I had a visit with a sleep medicine doctor last week after 7 months of terrible insomnia after tapering off Klonopin (slowly over 9 months). I tried CBT-I, all the behavioral hacks, Vistaril, mirtazapine, OTC Unisom, all to no avail. She affirmed how bad it is to not sleep - some of the side effects of chronic insomnia are the same as for sleep aides. She disagreed that I should have been taken off Klonopin by age 65, and would have written a script for it. I declined, simply because it was so difficult to get off of - miserable withdrawals for months. I am trying a low dose of Ambien and after 3 nights of good sleep, I'm a believer. I don't want to have to use a sleep aide, but it is so much better than being awake all night and a zombie the next day. Now, I just take it one night at a time, and continue my good sleep hygiene.
con123, glad the Ambien is working for you....but, it is also addictive (although they don't tell you that) and has withdrawal effects if you try to stop taking it. Your doctor should NOT have taken you off the Klonopin. It was helping you....what is the problem with that?? I just don't get doctors.... my doctor is finally okay with prescribing me a benzo for sleep.....only after a psychiatrist said it was perfectly fine to use. What's wrong with taking them every night forever if it's definitely helping us??!!
con123, glad the Ambien is working for you....but, it is also addictive (although they don't tell you that) and has withdrawal effects if you try to stop taking it. Your doctor should NOT have taken you off the Klonopin. It was helping you....what is the problem with that?? I just don't get doctors.... my doctor is finally okay with prescribing me a benzo for sleep.....only after a psychiatrist said it was perfectly fine to use. What's wrong with taking them every night forever if it's definitely helping us??!!
I would prefer to sleep unaided, but my brain won't let me. I tried all the behavioral stuff and still lay awake several nights a week. My sleep doctor affirmed that no sleep is worse than aided sleep but she also felt that Ambien had less "dangers" than benzos. That being said, she was willing to give me a script for Klonopin and still is if Ambien doesn't help. So far it is helping me get a solid night in - even at a very low 5mg dose. I'm happy with that. I realized there are problems with virtually all sleep aides, but when you have insomnia, the benefits outweigh those risks. I hesitate to go back to Klonopin because it was hell to get off it, even with a very slow taper. Time will tell. Wishing us all good sleep.
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I've taken it for several years and do not have tremors, however it does appear to make me feel persistently tired and have low energy.
Am working on adjusting my CPAP to improve its results and once they are good am considering tapering off the Mirtazapine to see if it is still necessary and causing the constant fatigue.
I would prefer to sleep unaided, but my brain won't let me. I tried all the behavioral stuff and still lay awake several nights a week. My sleep doctor affirmed that no sleep is worse than aided sleep but she also felt that Ambien had less "dangers" than benzos. That being said, she was willing to give me a script for Klonopin and still is if Ambien doesn't help. So far it is helping me get a solid night in - even at a very low 5mg dose. I'm happy with that. I realized there are problems with virtually all sleep aides, but when you have insomnia, the benefits outweigh those risks. I hesitate to go back to Klonopin because it was hell to get off it, even with a very slow taper. Time will tell. Wishing us all good sleep.
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Typically 1mg at bedtime - and once a week or so, another .5mg at 2 or 3am. I did not increase my dosage for almost 12 years. A very young psychiatrist was on a mission to get me off, and really did not care how much I struggled with the taper. He then discharged me just before my 65th birthday before the end of the taper, with nothing but an antihistamine. The practice does not treat "Seniors", and I did not know that when I signed on at age 64. I am still angry with how he handled it. I actually did ok until I got to .25mg of Klonopin. If I have to go back on it, I think .5 would work ok. One night at a time.
Typically 1mg at bedtime - and once a week or so, another .5mg at 2 or 3am. I did not increase my dosage for almost 12 years. A very young psychiatrist was on a mission to get me off, and really did not care how much I struggled with the taper. He then discharged me just before my 65th birthday before the end of the taper, with nothing but an antihistamine. The practice does not treat "Seniors", and I did not know that when I signed on at age 64. I am still angry with how he handled it. I actually did ok until I got to .25mg of Klonopin. If I have to go back on it, I think .5 would work ok. One night at a time.
I hope the Ambien keeps working for you....and if you do go back on Klonopin, just stay on it forever.....then you don't have to worry about tapering off of it. Sounds like your doctor is okay with that. Good Luck!
According to Mayo Clinic, Ambien is less likely to cause dependence than benzodiazepines. I think that doctors are reluctant to prescribe benzos indefinitely are because they’re meant to be for short term use. In saying that, lack of sleep can cause so many problems that affect daily living. It’s a trade off and we all need to make decisions that work for us as individuals.
All my doctors wanted me off lorazepam and I feel better now that I’m off it. I would not go back on a benzo for any reason, but that’s me.
Wishing you all great sleep no matter how you get it!
I have consulted a sleep specialist about my concerns. He feels that there is no problem with me taking 10mg per night as long as it works for me. I have seen him regularly for the last 2 years. I also discuss the situation with my family doctor. He also doesn't feel there is any reason to discontinue. I, on the other hand, want to get off of it. The doctors think it would be too stressful to try to withdraw and don't encourage it. Presently, I am trying to get off of my antidepressant drug, Effexor, with the help of my family doctor. Maybe I should get over the Effexor withdrawal before attempting the ambien, but I do want to find out how best to go about it.
I would only get of Effexor first before even trying to do both. Effexor is a hard medication to get on and even harder to get off and might experience nervousness that you will need that ambien for abit. You could also add natural things with it like 750 mg of gaba form Amazon or health food store, and herbal concoctions specifically for sleep like valerian root, chamomile, and some melatonin, maybe even L- tryptophan.
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con123, glad the Ambien is working for you....but, it is also addictive (although they don't tell you that) and has withdrawal effects if you try to stop taking it. Your doctor should NOT have taken you off the Klonopin. It was helping you....what is the problem with that?? I just don't get doctors.... my doctor is finally okay with prescribing me a benzo for sleep.....only after a psychiatrist said it was perfectly fine to use. What's wrong with taking them every night forever if it's definitely helping us??!!
When I take Mirtazipine 7.5 mgs. I get tremors. Anyone else?
I would prefer to sleep unaided, but my brain won't let me. I tried all the behavioral stuff and still lay awake several nights a week. My sleep doctor affirmed that no sleep is worse than aided sleep but she also felt that Ambien had less "dangers" than benzos. That being said, she was willing to give me a script for Klonopin and still is if Ambien doesn't help. So far it is helping me get a solid night in - even at a very low 5mg dose. I'm happy with that. I realized there are problems with virtually all sleep aides, but when you have insomnia, the benefits outweigh those risks. I hesitate to go back to Klonopin because it was hell to get off it, even with a very slow taper. Time will tell. Wishing us all good sleep.
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No tremors for me
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1 ReactionI've taken it for several years and do not have tremors, however it does appear to make me feel persistently tired and have low energy.
Am working on adjusting my CPAP to improve its results and once they are good am considering tapering off the Mirtazapine to see if it is still necessary and causing the constant fatigue.
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1 ReactionI 100% agree! Do whatever it takes to get your sleep! May I ask how strong a dose of Klonopin you were on per day?
Typically 1mg at bedtime - and once a week or so, another .5mg at 2 or 3am. I did not increase my dosage for almost 12 years. A very young psychiatrist was on a mission to get me off, and really did not care how much I struggled with the taper. He then discharged me just before my 65th birthday before the end of the taper, with nothing but an antihistamine. The practice does not treat "Seniors", and I did not know that when I signed on at age 64. I am still angry with how he handled it. I actually did ok until I got to .25mg of Klonopin. If I have to go back on it, I think .5 would work ok. One night at a time.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionI hope the Ambien keeps working for you....and if you do go back on Klonopin, just stay on it forever.....then you don't have to worry about tapering off of it. Sounds like your doctor is okay with that. Good Luck!
According to Mayo Clinic, Ambien is less likely to cause dependence than benzodiazepines. I think that doctors are reluctant to prescribe benzos indefinitely are because they’re meant to be for short term use. In saying that, lack of sleep can cause so many problems that affect daily living. It’s a trade off and we all need to make decisions that work for us as individuals.
All my doctors wanted me off lorazepam and I feel better now that I’m off it. I would not go back on a benzo for any reason, but that’s me.
Wishing you all great sleep no matter how you get it!
I would only get of Effexor first before even trying to do both. Effexor is a hard medication to get on and even harder to get off and might experience nervousness that you will need that ambien for abit. You could also add natural things with it like 750 mg of gaba form Amazon or health food store, and herbal concoctions specifically for sleep like valerian root, chamomile, and some melatonin, maybe even L- tryptophan.