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isn't there an Ambien extended (or controlled?) release? or is that what you are on? I'm sorry, I don't have any personal experience with it, I just know someone who has been addicted to it for ages. He used to have severe hallucinations when he didn't go to sleep. He still takes it and his dr is constantly increasing his meds because of his increasing tolerances. It's very disturbing. Maybe instead the dr should address the issue that he drinks a dozen sodas a day, drinks a dozen cups of coffee a day, takes a bunch of Adderall, smokes 2 packs of cigarettes a day... maybe that's why he can't sleep?? He does all that to combat the drowsiness of the increasing Ambien doses. Vicious cycles.
isn't there an Ambien extended (or controlled?) release? or is that what you are on? I'm sorry, I don't have any personal experience with it, I just know someone who has been addicted to it for ages. He used to have severe hallucinations when he didn't go to sleep. He still takes it and his dr is constantly increasing his meds because of his increasing tolerances. It's very disturbing. Maybe instead the dr should address the issue that he drinks a dozen sodas a day, drinks a dozen cups of coffee a day, takes a bunch of Adderall, smokes 2 packs of cigarettes a day... maybe that's why he can't sleep?? He does all that to combat the drowsiness of the increasing Ambien doses. Vicious cycles.
Many people without those addictions have insomnia, like myself. I find there isn't a lot of sympathy from people who fall asleep easily. I never have caffeine beyond my morning coffee, and can work myself into exhaustion, yet still toss and turn all night.
OP, I stopped using Ambien after my first prescription ran out. Now I sleep well using a combination of melatonin ( 3 mgs and I'll take 3 of them), and the Costco OTC sleep aid. I haven't had to up the dosage in a long time, so I think I've found the combo that works for me.
isn't there an Ambien extended (or controlled?) release? or is that what you are on? I'm sorry, I don't have any personal experience with it, I just know someone who has been addicted to it for ages. He used to have severe hallucinations when he didn't go to sleep. He still takes it and his dr is constantly increasing his meds because of his increasing tolerances. It's very disturbing. Maybe instead the dr should address the issue that he drinks a dozen sodas a day, drinks a dozen cups of coffee a day, takes a bunch of Adderall, smokes 2 packs of cigarettes a day... maybe that's why he can't sleep?? He does all that to combat the drowsiness of the increasing Ambien doses. Vicious cycles.
It's no wonder NO SLEEP, I don't take a sip of coffee after 3PM. I have a bridge friend who says she does NOT sleep and she drinks coffee all day and smokes all day. I've called her on her habit, but she does not care..
I do have my sleep remedy posted here, I sleep 8-10 hrs nightly. No pharma drug for me.
I've had 3 sleep studies which have been worthless. I think they are a farce. When I went to the first one I learned I could have brought a sleeping pill or anything else to help put me to sleep. The entire benefit of the study is to observe behavior while asleep. I never went to sleep for the first one. The second one the tech didn't tell me that when I went to sleep she would put a mask over my face. She slapped a mask onto my face and I woke up startled and never went back to sleep. The third one he thought I had restless legs, but when I go to sleep at home all the evidence points to me not moving much.
I hallucinate when taking antidepressants and quit when realized the cause, although they were sort of fun. Had them a long time, maybe a year.
For sleep, I take one med that makes me sleepy, plus I take a generic Dramamine and go to sleep less than 5 minutes going to bed. The Dramamine is because I have a postural syndrome which affects most people when they are vertical, but mine is when I'm horizontal. It's sort of a horizontal vertigo causing my bed to feel like it's rocking wildly.
Epsom salts are magnesium, and magnesium relaxes muscles and can help you sleep. There's an entire thread on insomnia in Alternative Medicine. It talks about supplements that you can buy for sleep. Maybe you could start on some of the supplements and at the same time, you could start cutting down on the Ambien. I'm no expert but you do need something to help you sleep and the supplements often DO work and you don't get addicted to them.
Thank you for the suggestions everyone. I'll definitely check out the mentioned thread. I take around 800mg of magnesium a day now, but do I need to take more?
I have a white noise machine as well (as someone mentioned). I am also on the extended release Ambien. I also rarely drink caffeine and don't drink alcohol or smoke.
Is it good to take any kind of sleep aid? Like Unisom? I just hate the thought of being a zombie for several days at work if I stop Ambien, but something has to change quick as I'm getting a PT serving job at a bar and may not get home till really late some nights (right now, I want to go to bed at 8pm....and I'm freakin 27).
Medical marijuana. It allows for exit from manufactured synthetic drugs that leave a trail of tears.
Learn to cook with marijuana, a nice canibus brownie an hour before bedtime will take you to the most pleasured sleep you will know.....the best part, you feel like your self in the am!
Start lowering the doses and see what happens. You need to ween yourself off of these sleeping pills. You realize you have a problem. Talk to medical professionals.
Agreed. Ambien is like most drugs that are taken long term-you need to taper off them when discontinuing them because your body is used to them being in the system. I agree with your doc; another sleep study is in order. The worst thing that happens is they find nothing and you've lost nothing but a little money. But if they find out the cause, you will get appropriate treatment and often sleep studies are the only way to discover the cause of a person's insomnia.
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hyped up on caffeine/nicotine
