I've had a positive development. I returned to my former GP who moved to a clinic that is further away. She is willing to prescribe the 10 mg given all the work I'm doing around getting better sleep and reducing the Ambien. She also noted that although the FDA recommends 5 mg, "We get recommendations all the time but we need to look at them in terms of the needs of individual patients." I'll be going to her as my primary doctor now. I'm following a plan to reduce the dose gradually, that I did several months ago with a cognitive behavioral psychologist.
Has anyone been successful in going off Zolpidem? I've been taking it for 20 years for insomnia, my doctor would like me to go off. I've tried CBD it doesn't help me fall asleep and I don't like how I feel in the morning. Thank you
I have been taking 10 mg of Ambien for the last ten years. I have tried melatonin but it did not work for me. I understand that it is important to be under a doctor's supervision when you cut back on Ambien. Anyone here who has been successful in terms of cutting back/quitting Ambien?
I started with cutting of a bit by bit from 12.5 mg to 3/4of it. Tough at First few nights about a week. Now stay on course of it with changing my sleeping hours and habits. No night light, computer , or being active after 9:00pm. Push myself to meditate and trying not to worry about getting sleep. Wake up early and exercise. No afternoon nap and keep moving if feeling tired in the afternoon. Yoga at 5 pm for an hour and prepare myself to bedtime. Hope next month or two I will cut it to 1/2 of 12.5 mg ER. Wish me luck!
Has anyone been successful in going off Zolpidem? I've been taking it for 20 years for insomnia, my doctor would like me to go off. I've tried CBD it doesn't help me fall asleep and I don't like how I feel in the morning. Thank you
I successfully stopped using 12.5 mg Ambien (Zolpidem ER) one year ago. I just stopped. The first two nights were very restless. Stayed awake until 1 or 2 am, then slept. Took mid-afternoon nap (20 minutes) to tefresh. By the fourth day, I was able to fall asleep within about one-half hour. This was an uncomfortable process but successful in a short time. By the way, I had been using Ambien 12.5 mg for about 20 years. I still experience some insomnia but with very occasiknal occurrence. I follow a good Medit-Keto meal plan. Don't over eat. Minimize caffeine intake (love coffee and tea). And exercize daily.
I was very satisfied that I stopped it immediately. Picked a Friday night to start so that Sat and Sun gave me some rest time. Stopping immediately brought me out of its additictive effects in a short time. By the way, I used the same approach to quit smoking. It took me about two weeks to affectively change my desire for cigarettes. Forty-six years ago.
Courage and perseverance, while keeping a hopeful eye on the anticipated, successful results. Although I didn't have the benefit of an encouraging friend, I highly recommend having someone to be an encourager as you go through this.
Wish you success. It is worth quitting the dependancy.
No ambien for the last 4 nights. Substituted 50 mg, of trapazone and upped Xanax to .5. Still 2 Benadryl , but no melatonin. Slept great 3 out of the 4 nights. Still planning on seeing sleep therapist after my vacation.
wow! Xanax is the best, but hard to find a dr. that will prescribe. Ambien .5 is not enough, 10 turns me into a whackoo that gets up in the middle of the night and makes all these snacks and order stuff online! Sweet Jesus! Got to find something that works!
wow! Xanax is the best, but hard to find a dr. that will prescribe. Ambien .5 is not enough, 10 turns me into a whackoo that gets up in the middle of the night and makes all these snacks and order stuff online! Sweet Jesus! Got to find something that works!
Trazodone does nothing for me, not even 400 mg. Ambien caused trouble. Keep trying until you find a doctor who will prescribe Xanax. I take 2 mg of Xanax about once a week for sleep, but my doctor knows I'm careful and I don't abuse it. On rare occasions, I may take it two nights in a row, but not more than that even if it means lying awake for what seems like years. Although I am petite, I have always needed elephantine doses of everything. I finally stopped trying to sleep every night, so only slept every other night. Now I'm at a point where I may only sleep every third night. It's a horrible situation, but I don't seem to have any sleep deprivation symptoms. When I simply MUST sleep, I take the Xanax. I have read very recently that the FDA may ease some of their absurd restrictions on opiates and other drugs like Xanax, but it always takes them years to act on anything.
I started with cutting of a bit by bit from 12.5 mg to 3/4of it. Tough at First few nights about a week. Now stay on course of it with changing my sleeping hours and habits. No night light, computer , or being active after 9:00pm. Push myself to meditate and trying not to worry about getting sleep. Wake up early and exercise. No afternoon nap and keep moving if feeling tired in the afternoon. Yoga at 5 pm for an hour and prepare myself to bedtime. Hope next month or two I will cut it to 1/2 of 12.5 mg ER. Wish me luck!
You are wise, I think, to wean yourself off Ambien slowly. Although some people may be able to go cold turkey, it isn't recommended as there can be some serious side effects.
Trazodone does nothing for me, not even 400 mg. Ambien caused trouble. Keep trying until you find a doctor who will prescribe Xanax. I take 2 mg of Xanax about once a week for sleep, but my doctor knows I'm careful and I don't abuse it. On rare occasions, I may take it two nights in a row, but not more than that even if it means lying awake for what seems like years. Although I am petite, I have always needed elephantine doses of everything. I finally stopped trying to sleep every night, so only slept every other night. Now I'm at a point where I may only sleep every third night. It's a horrible situation, but I don't seem to have any sleep deprivation symptoms. When I simply MUST sleep, I take the Xanax. I have read very recently that the FDA may ease some of their absurd restrictions on opiates and other drugs like Xanax, but it always takes them years to act on anything.
Thank you for the info. I am too old not to sleep every night! Lots of
aches and pains in this old body and it must rest or I’ll be wheeling
around in a chair. Trying to put that way in the back of my mind which
thinks I am still 25. I was 77 on 2/22/22! OMG
Hi, I have been taking Ambien since 1995. I also take Cymbalta and Wellbutrin. My Dr. doesn't want to prescribe Ambien for me anymore and while I have signed up for a Sleep Study and some CBT to get more information about my sleep, the thought of not having Ambien to ensure a few hours sleep makes me panicky. Is this some new trend with Drs to not prescribe drugs that are proven to be effective? Is this part of the Opioid witch hunt? Very Frustrated. RR
Considering starting cymbalta….weaning off Wellbutrin.
Drugs.com and Mayo say not to take them together….???? I’m scared and don’t know what to do. Thoughts?
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Look for one who has some training in sleep issues. I asked someone connected to the clinic I go to who was the most understanding of insomnia.
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1 ReactionI've had a positive development. I returned to my former GP who moved to a clinic that is further away. She is willing to prescribe the 10 mg given all the work I'm doing around getting better sleep and reducing the Ambien. She also noted that although the FDA recommends 5 mg, "We get recommendations all the time but we need to look at them in terms of the needs of individual patients." I'll be going to her as my primary doctor now. I'm following a plan to reduce the dose gradually, that I did several months ago with a cognitive behavioral psychologist.
Has anyone been successful in going off Zolpidem? I've been taking it for 20 years for insomnia, my doctor would like me to go off. I've tried CBD it doesn't help me fall asleep and I don't like how I feel in the morning. Thank you
I started with cutting of a bit by bit from 12.5 mg to 3/4of it. Tough at First few nights about a week. Now stay on course of it with changing my sleeping hours and habits. No night light, computer , or being active after 9:00pm. Push myself to meditate and trying not to worry about getting sleep. Wake up early and exercise. No afternoon nap and keep moving if feeling tired in the afternoon. Yoga at 5 pm for an hour and prepare myself to bedtime. Hope next month or two I will cut it to 1/2 of 12.5 mg ER. Wish me luck!
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionI successfully stopped using 12.5 mg Ambien (Zolpidem ER) one year ago. I just stopped. The first two nights were very restless. Stayed awake until 1 or 2 am, then slept. Took mid-afternoon nap (20 minutes) to tefresh. By the fourth day, I was able to fall asleep within about one-half hour. This was an uncomfortable process but successful in a short time. By the way, I had been using Ambien 12.5 mg for about 20 years. I still experience some insomnia but with very occasiknal occurrence. I follow a good Medit-Keto meal plan. Don't over eat. Minimize caffeine intake (love coffee and tea). And exercize daily.
I was very satisfied that I stopped it immediately. Picked a Friday night to start so that Sat and Sun gave me some rest time. Stopping immediately brought me out of its additictive effects in a short time. By the way, I used the same approach to quit smoking. It took me about two weeks to affectively change my desire for cigarettes. Forty-six years ago.
Courage and perseverance, while keeping a hopeful eye on the anticipated, successful results. Although I didn't have the benefit of an encouraging friend, I highly recommend having someone to be an encourager as you go through this.
Wish you success. It is worth quitting the dependancy.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reactionwow! Xanax is the best, but hard to find a dr. that will prescribe. Ambien .5 is not enough, 10 turns me into a whackoo that gets up in the middle of the night and makes all these snacks and order stuff online! Sweet Jesus! Got to find something that works!
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsTrazodone does nothing for me, not even 400 mg. Ambien caused trouble. Keep trying until you find a doctor who will prescribe Xanax. I take 2 mg of Xanax about once a week for sleep, but my doctor knows I'm careful and I don't abuse it. On rare occasions, I may take it two nights in a row, but not more than that even if it means lying awake for what seems like years. Although I am petite, I have always needed elephantine doses of everything. I finally stopped trying to sleep every night, so only slept every other night. Now I'm at a point where I may only sleep every third night. It's a horrible situation, but I don't seem to have any sleep deprivation symptoms. When I simply MUST sleep, I take the Xanax. I have read very recently that the FDA may ease some of their absurd restrictions on opiates and other drugs like Xanax, but it always takes them years to act on anything.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionYou are wise, I think, to wean yourself off Ambien slowly. Although some people may be able to go cold turkey, it isn't recommended as there can be some serious side effects.
Thank you for the info. I am too old not to sleep every night! Lots of
aches and pains in this old body and it must rest or I’ll be wheeling
around in a chair. Trying to put that way in the back of my mind which
thinks I am still 25. I was 77 on 2/22/22! OMG
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsConsidering starting cymbalta….weaning off Wellbutrin.
Drugs.com and Mayo say not to take them together….???? I’m scared and don’t know what to do. Thoughts?
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction