Posted by Mr Beev on June 22, 2002, at 18:29:32
In reply to Re: Alive at Night, Dead in the Morning! » Mr Beev, posted by JonW on June 22, 2002, at 12:58:45
Hello Jon,
>I didn't know ambien was addictive. What do you mean when you say addictive?
By "addictive" I mean that if you abruptly stop taking a substance, you will suffer withdrawal symptoms. By this definition, for example, most would find coffee addictive - the infamous "caffeine headache" sometime after cessation.
By "habituative" I mean that, over time, you must take higher and higher dosages to maintain the same desired effects. I remember reading a study which found that smokers who switch from "regular" to "lights" or to (so-called) "ultralights" often ended up smoking more cigarettes per day in order to obtain the nicotene levels they were used to! (I have observed this phenomenon in two friends of mine.)
Many people have no trouble with ambien. I had used two pills (10mg) every night for about three months. It was most effective, I did not become habituated. When I stopped cold turkey - for my pdoc said it was non-addictive - I suffered headaches and rebound insomnia for about a week. I slept hardly a wink, but since I otherwise felt all right, I resolved to stick it out. I was okay after that abysmal week.
>I found zyprexa helpful also but I was taking it for irritability and agitation. The only problem with it was that I would twitch every few seconds.
If I am not mistaken, "neuroleptic" drugs, such as the anti-psychotics, of which zyprexa is one, can over time cause tardive dyskinesia in some folks. TD is the fancy name for involuntary muscle twitchings. Sometimes TD can be permanent. Zyprexa is a newer, "atypical" anti-psychotic and is thought to be safer than older APs. It was good though, I think, that you got off the zyprexa when you noticed the twitchings.
Hope this helps & best wishes,
Mr Beev
poster:Mr Beev
thread:110477
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020617/msgs/110506.html