talk to me about Ambien?

[jessica31876]

Since I am not sleeping really well lately my doctor prescribed Ambien for me. I took one tonight about 2 hours ago and I am not tired. I tried laying down in the bed but I could not fall asleep. If you have taken them how long do they usually take to work?

[Jengerbread88]

My best friend has been on Ambien in the past. It usually takes him a few hours to work. He says that laying down and closing his eyes helps them kick in a little faster vs. watching TV or hanging out online or reading.

Sometimes he calls me waiting for them to take effect/him fall asleep... usually he calls about 30 minutes after taking them, then goes through slight hallucinations for about 2 hours, then starts to doze, and is out in about the 3rd hour.

I was given one Ambien when I was in the hospital having Zach (after they started the slight pitocin drip, they gave me an ambien). It didn't work at all.

I hope yours kicks in super soon! I'm sorry it hasn't worked yet.

[BrattyMeg]

I had it in the hospital too and I think it's one that doesn't really help you FALL asleep just helps you STAY asleep

Have you tried just benadryl?

I'd be very careful of the after effects of Ambien. I had a very hungover type reaction the next day to it.

((Hugs))

[jessica31876]

I do not have issues staying asleep once I actually fall asleep. Most nights that is not til 3 or 4 in the morning though then I am exhausted all day or I sleep til noon. That just is not working though.

ETA:Benedryl does not really help me fall asleep because I take it alot for allergies already.

[Leila]

The very first night I took an Ambien, I was out in thirty minutes. I took it downstairs and figured it would take a while to kick in. I couldn't even walk up the stairs on my own! Never took it far from my bed again, lol! After that, it always took an hour or more to work. They key, I was told and found from my own experience, is that you really do need to be IN bed. No outside stimuli, etc., blah blah blah.

That said, I found that Lunesta worked better for me to help me actually get to sleep and stay that way. I'm not on either one now, so on really rough nights, I'll take a 3mg melatonin and that helps a lot. Honestly, I'd rather go that route first, before Ambien or any other prescription medicine. Just ask the doc what they think, especially if you're on any other meds.

[AmberK]

My doctor put me on Ambien after Colin died because I was not able to fall asleep and it knocked me out in about 30 minutes but it made me horrible to live with. One of the side effectst that I found out was it exacerbated depression which I did NOT need. So I took Benadryl for YEARS to help me fall asleep. My OB prescribed me Sonata and that did help but my Rx ran out and I never got it refilled. I went to see a new PCP to discuss my anti-depressants and my insomnia and he put me on Seroquel at night to help with the insomnia. Its a med for people who are bipolar but they have found it helps boost anti-depressants in lower doses. I started off with 25 mg (people with bipolar take over 250mg) and it seriously knocked me out. I was sleeping for 12-14 hrs a night. So I cut it to half a pill and was still sleeping too much. Now I take 1/4 of a 25mg pill and its enough to make me fall asleep and still be able to wake up in the mornings.

[jessica31876]

I tried taking valerian root but even that does not help me fall asleep. My sister recomended it. She said she takes one capsule of it and falls asleep almost immediately. I was on muscle relaxers and pain meds for almost a year because of neck pain and headaches so I am wondering if I am just more tolerant of medications then I used to be. before the car accident I could take two tylenol and fall asleep after taking them.

[AmberK]

do you still take the muscle relaxers and pain meds? When I was taking the benadryl to help me fall asleep I developed a tolerance to it. Normally I take 1 and Im out in 30 minutes but I had taken it for so long that I would take 2 pills and it would still take me up to 2 hrs to fall asleep. I stopped taking them and notice now that whenever I do have to take it for allergies Im back to where I used to be with falling asleep in 30 mins.

Are you on any anti-depressants? My PCP told me that insomnia with people who are dealing with depression is quite common. I have FINALLY found the right combo of meds (after 6 years) that is working for me- 90 mg of Cymbalta in the morning and then 1/4 of a 25 mg of Seroquel at night. I no longer dread trying to go to sleep anymore. I use to lay in bed for HOURS not being able to sleep because I couldn't turn my mind off. But now I can fall asleep about 30 mins after laying down.

[knlchevys]

I haven't tried Ambien but not heard good things at all about the side effects on them. We have a friend that woke up, drove, and hit a tree. Didn't have a clue he was driving. I've tried Melatonin. I think that's how it's spelled. It's a natural herb. Sorry hope you find something that works.

[jessica31876]

I dont take antidepressants at this time. Going to talk to my dr about it. These she called in because I have not been sleeping well at all. I stopped taking the pain meds in December because they did an injection in my neck that stopped the pain and headaches for the most part. I do still occasionally take the muscle relaxers when I need to. The valerian root is all natural too. My sister swears by it. She told me that I would fall asleep in no time after taking it. But it did not work that well for me.

[VillageJen]

I love Ambien. I take 1/2 of a 10mg pill every night. Just like you, I take hours to fall asleep.

It gives me no side effects, either. When I take 5mgs I don't necessarily feel sleepy if I'm up doing things but once I go to bed I fall asleep quickly.

Ten mgs is where it can get a bit wonky for me. One evening I took 10mgs and then DH and I watched a new episode of Desperate Housewives. The next day I asked him if he remembered to tape the show because I wanted to see it. I had absolutely no recall of having sat there, watched the show and discussed it with him.

I also asked the children, "Where did the leftover pizza go?". Apparently I ate it while watching Desperate Housewives.

That's when I started cutting the pills in half.

Have you tried taking one and going right to bed, even if you don't feel sleepy? If so, do you fall asleep or are you still staying awake for a long while?

I can't say if Ambien is connected with depression. I was taking Zoloft and now it's Wellbutrin for postpartum depression. For me, sleep deprivation is a major factor in depression, so Ambien may help with that.

Good luck to you! I really feel for you.

[Leila]

Melatonin is actually a compound that the human body already makes. Devin's been taking it since he was 3 because of a melatonin deficiency. It works for him by boosting the melatonin levels to a point where he can actually fall asleep--melatonin is essential in keeping circadian rhythms intact.

[Darcy Baldwin]

I'd definitely go the melatonin route, too. It's what your body already creates, and if you're deficient, taking the supplement can get you back in balance, and you sleep better with the sleep you get. It never makes me sleepy, but if I take too big of a dose, I dream way too much, but we've found a good medium spot for me. I don't take it daily, but I do take it often, and it helps me stay asleep which is my biggest problem. I wake up a lot and my brain engages immediately. So the melatonin helps me stay asleep, and get better rest.

[nun69]

Originally Posted by VillageJen

I love Ambien. I take 1/2 of a 10mg pill every night. Just like you, I take hours to fall asleep.

It gives me no side effects, either. When I take 5mgs I don't necessarily feel sleepy if I'm up doing things but once I go to bed I fall asleep quickly.

this is exactly what I do! my DH not only takes 5 mg of Ambien but a 3 mg Melatonin as well...I would definetely try the melatonin and see if that helps....

[jessica31876]

going to have to try something because I was in bed for over an hour not able to fall asleep with the ambien. Got up and went online for a few and laid backk down. Finally gave up and just laid in bed til I was feeling sleepy on my own which was about 5 in the morning

[scrapmonkey]

Please also make sure you do not have sleep apnea if you are taking Ambien. I did and took Ambien and it ended up causing me to have memory loss. The reason according to my doctor is that Ambien supresses the body's ability to wake up. That's why it is good for people who can't stay asleep. Unfortunately for those with sleep apnea it exacerbates the impact of sleep apnea - when you stop breathing (from the apnea) it is supressing the body from waking up to move and breathe again - so your body gets even less oxygen.

I have struggled with insomnia for years. The best results I had were with Trazadone to get me to sleep, but not always to stay asleep, but that was pre-discovery of the sleep apnea. My husband takes the Trazadone and melatonin and that worked best for him on both fronts (he doesn't have sleep apnea). Now that I found out I had sleep apnea, I just take a Tylenol PM (which is basically like tylenol plus benadryl) and I'm good within a half hour usually.

[crazyt]

I use ambien to sleep at night and it takes a while to get to sleep but, usually I sleep really good after taking it...however, I do some weird things when on it so I have told my dh not to let me leave the room or do anything after I take one.

One time I got up and wrote a sappy letter to my son who was in the MTC at the time about how horrible it was to have him gone and then sent him a package for $80 worth of junk food!

another time I got up suddenly and stripped all my clothes off and started to leave the room and dh asked me what I was doing and I told him I had to go and cook dinner for the neighbors...

so.....be careful when taking it to see how you will react to it. Everyone is different but it is common to have different urges...

[4noisyboys]

I'm running late for work, so I don't have time to read everyone's reponses right now, but a question for you.

Is it the generic Ambien? If so, they don't work for me. I have a prescription for the Ambien time release one...brand name only. Lay down right away and relax. It should work. I only take it maybe once a month, but when I need it, I'm so glad I have it!!

Melatonin doesn't work for me. It gives me nightmares. Benedryl doesn't work for me either. I can't wake up the next morning. Weird how different things work on different people.

[DawnMarch]

I take Ambien on occasion when I can't get to sleep. It works perfectly for me -- I take no more than 1/2 tablet (sometimes only 1/3) and it makes me fall asleep usually in about 1/2 hour. I do sometimes feel a little groggy in the morning but it's hard to tell whether that's from the Ambien or the fact that I only take them when I haven't been able to sleep for a while so I end up staying up way too late.

[CA Dreamer]

I have taken it and it helped me to get a good consecutive hours of sleep. I really need at least 4 hrs straight (6-7 hrs, total, but 4 straight) or I feel really bad the next day. I only took 1/2 a tablet though. When I took a whole one, I was really loopy in the AM for the first half hour after I woke up. Like I was unsteady on my feet, kind of loopy. So, I would probably be one of those people that would go sleep walking/driving or something if I took the whole dose. But I am really short - 4'11", small/med build, so a whole tablet would probably be fine for anyone else

The thing that scared me was that if there was an emergency in the night after taking it, I am not sure that I would be able to get me and my kids to safety if I needed to. But, that being said, it did help me to fall asleep and stay asleep for the first 4 or so hours when I really needed it.

[Joana1n]

I've not taken it but my SIL started taking melatonin after my BIL died b/c she was having an awful time falling asleep. She says it's been a life-saver for her.

Her doctor had prescribed her Ambien but she wouldn't take it because she was afraid she would be unable to wake up if her son (age 3) woke up and needed her.

[VillageJen]

I've never had a problem waking up in the middle of the night when necessary. I began taking it when my newborn was hospitalized and continued after he came home.

Even on the rare occasion when I would take a full 10mg pill, I could still wake up easily to tend to my little guy. The nice thing was that I could fall back to sleep when baby did, rather than be up from 2:00am to 4:00am.

I'm not trying to push the Ambien... just share my experience.

[jessica31876]

I sat up for hours after taking it (mine is 5mg) so maybe it was not enough. I did not fall asleep until nearly 5 in the morning.

[SweetMelissa]

My husband was on Ambien for a while after he came home from his deployment. He took it right after dinner (about 5:30) and by 9pm would be out. The only thing is that after two months he had to take a pill and a half then another month later he needed two pills then two months later he had to take three pills for it work. He also started to sleep walk and do dangerous things (he took a knife out the kitchen and ran around the house because he thought someone was trying to break in & he doesn't remember doing it).. His doctor took him off of them because they stopped working and they were mixing with his pill he had to take for PTSD and they were making him violent. To this day he will not take another Ambien. They were nice when they worked but once they stopped it was awful.

I do remember it would take him two to four hours to fall asleep. He would take it, then help me put Troy to bed, do any paper work he needed to, take a shower (or bath) and relax then watch an hour of TV and pass out on the couch.

They would also knock my husband out. He would fall asleep and not be able to get up. When I went into labor with our daughter I had to hit him several times with a Harry Potter book to get him to wake up so we could go to the hospital.

[VillageJen]

Originally Posted by mamaof3

When I went into labor with our daughter I had to hit him several times with a Harry Potter book to get him to wake up so we could go to the hospital.

I've been tempted to do that during labor, even when hubby was wide awake.

Have you ever seen the Steve Martin remake of Father of the Bride II? He takes some major strong sleeping pills and then, of course, daughter goes into labor. He wakes up after an unexpected prostrate exam. Cute movie!