ambien - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

deerwalk · 06-11-2009, 11:31 PM

I took ambien for many years, off and on. For weeks at a time it was prescribed to me. What troubles me is all the terrible things I have heard about it- sleepwalking and such. I know I answered my phone a few times while I took it and did not remember until someone told me. I had vivid dreams sometimes of walking around and I live in a pretty bad area- I am afraid maybe I was really walking around, and maybe there are other things I don't remember, like maybe I left my apartment alot or something. I am terrified. I have an acquaintance who was picked up at the police station three times after taking ambien and does not remember- his roommate picked him up! I am afraid I have sleep walked or done things and do not remember.

liveweyerd · 06-12-2009, 06:58 AM

That is frightening!
I refuse to take it, myself because it gåve me such horrid night terrors...
there are much saƒer alternatives.
I took trazadone for years safely.

otterbearcat · 06-12-2009, 02:58 PM

I take it sometimes, but like I refered to in another thread, I dont take it more than 2 nights in row. My gf (well, she is still my gf today at least) has taken it for years, it is highly addictive, she cant sleep without it, she sends emails that she doesnt remember, a few times we have had sex and she didnt remember. I think it is different for everyone and I have never had any side effects myself. I take it when I know I am going to sleep and nothing else.

I hate trazadone. It makes me feel 'drugged'. My body is heavy but it doesnt 'shut my mind off', which is why Im taking the sleep med, to shut my mind off so I can sleep.

But as stated above, it works for others...

otterbearcat · 06-12-2009, 02:59 PM

oh yes, and trazadone gives me horrible and/or weird dreams...
everyone is different.

ananda · 06-12-2009, 05:50 PM

I took abeint the first 18 mos of my sobriety. I occationally did things without remmbering, always when i failed to follow the directions of the dr....to take it immediately before going to bed and to immediatly lay down. Or i guess a couple of times when i didn't follow my diet as directed by the dr. and didn't eat my dinner...in which case i got up and ate in the night.

However, I have always been a sleepwalker, so this is nothing new to me.

After 18mos, the ambient quit working and i went off it.... i had trouble sleeping for a ffew days, but then i was fine.

I believe that it was the right decision to take the abient for the time i took it. When i got sober one of my dr.s first concerns was taht we do something about my sleep disorder...i had been sleep eating and sleep walking for many years, and the lack of sleep was messing me up in the head.

People say you can't die from lack of sleep, but the resulting accidents form lack of attentiveness can kill, and the deep depression from lack of sleep can tip a person over the edge.

If you have a severe sleep problem i really recommend discussing it with a dr.

liveweyerd · 06-12-2009, 06:46 PM

trazadone must be taken early in order to avoid the hangover effect.
It also takes a couple of weeks or more for your body to get used to it.

I just got off it because it was giving me horrible and vivid nightmares...

am trying doxapin now...too soon to tell, but no nightmares..I think it is going to work well with me, but we need to find the best dosage.

baggervance · 06-13-2009, 09:26 AM

I took ambein for about 10 years when I took it right I had no problems It was when I started abusing it I had trouble.

otterbearcat · 06-13-2009, 05:02 PM

yep, I could easily abuse it, it is nice to take something and 'check out' right?
But that is why I never take it more than 2 nights in a row, and use it when I cant sleep, not to get high.
I operate much much better on good sleep.

Paulie · 06-15-2009, 03:03 PM

Quote:

I just got off it because it was giving me horrible and vivid nightmares...

You are not the first person I have heard say that.

Wascally Wabbit · 06-15-2009, 05:43 PM

Lorazapam is the best for me. It only stays in the body 4 hours, so no hangover. It's actually an anti anxiety med, but makes you really sleepy!
My doc says it is a safe med.
I fall asleep and don't have any trouble with bad dreams which I am subject to.

Taurus80 · 06-26-2009, 11:10 PM

Ambien is NOT recommended for alcoholics or addicts. I had a very bad experience when I took the whole bottle and didnt remember doing it. The cops had to break my door down because my bf was outside and could hear my son crying. It is almost like a benzo. You could risk your sobriety if you take ambien.

otterbearcat · 07-11-2009, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wascally Wabbit

Lorazapam is the best for me. It only stays in the body 4 hours, so no hangover. It's actually an anti anxiety med, but makes you really sleepy!
My doc says it is a safe med.
I fall asleep and don't have any trouble with bad dreams which I am subject to.

Yes, I have heard of this too.

chairmanma084 · 07-29-2009, 01:47 PM

trazadone gave me the worst headache/toothache feeling i've ever had in my life.

ambien doesn't work for me when coming off of opiates, nor does any "sleep" med, prescribed or OTC.

insomnia is often a symptom of something much more serious, though for a very small percentage of people.

has anyone ever seen a neurologist for SLEEP THERAPY?

ranae1221 · 08-10-2009, 12:08 AM

I personally have never taken Ambien, though my doc has wanted several times to prescribe it. My grandmother abuses it, and I just didn't want to even try it.

There have been many nights my grandfather and I have had to take her to bed because she is wandering in the home, not knowing what she is doing. She then never remembers it.

I have taken Seroquel for many years, and it works great for me. (I don't take it just for sleep, it is also to keep my mood stable, but sleepiness is a good side effect). The only drawback is I usually have to make sure I have at least 10 hours of sleep for me to be able to get up in the morning.

I agree about the sleep study. Many times insomnia, trouble staying asleep or waking up still feeling tired can be a symptom of sleep apnea. Appropriately treating the sleep apnea can help improve your sleep.

06-11-2009, 11:31 PM	#1 (permalink)
deerwalk Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Chicago Posts: 820	ambien I took ambien for many years, off and on. For weeks at a time it was prescribed to me. What troubles me is all the terrible things I have heard about it- sleepwalking and such. I know I answered my phone a few times while I took it and did not remember until someone told me. I had vivid dreams sometimes of walking around and I live in a pretty bad area- I am afraid maybe I was really walking around, and maybe there are other things I don't remember, like maybe I left my apartment alot or something. I am terrified. I have an acquaintance who was picked up at the police station three times after taking ambien and does not remember- his roommate picked him up! I am afraid I have sleep walked or done things and do not remember.

06-12-2009, 06:58 AM	#2 (permalink)
liveweyerd Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 8,276 Blog Entries: 5	That is frightening! I refuse to take it, myself because it gåve me such horrid night terrors... there are much saƒer alternatives. I took trazadone for years safely. __________________ Each small candle lights a corner of the dark....Roger Waters

06-12-2009, 05:50 PM	#5 (permalink)
ananda Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 10,122	I took abeint the first 18 mos of my sobriety. I occationally did things without remmbering, always when i failed to follow the directions of the dr....to take it immediately before going to bed and to immediatly lay down. Or i guess a couple of times when i didn't follow my diet as directed by the dr. and didn't eat my dinner...in which case i got up and ate in the night. However, I have always been a sleepwalker, so this is nothing new to me. After 18mos, the ambient quit working and i went off it.... i had trouble sleeping for a ffew days, but then i was fine. I believe that it was the right decision to take the abient for the time i took it. When i got sober one of my dr.s first concerns was taht we do something about my sleep disorder...i had been sleep eating and sleep walking for many years, and the lack of sleep was messing me up in the head. People say you can't die from lack of sleep, but the resulting accidents form lack of attentiveness can kill, and the deep depression from lack of sleep can tip a person over the edge. If you have a severe sleep problem i really recommend discussing it with a dr. __________________

06-12-2009, 06:46 PM	#6 (permalink)
liveweyerd Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 8,276 Blog Entries: 5	trazadone must be taken early in order to avoid the hangover effect. It also takes a couple of weeks or more for your body to get used to it. I just got off it because it was giving me horrible and vivid nightmares... am trying doxapin now...too soon to tell, but no nightmares..I think it is going to work well with me, but we need to find the best dosage. __________________ Each small candle lights a corner of the dark....Roger Waters

06-13-2009, 09:26 AM	#7 (permalink)
baggervance Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: tennessee Posts: 558	I took ambein for about 10 years when I took it right I had no problems It was when I started abusing it I had trouble. __________________ I love my bulldog she never says a word about anything I do wrong.

06-12-2009, 02:58 PM	#3 (permalink)
otterbearcat On the path to self discovery Join Date: May 2009 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 144 Blog Entries: 15	I take it sometimes, but like I refered to in another thread, I dont take it more than 2 nights in row. My gf (well, she is still my gf today at least) has taken it for years, it is highly addictive, she cant sleep without it, she sends emails that she doesnt remember, a few times we have had sex and she didnt remember. I think it is different for everyone and I have never had any side effects myself. I take it when I know I am going to sleep and nothing else. I hate trazadone. It makes me feel 'drugged'. My body is heavy but it doesnt 'shut my mind off', which is why Im taking the sleep med, to shut my mind off so I can sleep. But as stated above, it works for others...

06-12-2009, 02:59 PM	#4 (permalink)
otterbearcat On the path to self discovery Join Date: May 2009 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 144 Blog Entries: 15	oh yes, and trazadone gives me horrible and/or weird dreams... everyone is different.

06-13-2009, 05:02 PM	#8 (permalink)
otterbearcat On the path to self discovery Join Date: May 2009 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 144 Blog Entries: 15	yep, I could easily abuse it, it is nice to take something and 'check out' right? But that is why I never take it more than 2 nights in a row, and use it when I cant sleep, not to get high. I operate much much better on good sleep. __________________ Wherever you go, there you are

06-15-2009, 05:43 PM	#10 (permalink)
Wascally Wabbit Power is not having to respond Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Wabbit Hole Posts: 1,849	Lorazapam is the best for me. It only stays in the body 4 hours, so no hangover. It's actually an anti anxiety med, but makes you really sleepy! My doc says it is a safe med. I fall asleep and don't have any trouble with bad dreams which I am subject to. __________________ The first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want. Ben Stein

06-26-2009, 11:10 PM	#11 (permalink)
Taurus80 Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 6	Ambien is NOT recommended for alcoholics or addicts. I had a very bad experience when I took the whole bottle and didnt remember doing it. The cops had to break my door down because my bf was outside and could hear my son crying. It is almost like a benzo. You could risk your sobriety if you take ambien.

07-29-2009, 01:47 PM	#13 (permalink)
chairmanma084 Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: salisbury, nc Posts: 66 Blog Entries: 2	trazadone gave me the worst headache/toothache feeling i've ever had in my life. ambien doesn't work for me when coming off of opiates, nor does any "sleep" med, prescribed or OTC. insomnia is often a symptom of something much more serious, though for a very small percentage of people. has anyone ever seen a neurologist for SLEEP THERAPY?

08-10-2009, 12:08 AM	#14 (permalink)
ranae1221 Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Arizona Posts: 246	I personally have never taken Ambien, though my doc has wanted several times to prescribe it. My grandmother abuses it, and I just didn't want to even try it. There have been many nights my grandfather and I have had to take her to bed because she is wandering in the home, not knowing what she is doing. She then never remembers it. I have taken Seroquel for many years, and it works great for me. (I don't take it just for sleep, it is also to keep my mood stable, but sleepiness is a good side effect). The only drawback is I usually have to make sure I have at least 10 hours of sleep for me to be able to get up in the morning. I agree about the sleep study. Many times insomnia, trouble staying asleep or waking up still feeling tired can be a symptom of sleep apnea. Appropriately treating the sleep apnea can help improve your sleep. __________________ Jessica "You can have a perfectly normal life..... if you accept the fact that your life will never be perfectly normal" You laugh because I am different...I laugh because you are all the same

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