about this. It sounds to ma like Sk hit the nail on the head. You are suffering from anxiety which is now become more apparent with stopping your ambien. My assumption is, anxiety is what has been causing your insomnia.

Restarting is NOT the answer as it will only delay the inevitable and make it that much harder.