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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by DKScully on December 18, 2006, at 13:13:50
Hi all. I haven't posted here in a while, because things were going pretty well, now things are going waaaaay downhill and I need help, I think.
Here's some background information--
I took the non-CR version of Ambien for about three months back in 2005. Eventually, I switched to Lunesta, because I felt like I'd built up too much of a tolerance to Ambien and it always made me fall asleep but not STAY asleep. I was on 20 mg of the original ambien, and never had any negative reaction to it (that I was aware of). If anything, it wasn't strong enough for me. Also, I've been on Klonopin and Amtriptyline in the past, and neither of them felt strong enough for me. I can take four Tylenol PM tablets and have no carryover effects the next day. That's why I am SO confused by how I'm feeling on Ambien CR.My doctor had me switch to Ambien CR, after a year or more on Lunesta, just because I was feeling like it wasn't doing much for me, and he didn't want me to become chemically dependent on any sleep medication. He prescribed 12.5 mg. I've taken it five nights so far (took Lunesta instead one night in between, because I was feeling so bad after two nights of the Ambien CR and I was hoping to be able to FUNCTION at work on Friday... Still felt bad when I did that).
At first, I wondered if I just hadn't given myself enough time to sleep during the week, since I usually only allow seven hours for sleep during the week, and they say to allow seven to eight hours with Ambien CR. Anyway, I took it Friday night, slept for about seven hours, and then felt like a dizzy mess, so I stayed in bed for another three hours or so. During those last three hours, I kept waking up, falling back asleep, and having all kinds of weird dreams. I still feel out of it, three and a half hours later. I didn't have a reaction like this to the original Ambien, so I keep wondering if I am just sick or something, or if I am having a strange, adverse reaction to the CR version. I am quite frustrated.
My carryover effects include: dizziness, headache, anxiety, heart racing, general achiness everywhere, and feeling slow-witted. Also (gross alert!) my bowels are dark colored... almost black. Again, I had NONE of those effects on the original Ambien, so I am confused as to why I'd have these problems with the CR version. They're the same thing, aren't they, just the CR is a time-release formula? So, I keep wondering if I am just sick, and it's a coincidence that I'm feeling this way after starting Ambien CR.
If you read all of this, I really, truly, do appreciate it. I feel like such a pain. My main questions are these, I guess:
* Is it conceivable that I would have such a different reaction to 12.5 mg Ambien CR than I did 20 mg of regular Ambien?
* I know with some meds, you have these side effects for the first couple of nights and they can go away when your body gets used to it. Has anyone experienced this with Ambien CR or even other sleep meds? Should I give it a few more nights?
* How long does Ambien CR stay in your system? Does the fact that I still felt bad the next day, when I skipped a night and went back to Lunesta, mean that how I am feeling is NOT a reaction to the Ambien CR?
* Could this be Lunesta withdrawal? I thought it wasn't supposed to have withdrawal symptoms like Ambien and others, so I didn't even consider it at first, but now I'm wondering.
I would welcome any thoughts you have, and I really hope this makes sense, as I'm having serious trouble focusing. Thanks so much, and I hope to hear from some of you SOON.
Posted by saturn on December 18, 2006, at 13:49:42
In reply to Lunesta Withdrawal or BAD Ambien CR reaction?HELP!, posted by DKScully on December 18, 2006, at 13:13:50
>>> * Is it conceivable that I would have such a different reaction to 12.5 mg Ambien CR than I did 20 mg of regular Ambien?Aside from the dosage difference, it is the same chemical, so this is doubtful.
>>> * I know with some meds, you have these side effects for the first couple of nights and they can go away when your body gets used to it. Has anyone experienced this with Ambien CR or even other sleep meds? Should I give it a few more nights?What dose of Lunesta were you taking? Did it stop working over time? Some people take up to 6mg. Perhaps a dose increase or different class of medication would help. It doesn't sound like the Ambien CR is working well for you.
>>>* How long does Ambien CR stay in your system? Does the fact that I still felt bad the next day, when I skipped a night and went back to Lunesta, mean that how I am feeling is NOT a reaction to the Ambien CR?Only a few hours. I feel awful the day after ambien. As strange as it sounds, even though it is totally out of your body by in a few hours, it still may effect brain function the next day. Same for lunesta also.
>>> * Could this be Lunesta withdrawal? I thought it wasn't supposed to have withdrawal symptoms like Ambien and others, so I didn't even consider it at first, but now I'm wondering.
Actually, lunesta is less selective for the BZ1 site than ambien, and therefore theoretically more likely to have withdrawal problems than ambien.
That said, personally I've never had significant withdrawal problems with lunesta but have definitely experienced them with ambien.
>>>I would welcome any thoughts you have, and I really hope this makes sense, as I'm having serious trouble focusing. Thanks so much, and I hope to hear from some of you SOON.Definitely talk with your doc rather than continuing as you have. Be polite but don't let him/her make you stick it out or deny you meds because of their controlled status, assuming you've never had issues with abuse. Don't let them blow off your insomnia as a less than urgent issue.
Sleep has been a major issue for me and I truly feel for you. Please post how this turns out. Peace...Saturn.
Posted by DKScully on December 18, 2006, at 14:05:44
In reply to Re: Lunesta Withdrawal or BAD Ambien CR reaction?HELP! » DKScully, posted by saturn on December 18, 2006, at 13:49:42
Thank you very much for your quick response, Saturn. I think I will call the doctor tomorrow or Wednesday if I'm not feeling better (I have such a hard time being persuaded to go to the doctor!). I was hopeful when I got up on Sunday morning, because I was finally feeling SOME improvement, but maybe that was just from getting some extra rest? I'm not sure. As the day went on, I began to feel worse. Today, once again, I am maybe not feeling as bad as I did on Wednesday and Thursday of last week, but I am still feeling super dizzy and out-of-it. When I'm sitting down, it's not THAT bad, but when I walked across the street for lunch, I thought I might fall over. Also, I feel nauseous if I don't eat every few hours, which is odd.
I was on 3 mg of Lunesta. It was working a bit, but it had definitely gone way downhill in effectiveness. I had asked if an increase in dosage was possible, but my doctor said 3 mg was the highest recommended dosage and said I could take Simply Sleep or Tylenol PM with it if I needed to. Then, my last visit, he recommended that I switch altogether, since I had done OK with Ambien before, it just didn't work for long enough each night. I haven't had any abuse problems, and I am a 26-year-old female who is otherwise healthy. I should be active and energetic.
Interesting that that study found that Lunesta should have worse withdrawal symptoms. I haven't read about anyone who experienced that and I'd be curious as to whether anyone here has had withdrawal problems with Lunesta. I hate to give up on the Ambien if Lunesta withdrawal is my problem, but I just don't know what it is!
At any rate, thanks for taking the time to respond to me, and please let me know if you have any other thoughts. I hope some other people will respond to this too.
Posted by laima on December 18, 2006, at 14:10:23
In reply to Lunesta Withdrawal or BAD Ambien CR reaction?HELP!, posted by DKScully on December 18, 2006, at 13:13:50
This might be a sign of some internal bleeding- you might want to investigate to be on the safe side.>Also (gross alert!) my bowels are dark colored... almost black.
Posted by DKScully on December 18, 2006, at 14:18:01
In reply to Re: symptom » DKScully, posted by laima on December 18, 2006, at 14:10:23
>
> This might be a sign of some internal bleeding- you might want to investigate to be on the safe side.
>
> >Also (gross alert!) my bowels are dark colored... almost black.Hmm, well, that's not good! I am a bit constipated too, and this all started after I stopped the Lunesta/started Ambien CR, so I assumed that was the reason, but you're right, I probably should get it checked out. Ugh, I hate doctors!
Posted by Phillipa on December 18, 2006, at 14:47:33
In reply to Re: symptom » DKScully, posted by laima on December 18, 2006, at 14:10:23
Exactly what I was going to say as black stools are a sign of internal bleeding and the dizzying could be related as well as the sleepines. Call you doc. Love Phillipa
Posted by blueberry1 on December 18, 2006, at 16:16:04
In reply to Lunesta Withdrawal or BAD Ambien CR reaction?HELP!, posted by DKScully on December 18, 2006, at 13:13:50
The black stools need attention quickly, like tomorrow.
Other than that, it sounds like lunesta withdrawals to me. If you change to a new med you will probably have to do a cross taper and wean off it slowly over several weeks. You've been on it for a while, yeah? We all have different degrees of becoming physically dependent on whatever molecule.
You may want to seek completely different ways of sedation, such as trazodone, or possibly seroquel or zyprexa. But again, cross taper for a few weeks.
Posted by DKScully on December 18, 2006, at 20:01:27
In reply to Re: Lunesta Withdrawal or BAD Ambien CR reaction?HELP!, posted by blueberry1 on December 18, 2006, at 16:16:04
Hi everyone. Thanks for your responses. As an update, when I got home from work today, I had what I can only think might have been a panic attack. As I was on the train, my heart was racing, I got dizzy, I was sweating, etc. I'm on Lexapro for anxiety/depression, but I've never had an episode like that. I almost went to the ER, but I ended up just speaking to the emergency on-call doctor and she said, basically, that the Ambien CR was basically out of my system by that point in the day, so I wasn't dying or anything, but I should go to my doctor tomorrow. So, I will do that.
As for the dark-colored feces, later today, I was basically back to my normal color, so maybe that was just the blueberries I've been eating for breakfast? I don't know, but I'll see about that tomorrow.
I've never had a panic attack like that, and I don't know how much was the meds and how much is me being scared...
Anyway, thanks everyone.
Posted by tweeds on December 18, 2006, at 20:37:40
In reply to Re: Lunesta Withdrawal or BAD Ambien CR reaction?H, posted by DKScully on December 18, 2006, at 20:01:27
Without getting into it too much, blueberries do seem to have a shocking effect on the colour of bowel movements. You might be right.
This is the end of the thread.
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