Ambien

[Still Trying]

Positive Ambien experience

I have been taking Ambien and Ambien CR off and on for the past three and a half years, and I have had no problems with it. It has been a huge help to me. My doctor prescribed it for me when I was having escalating anxiety attacks and was waking up 20+ times per night. I was scared of taking it because of all the bad press, but my doctor said he had only one issue with a patient taking it, and to try it. I took it every night for five months, and wanted to get off of it. I was scared of the withdrawal/rebound horror stories, but I didn't have much problem. It took a long time to fall asleep the first few nights, but that could have been my fear of not sleeping as much as the drug.

Since then, I have taken it off and on as needed, sometimes for up to a month at a time with no problems. I use the CR because it doesn't wear off in the middle of the night, but I have had no problems with it either.

I'm lucky in that I have doctor I trust and who is so willing to work with me. One thing he told me that reassured me was that he didn't think I was in much danger of getting addicted because I was so worried about it. Whether that's a general truth or not, it has helped me immensely, in that I take the Ambien and the xanax when I feel the anxiety building and then I can cut it off before it takes control of my life.

 

[sigh]

I meant a rubber stopper up there.

Additionally. If trazodone weren't such a difficult drug, I'd take it. If Lunesta worked, I'd take it. Now I am sleeping but having horrible nightmares. Trapped—I think your experience says it all. It can be a truly dangerous drug. But I make that choice when I pull out my night meds to take it.

 

[Pam]

I came down with whooping cough in May and could not sleep, since I coughed even with a prescription cough med. So doc gave me Ambien. It seemed to actually keep me more awake (maybe because I am hyperactive and it worked just the opposite on me?). So I just took antihistamine (which you are NOT supposed to take with whooping cough). It was the only way I could sleep through the night. I threw the Ambien in the trash. I am finally over whooping cough, thank God.

By the way, if you haven't had a tetanus shot in the last 5 years go get one. The new one has a whooping cough booster dose in it. Even if you had whooping cough as a child or was vaccinated, the protection wears off. C got whooping cough from me and he had it as a child.

 

[insomnia]

I been on Ambien for almost a year and so far it works for me sometimes.

But the side effects are really crazy . I've took ambien many times and didn't sleep and although I don't recall it I went online posted things on facebook,
, talked to people, called people , and even was intimate with my boyfriend. But I don't remember anything at all.

I can't sleep if I don't use ambien so even though I do crazy things on it I still have to take it.

 

[growingpains]

I used to have a prescription for Ambien and it worked well for me when I needed it. I don't remember any problem when I didn't take it anymore but I am very cautious about putting chemicals in my body. Hope you find something that works for you!

 

[Muncher72]

Addiction And Ambien

I too am an addict of the cocaine variety. I could not fall asleep, and when I did I had horrible night terrors and woke up at 1 or 2 in the morning unable to go back to sleep.

I Started on Ambien at 20 mg at bedtime and still woke up at 2 in the morning with terrible dreams and talking/yelling in my sleep. My doctor who is fully aware of my drug abuse history increased my dose to 40 mg at bedtime.

Now, I am staying sleep until 4 or 5 in the morning, and am having fewer dreams, or at least not remembering them, and am extremely grateful for that. I feel rested. I don't feel 'dependant' on them per se, but I havn't found the need yet to try and sleep without them. I'd rather get the rest. If it is a dependancy issue, I'd rather be dependant on a sleep aid than cocaine.