Ambien

There is a risk of dependence when taking something nightly for sleep, but in my opinion, as someone with chronic insomnia (without the aid of a drug), it is better to look forward to bedtime and get the sleep your body and mind need to be healthy than to lie awake, anxious and unable to sleep. I've taken Ambien, then Xanax, then Klonopin and now Lunesta. Periods of time in between, with no help, I had a lot of problems getting sufficient sleep and was walking the halls at night, all night. When I finally got in with a sleep specialist neurologist, she made it clear that we all need sleep and if we need help, we do. I also tried CBT-I and all sorts of natural things and sleep meditations but I just can't get my brain to shut down. If you don't have a sleep specialist, it might be good to get in with one and discuss your concerns. But meanwhile, be thankful for your medication if it allows to sleep peacefully, and be careful to adhere to your prescription so you don't run out.

Amen to that. Better to sleep than worry about addiction. My physician
said there are a number of sleep meds & if one doesn't work, he could
prescribe another. It is like any other medication. Do diabetics worry
about being addicted to insulin?

Thank you for your reply. Your situation sounds quite a bit like mine as I have tried those four medications as well, but found that ambien is the one that works the best. I am thankful that it works, but yes, it is a concern that I do take more on some days and then I do run out and I’m up for days. I know that I’ll never get off of Ambien or I would not sleep, but I need to show more discipline and adhere to my prescription as you said.

Everyone is different in how they respond to certain meds. Ambien was the first one I was prescribed in my late 30's and while it put me to sleep, I had issues with night sweats and anxiety, thus switched to Xanax. It worked well but a psychiatrist switched me to Klonopin due to the somewhat milder effect and longer half life. It was like a wonder drug for me until I was taken off it due to age. I was given vigtoril and remeron, neither any help at all. Tried Ambien again, but it caused morning nausea and daytime anxiety. Lunesta works well. I think these sedative hypnotic drugs are not as problematic as benzos, so I will steer clear. We all have to do what works. Good luck!

It’s good to know that Lunesta is working for you, I know it is similar to Ambien. I need to find my way out of this dark tunnel because all I wanna do is sleep. It’s just that I wake up and I have no energy to do anything or barely anything. I do not have to work as I just turned 62 but it’s been a struggle at my age to get some decent sleep.

It sounds like you might be depressed. Sleep is good when balanced with activity and joyful things. Sleeping too much is not good - 6-8 hours is enough and then we gotta get up and moving. I do a lot of exercise before noon - Dance, yoga, turbo kick-boxing, and I'm 66! Later I do puzzles or walk or read and in the early evening , fun and light TV shows. I bird watch and feed them, care for my cat and spend time with my husband, cook and clean a bit. If it is depression, then a sleep med is not enough. I have taken anti-depressants in the past and they helped me -not in the past 10 years or so. You will be ok!

Yes it is depression. Not much energy… so wish I could get out of bed with some drive. Sounds as if you got a nice life going. Maybe one day, I will wake up feeling optimistic and energized. But Until I get this ambien thing squared away, I’m just doing life one day at a time. Thanks for your reply.

There are sedating antidepressants that help with the depression and help you sleep better. Trazadone is an old, tried and true drug that serves both purposes. It is being prescribed for sleep instead of the controlled drugs by Drs who don’t want to deal with controlled, traditional sleeping pills. It’s not addictive. It does sometimes take a couple of hours to kick in so have to get used to taking it earlier. It might be worth a try. I hope you find the right one that relieves the insomnia and depression both.

I have been struggling with insomnia for about 15 years now. Started with Ambien, then went to Progesterone, and then Lunesta. But my body tolerates very fast and I didn't like having to take more to make those work. So then I went on Amitryptaline, which is a very old (and inexpensive!) anti-depressant and that worked for about 10 years. Until it didn't. But I have also learned to have a very strict winding-down period at night, and most nights, I can get to sleep on my own. I do take Xanax about once a week. So all I can say is hang in there, try the sleep meds that are out there, and stick with one while it works. It's worth it. I still go out to a concert at night occasionally, or stay up late talking to friends. I have a life. So those might be the nights I need the Xanax. I am mystified by the fact that when I was younger, I could fall asleep at will, without any assistance. But I thank God we have the results of years of medical sleep health research to benefit us, and I am taking advantage of all that! Again, hang in there. Use what works, and when it doesn't work or you need more, try something else!

I have gone through some serious bouts of depression when my father committed suicide, I developed a voice condition, and my son died in a motorcycle accident. I've used anti-depressants on three different occasions for 18 months to 2 years and they helped. I took them at the same time as sleep meds. Maybe a psychiatrist could help you. It is hard to do anything when you are depressed and/or not sleeping.