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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Seeking Peace on July 3, 2007, at 7:06:39
Been on it 6 wks or so. Have decided to quit. It's not really working. cant reach pdoc, so am deciding on my own. am out of country for long time and not sure will be able to reach her.
any expriences/suggestions??? effects? how did u do it? slow? cold turkey?
also ambien give anyone hallucinaton/confusion/nausea/vomitting?
thanks:)
Posted by chiron on July 3, 2007, at 8:54:15
In reply to Quitting Emsam, posted by Seeking Peace on July 3, 2007, at 7:06:39
I quit after 6 weeks, when I was at 9mg. It made me feel more crazy. My dr. said I should be ok without tappering (which I think is what the documentation says). I would personally taper slowly. I don't think I did slow enough, only over a few days. I think I was ok for a week, but since then (2 months), I have had problems with anxiety, which could have been because I wasn't on anything, or because my body can pretty much be random. But if you didn't notice any effects, maybe you would be ok.
My brother said he sometimes sleepwalks when he taken ambien. I take it as well, but it's been ok for me (as far as I know).
Posted by Phillipa on July 3, 2007, at 12:02:47
In reply to Re: Quitting Emsam, posted by chiron on July 3, 2007, at 8:54:15
Sorry the EMSAM didn't work out remember no other meds for two weeks on EMSAM too I think Will google to make sure.
My neighbor sleepwalks too on ambien. No other side effects. Good luck and have a great trip. Love Phillipa
Posted by Racer on July 3, 2007, at 21:00:24
In reply to Quitting Emsam, posted by Seeking Peace on July 3, 2007, at 7:06:39
I can't say anything definitive about stopping EMSAM, except that six weeks isn't usually long enough to cause much problem.
Of course, six weeks also isn't really long enough to know if it might help you. You might consider continuing it until you can contact your pdoc -- it would be a shame, wouldn't it, if this would work but you stop it too early to find out?
The Ambien, though, I can comment on! Not only did I have lovely hallucinations on it -- and what a maroon: I called my husband upstairs so that he could see them, too! lol My pdoc told me, when he first prescribed it, that he had had a similar experience on it. He said he got an emergency call after taking it, so he had to get online as well as on the telephone, and by the time he'd taken care of the emergency, he was "tripping" -- his word for it -- and vomiting. Those are all known side effects for it.
Good luck, whatever you decide to do.
Posted by aqua1221 on July 5, 2007, at 17:40:34
In reply to Re: Quitting Emsam, posted by Racer on July 3, 2007, at 21:00:24
> I can't say anything definitive about stopping EMSAM, except that six weeks isn't usually long enough to cause much problem.
>
> Of course, six weeks also isn't really long enough to know if it might help you. You might consider continuing it until you can contact your pdoc -- it would be a shame, wouldn't it, if this would work but you stop it too early to find out?
>
> The Ambien, though, I can comment on! Not only did I have lovely hallucinations on it -- and what a maroon: I called my husband upstairs so that he could see them, too! lol My pdoc told me, when he first prescribed it, that he had had a similar experience on it. He said he got an emergency call after taking it, so he had to get online as well as on the telephone, and by the time he'd taken care of the emergency, he was "tripping" -- his word for it -- and vomiting. Those are all known side effects for it.
>
> Good luck, whatever you decide to do.You mean your pdoc was taking it? Or telling you about a patient?
Posted by Seeking Peace on July 6, 2007, at 19:44:56
In reply to Re: Quitting Emsam, posted by chiron on July 3, 2007, at 8:54:15
I took half an ambien wed night and it did help though initially i had huge anxiety after taking it cause i get so freaked at taking meds...
I didn't take it yesterday as i don't want to get used to it..
Emsam...Will be staying on it I guess though on lower dose (i didn't put it on today and took off the one from yesterday during night as it was causing a LOT of anxiety and problems). Spoke with pdoc and started zyprexa today. So now i'm freaking cause i started zyprexa. lol supposed to help with anxiety but is giving me more just for having started it. I"m crazy
Posted by Seeking Peace on July 6, 2007, at 19:46:27
In reply to Re: Quitting Emsam, posted by Seeking Peace on July 6, 2007, at 19:44:56
Posted by Seeking Peace on July 6, 2007, at 19:48:05
In reply to Re: Quitting Emsam, posted by Phillipa on July 3, 2007, at 12:02:47
Spoke with pdoc and going to stick to emsam still...adding zyprexa. Took half ambien wed night and it helped. I don't want to continue it and become dependant though as this insomnia with emsam seems to be not going anywhere.
Posted by Seeking Peace on July 6, 2007, at 19:52:37
In reply to Re: Quitting Emsam, posted by Racer on July 3, 2007, at 21:00:24
sorry the halluciantion stuff that you experienced made me laugh (not in a bad sense though...but because i can see myself doing something similar). When i've had my moments of confusion/hallucination, i've done weird things too. When I took ambien first time (along with food poisoning), don't recall too well (thank god no one else lives with me), but i think i was talking/acting as if there were other people in the house with me. It's funny i even remember that.
I took half ambien the night before and it did help me sleep and no hallucinations...though severe anxiety right after taking it for having taken it. Not fun.
Posted by Seeking Peace on July 6, 2007, at 20:05:30
In reply to Re: Quitting Emsam » Racer, posted by aqua1221 on July 5, 2007, at 17:40:34
I had downed my patch to half on Tues/Wed on my own and was going to go down/stop. Took half ambien on Wed night to help sleep (which worked) Yesterday, spoke with pdoc who said to try to stick to it even if cutting it down. That i can continue using ambien or try zyprexa (not necessarily every day..as needed..in past i've taken it every day along with welbutrin and this time I'm hesitant to go back due to certain reasons). Yesterday i put back 3/4 patch, was off my schedule/late (some may remmeber me posting that in past that has made my anxiety worse to be off sched).
Last night was horrible. Really depressed (i have a lot going on and the anxiety makes me feel more hopeless "i can't do it, nothing will work, etc". I've had suicidal thoughts (but that's been case for a while and even pre emsam and the fact is I have a lot of crap going on personally right now that contributes). Yesterday too anxiety was making them more so. Usually when i go to bed i sleep 2 hrs, stay up all night, go back to sleep 2 hrs or so around 5 am. Yesteday it was horrible. Severe anxiety, racy heart, shortness of breath due to anxiety. Then started feeling really hot/thirsty etc. I couldn't take it any more and I ended up taking patch off. Took about 3 hrs for anxiety to go down some and then i finally got about 2-3 hrs in a.m. No sleep otherwise.
So emailed pdoc today/left message. I really want to give up emsam as it's been too difficult for me. Spoke with her. She says to use only half patch for now and I told her i'd have to start zyprexa every day then to deal with this anxiety.
So took zyprexa tonite and am having anxiety for having taken it being i've never had zyprexa/emsam combo and i hate trying meds stuff/combination. I almost want to go back to my old combination as at least i knew how i felt on it etc.
So having been off patch for about 1 1/2 day (anxiety did calm down) i will put on half tomorrow.
I guess pdoc feels confident/hopeful about me being on it...
I just don't know what to think anymore.
Anyone on emsam/zyprxa combo????
Wish me luck...i'm hating myself and my life very much at moment...
The fact that i've had a cold/allergy/light feverish doesn't help my anxiety i'm sure... :(
Posted by Phillipa on July 6, 2007, at 20:46:36
In reply to Re: Quitting Emsam, posted by Seeking Peace on July 6, 2007, at 19:44:56
You sound just like me I freak with new meds. I don't want any but need them unless someone passes a magic wand over me. Love Phillipa
Posted by Racer on July 7, 2007, at 13:08:06
In reply to Re: Quitting Emsam » Racer, posted by aqua1221 on July 5, 2007, at 17:40:34
> >>
> You mean your pdoc was taking it? Or telling you about a patient?That pdoc told me about his experience when he took it. He said that he tries out a lot of the sleeping tablets, so that he knows more about what to expect for patients. And because he had a baby at the time...
Posted by Racer on July 7, 2007, at 13:12:23
In reply to Re: Quitting Emsam » Racer, posted by Seeking Peace on July 6, 2007, at 19:52:37
> sorry the halluciantion stuff that you experienced made me laugh
It was meant to. ;-) I'm glad it worked as I'd intended.
As for your anxiety, I can absolutely empathize with that. In fact, a couple of years back, a friend of mine called me every single day to remind me that it was going to be OK and the start up effects of the medication I was starting would wear off. My pdoc, whom I trust, whom I respect, whom I would describe as very smart and caring, says that EMSAM has been great for those with anxiety. I really do trust him on this, so I hope you stick it out a bit longer. I really hope it works out for you.
I haven't decided yet whether I'm going to switch over to it. We've been trying increased methylphenidate, to see if it can counter the side effects of Prozac. If it does, I'll stick with what I've got. Otherwise, I'll stop the Prozac and give it a try. So, I'll be watching for your updates.
Best luck to you, and peace.
Posted by aqua1221 on July 7, 2007, at 14:03:41
In reply to Re: Quitting Emsam » aqua1221, posted by Racer on July 7, 2007, at 13:08:06
> > >>
> > You mean your pdoc was taking it? Or telling you about a patient?
>
> That pdoc told me about his experience when he took it. He said that he tries out a lot of the sleeping tablets, so that he knows more about what to expect for patients. And because he had a baby at the time...
Ohhh, I see. I misread your post and thought he was commenting on his experience with EMSAM, not Ambien.I was "tripping" on Ambien when I took it, too.
Posted by Phillipa on July 7, 2007, at 21:44:15
In reply to Re: Quitting Emsam » Seeking Peace, posted by Racer on July 7, 2007, at 13:12:23
Racer thought you'd gone into remission and Sammee was the drug that did it with prozac. Love Phillipa so no considering EMSAM?
This is the end of the thread.
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