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Help me sleep without ambien
Hey everyone
I started another thread a while ago but thought I’d update my situation and ask for moe advice.
Havd severe insomnia. Been on Ambien 10mg since a year. But I quickly develope tolerance and wake up after just 3 hours and need to take another one. Sometimes I end up on 30 mg a night. And it makes me feel terrible.
6 months ago I started diazepam 5mg smd noticed it made me sleep better and for longer. I still hade to take one Ambien, but that was a major difference to me. I felt more rested, and less side affects. So I kept going for well half a year until i got too tolerant to the diazepam as well and started having to take more ambien again. Its a mess!
Ok so what I’ve done: ive managed to taper off de diazapam, About 25% every second week. I’m now down to 2,5mg a night. The ambien i still need to take, when I go to bed and then every time I wake up.
I have 2 ideas: 1, once I’m off Diazepam, I start them again and see if I get the same boost as last year?
2, I take some Melatonin before bed and hope that does something…
Thoughts?
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Thank you so much for this input. How much have you been decreasing the ambien every week?
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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1 ReactionI would discuss with your doctor.
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,
I have taken Ambien for 10 years. Occasionally insomnia would hit but not more than one night. For the past 43 nights I am not falling asleep until 4 am or so. Nothing has changed in my life. I also suffer chronic illness with pain but am not on medication at this time. Completely baffled and frustrated. Hoping to see doctor next week. Following and praying for us all....
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2 ReactionsI was in the same boat. My rheumatoid suggested that I add three muscle relaxers (Flexeril/Tizanidine) to my nightly sleep meds, and they really helped.
I have been in a similar situation to yours, so I feel for you and the understand how frustrating it is. The sleep specialist that I saw told me that my body clock might be out of kilter. The way to reset it is to set the alarm for the same time every day and get up then no matter what time you went to bed. As soon as possible after getting up, go outside to get some light on your eyeballs. Hope things come right for you soon!
I cannot go to sleep without Ambien and/or diazepam since I had covid, did what your sleep expert told you work.
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1 ReactionWhen I started setting my alarm clock every morning, yes I was still on sleep meds. I am now mostly off them. I take them when I am out of my normal routine (like when travelling) but other wise, about 80% of the time, I don't take meds any more. I think that resetting my body clock helped me get off having sleep meds every night. I still get anxious about not sleeping and having to deal with being tired the next day - but hopefully that will start to improve as well. Hope things work out well for you!
I try not to over think and stay in the present. Reading a boring book helps. Taking a warm bath or shower before bed. Listening to ocean waves at night. Lastly. I read that acupressure wristbands might help as well.