1. < Addiction & Recovery

Ambien addiction

Posted by lilybell @lilybell, Feb 13, 2023

I have realized I am addicted to Ambien. I’ve been trying to taper off but haven’t managed, especially since I also have severe pain at night that makes it extra hard to sleep.

Now I need about 20mg Ambien to fall asleep and then I wake up after 3 hours and need another 10mg to fall back to sleep.

Please, any advice how to taper off?

I could also need some emotional support because I’m all alone. No family, no friends.
I’m scared and sad.

Thank you so much

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mikaylar | @mikaylar | Feb 14, 2023

That's a lot of Ambien. Where are you getting them all? My doctor gave me an anti-depressant. He said if he could slow me down during the day, I would sleep at night. I eventually got off the Ambien because other medicine made me tired enough to sleep. Now I take Ativan to sleep. Another addiction, but no hang over like with the Ambiens. Please, talk to your doctor. How about going to church? So many people there to make friends with. Be happy; life is short!

REPLY
1 reply
lilybell | @lilybell | Feb 15, 2023
In reply to @mikaylar "That's a lot of Ambien. Where are you getting them all? My doctor gave me an..." + (show)
@mikaylar

That's a lot of Ambien. Where are you getting them all? My doctor gave me an anti-depressant. He said if he could slow me down during the day, I would sleep at night. I eventually got off the Ambien because other medicine made me tired enough to sleep. Now I take Ativan to sleep. Another addiction, but no hang over like with the Ambiens. Please, talk to your doctor. How about going to church? So many people there to make friends with. Be happy; life is short!

Jump to this post

My doctor prescribes them. He doesn’t know how to get off them he says. I’m housebound due to chronic pain so I can’t go to church or leave the house at all sadly.

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gigiliss | @gigiliss | Feb 16, 2023

I was taking Ambien for over 20 years. I have slowly tapered off until i was at 2.5 mg. I did this over 2 months decreasing my dosage weekly. I had a lot of sleepless nights with pain. I am 77 years old. At 2.5 mg I added 1mg of liquid melatonin 3 hours before I went to bed. It has been working! My physiatrist(a PT MD) told me to try this because I have been waking up foggy.

REPLY
1 reply
lilybell | @lilybell | Feb 21, 2023
In reply to @gigiliss "I was taking Ambien for over 20 years. I have slowly tapered off until i was..." + (show)
@gigiliss

I was taking Ambien for over 20 years. I have slowly tapered off until i was at 2.5 mg. I did this over 2 months decreasing my dosage weekly. I had a lot of sleepless nights with pain. I am 77 years old. At 2.5 mg I added 1mg of liquid melatonin 3 hours before I went to bed. It has been working! My physiatrist(a PT MD) told me to try this because I have been waking up foggy.

Jump to this post

Thank you so much for this input. How much have you been decreasing the ambien every week?

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gigiliss | @gigiliss | Feb 21, 2023

I decreased it by 1/4 of the dose every week until i was down to 1/4 tablet a day after i week I stopped and went to liquid melatonin. The first 2 nights I didn’t go to sleep for a couple of hours. However I have noticed that it is getting better and better and I go to sleep in a few minutes. When i wake at nite to go to the bathroom I am able to go right back to sleep. I am so glad to be off of it and my mornings are so much better. Good luck!

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dtorelli | @dtorelli | Feb 24, 2023

I would discuss with your doctor.

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vlk420 | @vlk420 | Feb 25, 2023

Sorry to hear that your having hard time getting or staying asleep. I tried Ambien and was Highly allergic to it, the ambien caused hallucinating, truly awful and very frightening.
I still can’t sleep through the night because of my painful vascular condition. I’m currently taking Tylenol for pain, and my doctor has me taking 5 mg Diazepam, 2 -3 times a day, it’s the only one that truly calms me down, and caused no problems whatsoever, such as waking back up drowsy.
I had in the past been giving Trazodon, you may want to ask you doctor if this may be good alternative for you or try meditation, sometimes reading will relax you too . I am a cycle sleeper now that my health has deteriorated quickly,

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