Stopping Ambien Cr 12.5 - Sleep Disorders Message Board

ventcrew · 06-01-2007, 10:35 AM

Hello Everyone,

I have numerous problems (symptoms) and am going through testing to find out what is wrong with me. Because of all my symptoms I was not sleeping at all so my neurologists decided I needed to be on Ambien CR 12.5. I am currently taking one 12.5 mg. Ambien CR every night. I have been since Jan 2007 (5 months). I work in a high school library full time but have the summers off. I want to get off the Ambien now or in a week because I will have the summer off and can deal with the not sleeping because of it. I have an appt. with my neuro on June 14 but was wondering if I can start weaning myself off of them. I do have a written script for 10 mg. I know that I can not cut the 12.5 in half but I was thinking about getting the 10 mg filled and using 1/2 a tablet a night. How do I go about doing this? Will I have any side effects. I am so worried I am addicted. I am ready for the challenge and I do not have any addictions to anything. Please let me know how to best get off of these things. Thanks so much.

Karen
ventcrew

copter105 · 06-01-2007, 09:49 PM

I seriously feel for you. I only used Ambien for 2 weeks and I feared that I was already getting addicted to them so a few days ago I quit them. I went two days without it. Didn't sleep a wink. So I took one and slept like a baby. Then went another two nights without it. Again, didn't sleep a wink. Last night I took one and slept like a baby. I think I'm going to just slowly ween myself off this drug using this pattern. Use natural herbs on the days I am not taking medication. I don't know any other way to do it other than quitting cold (but that do more harm than good, especially in your case). Good luck! I hope you can get off of it. Let us know how and what you are doing.

babygirl2005_21 · 06-02-2007, 10:00 AM

I don't know about Ambien but I do take Lunesta and I know I need to stop taking it! I just don't know how to do it and I am scared I won't sleep! I guess we are all in the same boat!

loolamay · 06-14-2007, 11:16 PM

I took Ambien CR 12.5 mg for about 6 months. Before taking it I slept less than four hours a night for almost nine months. I stopped, cold turkey, with my doctor's permission, five days ago. I was *very* afraid I wouldn't sleep. I am sleeping like a baby. I only notice two things: I *do* still wake up around 3:00 every morning, but I am now able to go back to sleep (I wasn't before). Also, I feel really fatigued by about 6:00 pm. I don't know if that is because of stopping the pills. I remember my dreams a lot more without the pills.

At any rate, I am happy with my ability to sleep after discontinuing Ambien CR, and I do not feel adicted. So, there IS hope. Hang in there!

babygirl2005_21 · 06-15-2007, 08:22 AM

Yes there is hope. I quit taking Lunesta after taking it for about a month and a half. I just substituted 3mg of melatonin instead. It took 3 nights but I finally had great sleep last night! Good luck to you!