Weaning off zolpidem (Ambien)

Hi all. Hopping on this thread (and posting for first time though have been reading here before).

I am a 40 year old white male with bipolar disorder trying to *desperately* wean off Clonazepam/Klonopin ("K" for short). Short version of Rx: along the way, I've taken everything from anti-depressants to anti-anxiety and ambien and trazodone.... I'm now down to 1.5mg of K per day, and that is down from 6mg back a couple years ago. Apart from vitamin supplements (C, A, D3, E, Theanine...), I am not on any other Rx.

Help needed: I have a supply of Ambien from my Psych MD, but I have not used it, I use Melatonin (6mg, subligual) which helps, but I wake up by 4:00a and cannot go back to sleep. Even with going to sleep at 10:00p. Any suggestions? I do NOT want to add Ambien to my meds as I am not on it now, and I am trying to wean off K under guidance of a therapist and Pysch MD.

Any thoughts appreciated. Prefer herbal or other supplements. Thoughts?

I take Remeron as Ambien and a couple of other sleep only meds did not do the trick for me and I have no qualms about using it forever if necessary. I also take three other meds for my depression/anxiety and opiates for my pain. I never want to speak ill of anyone, but those who worry about your addiction; Are they content to spend every night that you are awake all night on the phone with you? I think I have overstated my viewpoint, but are there those out there who take Ambien or another prescription sleep medication that they would describe their experiences for us. Have you tried stopping due to dependence or some other reason? What difference has no longer being an insomniac made in your life? I would appreciate anyone else's experience and views on this topic.

I've been using cayene and it helps alleviate some peripheral neuropathy. It has many other brain and health benefits. Something to look up and maybe try while your lowering your Klonopin. The brain responds to the heat of the cayene and the brain releases endorphins and dopamine and I think serotonin.
Some other things that can help with calming and sleep are: Calm Aid(lavender pill OTC), magnesium supplements or(CALM powder), chamomile (I'm allergic to chamomile), amber lighting (sounds funny but wearing amber sunglasses a couple hours before bed works. Stay away from blue light 2 hours before bed like computers, tv wifi etc.). Meditations CDs or pick your own meditations, a sound machine in your bedroom, air purifier, essential oil diffuser (lavender oil is very calming) ,heating pad, a small snack of oatmeal(no sugar) can help blood sugar, read positive books prayers, poems, affirmations, Trazadone and Gabapentin. Try to get fresh air and exercise and increase bright light exposure during the day. Some people use melatonin but makes me ill the next day and doesn't work for sleep for me. Some things take a little while for the body to adjust for sleep. Of course don't drink caffeine. Another calming supplement is L-theanine(makes my dog tired), ginko biloba(never tried it) keep bedroom cool. Be careful with supplements making sure they're third party tested and approved. Take relaxing epsom salt bath or shower. Rule out sleep disorder. Get a comfortable bed, mattress and pillow. Try to get into a sleep pattern. Don't exercise before bed. Don't drink liquids `1 to 2 hours before bed. If I go to bed at 10pm I wake up at 4am. Going to bed after 10:00pm or 10:30pm for me helps me sleep longer. While your cutting back on Klonopin, try some cayenne and crushed red pepper in your meals. Cayene contains CAPSAICIN which has many benefits including helping with the nervous system.

@cokie63 - thanks for all the suggestions of things that you suggest for trying to get a good night's sleep.

When I've experienced insomnia, I'd say my experience with using melatonin has been mixed - I've noticed sometimes it's helped me get to sleep, and sometimes not at all. I have tried a heating pad with me in bed, and that has helped to lull me to sleep (I noted this by accident when using the heating pad for pain, then tried it on other nights for awhile). I personally can't have the room too cool (though my husband would prefer it), or I can't sleep. I often have to have socks on, too, to keep my feet warm enough to get to sleep.

In addition to getting into a sleep pattern, which of these things has helped you the most?

I always had difficulty falling asleep because being deaf, I was afraid I would miss something. I was sent to schools for the deaf where there was much abuse going on. After having been abused, I would keep my eyes open to be sure no one would slap me. So I became a full-fledged insomniac. This continued until I became a mother when my insomnia worsened because I was afraid I would not wake up if our babies cried. I took nothing until 1989 when the big earthquake in San Francisco took place. I started Zolpidem then, and it was wonderful. My mood was very good. The downside is that when I am especially tense or very worried or panicky about something, then i take half a tablet in addition. I want to quit just so to get the leash off my neck. I don't like being allowed only 30 pills per 30 days. Sometimes I cannot even go out of town because I have to be home so I can pick up the pills. So it is for this reason I would love to quit taking Zolpidem = then I would be free to travel anytime and anywhere.

Hello, I am new here, but I have been on ambien every night for 20 years at 20 mg because I spent a year in and out of hospitals, including some of the top sleep hospitals in the U.S., and I was only getting 1-2 hours of sleep per night because of an unknown problem. I had multiple sleep studies. I also was tried on dozens of medications that didn't help. Ambien wound up putting me to sleep when even barbiturates wouldn't.

I have no psychiatric problems and am a very productive person with a stable career and a graduate degree. I have no history of any addictions at all, substance-based or otherwise. I am middle-aged, in reasonably good health, and married. The insomnia began abruptly, without reason. I would get tired but something woke me up every time I drifted off to sleep, and then again all night long. Before that, I didn't have a single night of sleep missed and was a world champion sleeper.

I went to the pharmacy today, and they simply said my prescription was too high and refused to fill it. Now I have no medication, and I called the doctor, and he doesn't have a way to help since the pharmacy said it was too high of a dose, and I don't have a clear diagnosis. He said he couldn't give me anything else because I'd already tried everything else. And also, he said other pharmacies in this area would be the same. He apologized and said he could help me through.

In the past, I have stayed up for up to five days or more and have had hallucinations and a psychotic breakdown from it that resulted in a very traumatic mental hospitalization, which is when this regimen was basically decided upon. But as long as I take my medication, I am okay and have been fine.

Can anyone recommend what I should do? I've already tried marijuana since it is legal in my state. I have tried drinking but can't tolerate much alcohol without getting sick. I have tried every medication I can humanly think of. I often try falling asleep for hours without ambien, and I practice excellent sleep hygeine. I meditate. I am really calm. But I was just cut off the medication cold turkey and fear the worst now.

And all that makes me really want is to know if anyone on a long-term high-dose of ambien has gotten off of it? I don't like being at the mercy of pharmacies. Doctors have been really compassionate as they see the situation very clearly, and it's all well documented, they just don't understand it. I'm afraid that I may be in an in-patient mental facility within a few days due to the choices of the pharmacies in this area, which are not rational. And I'm working, so this is not a good moment to have a mental collapse due to lack of sleep.

I also had physical problems from such sustained insomnia in the past and became anorexically thin, had a lot of my bodily functions stop working well, like my blood sugar and heart rate, and had to be on IV's for it. I also developed tremors and other, similar muscular problems, as well as extreme and constant terror that was barely managed by anti-anxiety medication.

I don't know what to do or where to turn. I have been told I am a "medical mystery," but I am not receiving consistent treatment even when I follow every rule laid forth to me. Again, I don't abuse my medication or fill them early, ever. Can anyone relate? I basically had total insomnia for almost a year with just occasional sleep before this. I don't know why it would be different now. And I know I cannot sleep without medication. But as of tonight, I am out of it, and I cannot go anywhere for help as I wouldn't know where to go. Plus, I have a heavy work week, and my entire family rely on my income.

Hello, I am new here, but I have been on ambien every night for 20 years at 20 mg because I spent a year in and out of hospitals, including some of the top sleep hospitals in the U.S., and I was only getting 1-2 hours of sleep per night because of an unknown problem. I had multiple sleep studies. I also was tried on dozens of medications that didn't help. Ambien wound up putting me to sleep when even barbiturates wouldn't.

I have no psychiatric problems and am a very productive person with a stable career and a graduate degree. I have no history of any addictions at all, substance-based or otherwise. I am middle-aged, in reasonably good health, and married. The insomnia began abruptly, without reason. I would get tired but something woke me up every time I drifted off to sleep, and then again all night long. Before that, I didn't have a single night of sleep missed and was a world champion sleeper.

I went to the pharmacy today, and they simply said my prescription was too high and refused to fill it. Now I have no medication, and I called the doctor, and he doesn't have a way to help since the pharmacy said it was too high of a dose, and I don't have a clear diagnosis. He said he couldn't give me anything else because I'd already tried everything else. And also, he said other pharmacies in this area would be the same. He apologized and said he could help me through.

In the past, I have stayed up for up to five days or more and have had hallucinations and a psychotic breakdown from it that resulted in a very traumatic mental hospitalization, which is when this regimen was basically decided upon. But as long as I take my medication, I am okay and have been fine.

Can anyone recommend what I should do? I've already tried marijuana since it is legal in my state. I have tried drinking but can't tolerate much alcohol without getting sick. I have tried every medication I can humanly think of. I often try falling asleep for hours without ambien, and I practice excellent sleep hygeine. I meditate. I am really calm. But I was just cut off the medication cold turkey and fear the worst now.

And all that makes me really want is to know if anyone on a long-term high-dose of ambien has gotten off of it? I don't like being at the mercy of pharmacies. Doctors have been really compassionate as they see the situation very clearly, and it's all well documented, they just don't understand it. I'm afraid that I may be in an in-patient mental facility within a few days due to the choices of the pharmacies in this area, which are not rational. And I'm working, so this is not a good moment to have a mental collapse due to lack of sleep.

I also had physical problems from such sustained insomnia in the past and became anorexically thin, had a lot of my bodily functions stop working well, like my blood sugar and heart rate, and had to be on IV's for it. I also developed tremors and other, similar muscular problems, as well as extreme and constant terror that was barely managed by anti-anxiety medication.

I don't know what to do or where to turn. I have been told I am a "medical mystery," but I am not receiving consistent treatment even when I follow every rule laid forth to me. Again, I don't abuse my medication or fill them early, ever. Can anyone relate? I basically had total insomnia for almost a year with just occasional sleep before this. I don't know why it would be different now. And I know I cannot sleep without medication. But as of tonight, I am out of it, and I cannot go anywhere for help as I wouldn't know where to go. Plus, I have a heavy work week, and my entire family rely on my income.