No sleep or sleep meds

Posted by cherawgirl @cherawgirl, Sep 15, 2023

I have been unable to sleep since stopping Ambien (5 months ago) and Ativan(2 months ago). I have not slept for over 2 hours a night. I understand I supposedly have rebound insomnia, however I have had a sleep problem since I was very young. I have researched this question on the web but only found answers that sleep aids ARE BAD!

My question is: What is worse? No sleep or sleep using sleep meds?

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@cindisue

Who cares if they are addictive....at least you are getting sleep taking them.....sleep is the most important thing....and they are alot easier to stop than prescription sleep meds

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Good point, and they are a lot less expensive!

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@levinson11

I still think sleep meds are better than no sleep . Without sleep I rebound into depression and anxiety really bad and have to take meds for that . Then I can’t function . So sleep meds are better for me .

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As someone with insomnia and chronic pain I can testify that taking meds and sleeping is WAY better than not sleeping or even sleeping poorly. The days after I don’t sleep well are so much worse pain-wise. I take Gabapentin for RLS and PLMD, and Ambien CR for sleep. The combination works moderately well but I still have some bad nights.

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@reillyg1013

I asked my Dr. that exact question when she told me I had to stop taking alprazolam. Even taking one a night, I seldom got more than 5 hours of sleep ( I’ve been taking for over 10 years) . So I cut down to .25 mg and got less than 2 hours a night. So I tried supplementing with melatonin - no luck, cannabis- still no luck. Thus, I posed your question to her & I never got a real answer, so I went back to my .5 mg and started getting some sleep. Everything you read says how important sleep is. If I had a disease they would treat it, so why do Drs. resist treating insomnia?

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I Agree 100!!! Doctors need to treat our disease ( insomnia) with medications that help us!!! PERIOD!!

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@cherawgirl

Exactly! I was prescribed Ativan for anxiety years ago and never take more than 1 mg per day. My mother and grandmother had terrible anxiety, so I believe its somewhat hereditary. Then was given Ambien for severe insomnia (caused by anxiety) which I have had since I was young. Both meds worked to treat those conditions. So why, if you have a condition that there is a medicine for that works, do they then say "You should take that anymore ITS BAD."????? I don't know of any other conditions with a medicine to treat it where they say that. And believe me, there are a lot of drugs for some conditions that ARE BAD.

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EXACTLY!! JUST LET YOU TAKE WHAT WORKS FOR YOU....MAN....THIS ANNOYS ME SO MUCH THAT DOCTORS DO NOT WANT TO GIVE US THE MEDS THAT WORK!!

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I will take ambein as long as I can...I too went days without sleep and ambien was the best sleeping aide..I have to do what I half to do to sleep...being without sleep is much worse.....

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@bettersleep68

I will take ambein as long as I can...I too went days without sleep and ambien was the best sleeping aide..I have to do what I half to do to sleep...being without sleep is much worse.....

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Yes....100%right....sleep is the most important....so yes....you gotta do what you gotta do....period.

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I have not slept in 6 weeks except may 1 or 2 hours every other day. it’s been really rough that’s for sure. Not sure what’s going on something to do with my health? And don’t like taking sleep meds out of Klonopin that usually helps a little anyway I hope y’all all have a good night’s Sleep… good night.

with love….. tom

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i don’t like Ambien like medication‘s. They cause all kinds of problems, but there are I’m not a doctor, but there are some medication’s. That probably would help because you do need sleep FOR your body to be able to recover.

with warm regards
And love from Christ Jesus, I pray for your help.
Love, Tom

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@thomasl9001

I have not slept in 6 weeks except may 1 or 2 hours every other day. it’s been really rough that’s for sure. Not sure what’s going on something to do with my health? And don’t like taking sleep meds out of Klonopin that usually helps a little anyway I hope y’all all have a good night’s Sleep… good night.

with love….. tom

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You need to find something....even if it's a medication to help you sleep....sleep is just soooo important!!

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I have fragmented sleep from narcolepsy and they keep giving mr psych meds for sedating side effects. My mind is going to hell. Its so messed up. I started looking up the side effects. Holy crap! How or why they would prescribed this garbage instead of actual sleep meds Idk. But I'm sure this is why my heads so messed up I can't function. I wish I knew wjo to sue over this. The reason they fo it to stay away from controlled meds no matter how screwed up your brain ends up. I'm sick of this! If I want to take something actually made for sleep and know the risks that should be my decision not the governments. Drs are intimidated by the cdc not to prescribe controlled meds. I'm about ready to look into a major lawsuit for them pushing dangerous psych drugs insyead of what works with few side effects. They can sue over opiates which has now left patients suffering, why cant we sue over them recommending pushing psych drugs?

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