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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Private on September 8, 2004, at 1:30:53
I have addictive behavior in my family and for this reason I have never tried alcohol. Although I am only 24, I had chronic back pain prior to having back surgery last year. Before the surgery I found myself addicted to Hydrocodone. After exactly a year of use (taking sometimes up to 8 pills per day) I quit cold turkey and went through what were the worst 2 months of my life- withdraws.
Because of my occupation I work nights and sleep during the day, which leads to my current problem and the reason I am writing today- AMBIEN.
I began taking Ambien only once a week to assist with an occasional problem sleeping. Over time it has grown into one 10mg pill almost every night and a small piece during the day (well, my daytime, anyway). I use ambien as kind of a cure-all. I know you are curious as to why I take it during the day- I break a pill into 3 pieces. One piece of Ambien does, what I would assume, alcohol does for most- It slightly lowers my inhibitions (I am naturally an uptight person), It gives my a feeling of self-confidence, and in turn makes me a little more fun to be around. It helps me relax but not to an extreme (i dont dance naked on top of a table or anything)
I was recently hospitalized because I blacked-out, I had a very high fever, I was vomitting, I had diarreah, and a severe migraine. Today, a week later, the only thing that remains is the migraine. The migraine has actually gotten worse. I jumpped online and began to read about what could have caused me to be sick, since the Dr still does not know why. My conclusion is that I am suffering from a rebound headache due to my Ambien use and that the other symptoms are secondary to the headache. I am not a Dr so I could be wrong. In either case, its still true that I am over using Ambien and want to stop- I JUST DONT WANT TO GO THROUGH WITHDRAWS AGAIN! Also, I dont want to go though countless nights of tossing and turning and not being able to fall asleep. I am afraid that if I take something else, it will leave my groggy and unable to function the following day.
Please, Please help me by sharing any feedback, personal experiences and suggestions.
Thank you!
Posted by partlycloudy on September 8, 2004, at 7:17:32
In reply to I NEED HELP! Re: Ambien Abuse and Addiction, posted by Private on September 8, 2004, at 1:30:53
You could try replacing the Ambien with an antihistamine like benadryl for getting to sleep. SInce you work nights, I imagine your body clock is fighting having to sleep during the day.
Good for you for staying away from alcohol - it really messes up your sleep pattern.
Posted by King Vultan on September 8, 2004, at 7:56:36
In reply to I NEED HELP! Re: Ambien Abuse and Addiction, posted by Private on September 8, 2004, at 1:30:53
I agree the Benadryl may be worth trying, but you may not find this as powerful as the Ambien. There are also prescription sleep meds available that are not controlled substances and are non-addictive--a good example would be trazodone, which is a sedating antidepressant. Others that you might want to consider are doxepin and trimipramine (Surmontil), which are sedating tricyclic antidepressants. As mentioned, these may also have a greater chance of inducing a hangover effect the next day. It may require some work and experimentation to find a particular med/dose combination that works well for you.
Todd
Posted by Mandybella on September 8, 2004, at 17:46:56
In reply to Re: I NEED HELP! Re: Ambien Abuse and Addiction, posted by King Vultan on September 8, 2004, at 7:56:36
Wow do I sympathize with you. I was heavily addicted to ambien. I checked into a treatment center for two weeks in Jan because I was taking up to 60-90 pills a day--that is correct 60 to 90 of 10mg pills. This went on gradually over two years. Everyone was shocked that I did not go through major withdrawal.
Kicking ambien is hard. I loved the way it would knock me to sleep and also that I could use it to escape from the world. But I also had blackouts where I remembered nothing of what I did.
I sometimes still crave the drug because I do not sleep well. Currently I am trying remeron for sleep. As a nurse who does shift work, sleep is so important to me. I have found that provigil does help after working late shifts. But I have not found anything as good--or as bad--as ambien. Much as I loved it, I now hate it and pray I will never go back. Fortunately it is no longer easy to get over internet and that helps when I get the craving.
Best wishes to you. You can do it. Believe me, if I did, anyone can!!
Posted by Atticus on September 9, 2004, at 15:29:02
In reply to Re: I NEED HELP! Re: Ambien Abuse and Addiction, posted by King Vultan on September 8, 2004, at 7:56:36
Let me second Todd's suggestion of a med along the lines of trazodone. I found Ambien to lose its effectiveness very quickly as I became acclimated to the dosage. I also always woke up with a start, for some reason, my heart racing. I'm currently taking Effexor XR, propronolol, klonopin, and trazodone. The trazodone has really been amazing for me. For the first time in eight years, I'm literally sleeping through the night, which alone does a lot to help with my depression and panic disorder. Trazodone is non-addictive, as Todd notes, and 100 mg. a night has done a great job for me since I got out of the hospital about three months ago. I do hit a bad night of insomnia once in a while, but generally, the benefits have been huge. Atticus
Posted by tai daluna on September 10, 2004, at 3:06:10
In reply to Re: I NEED HELP! Re: Ambien Abuse and Addiction, posted by King Vultan on September 8, 2004, at 7:56:36
hi there,
i use imovane (zopiclone) to sleep. it is not readily prescribed, but has worked for me for years. it is not physically addictive, so no withdrawals. i find it gives me a restful sleep, when i need it.
as for finding yourself addicted to substances: yeah, i feel your pain! it happens to the best of us! there are some things that are more addictive than others, but generally, if you use something everyday you will either become physically or mentally dependent on it (or both)... that's just the way it goes. i would seriously caution against using sleeping aids continually. i have a good friend who has become hopelessly dependent on them-- but now none work for her, so she has resorted to the benzos. she is unhappy with the arrangement.
so, instead of trying to change your inate sleep pattern, perhaps it is time to find another shift! graveyard can be very challenging.
good luck,
tai
Posted by Phamos818 on September 11, 2004, at 2:59:28
In reply to Re: I NEED HELP! Re: Ambien Abuse and Addiction, posted by Atticus on September 9, 2004, at 15:29:02
i'm a former ambien abuser. it's really easy to do, because your body does build up a tolerance and you have to keep taking more and more. trazodone is a good alternative, but keep in mind that it has more of an effect on KEEPING you asleep, not FALLING asleep. that's the real downside of trazodone for me.
Posted by lest on September 11, 2004, at 19:16:07
In reply to Re: I NEED HELP! Re: Ambien Abuse and Addiction, posted by Phamos818 on September 11, 2004, at 2:59:28
trazodone has a side effect that can make your penis not work or something..thats why my dr. doesnt give it to me.. do a google search and youll see it
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