ambien wearing off over time/ weird effects

cuttingirl · Post by **cuttingirl** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 1:14 pm

I've been prescribed Ambien for sleeping and have been taking it for a couple months. It doesn't work anymore. Apparently I'm doing things and talking to people while on it and I don't fully remember doing this stuff. What is going on? I tried not taking it, and I was awake all night and don't feel good. Anyone else?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 3:24 am

Hey cuttingirl, I was prescribed ambien 10 mg last aug (07) after two completely sleepless nights back to back (I figured out these were caused by too much caffeine and 24 hr claritin D). I got hooked on them but they really had alot of side effects for me. They also stopped working for me, I was only getting 3-4 hrs a night, plus I lost interest in many things, and this added to my anxiety/stress. I had always been able to take a short nap(5 minute) in the middle of the day and on ambien I couldn't even do that, it was like my sleep was completely effected by em. After checking out the side effects on a blog and comparing some of my own I decided I really wanted to get off of em but I was scared to do it, because I thought I would'nt be able to sleep. I started cutting down the pills to 7.5 then 5 and mixing in 3 time released melatonin. That next weekend I just bite the bullet, went cold turkey, except for the melatonin and actually had a better nights sleep than I'd had on the ambien. I've been off for about 3-4 weeks(still using the melatonin) and feeling much clearer headed and normal feeling, although I'm still averaging 4-5 hrs sleep a night. I know I rambled on this but maybe it'll help you get off the ambien(ood Luck, BAKER

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:37 am

Wow, I'm finding many kindred spirits today in the posts. I am up to TWO Ambiens a night- 20 mg, and still have trouble going to and staying asleep. Have a baby that doesn't sleep through the night too.
Ambien causes amnesia, impulse behavior and is a downer according to my experiences and my doc. I wish you could talk to my hubby about my antics on Ambien. I am actually on the CR now and don't do the weird stuff or have as much forgetfullness. It's always fun though to look at my email confirmations the next day and see what the heck I ordered. But, I forget conversations, having sex, emailing people, etc.
I've tried all the other ones out there, but this is the best for me. I actually get panicky when it closer to bedtime working myself up to NOT get to sleep. I also have a weird superstition that a full moon will keep you from sleeping, and it's full now.
I just grab what sleep I can- sometimes I literally crash in spirits and into depression after going several nights without sleep. Oh, the doc put me on Zyprexa for sleep and anxiety and depression. It seems to work but I don't know if that's all in my head too or not. Bev

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 3:26 pm

You guys have really saved me! These posts are so reassuring that I'm not some kind of pill head and that I can get off these meds with my doctor's help. But in periods of mania I truly need them or I wouldn't sleep at all. I guess I just accept difficulty sleeping as a given in my life. Thank you so much for taking time to write. I'm going to talk to my doctor about tapering off maybe adding in melatonin during the taper. Thanks again!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:08 pm

I tried ambien for a while but could only sleep 3-4 hours. When my insurance wouldn't give it to me I just gave up on that and started using melatonin. I actually have had good luck with this and sleep a lot better. I still have a bad night now and then but beats what I was dealing with.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 4:38 am

Also wanted to let the ambien users(with no or bad insurance like me) know of a pharmacy in Newcastle OK.-Newcastle drug, that sells 10mg generic ambien for $9.00 plus a few $for shipping (for 30 pills). Walgreens charged me 70 for the samre thing. Their # is 405-387-4386-1021 n. main. st., Newcastle OK. (I learned of this on a local news story and the guy at Newcastle says he marks the stuff up 100%, thats just shows what I racket the big pharmacys have)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:16 pm

I take ambien and keep a chewable melatonin by the bed so when I wake up in 4 hours I chew it and try to stay in bed and usually get to sleep again and can sleep up to 4 more hours.