|
|
Ambien
Jun 7, 2004 9:46:47 GMT -5
Post by Honeysmom on Jun 7, 2004 9:46:47 GMT -5
Has anyone ever tried Ambien (sp)? My doc wrote me the perscription for it on Friday and I have to pick it up today. I don't know the dose she wrote, but I told her I want to start as small as possible.
I have had a hard time sleeping for a long time, and my counselor thinks that if I slept better I would not have as many ups and downs with depression. I don't see the correlation, but if I didn't at least talk to the family doc about the sleep issues he wouldn't refill my Adderall. This also ticks me off, but that is a whole different topic.
Becky
|
|
|
|
Ambien
Jun 7, 2004 12:38:59 GMT -5
Post by sierra on Jun 7, 2004 12:38:59 GMT -5
I never took Ambien but I know someone who did. She said it really messed up her short term memory. It almost sounded like absense seizures the way she described it. Her doc had her on it for months. She said she later found out it's supposed to be a short term sleep aid.
How long does your doc want you to take it? There might be better sleep meds if its for long term use.
|
|
|
|
Ambien
Jun 7, 2004 21:41:01 GMT -5
Post by Honeysmom on Jun 7, 2004 21:41:01 GMT -5
Sierra,
Something is screwed up here b/c I posted a reply back to you and it is missing. Strange??
Anyhow, I only have a perscription for one month. It is 5 mg, which is the lowest dose, but the recommend only taking 1/2 the first night to see how it affects me.
The way it is supposed to work is that after one month you will be in a sleep patter (like letting a baby cry it out) or it won't work. If it doesn't work after a month it probably won't, so then I'll try something else. I don't recall the name of it, but it does something with the neurotransmitters and I am nervous about starting something like that.
As far as your friend goes, I read the info sheet and that makes sense b/c it does have a hypnotic drug in it. I can see where that would mess with your shrot term memory. It can also be addictive if over used so I have to be careful of that.
Becky
|
|
|
|
Ambien
Jun 7, 2004 22:16:38 GMT -5
Post by TexasMom on Jun 7, 2004 22:16:38 GMT -5
Steven's doctor gave it to him to help him sleep. He loves it but it's hard waking him in the morning when he takes a whole pill. A half pill usually works okay. He only takes it once in a while.
|
|
|
|
Ambien
Jun 8, 2004 16:16:08 GMT -5
Post by Honeysmom on Jun 8, 2004 16:16:08 GMT -5
Well, did that stuff work wonders!! I did take a whole pill b/c I forgot to cut it in half b/c I wasn't paying attention. But I feel asleep and slept soundly all night until 7:00 this morning!! That is the latest I slept in a long time, even if I work until 3AM.
I did notice that when I started to drift off to sleep that I felt awake, but knew I wasn't and I had some really funky dreams. It is what I would picture it to be like if I took drugs! Very colorful and entertaining, no wonder it is addicitve!!
Becky
|
|
|
|
Ambien
Jun 8, 2004 19:42:23 GMT -5
Post by TexasMom on Jun 8, 2004 19:42:23 GMT -5
Take it for a few days and then try sleeping without it. Sometimes just getting your body in rythm can help.
|
|
|
|
Ambien
Jun 26, 2004 22:23:36 GMT -5
Post by LaTonya on Jun 26, 2004 22:23:36 GMT -5
I take Ambien myself and I love it. I have terrible insomnia and I take it ever so often so I can get a good nights sleep. I wake up refreshed and feel like I had a good nights sleep. I hope it continues to work for you! I only take a half at a time only when I need it so I dont get addicted to it.
|
|
|
|
Ambien
Jul 6, 2004 13:56:02 GMT -5
Post by tridlette on Jul 6, 2004 13:56:02 GMT -5
Becky, sorry I haven't been watching the med forum.
I have been taking ambien for the better part of 9 yrs.
I started out taking 5 mg. at bedtime on an empty stomach (don't eat for at least 2 hours) and would be nicely asleep in 30 minutes. Enough that I slept through many ambulance calls when we lived in a town where DH and I took turns covering on call.
I now take 10 mg. every night. And I stay awake for over an hour most nights. When DH is away on business, I won't take it since I am home alone with the kids. Those nights I stay awake all night... even if he is gone for a week.
I definitely believe that I am addicted, and I spoke with my MD about it, and he acknowledge my concern, but said that it is not an awful thing to be hooked on, and said that since I do stop it every month or so while DH is gone and don't get SICK that I shouldn't worry too much. Given the history of alcoholism, he figures that it is the lesser evil.
This last 3 months is screwed up with the surgery and the percocet. I asked my surgeon and my own MD and my pharmacist, and they agreed with the anesthesiologist that I could take ambien and percocet together, but suggested that I only take a half dose of one of them. It seemed to do the trick. Percocet wouldn't help me sleep, and the ambien wouldn't help the pain. But 1 percocet and 5 mg of ambien worked nice enough.
NOW, another surgery tomorrow! I have to be in to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital at 6 a.m. Which means a long drive down the awful expressway. But, maybe this is finally the end of the long road!
Prayers please!
Laurie
|
|
|
|
Ambien
Jul 6, 2004 13:58:17 GMT -5
Post by tridlette on Jul 6, 2004 13:58:17 GMT -5
Becky, sorry I haven't been watching the med forum.
I have been taking ambien for the better part of 9 yrs.
I started out taking 5 mg. at bedtime on an empty stomach (don't eat for at least 2 hours) and would be nicely asleep in 30 minutes. Enough that I slept through many ambulance calls when we lived in a town where DH and I took turns covering on call.
I now take 10 mg. every night. And I stay awake for over an hour most nights. When DH is away on business, I won't take it since I am home alone with the kids. Those nights I stay awake all night... even if he is gone for a week.
I definitely believe that I am addicted, and I spoke with my MD about it, and he acknowledge my concern, but said that it is not an awful thing to be hooked on, and said that since I do stop it every month or so while DH is gone and don't get SICK that I shouldn't worry too much. Given the history of alcoholism, he figures that it is the lesser evil.
This last 3 months is screwed up with the surgery and the percocet. I asked my surgeon and my own MD and my pharmacist, and they agreed with the anesthesiologist that I could take ambien and percocet together, but suggested that I only take a half dose of one of them. It seemed to do the trick. Percocet wouldn't help me sleep, and the ambien wouldn't help the pain. But 1 percocet and 5 mg of ambien worked nice enough.
NOW, another surgery tomorrow! I have to be in to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital at 6 a.m. Which means a long drive down the awful expressway. But, maybe this is finally the end of the long road!
Prayers please!
Laurie
|
|
