Ambien and Insomnia

[sonikaur]

I was perscribed ambien 4 days ago for insomnia. It really helps with the anxiety when i fall asleep, but only lets me sleep for a few hours then im up...but still tired. I feel groggy all day and very frustrated and i cannot think straight at all. I have noticed though when i take it i feel veyr very nauseas. Its hard eat because of the nausea. Has anyone else experience nausea with Ambien? I dont know why it is making me nausea. My doc then perscribed lunesta 3mg. Has anyone tried lunesta and experienced better sleep with it? I am afraid of trying lunesta because i dont want to feel so nausea again. I didn't take any sleep med last night...didnt have a very good sleep but still i feel nausea. I need something to help me sleep without causing nausea and to help me sleep like a baby throughout the night pleaseee.

[sb2]

i completely disagree.  doctors do not know us as well as we know ourselves.  my doc gave me 10 mg ambien 4 yrs ago.  i use 2 mgs per night and i try to not take it every night cuz i want to keep its effectiveness.  you know what your body can take and if its too much then cut down the dose.  you need the least amount that works with sleep meds, they arent doing anything that will hurt you if you take less.

[nananeedsthis]

I know you didn't post it directly to me but, I would take what your doctor prescribes. If you find that it is a problem after giving it a few days to get used to it, then talk to your doctor about reducing the dose. Like you said, she knows that you are a tiny person, so trust in her decision, and give it time to get used to it. Good luck

[sonikaur]

I have heard that Lunesta is more gentle but My doc prescribed me 3mg of Lunesta. Do you think that is too much? Can i cut the pills in half. I am a tiny person and my doc knows that. I dont know why she would give me the highest dose? I have a phobia of taking pills.

[sonikaur]

I agree..sleep medicine is just a short term fix. But i do have an underlying condition, fainting upon standing and a lil faster heart rate. I am also tiny, i have low blood pressure. But everysince i was diagnosed with my condition, i have been having alot of sleep problems. I did see a sleep doctor, he said most of my insomnia is psychological and the other is because of my condition. he did recommend a sleep study after a month of therapy. he also said i might have sleep apnea, but not obstructive sleep apnea...the other kind which effects your nervous system and ur not breathing enough. He recommended breathing techniques. I also notice right when i start to fall asleep i wake up suddenly freaking out. Ambien is the only thing that calms me down, but i feel weak all day though. Some days r better than others. thanks for ur help

[DreamNaut]

I get better quality sleep and it feels more natural with lunesta. The nausea may just be a side affect of ambien. I love lunesta but do to the cost, I usually end up with generic ambien. Lunesta's patent has not expired yet.

[KatEyes]

Please keep in mind I am not a medical professional, just an opinionated person who has dealt with sleep disorders for a lot of years. One opinion is that medication should not precede a definitive diagnosis, which would include a sleep study. Otherwise, how is one to know there isn't another underlying sleep disorder causing the insomnia? And possibly one that some medications could make worse! But let me back up, maybe you already had a sleep study that ruled out other sleep disorders, and I jumped on my soapbox too soon. If so, sorry. If you did, what did it say?

[nananeedsthis]

I used to take Ambien, and I had great results with it for a short time. But with all medications, it eventually lost it's effectiveness, and I switched to Lunesta. Lunesta was a good alternative for me. I never had nausea with either med., but I have experienced the daytime grogginess with both. It does go away after a while, as you become adjusted to it. Unfortunatly for me, sleep medications only work for a short time. I am a true insomniac, and nothing works for long. I'm sure this is not your problem or you would have been writing much sooner than now. Trust your doctor, remember that if Lunesta does not work, or is bothersome (give it time) there are other meds yet to be tried. Good luck, and try to relax...sleep comes easier that way.