Ambien. What's it for?

[Dunner]

I have insomnia and it sure doesn't put me to sleep. Took one 12.5mg CR tablet at ~11PM Wednesday night. Didn't do anything so I took another around 12:30AM (I have a high tolerance for most meds). About wore out my pillow tossing and turning. I think I finally wore myself out and got some sleep from 5-8AM. I had rubber legs for an hour after I got up. Thursday evening I took two at bedtime and still tossed and turned again all night. Friday, around 6:45PM I took two. Either it took 3 hours to kick in or I was just plain tired for lack of sleep the nights before. I went to bed around 9PM and I sleep and sure felt good Saturday morning. Tonight, Saturday, I felt I could sleep without the Ambien. After an hour, I was still tossing and turning so I took two at 10PM. More tossing and turning. It's about 4:30AM and I think I can get to sleep. BTW, I didn't take any naps during the day. Good night; gonna try again.

Booze would work, but i don't want to fall in that trap again.

[Dunner]

BTW, the warning they give you saying to take the regular Ambien as you get into bed are baloney. There is no pill that will make you fall asleep on the way from the bathroom to the bedroom. Even alcohol won't do that.

[CLIFFTALL]

I've heard stories of people sleep walking to the fridge and eating , unaware of it all.

Cliff

[Dunner]

I've heard and read of people driving their cars and not remembering.

[baraff]

Being a chronic insomniac, I am quite familiar with Ambien. For the most part it works well, and I find usually a very small dose will get me to sleep. (5mg)

(Note to Dunner: Ambien works best on an empty stomach, if you eat a big meal or snack before bedtime, it may not work.)

The only negative experience I had was with Ambien CR, (Controlled Release) I woke up the next day and went about my morning. Later that day, I realized I could not remember ANYTHING I had done that morning. Apparently I was with my wife the whole time, we went shopping, had breakfast out, etc, but I remember none of it.
I don't take Ambien CR anymore, just the regular stuff when I need it.

[clyon51]

I don't always take sleeping aids, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis.

I'm with you Dunner, if I take a sleeping aid, I take it an hour before bed. I want it working when I hit the sheets. Don't like flopping around like a tuna for an hour after I'm there. Yeah, like you're going to pass out between the sink and the bed.... I wish

[wardy]

If your problem is falling to sleep then the regular Ambien is best. If you have a problem staying asleep then the CR may be better. For me the CR leaves me tired in the a.m. & groggy.

[greggholmes]

You guys are lucky they actually make a medicine for you. I have the opposite problem. I don't wake up. As for sleeping I'm thinking of going pro.

[wardy]

Originally Posted by greggholmes

You guys are lucky they actually make a medicine for you. I have the opposite problem. I don't wake up. As for sleeping I'm thinking of going pro.

Wow you're right if I had to chose; But have you tried Provigil or similar class of drug for narcolepsy?

[taminator]

Originally Posted by baraff

The only negative experience I had was with Ambien CR, (Controlled Release) I woke up the next day and went about my morning. Later that day, I realized I could not remember ANYTHING I had done that morning. Apparently I was with my wife the whole time, we went shopping, had breakfast out, etc, but I remember none of it.

I had a very similar experience with Ambien. People say How can you not remember things? but it is freaky the amnesia the drug can cause. A friend also took Ambien for a short time. Early one morning he got in his car, drove down the street, and had a pretty bad wreck. He had no clue what had happened, where he'd been, etc.

I've switched to Lunesta and take it as needed (insomnia resolved itself but I still have trouble falling asleep sometimes). Very few side effects with it. Doesn't always put me to sleep but it's better than nothing.

[MickBrennan]

Voice your concerns to a doctor. Everyone has a different set of circumstances.

[Bowser]

I have a neighbor who takes Ambien. She "woke up" one evening in handcuffs, having driven 10 miles and crashed into a wall along a freeway with no awareness of where she was or how she got there. Another time she fell asleep talking on the phone, friend called the cops who had to break into her house.

Another neighbor taking Ambien and drinking sleep-walked off a balcony and fell 15 feet onto a concrete driveway. Messed him up more than a little bit.

Seems as if Ambien can be a dangerous drug.

[Dunner]

Originally Posted by baraff

Being a chronic insomniac, I am quite familiar with Ambien. For the most part it works well, and I find usually a very small dose will get me to sleep. (5mg)

12.5mg is the highest Ambien says you should take, but there were tests done with more without side effects.

(Note to Dunner: Ambien works best on an empty stomach, if you eat a big meal or snack before bedtime, it may not work.)

I am aware of that and try to drink tea later in the day/evening.

The only negative experience I had was with Ambien CR, (Controlled Release) I woke up the next day and went about my morning. Later that day, I realized I could not remember ANYTHING I had done that morning. Apparently I was with my wife the whole time, we went shopping, had breakfast out, etc, but I remember none of it.
I don't take Ambien CR anymore, just the regular stuff when I need it.

If I have a loss of memory, it is in the time I have been trashing my pillow. What seems like an hour is usually two, so maybe I do get brief sleep. Going shopping with your wife could have put you in a trance

I can't take the OTC stuff because it has Dyphedrimnine, which aggravates my Restless Leg Syndrome.

Originally Posted by clyon51

I don't always take sleeping aids, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis.

I'm with you Dunner, if I take a sleeping aid, I take it an hour before bed. I want it working when I hit the sheets. Don't like flopping around like a tuna for an hour after I'm there. Yeah, like you're going to pass out between the sink and the bed.... I wish

Capt Morgan & Coors is got me to where I am now. I think past abuse of alcohol has burned out my sleep receptors. When I drank, I slept great and woke up refreshed. My problem was that I didn't know when to quit. I could stagger with the best of them.

Originally Posted by wardy

If your problem is falling to sleep then the regular Ambien is best. If you have a problem staying asleep then the CR may be better. For me the CR leaves me tired in the a.m. & groggy.

My problem is falling asleep and staying asleep. My cheap ass regular quack only gave me 10 regular Ambien. I tried to ration them and only took one at a time. Didn't work

Originally Posted by greggholmes

You guys are lucky they actually make a medicine for you. I have the opposite problem. I don't wake up. As for sleeping I'm thinking of going pro.

I had that problem when I had my back pain and took too much Vicoden. Problem was, I could nod off, but not sleep, but it was a "I don't care if I don't sleep nod off".

Originally Posted by taminator

I had a very similar experience with Ambien. People say How can you not remember things? but it is freaky the amnesia the drug can cause. A friend also took Ambien for a short time. Early one morning he got in his car, drove down the street, and had a pretty bad wreck. He had no clue what had happened, where he'd been, etc.

I read that in the warnings.

I've switched to Lunesta and take it as needed (insomnia resolved itself but I still have trouble falling asleep sometimes). Very few side effects with it. Doesn't always put me to sleep but it's better than nothing.

I have a script for 60 with two refills. I'll see it he can change that. Should only be a phone call to the pharmacy, or, I could try three Ambiem.

Originally Posted by MickBrennan

Voice your concerns to a doctor. Everyone has a different set of circumstances.

I'll give it a couple more days and monitor my eating an napping habits. My Dr is a very understanding PA and is liberal with the meds.

Originally Posted by Bowser

I have a neighbor who takes Ambien. She "woke up" one evening in handcuffs, having driven 10 miles and crashed into a wall along a freeway with no awareness of where she was or how she got there. Another time she fell asleep talking on the phone, friend called the cops who had to break into her house.

Another neighbor taking Ambien and drinking sleep-walked off a balcony and fell 15 feet onto a concrete driveway.
Seems as if Ambien can be a dangerous drug.

I'm very conscious of any change in my behavior. Had a bad thing happen years ago that put my in a comma for 3 weeks from lack of alcohol(withdrawal).

It all depends on the person's philosophical state and if you have a doctor what will work with you.

[henderson]

Dunner, the CR may not dose you well enough to fall asleep try 1 regular and 1 cr. That should get you to sleep