Ambien usage - take one, and a second one a few hours later?

My Dr. has me on 20mg ambien (yes, a high dose). I had a Dr. suggest that I take 10mg when I go to bed, and then another 10mg when I wake up a few hours later. Does anyone have any comments about taking them several hours apart like that versus taking it all at once? The idea is that I would get more sleep, but the risk is that the after effects of it will be more pronounced the next day.

Currently, I take the ambien at 11:15, I'm out at 11:30, and I'm awake at about 4:30 with waking episodes at 2:30 and 3:30. So I would take one at 11:15, out by 11:30, and take the second at 2:30 or so, whenever I woke up.

I'm not sure if I would sleep longer and better or not, and how much of a difference it would make.

[vicki595]

Hi~  It's a good suggestion.  Why not try it?  Only you know how you feel and what your sleep patterns are...

V.

[Zootal]

My only concern would be that the level in my blood would not peak like it is now, but would be at a lower level for several more hours. I'm not sure if the lower peak would introduce withdrawals, or if having it in my blood longer would cause problems. Too many unknowns...

[cryuncle]

I am doing exactly what you suggest.  I only get about 2-3 hours of sleep with Ambien (zolpidem) and then wake up. For about a year I have been dosing at 11:00, 1:30 (or when I wake up) again at 3:30 and recently again at 6:00. In total I take between 10-12.5 mg as I divide the 10mg tablet into quarters.

I begin with 5mg at 11:00 and then 2 1/2 at the other intervals. I do find I get about 30 minutes more sleep with the 5mg versus the 2 1/2mg. I have talked to my pharmacist about this versus taking the 10mg only once and was informed less strength was better, even though I take it more frequently

I have been taking Ambien, nightly, for 3-4 years and thus far, it still works. I just pray this continues.

[Zootal]

How are you during the day? Does taking it so late into the night, 3:30 and 6:00, cause any effects during the next day?

Is your doctor OK or concerned that you have been taking it for 3-4 years?

[cryuncle]

My MD is the one who writes the Rx's. He said I would be on drugs for the rest of my life. It (chronic primary insomnia) affects my mother and brother both. He originally wrote 2 10mg nightly. I am the one who titrated to 1 10mg divided by 4.

I seem to have some slight grogginess upon waking, but this is soon displaced once I eat breakfast.

I keep following the FDA's New Drug Applications and Approvals site to stay on top of any new insomnia targeted drugs,  targeting other that the GABAa receptor. There are two such drugs in late stage clinical s.

There is always hope!!

[Zootal]

Did you take 20mg at first? How did you get down to your current dosage?

[Zootal]

Ambien or something else all your life. . My heart goes out to you. I'm not sure if that describes me or not, it's been three months and I'm not sure if there is any end in sight. It's pretty lousy sleep. Do you remember any dreams? I hardly have any dreams, or at least I don't remember them anymore.

And seriously Yeah to new insomnia drugs. That would be awesome if they came up with something that works better than ambien - last longer, no side effects.

[cryuncle]

I was never at 20 mg a night. I think I titrated from 10 mg to 5mg, stayed on the 5 for a while then as tolerance grew, went to 2 1/2 multiple times. I do manage dreams, but usually in the 5:00 to 7:00 AM part of sleep, suggesting this is REM.

The best way to titrate to a lower dose is by dropping 2 1/2 mg and staying there for 3-5 days, then again.

My next move is going to be to 100mg trazadone and 5mg sub lingual melatonin. I ordered the melatonin on line and am waiting to receive it.I have had the trazadone from a previous Rx. Sub lingual is much more effective when crossing the blood brain barrier.  hope by doing this I can reset my GABAa receptor (all the benzo and benzo like drugs work on this ) back to normal and then I will be able to alternate the melatonin/trazodone with the ambien more successfully  

[Zootal]

How well does the trazadone work? Is there a risk of getting hooked on that as well? Or is it something you can walk away from if you have to?

Last night I took 18mg at 11:30, then another 5mg when I woke up at 3:30am. It actually worked quite well, though the total dosage was more than I wanted. I'm going to gradually reduce the first dosage - I don't need that much at bedtime, especially if I'm going to take a second dose later in the night.

I would think that smaller dosages 2 or 3 times during the night would better than one massive dose before going to bed, especially if I can get each individual dose down.

I have a Dr. appt in a week to talk about getting off of the stuff entirely. I'm not sure how this is going to work, but I gotta start somewhere.

Good luck - I hope they come out with better drugs - I think we would all benefit from them.