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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 17 of 17. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Bonnie_CA on August 1, 2007, at 9:34:27
I took an Ambien last night, and I've had more sedation from taking extra Xanax. It didn't help me sleep at all. I took it at 1 AM, didn't even feeling remotely sleepy until almost 3, and I was up at 6. Horrible. I'm not sedated even a little bit this morning. I'm going to try it again, but I was very underimpressed. I might be trying trazadone or seroquel sooner than I thought!
-Bonnie
Posted by med_empowered on August 1, 2007, at 9:50:28
In reply to Ambien just isn't all that., posted by Bonnie_CA on August 1, 2007, at 9:34:27
personally, I hate trazadone and seroquel, and I think its kind of lame that they're used so much for sleep (especially the seroquel).
Have you talked to your doc about a benzo? You can use extra xanax, take an ativan, valium, or the benzo-type sleeping pills: restoril, dalmane, doral, even halcion works for some folks. Personally I liked the higher-end doses of restoril more than 10mgs/Ambien...then again, if your doc OKs it, maybe 2x Ambien tabs? Some people take 20mgs/night, so maybe that's an option.
Good luck.
Posted by Phillipa on August 1, 2007, at 10:23:53
In reply to maybe a benzo?, posted by med_empowered on August 1, 2007, at 9:50:28
Valium puts me to sleep although I'm going through a period where sleep is easy to come by. Love Phillipa
Posted by confuzyq on August 1, 2007, at 11:05:53
In reply to Ambien just isn't all that., posted by Bonnie_CA on August 1, 2007, at 9:34:27
Hi Bonnie, I tried Ambien for the first time very recently too. Twice, at 5 mgs. The first time it took well over an hour to work, and I figured that was because the instructions said it would be delayed if I ate first, which I did. The second time it worked much faster, on an empty stomach.
But like you, both times I woke up very early, which I tend to do anyway. I guess Ambien isn't one that helps you stay asleep, and I *think* I've read that while the "CR" formulation is supposed to help address that, some feel it doesn't really, and was just a way to get another patent or something. (Or maybe that was about the Xanax extended formulation, or both lol. Foggy there.)
I'm not sure what I think of it yet. I haven't been able to get an unbiased impression of how I feel the next day, etc., since my "sleep hygiene" is about as poor as it gets, and also if I take anything at all to help me sleep I've usually already waited it out far too long, like I take it at 3 AM or something.
Oops, I'm just rambling now! Anyway, did you eat soon before taking it by any chance? Or if you happen to take a benzo fairly regularly during the day maybe one's tolerance to Ambien is higher too?
> I took an Ambien last night, and I've had more sedation from taking extra Xanax. It didn't help me sleep at all. I took it at 1 AM, didn't even feeling remotely sleepy until almost 3, and I was up at 6. Horrible. I'm not sedated even a little bit this morning. I'm going to try it again, but I was very underimpressed. I might be trying trazadone or seroquel sooner than I thought!
>
> -Bonnie
Posted by Bonnie_CA on August 1, 2007, at 11:47:29
In reply to Re: Ambien just isn't all that. » Bonnie_CA, posted by confuzyq on August 1, 2007, at 11:05:53
> Hi Bonnie, I tried Ambien for the first time very recently too. Twice, at 5 mgs. The first time it took well over an hour to work, and I figured that was because the instructions said it would be delayed if I ate first, which I did. The second time it worked much faster, on an empty stomach.
>
I had an empty stomach, I think. I was kinda hungry. That's why I got up after an hour and ate something, thinking that might help me sleep.> But like you, both times I woke up very early, which I tend to do anyway. I guess Ambien isn't one that helps you stay asleep, and I *think* I've read that while the "CR" formulation is supposed to help address that, some feel it doesn't really, and was just a way to get another patent or something. (Or maybe that was about the Xanax extended formulation, or both lol. Foggy there.)
>I think I woke early because I wasn't actually tired when I went to sleep. Also, it's the off week for my BCP, and the Lamictal is making me more anxious and my sleep is crappy during that week.
> I'm not sure what I think of it yet. I haven't been able to get an unbiased impression of how I feel the next day, etc., since my "sleep hygiene" is about as poor as it gets, and also if I take anything at all to help me sleep I've usually already waited it out far too long, like I take it at 3 AM or something.Yeah, me too. I always try so hard to just fall asleep naturally, then at 3 AM I pop a couple alprazolams and hope for the best.
>
> Oops, I'm just rambling now! Anyway, did you eat soon before taking it by any chance? Or if you happen to take a benzo fairly regularly during the day maybe one's tolerance to Ambien is higher too?
>I do take .25-.5 mg of xanax during the day. I thought of that. Although, ambien is a non-benzo drug with benzo-like actions. Well, that's what I read. I don't know what that means. However, I don't know if the fact that ativan does nothing for me sheds any light on why Ambien wouldn't do anything.
-Bonnie
Posted by Bonnie_CA on August 1, 2007, at 11:54:00
In reply to maybe a benzo?, posted by med_empowered on August 1, 2007, at 9:50:28
> personally, I hate trazadone and seroquel, and I think its kind of lame that they're used so much for sleep (especially the seroquel).
>
Eh, I'll try most anything at least once.
> Have you talked to your doc about a benzo? You can use extra xanax, take an ativan, valium, or the benzo-type sleeping pills: restoril, dalmane, doral, even halcion works for some folks. Personally I liked the higher-end doses of restoril more than 10mgs/Ambien...then again, if your doc OKs it, maybe 2x Ambien tabs? Some people take 20mgs/night, so maybe that's an option.
>Ativan was like taking sugar pills. Barely took the edge off my anxiety. I don't know how well valium would work. I have xanax, and I know that a higher dose of that will put me to sleep. I was just trying to find an option that doesn't cause me to take more of a drug that I am depending on to work at a low dose during the day. Maybe I'll talk to the doc about taking a higher dose of Ambien, perhaps I'm just resistant. I don't know if it has anything to do with how Ativan did nothing for me. Different strokes for different folks, I guess. I'm sure if I don't find sleep in trazadone or seroquel (that's what he has in line if ambien doesn't work out), then I'll be trying some of what you have suggested.
-Bonnie
Posted by saturn on August 1, 2007, at 17:02:10
In reply to Ambien just isn't all that., posted by Bonnie_CA on August 1, 2007, at 9:34:27
Posted by Bonnie_CA on August 1, 2007, at 23:01:18
In reply to What dose? (nm) » Bonnie_CA, posted by saturn on August 1, 2007, at 17:02:10
Posted by cactus on August 1, 2007, at 23:05:54
In reply to 10 mg (nm) » saturn, posted by Bonnie_CA on August 1, 2007, at 23:01:18
Posted by revaaron on August 2, 2007, at 14:48:22
In reply to Ambien just isn't all that., posted by Bonnie_CA on August 1, 2007, at 9:34:27
You talk about taking extra Xanax to get to sleep- do you use Xanax or another benzo regularily for something else? If so, there may be some cross tolerance between the Xanax and the Ambien.
Posted by Phillipa on August 2, 2007, at 20:00:27
In reply to Re: Ambien just isn't all that., posted by revaaron on August 2, 2007, at 14:48:22
I took valium , xanax and lunesta a pseudobenzo like ambien and slept fine. Have given up the lunesta don't need it. Love Phillipa
Posted by Bonnie_CA on August 3, 2007, at 2:03:43
In reply to Re: Ambien just isn't all that., posted by revaaron on August 2, 2007, at 14:48:22
Yeah, I've considered that. I take .25mg of xanax, generally twice a day, sometimes once or thrice. While I haven't needed more xanax to control my anxiety, it could be making it harder for the ambien to work. Or it's possible that ambien just isn't the right one for me. Shoot, a high dose of BuSpar can knock me out. Of course that was almost ten years ago. I don't know if it would now.
-Bonnie
Posted by elanor roosevelt on August 4, 2007, at 22:58:21
In reply to Re: Ambien just isn't all that. » revaaron, posted by Bonnie_CA on August 3, 2007, at 2:03:43
xanax is not for sleeping
doesn't rest you completely10mg ambien should be good for 5 hours
but you can't mess with it
if you resist the window of falling asleep you miss it and just end up with a headache
Posted by Phillipa on August 4, 2007, at 23:12:46
In reply to Re: Ambien just isn't all that., posted by elanor roosevelt on August 4, 2007, at 22:58:21
Xanax always worked great for sleep for me. Love Phillipa
Posted by yznhymer on August 5, 2007, at 1:11:45
In reply to Re: Ambien just isn't all that., posted by elanor roosevelt on August 4, 2007, at 22:58:21
Five hours just doesn't cut it, not when I need 7 to 8, which is close to the norm. I fall asleep easily; staying asleep is the issue. Ambien did not help me stay asleep, and the CR formulation did not seem to make any difference. I also woke up fidgety, unrested and groggy.
.5mg klonopin works somewhat better for me; I still only sleep about 5 1/2 to 6 hours but I wake up more rested and relaxed. A series of pdocs have been prescribing klonopin for sleep for many years. I still haven't found the key to getting a longer night's sleep, however. I've never tried a higher dose, say 1 mg. Maybe that would make a difference.
Posted by cumulative on August 5, 2007, at 22:46:01
In reply to Re: Ambien just isn't all that. » elanor roosevelt, posted by Phillipa on August 4, 2007, at 23:12:46
Perhaps. If you felt rested, that's great, but the classic benzodiazepines have definitely been found to completely eff up the "sleep architecture", as it were. Not so with hypnotics.
Posted by Phillipa on August 6, 2007, at 19:59:20
In reply to Re: Ambien just isn't all that.))Philippa, posted by cumulative on August 5, 2007, at 22:46:01
Lunesta at 3mg didn't provide the sleep that the benzos do so I quit it cold turkey. I'm just wierd. Love Phillipa
This is the end of the thread.
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