Taking Ambien during the day

Posted by ayalanydtampa @ayalanydtampa, Dec 12, 2023

I know, you're going to say I should be sleepy all time. I'm not! Ambien helps me sleep at night and 1/2 pill during the day calms my anxiety but I don't get sleepy. Problem is I run out too early and have to go cold turkey. I know it's crazy but....

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Sleep Health Support Group.

@dj0751

the post about taking ambien during the day needs to be removed asap.

Jump to this post

This is a public forum to discuss things....she has every right to post what she did. She definitely needs to talk to her doctor about getting an anxiety medication. Problem is...is that doctors don't like to prescribe the anxiety meds that truly work...like diazepam and lorazepam.

REPLY
@cindisue

This is a public forum to discuss things....she has every right to post what she did. She definitely needs to talk to her doctor about getting an anxiety medication. Problem is...is that doctors don't like to prescribe the anxiety meds that truly work...like diazepam and lorazepam.

Jump to this post

i agree

REPLY
@marjou

My experience with ambien is be very, very cautious as it is addicting and found one extreme side effect when I would walk around my house doing things when asleep. Very frightening and tapered off asap.

Jump to this post

I also had very scary side effects from Ambien. I only took 5mg and it got me 7 hours of sleep, but it made my heart race and I got anxious, stressed out to the max and very angry which is not my style at all. I now take 1-2 Advil PMs and Melatonin. Sleep just fine most of the time. Learning to relax is half the struggle. I later learned that they tested only men on Ambien but advertised it to both men and women. Not only is there sleep walking, but sleep driving, sleep sex and sleep eating. I’m staying away from that stuff!

REPLY
@dj0751

I had a friend who accidentally took an Ambien after she woke up around 9 AM, ready to take on the day, when she ran her bathwater, lost consciousness, and drowned in her bathtub. Ambien should never be used unless you are planning to go to bed and sleep within a half hour!

Jump to this post

I’m very sorry for what happened to your friend. I also had very scary side effects from Ambien. I only took 5mg and it got me 7 hours of sleep, but it made my heart race and I got anxious, stressed out to the max and very angry which is not my style at all. I now take 1-2 Advil PMs and Melatonin. Sleep just fine most of the time. Learning to relax is half the struggle. I later learned that they tested only men on Ambien but advertised it to both men and women. There is not only sleep walking but sleep sex, sleep driving and sleep eating. I’m staying away from that stuff!

REPLY
@cindisue

You're welcome. I mean, if you have anxiety, the doctor needs to give you something for that....it's weird that Ambien helps your anxiety....Ambien gave me anxiety....

Jump to this post

I also had very scary side effects from Ambien. I only took 5mg and it got me 7 hours of sleep, but it made my heart race and I got anxious, stressed out to the max and very angry which is not my style at all. I now take 1-2 Advil PMs and Melatonin. Sleep just fine most of the time. Learning to relax is half the struggle. I later learned that they tested only men on Ambien but advertised it to both men and women. There is not only sleep walking but sleep sex, sleep driving and sleep eating. I’m staying away from that stuff!

REPLY
@cindisue

You're welcome. I mean, if you have anxiety, the doctor needs to give you something for that....it's weird that Ambien helps your anxiety....Ambien gave me anxiety....

Jump to this post

Ambien relaxes me. My dr. gave me Mirtazipine for anxiety and it gave me severe tremors. I guess we are all different. Good luck to all with sleep problems. I know how horrible it can be.

REPLY
@cindisue

This is a public forum to discuss things....she has every right to post what she did. She definitely needs to talk to her doctor about getting an anxiety medication. Problem is...is that doctors don't like to prescribe the anxiety meds that truly work...like diazepam and lorazepam.

Jump to this post

Thank you for supporting me. I will ask my Dr. if he is willing to prescribe one of those meds you mention. I will let you know if he does. Be well.

REPLY
@ayalanydtampa

Thank you for supporting me. I will ask my Dr. if he is willing to prescribe one of those meds you mention. I will let you know if he does. Be well.

Jump to this post

Good Luck with your doctor. Hope he lets you have one of them. You take care and let me know. Take care.

REPLY

Aw, hate to say this but taking it during the day is so dangerous, you could hurt yourself, you could hurt other people, people you love, shoot, you could end up in prison, you do not want that, talk about anxiety. I had a shiver of nausea pass through me just typing that.

There are other drugs for anxiety. Have you tried them all? Have you quit coffee, tried calming tea, camomile, meditation, yoga, all that stuff?

You could do other things: throw things, break dishes, go bowling, go to axe-throwing places, learn to do that, learn how to use a bow and arrow, do that, legally. Get rid of the extra adrenaline of anxiety, sleep the sleep of a physically elated but exhausted person. Arouse your happy hormones, your endorphins.

If you're having trouble sleeping try reading something like War and Peace out loud to yourself. Turn off your television, your phone, your tablets. Block outer noise with quiet headphones, or ear plugs, or balls of tissue. Lower the lights. Listen to soft peaceful music when you try to sleep, keep the volume very very low.

Best of luck trying to stop yourself from taking Ambien during the day and getting some sleep.

REPLY
@ekelks

Aw, hate to say this but taking it during the day is so dangerous, you could hurt yourself, you could hurt other people, people you love, shoot, you could end up in prison, you do not want that, talk about anxiety. I had a shiver of nausea pass through me just typing that.

There are other drugs for anxiety. Have you tried them all? Have you quit coffee, tried calming tea, camomile, meditation, yoga, all that stuff?

You could do other things: throw things, break dishes, go bowling, go to axe-throwing places, learn to do that, learn how to use a bow and arrow, do that, legally. Get rid of the extra adrenaline of anxiety, sleep the sleep of a physically elated but exhausted person. Arouse your happy hormones, your endorphins.

If you're having trouble sleeping try reading something like War and Peace out loud to yourself. Turn off your television, your phone, your tablets. Block outer noise with quiet headphones, or ear plugs, or balls of tissue. Lower the lights. Listen to soft peaceful music when you try to sleep, keep the volume very very low.

Best of luck trying to stop yourself from taking Ambien during the day and getting some sleep.

Jump to this post

Thank you for your post. It makes perfect sense. However, I am 81 yrs. old and I am a double amputee and barely leave my bedroom. I sleep well with Ambien. In fact, I have stopped taking it during the day and I feel fine. I can't do all those things you recommend.. My dr. prescribed an anxiety med but, it gave me body tremors. All the best to you and thank you.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.