Aa
Dependant on Ambien cr and Lunesta
I have been taking one or the other of these drugs for a couple of years. Now i find i need 2, 3 and have even taken as many as 4 a night just to get 6 to 7 hours sleep. I know i have got to get off of them but am afraid to just stop suddenly. Do you recommend a taper? For how long and then to 1 pill a night and then possibly every other night and then off of them completely? I know i will be a zombie with no sleep but hopefully i can get my sleep pattern back without pills. I also take 5 mg. of melatonin a night. Thank you for any advice.
TJack
TJack
Hi,
You are most welcome. You need to relax and also do get the blood tests for hormonal levels done.
Do let us know about yur visit to the doctor.
Glad to be of some help.
Good luck.
You are most welcome. You need to relax and also do get the blood tests for hormonal levels done.
Do let us know about yur visit to the doctor.
Glad to be of some help.
Good luck.
Thank you for your post. I will see my dr. next tuesday and hopefully get this sleep figured out and start getting off the ambien cr and lunesta. Sometimes they work and just as much of the time, they don't.
Thanks again. Tjack
Thanks again. Tjack
Hi,
Yes you need to discuss all your problems with your doctor in detail. If you think menopause is the cause, then talk to your doctor about it and get a hormaonal levels done.
If your doctor thinks it appropriate and you do not have any contraindications you could talk to him about hormone replacement therapy or HRT.
Also, it is best to taper off the medication slowly and not on an abrupt basis - this will cause the body to adapt to progressively lower levels of the drug and will cause lesser side effects.
Do keep us posted about how you are doing.
Good luck.
Yes you need to discuss all your problems with your doctor in detail. If you think menopause is the cause, then talk to your doctor about it and get a hormaonal levels done.
If your doctor thinks it appropriate and you do not have any contraindications you could talk to him about hormone replacement therapy or HRT.
Also, it is best to taper off the medication slowly and not on an abrupt basis - this will cause the body to adapt to progressively lower levels of the drug and will cause lesser side effects.
Do keep us posted about how you are doing.
Good luck.
Thank you. I do have an appt. next week. I realize i need to be off of these drugs and plan to do so.
I have had sleep apnea but after my last sleep test my pulmonary dr. told me it was up to me, i was okay without my machine. So, i haven't been using it much, but it matters not as far as my sleep goes. I still wake up with or without it.
So, when you got off of the ambien, did you taper slowly or just quit? I would think cold turkey might be dangerous. thank you for your advice. tjack
I have had sleep apnea but after my last sleep test my pulmonary dr. told me it was up to me, i was okay without my machine. So, i haven't been using it much, but it matters not as far as my sleep goes. I still wake up with or without it.
So, when you got off of the ambien, did you taper slowly or just quit? I would think cold turkey might be dangerous. thank you for your advice. tjack
You *must* see a doctor. I've used both drugs to help with apnea and I up and quit them straight away as I believe they don't help your sleep but cripple it. Just because you feel like you are resting by no means implies you are. Just look at what is happening to you, you need more and more and more. That's not synonymous with good rest.
I quit taking all of them I have 3 Ambien left that I haven't touched for months. I only have them for nights where my back pain is so intense that I won't sleep without help. Even then I haven't taken them. I should just flush the things.
Anyway, you need to see your doctor and get some help sorting it all out. If you don't keep a sleep diary you need to start. Your doctor can see trends and really help you if you journal your sleep including medications and everything else.
Medication is an 800 pound gorilla and you should treat it with extreme caution. It's potentially extremely dangerous thing and your liver and kidneys may be in rough territory right now because of how much you are taking.
Get some real medical advice.
Good Luck! I have had extreme apnea all my life and I average 97 apnic events per hour.
I quit taking all of them I have 3 Ambien left that I haven't touched for months. I only have them for nights where my back pain is so intense that I won't sleep without help. Even then I haven't taken them. I should just flush the things.
Anyway, you need to see your doctor and get some help sorting it all out. If you don't keep a sleep diary you need to start. Your doctor can see trends and really help you if you journal your sleep including medications and everything else.
Medication is an 800 pound gorilla and you should treat it with extreme caution. It's potentially extremely dangerous thing and your liver and kidneys may be in rough territory right now because of how much you are taking.
Get some real medical advice.
Good Luck! I have had extreme apnea all my life and I average 97 apnic events per hour.
Thank you for your response. I had no idea i would need to see a neurologist.
I have an appt. with my MD next week. Should i mention this to her?
I am just hoping when i am finished with these sleep drugs I will be able to sleep. I started having problems with it when menopause started. So, that is what i blame it on anyway. I never had any problem sleeping before and could not understand it when my husband did. I would just think, just close your eyes and go to sleep, as that is what i did. Boy, have I learned a lesson. Not pleasant at all. Thank you again. tJack
I have an appt. with my MD next week. Should i mention this to her?
I am just hoping when i am finished with these sleep drugs I will be able to sleep. I started having problems with it when menopause started. So, that is what i blame it on anyway. I never had any problem sleeping before and could not understand it when my husband did. I would just think, just close your eyes and go to sleep, as that is what i did. Boy, have I learned a lesson. Not pleasant at all. Thank you again. tJack
Hi,
It is not advisable to advise a taper of the drugs that you are taking without a clinical evaluation.
You should consult your doctor - a neurologist preferably and discuss all your symptoms with him.
Also then decide a schedule of tapering the drugs and regular follow up.
This would help to reschedule your appointment if required.
Hope this helps.
Good luck.
It is not advisable to advise a taper of the drugs that you are taking without a clinical evaluation.
You should consult your doctor - a neurologist preferably and discuss all your symptoms with him.
Also then decide a schedule of tapering the drugs and regular follow up.
This would help to reschedule your appointment if required.
Hope this helps.
Good luck.
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