Ambien

[Binarydrone]

Who here has used this stuff? I have been suffering from horrible insomnia for a few months now and finally went to the doctor who gave me a scrip. I have taken it 2 times and I am not sure but I think that I may be immune to it or something. Everything that I have ever read about it is along the lines that it essentially knocks you the fuck out for 8 hours and you had better be in bed lying down as you take the pill.

But for me it seemed to help me fall asleep but I am still waking up after about 4 hours. Which I admit is (sadly) an improvement but my sleep pattern at its worst is that I always can fall asleep, I just can’t stay that way. So I might wake up every hour or wake up after 2 hours never to fall asleep again. So what is the deal? What are some of your experiences with this stuff?

Thanks ever so…

[Solfy]

The first time I took Ambien, I was amused to see there were two of everyone on the television, then I rode a wave of sweet oblivion for four hours. The second time I took Ambien, two hours later I was awake again, and nine hours after that a person emerged from my nethers.

I haven't taken Ambien since.

Are you taking the extended release version or the regular version?

[Binarydrone]

I am pretty sure that I am on 10 mg of the regular kind. The label doesn't have anything on it about extended anything.

[Turing Complete]

Took it once, it helped me to fall asleep, but when I woke up, I felt totally unrested. I was later diagnosed with sleep apnea. YMMV.

[Solfy]

Originally Posted by Binarydrone

I am pretty sure that I am on 10 mg of the regular kind. The label doesn't have anything on it about extended anything.

The regular version will knock most people out, but some people have more trouble staying asleep than getting to sleep, or trouble going back to sleep on waking. That's that the Ambien CR is for - it's an extended release formula that's supposed to keep you down for the count.

A friend of mine had no luck with it, not with falling asleep or staying there, but he's the only person I know that it didn't work on. He solved his insomnia by getting divorced.

[Wretched Creature]

There are a couple things I would have tried before Ambien, which can have some scary side effects. You might have tried them before, but just in case:

Trazodone, a tricyclic antidepressant but more often prescribed for insomnia, I think. It worked really well for me when I was plagued with the early-waking kind of insomnia, and I had no significant side effects.

Of course, there's melatonin for a more natural approach. The only time I tried that was when I was having a hard time getting to sleep, and it wasn't effective. I'm not sure how it works on early waking, but I gave what I had left over to my aged mother, and she says it gives her a good night's sleep. YMMV and all that.

Me, I use coffee and Xanax.

[SharkB8]

Following Wretched Creature (you wouldn't happen to be a GB fan living in the TCs, would ya?),

I assume you've tried diphenhydramine-based products (Advil PM, Benedryl, Unisom).

I've gotten those sleep melts from Unisom and they taste a little chalky, but do the trick and keep me out for most of the night...

[AHunter3]

Oh yes. I have indeed used 'this stuff'. Yowza.

[Qwisp]

I use Lunesta. Ambien didn't do too much for me. If you are imune to Ambien I would suggest getting the 3mg of Lunesta instead of the 1mg. The lower dose will just give you weird dreams while you stay in a half awake state.

[Geobabe]

Originally Posted by Solfy

The regular version will knock most people out, but some people have more trouble staying asleep than getting to sleep, or trouble going back to sleep on waking. That's that the Ambien CR is for - it's an extended release formula that's supposed to keep you down for the count.

Yeah, that. Try the CR, or maybe a different sleep aid.

I've used it, and it works quite well for me. As already noted, contrary to popular belief, it doesn't always make you pass out immediately; I find the occasional Ambien sex to be kinda trippy and *really* awesome.

[Binarydrone]

I did try the Advil PM and Melitonin route and my metabolism pretty much laughed in their face. I think further complicating this is that I am on Welbutrin for depression (which can have an insomnia side effect but, unfortunately, seems to be the magic bullet for my depression where nothing else worked). I think that I may need to explore the extended release route. That is an excellent idea. It occurs to me that my doctor may have just assumed that I was having trouble falling asleep, not staying that way. I am pretty sure that I don’t have an apnea thing going on because I don’t sleep alone at the moment and have asked the POSSLQ (Person of the Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters to the uninitiated) point blank if she has noticed that or if I snore. Anyway, useful information all.

[Binarydrone]

Originally Posted by Geobabe

.... I find the occasional Ambien sex to be kinda trippy and *really* awesome.

Hmmmmmmm. Interesting. I will have to explore this thought in some detail.

[Lo-Slung Denim]

You'd need to check this with your doc if you're on other meds but I've had some success with Valerian extract.

Until I tried it, I had not slept through a whole night for about 8 years. Apart from one time when someone in the building below used aerosols and I got high and slept for eight delicious hours in a row(some strange dreams though).

Since having a valerian tablet at about 9pm and another at bedtime with my malty drink at about 10.30pm/11pm I have had at least four nights sleeping through in the last two weeks.

The last time there was a thread about this, anxiety issues came up. I had never thought about that at all, but I looked at some of the anxiety I was experiencing and have been trying to deal with it, and I attribute some of the improvement to this.

[Katriona]

My husband has found that he has to go directly to bed after taking it; no "just checking one last email," or anything like that. The last time, he woke up telling me about this dream he had that played out like a bad zombie movie. Then he checked his email and Netflix wanted a review of the bad zombie movie he didn't remember downloading and watching.

A blogger I read took it and ordered a bunch of these from Amazon, but didn't know it til they started arriving:

http://www.amazon.com/Barbie-Primp-P.../dp/B000J0Z5D8

Other than that, it knocks him out for the night.

[mlerose]

When I really, really need to sleep, I take a valerian extract pill. It helps me sleep on long plane rides, or when for whatever reason I just can't sleep.

I've never had much trouble with insomnia, save for a short bout of time while we were engaged and I couldn't turn my brain off. I wish I had more advice for you.

The only downside I've noticed to valerian is that it's kind of stinky.

[porcupine]

I take Ambien. When I first stared taking it I got some of the freaky side effects, but not anymore. I usually have to take 10 mg - the 5, it does nothing. I always take it right when I am going to bed now, not 1/2 hour. It helps, but doesn't work great. My brain is weird, though. I don't get pleasant side effects from narcotic pain killers, either. Vicodin ES will just take the edge off pain. I've had morphine in the ER and was completely lucid even at a high dose. The only pain-killer I ever got 'good' side effects from is demerol by IV. Even though I was still in some pain, I didn't care because of the distancing effect.

Have you tried taking melatonin, about two hours before bed-time? This helps me a bit.

[Binarydrone]

Originally Posted by porcupine

...Have you tried taking melatonin, about two hours before bed-time? This helps me a bit.

Yeah, my body shrugs that stuff off like it was nothing.

[Carolia]

Originally Posted by Geobabe

I find the occasional Ambien sex to be kinda trippy and *really* awesome.

Huh. I found the Lunesta sex to be forgettable. I mean, apparently I was pretty awesome, but I have no memory of it whatsoever. If I'm having as good a time as hubby says I was, I'd like to at least remember it!

[Geobabe]

Originally Posted by mlerose

The only downside I've noticed to valerian is that it's kind of stinky.

It's not jut kind of stinky, it smells like stinky feet, the smell is so gross. I had a bottle I had to store in a ziploc bag because even with the top closed I could still smell it all the time--it drove me NUTS until I figured out what the hell was causing it. It works well, though, so I keep it around.

[IronHorse]

Originally Posted by Binarydrone

Yeah, my body shrugs that stuff off like it was nothing.

Just wanna point out that the required dosage can get high relative to the doses you can find in the bottles: I was told to take 5mg, when the usual pills are 300mcg. That's 16 2/3 pills!

[Islander]

Of course everyone's chemistry is different, but reports have come in of some really freaky side effects with Ambien. In addition to those mentioned upthread, people have been known to cook and eat meals, or get in the car and drive somewhere, in the middle of the night and have no memory of these activities upon waking. Just a caution....

[Cat's Pajamas]

Newbie here, how ya doin'?

I took OTC pills for a time when I couldn't sleep. They didn't make me drowsy right away, and when they did I slept fitfully. I always woke drowsy and still had trouble sleeping from night to night.

When I had the occasion to take Ambien I did, and I fell asleep fast. I slept through the night and I had no drowsiness in the morning. Once I got into a routine I no longer needed a drug, but I heartily endorse Ambien since it worked so well for me. And I had none of those side effects that commercials warn you about. Chocolate covered cigarette butts? Yum Yum.

[FilmGeek]

I have some facebook friends who post their ambien experiences once in a while. Sleep eating is common.

One was having trouble losing weight until she discovered she was eating a few thousand extra calories while alseep. One woke up with marinara sauce all over her hair.

[Islander]

I hate to say I told you so but, well, you heard it here first. That stuff is the shiznit.
I mean that in a BAD way.

[Archangel]

Hits me like a ton of bricks. Seriously hallucinogenic, couldn't believe it was legal...and when I fall asleep (which doesn't always happen immediately) then it's impossible to wake me up. I have sleptwalked on it before and had conversations I don't remember the next day. However, it does NOTHING for my husband. And I was pilfering them occasionally from him and just realized a couple nights ago that he's 6 feet tall and 240 pounds and I'm not, so the dosage is probably way off.

[Caprese]

Originally Posted by Qwisp

I use Lunesta. Ambien didn't do too much for me. If you are imune to Ambien I would suggest getting the 3mg of Lunesta instead of the 1mg. The lower dose will just give you weird dreams while you stay in a half awake state.

I did okay with a smaller dose of Lunesta.
Ambien made me feel awake when I was asleep, and asleep when I was awake.
Took it once, maybe twice--never again.
Lunesta did the trick, and I really did wake up refreshed, just like the woman in the commercial who gets kissed by the Luna moth.

[Clayton_e]

Absolutely NOTHING over the counter worked (its all antihistamines for the most part, which, as my understanding of it goes, a histamine promotes being awake a bit more, its side effects can help you doze if you're already almost there).

I changed my diet to make sure I had three meals a day at regular times and tried to sleep a set schedule without having really late evenings too often like I often would on days off, staying up reading or watching T.V. until 4 or 5 am.

The doctor put me on ambian and it worked really well for me. I use it probably about half of all nights but I'm trying to set up a regular schedule so this isn't as necessary. Combined with my efforts I listed above I've been exercising a lot more at the gym and that seems to help my wakefullness during the day and, obviously, tires me out a bit so I can sleep better.

I've felt slight hallucinations.. Pretty much if I take it I gotta lay down and not do anything or the following happens:

Slight acid-like wavyness of things like my computer screen. Also the slight nauseous feeling, though much less than acid (yeah, like 4 times in college I tried acid, was fun but nah, no more crazy stuff).

Amnesia. I'm not talking complete blackout go jump in your car amnesia, I'm talking "oh yeah.. talked to that person on AIM for like 10 min last night and completely forgot until this afternoon." Slightly disconcerting, but again, another reason to just lay down. Again, don't try to actually do anything.. For the first couple times I took it I either tried to doze off watching a movie or reading a book. The movie was off when I woke up but I don't know when I fell asleep. The bookmark, however, was several pages ahead of where I thought I was and had no recollection of what I had read. I now take it and lay right down.

Walking.. Don't do it. Felt like the floor was rubber to me and I did slightly lose my balance. I wasn't going for a jog or anything, I forgot to switch my laundry to the dryer for one of the times I almost fell and another time I was thirsty and was in the kitchen. Another reason to just lay down and call it a night.

I'm trying to ween myself off it (or at least to really only using it here and there) by making sure I'm tired before bed. Recently I've only been able to do this by waking up EARLY (and going to bed earlier) to go to the gym. I've only just recently started this experiment but I'm happy with the results (AND I'M NOT A MORNING PERSON). Up here and there at 5ish instead of 7:30ish and to the gym well before work at 9. Back home for a shower and I'm awake and chipper all day after a good night's sleep from the ambian and the exercise.. I gotta go to bed... well.. now, though.. An absurd thought even a few months ago for me, but after being up and doing a good weight circuit with some cardio (again, all laughable scenerios for me at 6 a.m. just until recently) and I'm all set to doze in about another half hour or so.

Anyway, that's about it for me. I've been on Ambian for just under two months or so and at least in my situation it has helped my life greatly. Gone are the days of wandering the halls of my work appearing to be full of life and awake and cheerful (absolutely necessary for what I do) but inside just dying from exhaustion.

[Clayton_e]

Oh, I did notice for a short period of time, several days, I'd wake up a few times toward the later hours of the early morning.. 4.. 5ish and be very thirsty. Each time I'd get a drink of water and fall right asleep for another hour or so. At max this happened one night three times. It since has passed and I have no idea why it happened as thirst is not a side effect listed. Who knows, could've just been me.

[Capybara]

I've taken the normal stuff (ok-- I didn't have any side effects at all) and the CR, which rocks. I've also taken Lunesta, which I think made me feel funkier but I can't put my finger on it (I think it gave me more drymouth and 'hangover').

[Harry]

I've been on it for so long, it probably is more of a placebo than an effective drug. I'll take it at my regular time, then go down into my shop and work for an hour or so. Sometimes with power tools, sometimes just straightening things up. 'Bout 9:30-10:00, I'll go to bed, then wake up at 4:00. It takes me about 45 minutes to drive to work, and sometimes a nap is mighty tempting...I resist the temptation.

[mswas]

My friend gave me some after taking some acid once. Usually I can't sleep for like a day and a half after doing acid. But the ambien let me go right to sleep, but it wasn't a deep sleep of the dead sleep. It was a very nice warm cozy sleep that I had no problem waking from very refreshed. Usually acid ravages me and makes me very tired and irritable for a day or so after coming down. The ambien totally mitigated that.