Taking Ambien during the day

i'm a bit confused...i thought i was replying to a 15-year-old poster, not an 81-year-old double amputee! Sorry! I can't do those things myself anymore either. I have MS with awful balance, extreme weakness & right now yet another episode of trigeminal neuralgia. I have permanent tremors in my hands, and only sometimes my legs & full body. I just turned 65 but have been living like this since 1996. Bowling, reading out loud, wish I could still do those things. Am used to all that now. To sleep I usually drug myself with Klonopin,clonezapam, .5-1 mg (sometimes do take this in daytime, like when I have to have an MRI wth contrast (when my sister visits! love her but she drives me nuts). I take 1 500 mg Tylenol p.m. (try to avoid all other acetaminophen products, can't always, my teeth and mouth are pure hell, another depressing health story). And when, as right now, I am going through a TGN episode, which can last weeks, I am on a dosing regimen of Gabapentin, am now up to 300 mg x 3 in the morning, afternoon, evening, and still more at bedtime. And even that isn't working. Still get severe nerve pain left side if face and head, never-ending, the pills have begun to lose their potency, extremely depressing...Gabapentin can makes my balance worse and can also knock me out, 1 100 mg to help sleep is another part of my normal bedtime drug regimen. Taking this drug during the day sucks, but have no choice. Am getting used to that too. Have no choice.

Am so sorry @ayalanydtampa, I didn't mean to tell you to go bowling or any of those things, thought I was telling a 15 year old kid who wasn't feeling right to do those things not an 81-year-old double amputee! I wish you best of everything too.

Why?? Are you a doctor to make such a statement?

Sorry to hear that you had scary side effects on Ambien. I have heard so many stories of sleep walking, driving a car, etc while on it. This has never happened to me. I guess I am lucky but I have been on it so long that I think it is time to get off it and I am just trying to find a good alternative…hence why I am here.

Don't know if this will help but, I'm trying ton stop Ambien and I find that taking 1 mg. of Melatonin and 2 zzyquil Doxylamine Succinate and it helps. I get drowsy and I slept. A cup of Chamomile tea also helps. I put on calming music too. All the best to you. I hope you get sleep without Ambien. I understand.