How can I get off ambien and still sleep

I agree…go to a sleep specialist! I saw one last week after 32 years of chronic insomnia and klonipin no longer helping. He has prescribed Belsomra and will continue to see me to find the right medication/dose. I took ambien 12.5 for years, but I just stopped and dealt with the insomnia that followed. Insomnia is miserable and is a bit hit to our quality of life!

I have been on 12.5 Ambien for many many years. Went to a sleep specialist and he gave me 3mg of Lunesta to take instead of the Ambien. Well, after 3 nights of no sleep…I went back to the Ambien. Anyone else experience Lunesta as being useless?

As long as the Ambien is working for you....why switch to something else? I tried 1mg and then 2mg Lunests with no good results. Flurazepam was the BEST sleep med I ever had! But of course...it was discontinued. Never had to take it every night so never became dependent.

You hit the nail on the head... QUALITY OF LIFE!!! Why can't doctors just give us what really works??!! I suggest you ask your doctor for either Flurazepam or Lorazepam.....both work very good for sleep! Good luck!!

Is the Belsomra working for you?

Sleep is very very important and if Ambien isn't helping enough....tell your doctor you need something else....if he or she refuses, get a new doctor..... seriously. Sleep is way too important

How long did you take to drop the Ambien? This might be caused by withdrawal from Ambien and not the Lunesta.

Second, typical Lunesta dosage starts at 1mg and is increased as needed to a therapeutic level.

It is suggested to gradually taper off of it because the withdrawal effects can be quite nasty - two of which are insomnia and fatigue. If you've been on it for many, many years, that tapering down can require a very long time and be done very gradually. Your physician should be able to provide a plan and and provide alternative dosages to assist. May also be able to split tablets to get lower doses a tapering approach would require.

I have tapered off of Ambien myself - it's neither easy nor quick.

I'm currently working on tapering off a different sleep med and am tapering by reducing the dosage by splitting tablets.

Hope this helps.

Well the Ambien wasn’t working as great as it used to but I still go a few hours of sleep. I decided to see a sleep specialist and he immediately put me on Lunesta. I asked about tapering off the Ambien before taking the Lunesta. He said I did not need to. Long story short, Lunesta 3 mg did nothing but give me 3 restless night. It did not work and I put myself back on Ambien. I sent a note to the doctor about this and have not heard back.

The sleep specialist immediately put me on Lunesta. I questioned this as to why I am not tapering off the Ambien. He said there was no need. I thought that odd. Lunesta did not even make me drowsy. 3mg no less. So back to Ambien. If you state that it takes a long time to taper off, I refuse to do such. I am a poor sleeper to begin with and I cannot take any more nights of no sleep.

Thanks for trying to help.

Yah....doctors don't like to prescribe the sleep meds that really work... Flurazepam or Lorazepam. For some people, Trazodone works....but it didn't for me. Mirtazapine is another one that works for some people. Good luck.