Need to taper off ambien.

[julbox3134]

I have been taking a much higher dosage of 10mg Ambien every day for months now and want to taper off.  I cannot afford treatment, but waould like to know if there are doctors that can get mre on a tapering schedule so that it can be done medically safe.  Any suggestions would really help me out

[julbox3134]

hi.  at this point i can seem to easily obtain prescriptions for xanax so ambien will i have to do.  i get real anxious so if i don't have xanax around the ambien has to do.  so to answer your questions there are days that i take 2 at a time during the day just to stay calm, then 4 to nap, then at night around 5 sometimes more.  sad thing is i don't really feel much and only sleep for about three hours straight if i am lucky.  i am scared to death but can stand the withdrawals when i try to quit.  this has been going on for months now back and forth from xanax to ambien, restoril, ativan, sometimes all of them just so i can be calm and sleep.  i'm going to see a very dear doctor friend of mine tomorrow.

[Chi_Chi_Lover]

I didn't know about seizures from Ambien either. I think it may be more for people that abuse it in higher doseages. I found that on several websites after I stopped taking it and could not sleep. I also didn't know it was the same as a Benzo-xanax, valium etc. Yes, I had an addiction to pain pills but I really didn't know about other drugs. I always assumed if you doctor prescribed it that it was ok. That's where my problem began and why I have a great new doctor and I question everything. My doctor thinks I'm a nut:-)
I have learned a lot in the past year and this why I don't take anything unless it's an emergency.

[worried878]

Your odctor should help you as a rule...would not hurt to ask I did not know about the seizures withdrawing from ambien...My mom quit taking it after 10 years or so but she only took one 10 mg a night and took her a while to sleep well again afterwards...

[Chi_Chi_Lover]

Here is a website for you. You will need to taper to keep from having a seziure. Ambien is just like a Benzo (xanax, valium etc). You have to be very careful coming off this medication. I took it during my withdrawals from Lortabs over a year ago. I didn't know you couldn't just stop taking it c/t. I still have sleep issues and was back at my doctor's yesterday. It takes a lot of time to get over any sleep medication use and I only took the prescribed dose for 5-6 months. This website has lots of info. You will have to sign up to access it but it's worth it. PM if I can help you.
http://www.thetrap.org.uk/forum/index.php

[calijen]

How many of the 10mg pills are you taking per night?  It is because this is what your body needs in order to be able to sleep or are there other reasons/effects with taking the higher amount?  Not trying to drill you at all - I have dealt with addictions and w/d from too many kinds of pills to even count, so I just wanted to help you figure out what you needed to do safely to get your dose down.  

Hope to hear from you ... post whenever you can!

[julbox3134]

Will a family physician help me to do this>?

[worried878]

A taper could be calculated by picking a quit day and the amount of pills u want to do it with...u can do it slowly or fairly quickly with ambien....you can cut down 1/4 pill each week, or 1/4 pill each day... or a half a pill each day or each week...just stick to ur goal quit day...I am assuming your are taking more than 1 10 tablet a night