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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by fachad on June 7, 2001, at 21:18:23
My pdoc called in RX for Ambien 10mg for me today.
Is it safe to take or will I become dependent on it to fall asleep?
My problem is not falling asleep, but waking up too often and too early. Is Ambien good for that or does it just help falling asleep?
Does it loose effectivness over time?
Any thoughs or experiences would be most appreciated.
Posted by Miragee on June 7, 2001, at 21:34:22
In reply to Ambien, posted by fachad on June 7, 2001, at 21:18:23
Hi,
I had a friend who took it and had very weird experiences with it. She told me she would never take it again.
I take Neurontin and it "cured" my 15-year battle with insomnia. After taking a 400 mg. Neurontin that first night and waking up to daylight, instead of pitch darkness at 3:00 in the morning, I was ecstatic!
> My pdoc called in RX for Ambien 10mg for me today.
>
> Is it safe to take or will I become dependent on it to fall asleep?
>
> My problem is not falling asleep, but waking up too often and too early. Is Ambien good for that or does it just help falling asleep?
>
> Does it loose effectivness over time?
>
> Any thoughs or experiences would be most appreciated.
Posted by terra miller on June 7, 2001, at 23:01:54
In reply to Ambien, posted by fachad on June 7, 2001, at 21:18:23
Hi, I have ambien and I am amazed at how "un" addictive it is. I expected all the things that you posted. My pdoc prescribed 10mg for 15 days in a row so that I could regain good sleep patterns. I thought I would be on it forever and didn't want to do it, but I did. It reset my sleep cycle (I was waking every 1-2 hours). I take it now only when I need to. I have never developed a dependence on it. I notice that if I take it for, say, three days in a row it seems to lose its effectiveness. However, not using it and then using it again, say the next week, it then is as effective as the first day. I take 10mg, or 15mg in a pinch. Sometimes I wake after 4 hours with 10mg and have to take another 5mg, that's usually during high anxiety time for me though. I will say that it sure is nice to be able to fall asleep so quickly. It's amazing! p.s. make sure you can insure 7 hours of sleep or you'll wake up groggy and tired which will wear off.
Terra
> My pdoc called in RX for Ambien 10mg for me today.
>
> Is it safe to take or will I become dependent on it to fall asleep?
>
> My problem is not falling asleep, but waking up too often and too early. Is Ambien good for that or does it just help falling asleep?
>
> Does it loose effectivness over time?
>
> Any thoughs or experiences would be most appreciated.
Posted by Elizabeth on June 8, 2001, at 19:43:38
In reply to Ambien, posted by fachad on June 7, 2001, at 21:18:23
> Is it safe to take or will I become dependent on it to fall asleep?
Although some people say that they experienced tolerance or dependence on Ambien, available evidence suggests that this is the exception rather than the rule. I didn't have any problems, personally, and I take 20 mg. I've taken it for as long as 18 months on a pretty much daily basis. I never needed to raise the dose; I've always required 20 mg. I never experienced rebound insomnia from discontinuing it or skipping a dose.
> My problem is not falling asleep, but waking up too often and too early. Is Ambien good for that or does it just help falling asleep?
It's best for getting to sleep because it's short acting, but I find it somewhat helpful in improving sleep continuity.
-elizabeth
Posted by JennyR on June 8, 2001, at 21:10:01
In reply to Ambien, posted by fachad on June 7, 2001, at 21:18:23
My experience with it was that it gave me about 5 hours of sleep and then I was up. And the sleep didn't seem deep. So it didn't help with my sleep problems. Klonipin for sleep does help me. I read a lot of weird things on here a while back about people finding themselves in strange situations by taking the Ambien and not going to bed right away, so I think you really need to take it just before bed.
Posted by Shar on June 8, 2001, at 22:42:45
In reply to Re: Ambien, posted by JennyR on June 8, 2001, at 21:10:01
My experience with Ambien was psychotic dreams and night terrors. I am amazed that anyone can take it at all--but that's the deal with all the meds, their effects can vary strongly from person to person.
I will never take Ambien again.
Shar
Posted by fachad on June 8, 2001, at 23:35:14
In reply to Ambien, posted by fachad on June 7, 2001, at 21:18:23
I took my first 10mg Ambien last night. I had the best 4 hours of sleep in my life! Too bad I need 7 or 8 to be functional.
Before the Ambien, I was waking up at 3 AM; with the Ambien, I wake at 1:30 AM.
I'll try it a few more times to see if things change, but I'm skeptical.
Now, if they would only come out with Ambien SR, or AmbiContin...I'd be set!
> My pdoc called in RX for Ambien 10mg for me today.
>
> Is it safe to take or will I become dependent on it to fall asleep?
>
> My problem is not falling asleep, but waking up too often and too early. Is Ambien good for that or does it just help falling asleep?
>
> Does it loose effectivness over time?
>
> Any thoughs or experiences would be most appreciated.
Posted by Elizabeth on June 8, 2001, at 23:49:59
In reply to Re: Ambien, posted by JennyR on June 8, 2001, at 21:10:01
> My experience with it was that it gave me about 5 hours of sleep and then I was up. And the sleep didn't seem deep.
Me too, but I felt rested after the 5 hours. Ambien doesn't do much to sleep architecture; other sleep aids can increase deep sleep and/or suppress REM sleep.
> So it didn't help with my sleep problems. Klonipin for sleep does help me.
Klonopin is good for maintaining sleep, but people tend to become tolerant to its sedating effects (with some exceptions). As a result, it's usually not too great for chronic insomnia that is a problem every night.
> I read a lot of weird things on here a while back about people finding themselves in strange situations by taking the Ambien and not going to bed right away, so I think you really need to take it just before bed.
That's right: if you're taking it on an empty stomach, Ambien gives you just enough time to brush your teeth. I haven't done anything dangerous as a result of Ambien, but I have done some pretty silly things. < g >
-elizabeth
Posted by terra miller on June 10, 2001, at 17:13:34
In reply to Re: Ambien: First Impression, posted by fachad on June 8, 2001, at 23:35:14
> I took my first 10mg Ambien last night. I had the best 4 hours of sleep in my life! Too bad I need 7 or 8 to be functional.
talk to your pdoc. s/he might suggest taking a 5mg dose if you wake up after that first 4 hours. it depends what your pdoc wants to do with you for the initial weeks. i have found that ambien is great for getting you off to sleep, but often it does end up just as you mentioned... great sleep for 4 hours, but then waking.
btw, i took 10mg last night and woke up with the sun. (ie: it worked) sometimes i just need it to get a good, solid night's sleep. then if i hit and miss "on my own" for a while i'm not feeling 'sleep deprived' so badly anymore.
> > My pdoc called in RX for Ambien 10mg for me today.you can get ambien in the 10mg pill size or the 5mg pill size. i get the 5mg size so that i can take 10 or 15mg. fyi.
Terra
Posted by Elizabeth on June 10, 2001, at 20:37:22
In reply to Re: Ambien: First Impression » fachad, posted by terra miller on June 10, 2001, at 17:13:34
> > I took my first 10mg Ambien last night. I had the best 4 hours of sleep in my life! Too bad I need 7 or 8 to be functional.
>
> talk to your pdoc. s/he might suggest taking a 5mg dose if you wake up after that first 4 hours.I sometimes use it that way (I wake up in the middle of the night/early morning a lot). Sonata (a drug that acts like Ambien, only for an even shorter duration) is specifically marketed for this type of use -- it works fast and only lasts a couple of hours.
> you can get ambien in the 10mg pill size or the 5mg pill size. i get the 5mg size so that i can take 10 or 15mg. fyi.
I get 60/month of the 10 mg (I need 20). As you can probably imagine, pharmacies tend to mess this up.
-elizabeth
This is the end of the thread.
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