Has anyone here been prescribed Ambien (zolpidem) for insomnia? I've resisted trying it, because of the horror stories of people under the influence (e.g. driving off cliffs, eating full bags of Cheetos, etc.). But melatonin and valerian extract have proved worse than useless for me.
The other one I'm interested in hearing about is Trazodone. Anybody taken that for sleeping, or as an antidepressant?
I had a prescription for Ambien a few months ago. My dreams were weird.
Ambien binds to GABA receptor sites like benzos (Xanax, Valium). From the experiences of family members that used benzos, unless you continue to ramp up the amount you take, it stops having any sedative or anti-anxiety effects. The tolerance for them at least developed very quickly. For long term treatment they were pretty crap in their opinions, though in this case it was for anxiety primarily. Worked ok for short term though.
These same family members also have a lot of experience with anti-depressants, though not Trazodone. For my sister the ones that caused some sedation (lexapro, nortriptyline) the sedative effects wore off after about a month. Trazodone is supposed to be more sedative than those though.
My sister who is one of the characters in this post has chronic insomnia too. It sucks. She hasn't really found anything that works for that yet. I wish you luck.
I have Trazodone. It works as a mild anti-depressant and makes you go to sleep. Works fairly well (at least the sleep part does), but I don't like it cause for some reason it causes chest pains. I rarely take it. Besides the chest pains I occasionally have it has no other side affects. I would start by first taking it over a weekend to see how you react to it. It can take a while to wear off, so you don't want to take it and drive to work with it still in your system. That might be dangerous.
Quote from: Gbeagle on November 10, 2009, 08:20:19 PM
Ambien binds to GABA receptor sites like benzos (Xanax, Valium). From the experiences of family members that used benzos, unless you continue to ramp up the amount you take, it stops having any sedative or anti-anxiety effects. The tolerance for them at least developed very quickly. For long term treatment they were pretty crap in their opinions, though in this case it was for anxiety primarily. Worked ok for short term though.
These same family members also have a lot of experience with anti-depressants, though not Trazodone. For my sister the ones that caused some sedation (lexapro, nortriptyline) the sedative effects wore off after about a month. Trazodone is supposed to be more sedative than those though.
My sister who is one of the characters in this post has chronic insomnia too. It sucks. She hasn't really found anything that works for that yet. I wish you luck.
Huh. I didn't know Ambien worked like a Benzo. It's true you can build a resistance to them fairly quick but if you don't take them for a while the resistance will wear off. I take them for anxiety.
Quote from: Capetan Mihali on November 10, 2009, 06:23:45 PM
(e.g. driving off cliffs, eating full bags of Cheetos, etc.).
There are more embarrassing ways to die than at the bottom of a ravine covered in cheese dust, you know.
I use ambien any time I travel abroad. Helps me get my time clock oriented.
I used Stilnox once. Went to bed immediately, slept like a dead man for 8 hours and woke up exhausted. Never tried it again. Rather chop wood or something.
Sleep is over rated anyway.
Quote from: syk on November 11, 2009, 05:40:32 AM
I used Stilnox once. Went to bed immediately, slept like a dead man for 8 hours and woke up exhausted. Never tried it again. Rather chop wood or something.
Yeah, I noticed that with some of those sleep aids. You sleep but you aren't rested.
Why can't you sleep?
Due to more people acting funny from zolpidem, our Z-drug of choice tends to be zopiclone, among the doctors I know. Not that I've tried it myself.
Quote from: Grey Fox on November 11, 2009, 01:36:04 PM
Why can't you sleep?
My brain is too busy. I've never tried the scripts but I have to a pop a melatonin tablet or two at night.
Quote from: Korea on November 11, 2009, 11:19:38 PM
Quote from: Grey Fox on November 11, 2009, 01:36:04 PM
Why can't you sleep?
My brain is too busy. I've never tried the scripts but I have to a pop a melatonin tablet or two at night.
You know those things don't work right?
Quote from: Razgovory on November 12, 2009, 12:25:16 AM
Quote from: Korea on November 11, 2009, 11:19:38 PM
Quote from: Grey Fox on November 11, 2009, 01:36:04 PM
Why can't you sleep?
My brain is too busy. I've never tried the scripts but I have to a pop a melatonin tablet or two at night.
You know those things don't work right?
Shh, placebo works quite well.
Quote from: Grey Fox on November 11, 2009, 01:36:04 PM
Why can't you sleep?
J'ai des malades mentales...
Anyways, just took a 10mg zolpidem and a 50mg trazodone and about to hit the proverbial hay. We'll see how it goes.
A demain... :zzz:
Quote from: Korea on November 11, 2009, 11:19:38 PM
Quote from: Grey Fox on November 11, 2009, 01:36:04 PM
Why can't you sleep?
My brain is too busy. I've never tried the scripts but I have to a pop a melatonin tablet or two at night.
For an otherwise healthy young person that seems like the wrong way to go about it.. how about finding out how to unwind istead?
V
I sometimes have trouble sleeping so I have them prescribed. Never acted funny on them, more than writing strange things to people over MSN. Of course, you're supposed to try to sleep after taking them. If you try to stay awake, they have hallucinory effects. You can see some weird things some times.
Lucidor: First time I had a prescription of 20 zolpidem, next time 20 zopiclon, next time 20 stilnoct, all 0.5 mg. Same doctor.
It's a good knocker-outer. :)
Great review from Dan of Mandeville, LA on Topix.com:
Quote
this is one of the many reasons y ambien is the greatest drug ever created...
Doctors prescribe it like candy
They say no addictive properties(lol)
can bring bring people out of comas (WTF lol)
whats next ambien brings people back from the dead
and its good to know that i have the support of one of the countries great leaders in colin powel
just wait a few years till a few people drive off cliffs or the doctors actually try some of the medication and ambien will be nearly impossible to get a prescription for..... till then have fun date raping ur own spouses, bringing relatives out of comas and walking around aimlessly in ur ambien stupor with no memory...
long live ambien the drug of the 00's
God bless Ambien. Keep on keeping on date raping your wife and bringing your cousin out of a coma.
Quote from: Fate on November 12, 2009, 12:27:55 AM
Quote from: Razgovory on November 12, 2009, 12:25:16 AM
Quote from: Korea on November 11, 2009, 11:19:38 PM
Quote from: Grey Fox on November 11, 2009, 01:36:04 PM
Why can't you sleep?
My brain is too busy. I've never tried the scripts but I have to a pop a melatonin tablet or two at night.
You know those things don't work right?
Shh, placebo works quite well.
I guess I can vouch for that then. And it's better than taking actual sleeping pills because then your just extremely groggy in the morning.
Quote from: Valdemar on November 12, 2009, 07:10:24 AM
Quote from: Korea on November 11, 2009, 11:19:38 PM
Quote from: Grey Fox on November 11, 2009, 01:36:04 PM
Why can't you sleep?
My brain is too busy. I've never tried the scripts but I have to a pop a melatonin tablet or two at night.
For an otherwise healthy young person that seems like the wrong way to go about it.. how about finding out how to unwind istead?
V
Maybe I'm not healthy. :(