Hello to everyone, I have taken Ambien for years. My original prescribing doctor retired and now I have been seeing a different doctor. ( A few doctors in between the original doctor and the one I am seeing now. The doctors in between retired or moved on.). Just wanted to clarify that so you won't think that I am hard to deal with...because I'm not.
The Dr I am seeing now has been my gp doctor for about 4 years. She has been making me take complete bloodwork and urine panels every six months in order to stay on my Ambien. She says that the FDA or whomever is the governing watchdog of this drug requires her to do so.
Does that sound right? Is this true? I am 73 and in good health but take a few other prescriptions besides Ambien 10 mg. Thanks for any feedback that you all provide. I am new to this panel.
Oh no, I have it wrong, she has me come in every 6 months and bloodwork/urine panels are once a year. My question is still...is this a correct requirement in order to get an Ambien prescription?
Hi, I took Excedrin PM and reduced my dosage slowly. During 1st week I cut one of my tablets into quarters. I reduced the dosage by 1/4 pill while taking Excedrin PM at night. In the second week, I reduced the dosage by 1/2 tablet and continued with Excedrin PM. Each week lessening the dosage by another 1/4 until I was just taking Excedrin PM. For me, it took 6 weeks to wean myself off the sleep medication. I hope this helps. A homeopathic doctor gave me these instructions to follow. He practices Western medicine.
Oh no, I have it wrong, she has me come in every 6 months and bloodwork/urine panels are once a year. My question is still...is this a correct requirement in order to get an Ambien prescription?
No you shouldn't have to do that... Ambien is not an Opiod...and those meds do require bloodwork every 6 months. But doctors these days have gone off their rocker when it comes to prescribing sleep aids! Or anxiety meds...it's like pulling teeth to get the anxiety medication that truly works for me. Had to see a psychiatrist in order to get it and I have never had serious enough mental issues where I needed to see a psychiatrist. And I mainly use it for sleep because it's the only med that works for me!
Oh no, I have it wrong, she has me come in every 6 months and bloodwork/urine panels are once a year. My question is still...is this a correct requirement in order to get an Ambien prescription?
I was getting it from my regular Primary Care Dr.
I would have to go in person every 3 months to get my paper RX .
Now I get it from my NP psychiatrist since she prescribes my Anti Anxiety med too .
I get my reg RX & 2 refills . So I must do televisit w/ her every 3 months .
Bloodwork just yearly for reg Primary Care Dr.
I’ve been on it like 6 years, went from 5 mg to 10 mg last 6 months .
I try not to take it every night but most nights I need to .
No you shouldn't have to do that... Ambien is not an Opiod...and those meds do require bloodwork every 6 months. But doctors these days have gone off their rocker when it comes to prescribing sleep aids! Or anxiety meds...it's like pulling teeth to get the anxiety medication that truly works for me. Had to see a psychiatrist in order to get it and I have never had serious enough mental issues where I needed to see a psychiatrist. And I mainly use it for sleep because it's the only med that works for me!
I will ask my doctor to clarify why she thinks it is necessary to have drug bloodwork every year the next time I see her. It's weird! Thanks much for the feedback.
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Good Luck! Doctors don't like to prescribe it in some states.
I don’t remember all the names. Some were anti psychotic ones that are prescribed off label formsleep.
Hello to everyone, I have taken Ambien for years. My original prescribing doctor retired and now I have been seeing a different doctor. ( A few doctors in between the original doctor and the one I am seeing now. The doctors in between retired or moved on.). Just wanted to clarify that so you won't think that I am hard to deal with...because I'm not.
The Dr I am seeing now has been my gp doctor for about 4 years. She has been making me take complete bloodwork and urine panels every six months in order to stay on my Ambien. She says that the FDA or whomever is the governing watchdog of this drug requires her to do so.
Does that sound right? Is this true? I am 73 and in good health but take a few other prescriptions besides Ambien 10 mg. Thanks for any feedback that you all provide. I am new to this panel.
Oh no, I have it wrong, she has me come in every 6 months and bloodwork/urine panels are once a year. My question is still...is this a correct requirement in order to get an Ambien prescription?
Hi, I took Excedrin PM and reduced my dosage slowly. During 1st week I cut one of my tablets into quarters. I reduced the dosage by 1/4 pill while taking Excedrin PM at night. In the second week, I reduced the dosage by 1/2 tablet and continued with Excedrin PM. Each week lessening the dosage by another 1/4 until I was just taking Excedrin PM. For me, it took 6 weeks to wean myself off the sleep medication. I hope this helps. A homeopathic doctor gave me these instructions to follow. He practices Western medicine.
No you shouldn't have to do that... Ambien is not an Opiod...and those meds do require bloodwork every 6 months. But doctors these days have gone off their rocker when it comes to prescribing sleep aids! Or anxiety meds...it's like pulling teeth to get the anxiety medication that truly works for me. Had to see a psychiatrist in order to get it and I have never had serious enough mental issues where I needed to see a psychiatrist. And I mainly use it for sleep because it's the only med that works for me!
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1 ReactionI am 65 and live in Ohio. That has never been required of me, and I’ve been on it for many years.
Same here!
I was getting it from my regular Primary Care Dr.
I would have to go in person every 3 months to get my paper RX .
Now I get it from my NP psychiatrist since she prescribes my Anti Anxiety med too .
I get my reg RX & 2 refills . So I must do televisit w/ her every 3 months .
Bloodwork just yearly for reg Primary Care Dr.
I’ve been on it like 6 years, went from 5 mg to 10 mg last 6 months .
I try not to take it every night but most nights I need to .
I will ask my doctor to clarify why she thinks it is necessary to have drug bloodwork every year the next time I see her. It's weird! Thanks much for the feedback.
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Like -
Helpful -
Hug
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