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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Jai on October 24, 2003, at 13:24:50
I have had sleep issues and still do. I can stay awake for days. I have just gotten a doctors script for Ambien...it says not to take them everynight but what do you do if you don't sleep? Has anyone heard of Ambien and the possible problems?
Posted by john1022 on October 24, 2003, at 13:49:53
In reply to Ambien, posted by Jai on October 24, 2003, at 13:24:50
Have you tried any anti-depressants for your sleeping problems? I have trouble sleeping as well and it has to do with depression in my case. I would look into getting onto an AD to possibly fix your sleep problem. AD's worked for me in the past to correct this problem, but I get horrible side effects from them now. Unfortunately you will eventually develop a tolerance to Ambien and will have to take more, so I would look into correcting the underlying problem first. Good luck
Posted by Jai on October 24, 2003, at 13:56:21
In reply to Re: Ambien, posted by john1022 on October 24, 2003, at 13:49:53
thank you John for your insight on Ambien. I never thought of myself as depressed, but I know something is lurking behind the sleeplessness.
Posted by crazychickuk on October 24, 2003, at 14:00:25
In reply to Re: Ambien, posted by Jai on October 24, 2003, at 13:56:21
A very low of remeron may be of some help..
Posted by john1022 on October 24, 2003, at 14:06:27
In reply to Re: Ambien, posted by john1022 on October 24, 2003, at 13:49:53
I would definitely look into an anti-depressant if your sleep problem as serious as it sounds. Sleep is so important in one's well being. Lack of sleep can actually worsen and even CAUSE depression by itself alone.
When I have my sleep problems, I don't necessarily feel depressed either. I am just a little moody, so it isn't like a depression like most people would think of. In fact my parents even had a hard time believing it was depression because it just doesn't seem like it. In fact I did not believe it at first that it actually was depression. (I thought depression had to do with people sleeping way to much!, not lacking in being able to fall or stay asleep)
Effexor once worked for me to completely fix my sleep patterns from not being able to fall asleep AT ALL (not just tossing and turning, I mean couldn't fall asleep at all), to sleeping like a baby and asleep by 10 pm everynight.
I have also heard of others on this board who have had severe insomnia be completely fixed by Lexapro withing a few weeks to a month. Effexor gives me a paradoxial effect now so I cannot take it unfortunately. It may not be depression in your case, but it is something to consider or look into considering your sleep problem. Good luck
Posted by crazychickuk on October 24, 2003, at 14:08:13
In reply to Re: Ambien, posted by john1022 on October 24, 2003, at 14:06:27
Dont even go there...
Posted by john1022 on October 24, 2003, at 14:14:22
In reply to Re: Ambien NO TO EFFEXOR, posted by crazychickuk on October 24, 2003, at 14:08:13
Effexor works wonders for some people. It brought me from the biggest rut in my life of almost having to drop out of school to feeling like a million bucks with all problems completely gone within 3-4 weeks (side effects for me of slight ringing in the ears and sexual disfunction though)
Everyone is different and everyone reacts differently to anti-depressants. Effexor is not bad for everyone
Unfortunately, the second time about 3 years later I did have some bad reactions to Effexor, along with other AD's causing the same thing though, so I can't just blame it on Effexor. I just don't think I can take anything that inhibits serotonin anymore because of the reactions I had.
Remeron as suggested might be worth looking into as well. I might actually give this one a try in a few weeks. It should definitely help with sleep as it blocks the 5HT2 receptor I believe that will help with sleep. Also possibly look into Trazadone which is a mild AD that helps with sleep. Best of luck
Posted by KimberlyDi on October 24, 2003, at 15:20:34
In reply to Ambien, posted by Jai on October 24, 2003, at 13:24:50
I used Ambien for 10 days straight and by the 7th day, my tolerance had already increased. I was taking another 10-day medication that I couldn't mix with my Trazadone. I'm a firm believer in taking Traz regularly for sleeping problems. It works wonders.
Ambien was great for the first couple of nights. Beware of hallucinations though if somehow you are woken up during the night. My experience was with beautiful colors shimmering on the walls. I just stayed in bed and enjoyed it before I went back to sleep.
Good Luck!
KDi in Texas
> I have had sleep issues and still do. I can stay awake for days. I have just gotten a doctors script for Ambien...it says not to take them everynight but what do you do if you don't sleep? Has anyone heard of Ambien and the possible problems?
Posted by btnd on October 24, 2003, at 16:06:32
In reply to Ambien, posted by Jai on October 24, 2003, at 13:24:50
Studies show that Ambien is not addictive. If I were an insomniac, I'd use it (with 2 days breaks like on weekends).
Posted by galkeepinon on October 24, 2003, at 16:46:52
In reply to Ambien, posted by Jai on October 24, 2003, at 13:24:50
I liked Ambien. 10mg was all it took to get a good nights' sleep. It has possible addiction properties, and is usually used for short-term insomnia, so I don't take it anymore.
I had a friend give me some and I ended up in the ER with chest pains, because I was abusing them, because I couldn't sleep.
Here's the Ambien home page:http://www.ambien.com/trouble6.asp
Good luck:-)
> I have had sleep issues and still do. I can stay awake for days. I have just gotten a doctors script for Ambien...it says not to take them everynight but what do you do if you don't sleep? Has anyone heard of Ambien and the possible problems?
Posted by MamaB on October 26, 2003, at 5:09:49
In reply to Re: Ambien » Jai, posted by KimberlyDi on October 24, 2003, at 15:20:34
> I used Ambien for 10 days straight and by the 7th day, my tolerance had already increased. I was taking another 10-day medication that I couldn't mix with my Trazadone. I'm a firm believer in taking Traz regularly for sleeping problems. It works wonders.
>
> Ambien was great for the first couple of nights. Beware of hallucinations though if somehow you are woken up during the night. My experience was with beautiful colors shimmering on the walls. I just stayed in bed and enjoyed it before I went back to sleep.
>
> Good Luck!
>
> KDi in Texas
>
>
>
>
>
> > I have had sleep issues and still do. I can stay awake for days. I have just gotten a doctors script for Ambien...it says not to take them everynight but what do you do if you don't sleep? Has anyone heard of Ambien and the possible problems?
>
> Hi,
I wholehartedly agree with KimberlyDi on the Trazadone. That Ambian can be nasty stuff. I too had not only vivid hallucinations, but terrible nightmares on only one dose. Also, try warm milk. It is an old fashioned remedy, but has a bicochemical fact behind it. It encourages the release of tryptophane, which can be a natural sleep inducer. MamaB
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