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← Return to Weaning off zolpidem (Ambien)
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I've been taking zolpidem 10 mg for about 18 years and I sleep great but I hate the idea of dependence. I should be able to sleep without it. I don't even remember why I started!! There HAS to be an off-ramp to take that is safe. I am otherwise very healthy. I am 72 years old and still working as a psychotherapist! I have never had to increase the dosage but recently I have been doing stupid sh*t after the zolpidem starts working, like calling people - emailing/texting people at midnite, buying stuff from amazon and having NO memory of doing it. I have read that chronic use of zolpidem puts one at higher risk of developing Alzheimers. Please ...is there anyone who has successfully weaned off zolpidem without going to a residential addiction center????? My doctor says don't worry about it. He doesn't "get it"
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I had good luck coming off ambien, and of course everyone is different, but this is how I did it.
1. I found a place in the house to sleep alone. You could use earbuds or headphones if that isn’t possible. More comfortable to fall asleep without anything on or in your ears.
2. I left myself 15 tablets. I did this because I didn’t want to initially worry about having none. Maybe you could wait until 15 days before your next refill if you don’t want to throw any out.
3. I cut my dosage in half. Then I took half of that to get to sleep. I took an antihistamine as well. I knew I could take the other quarter Ambien tablet if I woke up. That was reassuring.
3. I put on a pleasant audio book and set it to automatically stop in an hour. This was the key for me because it occupied my mind with something benign and stopped the other ruminating I often do at bedtime just like hypnotics like ambien do.
If you’re still awake in an hour set the book to stop in another hour.
4. I always eventually got to sleep if only for a few hours but pretty soon, within a week I was sleeping without the ambien. Still used the book and antihistamine for a while or when I was having trouble falling asleep.
5. Hardest part- get rid of your remaining ambien and stop your prescription. If it gets refilled, if you’re like me, you’ll miss the simplicity of instant sleep and start again.
My biggest problem was that ambien would upset my digestion. That went away and that was a life changer.
Good luck. It can be done. It may be easier than you think.
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If you want to quit taking it....just gradually start taking less and less of it every night. Probably have some sleepless nights....it's horrible (Ambien) it is BY FAR the most addictive sleep med out there! I took Flurazepam twice a week for over 10 years and never got addicted. Please bring Flurazepam back!!!