Probably does, but I’m going to deal with it by seeing my doctor and a specialized sleep insomnia therapist after my Israel trip. But I’ve never gone so long without Ambien. Now I’m just Nervous about a night flight and sleeping.
acura1642 - An update - I am now off ambien, Xanax, Benadryl and melatonin. I began by substituting 50 gr trazadone for the ambien and slowly weaned off the other drugs. I have been seeing a sleep therapist for several weeks now. I am down to 37 gr tazadone and will continue to wean off that. I am doing deep breathing exercises along with TM (meditating), Trying to learn not to panic if I can’t sleep. Hope this gives you and others hope.
acura1642 - An update - I am now off ambien, Xanax, Benadryl and melatonin. I began by substituting 50 gr trazadone for the ambien and slowly weaned off the other drugs. I have been seeing a sleep therapist for several weeks now. I am down to 37 gr tazadone and will continue to wean off that. I am doing deep breathing exercises along with TM (meditating), Trying to learn not to panic if I can’t sleep. Hope this gives you and others hope.
@lisalucier - I’m doing abdominal Or diaphragmatic breathing along with transcendental Meditation for about 5-10 minutes 3 X day. I also just started using blue light blocking computer glasses for reading on my kindle before bed. Truthfully, I don’t know if these techniques are really helping! I am getting less anxious about getting a full, uninterrupted nights sleep. I think that’s the key. - to be less anxious. I still have a ways to go - weaning off the trazodone. Good luck to all going through this .
I have been taking Zolpidem 12.5mg for several years. I started on 5mg about 10 years ago and then went to 10mg. This treatment has worked well for me. I have tried others in the past that were not effective or did not work after a few weeks. I moved to Missouri from Florida over a year ago and set up my PCP at a family practice in the new state. During my time here I have never actually seen the doctor, only Nurse Practitioner. NP called me into the office to tell me the doctor (who has never seen me or spoken to me) has decided he will not refill Zolpidem anymore. I have never had a problem at all on this medication. Now, aside from the sleeplessness I am afraid there will be other withdrawals. Is there something I can do?
I have been taking Zolpidem 12.5mg for several years. I started on 5mg about 10 years ago and then went to 10mg. This treatment has worked well for me. I have tried others in the past that were not effective or did not work after a few weeks. I moved to Missouri from Florida over a year ago and set up my PCP at a family practice in the new state. During my time here I have never actually seen the doctor, only Nurse Practitioner. NP called me into the office to tell me the doctor (who has never seen me or spoken to me) has decided he will not refill Zolpidem anymore. I have never had a problem at all on this medication. Now, aside from the sleeplessness I am afraid there will be other withdrawals. Is there something I can do?
Hi, @akubanek, and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. It sounds like the news that your new doctor, whom you've not yet seen, is taking you off the zolpidem came as quite a surprise.
I wonder if your new doctor may be concerned about side effects or about the potential for masking an underlying problem, as Dr. Olson talks about in this article?
Would it be possible, @akubanek, to make an appointment to see the doctor specifically, to address your sleep needs and discuss his decision about this medication?
Hi, @akubanek, and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. It sounds like the news that your new doctor, whom you've not yet seen, is taking you off the zolpidem came as quite a surprise.
I wonder if your new doctor may be concerned about side effects or about the potential for masking an underlying problem, as Dr. Olson talks about in this article?
Would it be possible, @akubanek, to make an appointment to see the doctor specifically, to address your sleep needs and discuss his decision about this medication?
Thank you for your reply. According to the NP he just no longer wants to prescribe "these types" of medications to anyone. He has prescribed me doxipen, and said for a month he will prescribe me 5mg Zolpidem but after that we would have to try other things. Last night was my first night on the new regimen and of course, I am awake after 2 hours, crying because I know that there are days of not sleeping ahead of me.
Thank you for your reply. According to the NP he just no longer wants to prescribe "these types" of medications to anyone. He has prescribed me doxipen, and said for a month he will prescribe me 5mg Zolpidem but after that we would have to try other things. Last night was my first night on the new regimen and of course, I am awake after 2 hours, crying because I know that there are days of not sleeping ahead of me.
Hi @akubanek , I feel for you. My PCP was adamant that I stopped Ambien. If you read my posts, you’ll see how I weaned off all my meds. The first thing I did was substitute Trazadone [50 mg) for the Ambien. I am now down to 25 mg Trazadone. I am working with a sleep therapist. I am having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. I use the Calm app to help fall asleep. You can get a free trial for 7 days. I like the sleep stories. I am learning to use my bed for sleeping only. I read in a comfortable chair in another room. Don’t lie in bed for more than 20 minutes trying to sleep. The more anxious you get about not sleeping, the more difficult it will be to sleep. Good luck.
Hi @akubanek , I feel for you. My PCP was adamant that I stopped Ambien. If you read my posts, you’ll see how I weaned off all my meds. The first thing I did was substitute Trazadone [50 mg) for the Ambien. I am now down to 25 mg Trazadone. I am working with a sleep therapist. I am having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. I use the Calm app to help fall asleep. You can get a free trial for 7 days. I like the sleep stories. I am learning to use my bed for sleeping only. I read in a comfortable chair in another room. Don’t lie in bed for more than 20 minutes trying to sleep. The more anxious you get about not sleeping, the more difficult it will be to sleep. Good luck.
Thank you for your reply. Last night was another night of waking every 20 minutes or so and getting more and more frustrated. I have tried so many things over the years. I had to take Trazadone once because I had pneumonia and in the hospital. They wouldn't give me the Ambien because they said it affects the breathing and with pneumonia my breathing was already affected. I was awake for two days taking that. I only use my bed for sleeping and have for years. I have spent thousands of dollars making my bedroom as comfortable as possible. I just don't understand what is going on. How can a doctor that has never treated me or even spoken to me change a treatment plan simply because he thinks everyone should be off Ambien? I feel depressed and defeated because I can see my future and it is just long nights of wanting to sleep and days of being mad and unhappy because I haven't gotten enough sleep. I know people on here know how I feel, but right now its a very lonely feeling.
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Wondering if weaning off one medication by substituting another would cause another addiction issue...a thought.
Probably does, but I’m going to deal with it by seeing my doctor and a specialized sleep insomnia therapist after my Israel trip. But I’ve never gone so long without Ambien. Now I’m just Nervous about a night flight and sleeping.
acura1642 - An update - I am now off ambien, Xanax, Benadryl and melatonin. I began by substituting 50 gr trazadone for the ambien and slowly weaned off the other drugs. I have been seeing a sleep therapist for several weeks now. I am down to 37 gr tazadone and will continue to wean off that. I am doing deep breathing exercises along with TM (meditating), Trying to learn not to panic if I can’t sleep. Hope this gives you and others hope.
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1 ReactionHi, @sndishpr - thanks for providing this update and a hopeful message for others. Sounds like you feel your sleep therapist has helped you.
Will you share more about what kinds of deep breathing exercises you are finding helpful, and what kinds of meditation are working for you?
@lisalucier - I’m doing abdominal Or diaphragmatic breathing along with transcendental Meditation for about 5-10 minutes 3 X day. I also just started using blue light blocking computer glasses for reading on my kindle before bed. Truthfully, I don’t know if these techniques are really helping! I am getting less anxious about getting a full, uninterrupted nights sleep. I think that’s the key. - to be less anxious. I still have a ways to go - weaning off the trazodone. Good luck to all going through this .
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1 ReactionI have been taking Zolpidem 12.5mg for several years. I started on 5mg about 10 years ago and then went to 10mg. This treatment has worked well for me. I have tried others in the past that were not effective or did not work after a few weeks. I moved to Missouri from Florida over a year ago and set up my PCP at a family practice in the new state. During my time here I have never actually seen the doctor, only Nurse Practitioner. NP called me into the office to tell me the doctor (who has never seen me or spoken to me) has decided he will not refill Zolpidem anymore. I have never had a problem at all on this medication. Now, aside from the sleeplessness I am afraid there will be other withdrawals. Is there something I can do?
Hi, @akubanek, and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. It sounds like the news that your new doctor, whom you've not yet seen, is taking you off the zolpidem came as quite a surprise.
Here is a Mayo Clinic article on Ambien, one of the brand names for zolpidem, that may interest you https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/expert-answers/ambien/faq-20058103
I wonder if your new doctor may be concerned about side effects or about the potential for masking an underlying problem, as Dr. Olson talks about in this article?
Would it be possible, @akubanek, to make an appointment to see the doctor specifically, to address your sleep needs and discuss his decision about this medication?
Thank you for your reply. According to the NP he just no longer wants to prescribe "these types" of medications to anyone. He has prescribed me doxipen, and said for a month he will prescribe me 5mg Zolpidem but after that we would have to try other things. Last night was my first night on the new regimen and of course, I am awake after 2 hours, crying because I know that there are days of not sleeping ahead of me.
Hi @akubanek , I feel for you. My PCP was adamant that I stopped Ambien. If you read my posts, you’ll see how I weaned off all my meds. The first thing I did was substitute Trazadone [50 mg) for the Ambien. I am now down to 25 mg Trazadone. I am working with a sleep therapist. I am having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. I use the Calm app to help fall asleep. You can get a free trial for 7 days. I like the sleep stories. I am learning to use my bed for sleeping only. I read in a comfortable chair in another room. Don’t lie in bed for more than 20 minutes trying to sleep. The more anxious you get about not sleeping, the more difficult it will be to sleep. Good luck.
Thank you for your reply. Last night was another night of waking every 20 minutes or so and getting more and more frustrated. I have tried so many things over the years. I had to take Trazadone once because I had pneumonia and in the hospital. They wouldn't give me the Ambien because they said it affects the breathing and with pneumonia my breathing was already affected. I was awake for two days taking that. I only use my bed for sleeping and have for years. I have spent thousands of dollars making my bedroom as comfortable as possible. I just don't understand what is going on. How can a doctor that has never treated me or even spoken to me change a treatment plan simply because he thinks everyone should be off Ambien? I feel depressed and defeated because I can see my future and it is just long nights of wanting to sleep and days of being mad and unhappy because I haven't gotten enough sleep. I know people on here know how I feel, but right now its a very lonely feeling.