Please list your Ambien experiences - Sleep Disorders Message Board

Forrester · 08-22-2002, 12:56 AM

So we can all compare. My only experience is that it seems to work for me, knocks me out, makes me sleepy, I take just one half or one tab a night but I seem to need it every night after a while. I start out with just using it twice a week then I can't sleep the other nights so I start taking more Ambien.

A few months ago, I took Ambien 4 times a week for 3 months. I believe this was too long to take it. I think it's only supposed to be taken for 8 days? Does anyone take it long term? I heard it's addictive. When I tried to go off of Ambien a few months ago, I had withdrawal insomnia and cried a lot and had massive headaches. I guess I didn't taper down, must have gone off Ambien cold turkey-stupid! So anyway, I need to go back on Ambien because I can't sleep the nights before school and I was wondering how long everyone has taken Ambien, how frequently, if it's helped, things they've learned, any input good or bad. Thanks!

jeffm · 08-24-2002, 05:07 PM

I have been using abbein for just over a year now, I take it two maybe three times aweek.

when I first started using cpap I could not sleep at all, if I did fall to sleep i would soon wake up and my mask would be off.

I finally got my Doc to give me some to try and what a difference it has made for me. It allowed me the time to get use to wearing my mask and using cpap and to still get the sleep I needed.

I made the mistake of using it almost every night at first, I then found that I couldn't sleep without it.
So I slowly cut back to the nights I must have a good nite sleep, my job makes me drive 3 or 4 days aweek for
12 to 14 hours a day. After taking ambein I wake up refreshed with no "hangover". on the nites I don't take the ambein I still get a good nites sleep but do wake up afew times during the nite.

jeffm

Forrester · 08-24-2002, 11:35 PM

Thanks. I have been wondering if I could take it without it becoming too addictive! It sounds like it's working for you. So far I only have taken it once a week now. Am hoping to keep it that way. Don't want to get addicted again.

scbagrrrl · 08-30-2002, 06:52 AM

I go through phases when I wake up around 1am and can't go back to sleep - goes on for weeks at a time. I have gone through a host of different meds that I wouldn't continue to take because they left me "hung over" the next day. I would rather be exhausted and try to function than to deal with the meds affecting me...

Then my PCP gave me Ambien. Seemed to work. Still didn't address the underlying problem. Went to a sleep specialist that gave me a perscription for Ambien for 6 mos. I asked him about addiction probs - he said nope. Took it just about every night. When I didn't take it, I slept ok. I've gone thru 6 months of it...

Aster · 08-30-2002, 04:34 PM

I got a prescription for Ambien from an osteopath.
I started taking 1/2 a tablet; very , very quickly I
found I could Not sleep without it. I began taking an
entire tablet; the result of that was feeling very
hung over and exhausted the next day. I simply switched to Xanax and now only take 1/2 an Ambien if I cannot sleep, period, regardless of what I take and it still works . Taking Ambien is necessary for me about once every six or eight weeks. Some nights my head is simply Swimming with thoughts; very upsetting.

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Aster