sleeping pills

frederick · Post by **frederick** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 8:31 pm

I have to use Ambien or I can't fall asleep, I've used it for about 4 months now and I was hoping to be able to stop. I'm disappointed, it's bad enought to have a sleep apnea (moderate) diagnosis without also being condemened to taking pills. I only drink one cup of tea am, little alcohol at night but none after dinner, and I avoid chocolate, sugar, etc, plus I try to excercise every day. I also have to take Lotrel for hypertension and I'm wondering if there's a connection there. Thanks for any input!

Jere · Post by **Jere** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 9:57 pm

There are a bunch of posts on this topic, but I feel for you. Despite the hype, drugs like Ambien and Lunesta can become pyschologically addicting. I took Ambien nightly for at least 5 years. The way I stopped was a combination of a change of other meds and sheer force of will. I would put the Ambien on the night table and try not to beat myself up if needed to take it. Over a course of weeks I took the pill less and less. The key (for me) was to learn not to berate myself for taking it.

Good luck and stay strong

.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Fri Mar 17, 2006 10:09 pm

Ambien has been all over the news lately with negative effects from long term use, the stuff causes many to sleep walk, some even found driving in their sleep and there have been reported accidents. NBC nightly news even had a blurb on it just a week ago, appears when interviewed the patients didn't even know they were driving.

I would suggest trying Melatonin, been using it for years, it doesn't seem to carry all the harsh side effects of the prescription drugs or even TylenolPM, and it is cheap by comparison. The thing with it is you have to take it nearly every night and adjust your own dosage, I use 3mg, if your groggy in the morning you cut back on the dosage by cutting the pill and taking less. GNC and Costco has good quality stuff both USP grade.

Sleeper · Post by **Sleeper** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 12:01 am

I, too, was concerned about being able to give up ambien after 3 months of continuous use. But it wasn't as hard as I thought. I just weaned myself off it gradually and was eventually able to sleep without it again. Use common sense and talk with your doctor if you need to. I think it's great to have on hand for an emergency, but for long-term use: not so much. For me, natural sleep feels better.

CheezWiz · Post by **CheezWiz** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 8:56 pm

Like SnoreDogg, I have had tremendous success with Melatonin.

Last year, my sleep pattern was way out of whack.
I started using Melatonin at 10:30 - 11 PM each night and would be out by Midnight. This was after months of laying there for hours on end...

I stayed on the Melatonin for 8 to 10 months and discovered, by accident, that I no longer needed it. I am able to be out by Midnight without it now. The groggy effect wears off after the first few days of use for me..

I have started using it again since last night was my first night on the hose. Gave one to my wife too. (3 mg)

The other two things that help me are:
1. No caffeine after 5 PM (Other than green tea at 7 MG caffeine)
2. The IPOD playing Hearts of Space episodes for 120 minutes starting at 11 PM... (I have 28 hours of HOS on the IPOD and hundreds on HD)

http://www.hos.com

chdurie2 · Post by **chdurie2** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 9:19 pm

snoredog--i thought that tv report on accidents with ambien was the most ridiculous thing i ever saw. not that i'm defending ambiern, but the report had no back up. the statistics on accidents while driving with ambien were so low and yet they portrayed them as so high. naturally they did not state the statistics on accidents while driving with no sleeping pill in your system. it was something like 31 out of 1000 drivers who take ambien have accidents. that's .3 percent. talk about blowing something out of proportion.

caroline

Swordz · Post by **Swordz** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 10:43 pm

Sleep meds are definitely one of those things that come with risks, but its up to the user to weigh the pros/cons. Ambien has gotten its fair share of negative publicity lately, but most meds will affect some people in a negative way. Notice I said SOME people, not everyone. If it helps you get to sleep and be compliant with your treatment, then I'm all for you. If it is a crutch that you become dependent on, then obviously that is not the reccomended situation.

Weaning sounds the way to go, but I'd all also look into Lunesta and Rozerem and other "long-term approved" drugs. As far as melatonin, I'm still very skeptical.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Mar 18, 2006 10:54 pm

Even thought your tea is inthe morning and a little alcohol is early eve, try eliminating them. You may find that even that small amount influences your sleep patterns.

trimltd · Post by **trimltd** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 5:39 pm

I have 4 cups of coffee before 6:30 am and 1-2 softdrinks per day
I take 1/3 of 1 ml. at 9:15 pm and use a swift nasal mask, I sleep very well all night long.
Melatonin can be found in 1 ml. gr. tablets. Just cut them up.
5,000 on cpap machine

Bert

krousseau · Post by **krousseau** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 1:05 pm

drugs like Ambien and Lunesta can become pyschologically addicting

Not sure if it is psychological dependence-you do need sleep and if you are having sleep apnea and any problems adjusting to therapy a sleep medication is useful. Now you want to stop taking it. You don't say what you are doing to get off of it. Is it insomnia or adjusting to CPAP or a mix of the two? Do you have any guidance/support, tapering or just stopping, using visualization or progressive relaxation. Any sleep centers around-insomnia is often a learned behavior when you have sleep apnea or some stress-sleep center usually have classes to help. Some insurance companies pay for it-mine does as a mental health benefit. I think slrrp is good for my mental health. Talk About Sleep has lots of tips to deal qith insomnia.

3isles · Post by **3isles** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 8:38 pm

I am using ambien to be able to tolerate the mask. I started using it in Sept. Before that I could not keep the mask on, I could feel the panic rising in me till I just had to rip the mask off and get up and walk around until I was calm again. I don't need ambien to sleep, just to be able to use the mask without freaking out. On nights when I have had such a bad cold I couldn't use xpap I slept fine without taking it. I think I should ask the doc if I could switch to something else, something that works really fast and lasts a shorter amount of time, once I fall asleep, even if I wake up, I can still go back to sleep with the mask, its just at the beginning of the night that I really need something to stop the panic. I really don't want to have to take ambien forever either.

Cathy

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 11:29 am

I don't need ambien to sleep, just to be able to use the mask without freaking out.

Cathy,
Exactly that is what psychlogical dependence is all about. You've been using Ambine since December (!), and you still believe you will freak out without it.

You'll have to find a different way of dealing with your anxiety if you want to stop the Ambien. There's no way you'll be able to stop as long as you believe that Ambien is your only protection agains the dire threat of a mask on your face.

I hope you find the necessary support to help you handle the mask without Ambien.

O.

3isles · Post by **3isles** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 9:33 pm

ozij

you are right of course. I am dependent on Ambien to be able to keep the mask on, and I am dependent on xpap to sleep and breath at the same time. My sats without the mask are way too low.

I don't see a way out. I can't live with the panic and I can't live without xpap. Probably switching to a different drug like atavan or something wouldn't help either. I tried for 5 months to get used to the mask and machine, and it was only when I was on the verge of giving up and just living with the consequences that my sleep doc rx'd the Ambien. It made it possible for me to keep at it.

As for long term use, even though regular Ambien is not approved for long term use Ambien CR is and its essentially the same drug. The only difference is that CR has an inner shell to delay release of some of the drug until later in the night to make it last longer.

I may not be thrilled with it, but I'm stuck with it all ... at least for now.

Cathy

TerryB · Post by **TerryB** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 7:30 pm

I got a script for Rozerem today. I sure haven't had a problem with going to sleep, it's staying asleep instead of fidling with the mask that seems to be the problem. I feel like I'm still more disrupted by the treatment than I ever was by the apnea. Of course I was toasting braincells and risking not waking up back in the good old days. I guess the mask and leaks and hose and ..... are waking me up more efficiently that the apnea did. My numbers using a narrow range auto look very good so I think the breathing is working well, the sleeping is just shot to blazes.

We'll soon know if this is going to help. Everything I've been able to find says the side effects may be wicked for some people but getting on and off of it is not a problem.

Tally ho.

TerryB

Mask

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