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Old 11-28-2017, 10:20 PM
 
21,108 posts, read 13,411,210 times
Reputation: 19717

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Quote:
Originally Posted by ArmLizzie View Post
I couldn't sleep without it before. That's WHY I take it. That's why many people take it. Also your quotes are all from an anti-Ambien website. Of COURSE it is going to only include rhetoric, hyperbole, scaremongering against Ambien. Try reading actual scientific data, instead of opinions written by people with an agenda to push.

Ambien is not chemically addictive. Period. Addicts need to continually have a drug in their systems in order to either function, or maintain their high. Ambien doesn't make anyone feel like they need to have more for either reason. You can function in the day, without taking Ambien in the day.

It doesn't have the same medical effectiveness as benzos. That's nonsense, the two types of drugs work on different parts of the brain, and do different things. The purpose of Xanax is to calm a person down, or take the edge off during stressful experiences. Xanax is not a sleeping pill, and it's not prescribed as a sleeping pill. Ambien is a sleeping pill. Its function is to make people sleep. It is NOT used to calm someone down, it isn't used to relieve stress, or take the edge off. It is used to sleep. It is ABUSED by drug addicts, for a high, but it's a lousy high because it makes you sleepy. That's a good thing, because that's what it's for. If you're an insomniac, and it makes you fall asleep, then it's doing its job.

The major downside are the side effects - none of which are addiction. The secondary downside is if you have been taking it for awhile and want to stop taking it, you need to reduce your dosage over a period of time, rather than just stop suddenly. This is true for MANY medications that are taken regularly over a period of time. That includes antidepressants - which are also not addictive.
Xanax is also a hypnotic sedative. I am sorry this upsets you so, but Ambien is addictive. Your definition of what is addiction is incorrect.

Also, xanax used to be prescribed (as was valium) for sleep and still is for people that don't do well on the newer sleeping pills.
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Old 11-28-2017, 10:25 PM
 
21,108 posts, read 13,411,210 times
Reputation: 19717
Web MD is not anti-Ambien.

Non-benzodiazepine hypnotics like Ambien, Ambien CR, Rozerem, Sonata, and Lunesta, however, share key advantages over previous generations of sleep drugs:

They are
Quote:
less likely
than the older sleeping pills to cause addiction, withdrawal symptoms, or a buildup of tolerance (when you require more and more drug to have the same effect).

LESS LIKELY. Not non-addictive. You could have one person that takes xanax but doesn't get addicted, because it's not 100% addictive to everyone, and another person who gets addicted to Ambien for a short-term problem with sleep, turning into a long term problem. A forever problem for many.

Again, I am sorry this upsets you and makes you defensive, but these are facts.
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Old 11-29-2017, 09:52 AM
 
Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon
6,830 posts, read 3,184,202 times
Reputation: 11566
I was addicted to (prescribed) Ambien and alcohol. I spent 28 days in treatment to recover from the addiction. I visited with lots of folks who were also addicted to Ambien. It is so addictive!
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Old 12-02-2017, 08:57 AM
 
Location: NJ
23,789 posts, read 33,234,366 times
Reputation: 30585
Depending on someone's age, hormones may be a factor to why they can't sleep. I had issues with menopause; took estroven PM which was natural, while it took a good 2 months to kick in, it did help.

We use one brand of melatonin, Natures Bounty which Walgreens and Rite Aid put on sale for buy one get one free, you can also find coupons online for it. We only use the 5mg egg shaped rapid release softgels. I swear by them. For anyone who's tried melatonin and not had luck, try the Natures Bounty 5mg eggs. You won't be sorry. Natures Bounty also makes a dual spectrum 5mg melatonin that has a quick release layer with an extended release on the other side.


Quote:
Originally Posted by PippySkiddles View Post
I am on day 4 of little to no sleep. I have no idea why this happens because I keep the same schedule and for months I can fall asleep and sleep half the next day away. Then suddenly I begin to feel like I don't need to sleep at all. Which would be ok but you just know the body needs to wind on down and get some rest.
Have you tried to take a few baclofens? Some days I can get away with only taking them.

Having chronic pain can be a contributing factor. I've had sleep issues for years. Was put on Ambien years ago before generics; didn't work for me so I was switched to Lunesta which was wonderful until insurance stopped covering the brand one. Now there are so many generics that I can't just drop my script anywhere without asking which generic.

I lost my script insurance, my favorite generic would have cost me $100 for 30 days, my one pharmacy had another generic for $40 for 30 pills, I'm falling asleep but am not staying asleep, been up every morning either 3am or 4am. I can't function every day being in massive pain and not being able to get 6 hours of sleep. I happen to have generic Ambien XR that doesn't even work. Wish it did. I took 2 plus unisom, still couldn't get to sleep

Another product I like is Midnite. I wish I had $8 to grab some to see if it would put me back to sleep.



Last edited by Roselvr; 12-02-2017 at 09:44 AM..
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Old 12-02-2017, 12:06 PM
 
Location: Southern California
29,267 posts, read 16,557,815 times
Reputation: 18901
Calms Forte' puts me back to sleep with those middle of night wake ups. Drug stores sell it too in the sleep aids. Melatonin is in my sleep combo and now it's about 1.5mg.
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Old 12-02-2017, 02:15 PM
 
Location: SW Florida
14,799 posts, read 11,943,405 times
Reputation: 24514
Quote:
Originally Posted by jencam View Post
Unisom is said to be non habit forming but it is. I was taking double doses for years and my Dr. freaked when I told him. He sent me to a psychiatrist who put me on an actual tranq for 10 days? I think it was. To break my habit to the Unisom and regulate my sleep. Then, the task was to learn habits to sleep naturally. Might work for ambien too. Ambien, imo, is a horrible addiction.
Unisom has the same active sleep ingredients as any number of the OTC pain reliever/sleep combination meds, ie, Tyelenol PM, AlevePM, and so on. It's 50mg diphenylhydramine, the same ingredient in Benedryl, it's also used as an antihistamine.

I know people that take these often for sleep can become dependent on them, or something, but over time if used too often they lose their effectiveness, leaving the patient increasing the dose for sleep or looking for other sleep aids. I've used these OTC diphenylhydramine/pain reliever products occasionally for the aches and pains of old age ( mostly joint pain) or when I have had a medical procedure, and find them effective for both pain relief and sleep. But I use them, at most, maybe twice a month. I also don't like the mild hangover I seem to get in the AM when I use these products.

I'm one of those fortunate souls that doesn't need help getting to sleep, or getting back to sleep if I wake up at night. At least most of the time.
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Old 12-02-2017, 08:12 PM
 
282 posts, read 230,186 times
Reputation: 639
Quote:
Originally Posted by jencam View Post
Web MD is not anti-Ambien.

Non-benzodiazepine hypnotics like Ambien, Ambien CR, Rozerem, Sonata, and Lunesta, however, share key advantages over previous generations of sleep drugs:

They are than the older sleeping pills to cause addiction, withdrawal symptoms, or a buildup of tolerance (when you require more and more drug to have the same effect).

LESS LIKELY. Not non-addictive. You could have one person that takes xanax but doesn't get addicted, because it's not 100% addictive to everyone, and another person who gets addicted to Ambien for a short-term problem with sleep, turning into a long term problem. A forever problem for many.

Again, I am sorry this upsets you and makes you defensive, but these are facts.
You quoted and linked to this website:
https://www.addictioncenter.com/sleeping-pills/ambien/
which is not webmd.


Ambien is notorious for withdrawal symptoms and build-up of tolerance. I don't know which page on webmd you found any indication that it was "less likely" to cause withdrawal symptoms, or build-up of tolerance. It's on the patient information, there's almost two decades of evidence showing this. It's why it's not recommended for long-term use, though it is used off-label for long-term chronic insomnia.

Ambien is ONLY "less likely" than benzos to cause tolerance producing potential than rodents. It is "equally" likely to cause it in primates, as benzos. That's what we are. So your information is wrong on that point. It sounds like you are reading summary op-ed pieces, not actual data.

Addiction to Ambien is rare, EXCEPT in people who drink alcohol regularly, or who are addictive personalities in the first place, or who have an already-proven weakness for becoming addicted to benzos, or who take a dose higher than they should, as recommended by their doctor. In those situations, addiction to Ambien is still less likely than with benzos, but more likely than for people who aren't already addicted to benzos, or alcohol, or anything else.

You should check on the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, PubMed.gov, the Journal of Pharmacology, the patient information documentation, your local pharmacist, your licensed medical doctor, and the FDA, and read some actual science, before coming to conclusions about medicines you read about on webmd and an anti-addiction website.

I get defensive whenever someone calls me on my fact-gathering ability, after I have done my homework - and they confront me with statements that aren't true. That's whether it's about Ambien, or dieting, or riding a bicycle, or living in my state, or working at my job.
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Old 12-02-2017, 08:14 PM
 
282 posts, read 230,186 times
Reputation: 639
Quote:
Originally Posted by Willamette City View Post
I was addicted to (prescribed) Ambien and alcohol. I spent 28 days in treatment to recover from the addiction. I visited with lots of folks who were also addicted to Ambien. It is so addictive!
Yes, it's not hard to become addicted to ambien if you're an alcoholic. The patient information you receive with Ambien is very clear on that - you shouldn't take it if you also drink regularly, because it acts as a two-punch against the mechanism in your brain that makes you addicted to things.
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Old 12-03-2017, 01:20 AM
 
21,108 posts, read 13,411,210 times
Reputation: 19717
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roselvr View Post
Depending on someone's age, hormones may be a factor to why they can't sleep. I had issues with menopause; took estroven PM which was natural, while it took a good 2 months to kick in, it did help.

We use one brand of melatonin, Natures Bounty which Walgreens and Rite Aid put on sale for buy one get one free, you can also find coupons online for it. We only use the 5mg egg shaped rapid release softgels. I swear by them. For anyone who's tried melatonin and not had luck, try the Natures Bounty 5mg eggs. You won't be sorry. Natures Bounty also makes a dual spectrum 5mg melatonin that has a quick release layer with an extended release on the other side.




Have you tried to take a few baclofens? Some days I can get away with only taking them.

Having chronic pain can be a contributing factor. I've had sleep issues for years. Was put on Ambien years ago before generics; didn't work for me so I was switched to Lunesta which was wonderful until insurance stopped covering the brand one. Now there are so many generics that I can't just drop my script anywhere without asking which generic.

I lost my script insurance, my favorite generic would have cost me $100 for 30 days, my one pharmacy had another generic for $40 for 30 pills, I'm falling asleep but am not staying asleep, been up every morning either 3am or 4am. I can't function every day being in massive pain and not being able to get 6 hours of sleep. I happen to have generic Ambien XR that doesn't even work. Wish it did. I took 2 plus unisom, still couldn't get to sleep

Another product I like is Midnite. I wish I had $8 to grab some to see if it would put me back to sleep.

goodrx.com is a free discount card to use. It's amazing. There was a high-power antibiotic that my insurance wanted me to pay $200 for and it was like $20? through good RX. I don't remember precisely, I remember how massive the difference. Now I have both at my pharmacy in their computer. They runs scripts through both to see which is cheaper. It doesn't cost a penny. I have no idea why it exists, but I like it, and it's especially good for people with no script coverage at all.
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Old 12-03-2017, 01:42 AM
 
21,108 posts, read 13,411,210 times
Reputation: 19717
Quote:
Originally Posted by ArmLizzie View Post
You quoted and linked to this website:
https://www.addictioncenter.com/sleeping-pills/ambien/
which is not webmd.


Ambien is notorious for withdrawal symptoms and build-up of tolerance.
Thanks for making my case for me.
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