by mama1119 13 Replies latest jw friends
I have a close family member who has been taking Ambien for quite some time now, and is trying to get off of it. This person is having a tough time, not to mention they cannot sleep at all. Does anyone have any tips on how to get and stay off, and what to do for sleep in the meantime??? I would appreciate any input.
Thanks...Mama
I took ambien occasionally several years back. Ambien isn't supposed to be habit-forming, I thought.
I use melatonin with very good success. That isn't habit-forming either. Some people have trouble with it, I understand, but I've only gotten to sleep within 20 minutes and no grogginess the next day.
bebu
Taking 3 calcium w/magnesium before bed and cutting out all caffeine intake at least 6 hrs before bedtime is what helps me sleep. I used to hafta take sleeping pills, Ambien included. The calcium relaxes my muscles.
Reading in bed also helps. Especially if it's kind of boring.....like a Watchtower or Awake.
Frannie
I tried melatonin and valerian but neither worked. Then I tried taking Ambien but couldn't because of the grogginess it caused in the morning. I ended up taking an herbal remedy called 'Deep Sleep' which straightens out sleep cycles. It took a few days to work for me, but then worked well.
Ambien isn't supposed to be habit-forming, I thought
Actually, it is very habit forming, to the point that some need to enter rehab just to get through the withdrawal period. It can cause alot of suffering for the person involved.
Unforunately, it may get worse before it gets better. There are alot of side effects from taking ambien. I've had alot of patients go thru that, and I did, too. There isn't a quick fix. It's hard trying to re-regulate your system to regular sleep. I hope she didn't do it cold turkey.
For myself, and alot of patients I've dealt with, I finally found a really good "self-hyponosis" relaxation CD. Please tell her that if she's really having alot of problems, to contact her dr.
There is a "rebound" effect. That means for several days, or weeks, she/he may have more problems now, than when they started taking it. That is pretty normal.
Ambien Withdrawal
Ambien with the generic name of Zolpidem belongs to a class of medicines that effects the central nervous system, called sedative hypnotics. Ambien is closely related to a family of drugs called benzodiazepines. These drugs cause sedation, muscle relaxation, act as anti-convulsants (anti-seizure), and have anti-anxiety properties. Ambien has selectivity in that it has little of the muscle relaxant or anti-seizure effect and more of the sedative effect. Therefore, it is used as a medication for sleep. Addiction to Ambien can occur with regular use for an extended amount of time. Once discontinued, Ambien Withdrawal symptoms may arise. This creates a vicious cycle, the user has the desire to quit using Ambien, but the Ambien Withdrawal symptoms they experience are the same if not worse than before their initial use of Ambien.
Ambien Withdrawal symptoms include but are not limited to:
Melatonin works well for me.... If my allergies are bad (always in Houston)then two Benadryl do the trick.
Ironically enough... the Awake always put me to sleep!
I hope she didn't do it cold turkey.
She did, and her prescription cannot be refilled for 5 more days, so she is taking the plunge and not refilling it at all.
Hey Crazyblondeb.... The Ambien withdrawls are identical to WTS withdrawls...
I was on Ambien for close to two years...I had memory loss, but I got sleep. I finally weaned off and switched to Lunesta for a brief period. When I finally got df'd I was able to get sleep without any help at all. I find Ambien very scary, Lunesta was not as powerful, but it did help me without any side effects whatsoever.
