addicted to ambien

[danh228]

Hi! I was put on ambien 10 mg over 2 years ago. When I first started taking it, it worked great, feel asleep within 10 minutes or so. I suffer from severe depression and at night when I lay down for bed my brain goes in a million directions and I can't sleep, hence why my Dr. originally put me on the ambien. It really seemed to help and i didn't actually dread going to bed up until up till about 6 months ago. I have clearly built a tolerance to it as its not working anymore. I've even had nights where I doubled my dose, took two 10 mg tablets and still no luck. I do eventually fall asleep but sometimes not for hours or countless times of getting up and trying to come back to bed. I want nothing more than to stop the ambien and not have to rely on it for sleep but don't know what's the best way to do so? I know it's in my head now to that I NEED the ambien to sleep. I feel like I can't win no matter what I do. Anyone that has been on ambien and found a successful way to get off it I would love to hear your method. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[danh228]

Thanks so much for the responses and advice, I really appreciate it!

[nihonfrench]

I took Ambien a few years back and I really had a hard time getting off it. I was only taking 5mg but just like you eventually I built a tolerance to it. You should consult your physician first but I am pretty sure Ambien is for short-term insomnia and should not be taken for long periods. I remember having headaches and feeling groggy in the morning because of it. The way I was able to get off of it is to reduce the dose gradually. I started by taking a 2.5mg dose once every 3 days for 2 weeks, then every 2 days... then everyday. Then I skipped it once every 3 days and so on until I stopped completely. I had to try it many times before I was successful. Good luck.

[Heiferly]

If you are being prescribed the regular ambien, NOT the extended-release form, you can cut the tablets with a pill cutter so as to more gradually taper off the ambien. I have had issues developing tolerance to ambien in the past; what my doctors have always done is to order a drug "holiday" —that is, a period of weeks or months off that medication so that the tolerance is reduced or eliminated. I've not found it necessary to taper gradually off ambien, but everyone is different and if you're having trouble stopping it cold turkey, that may be helpful. Don't make any medication changes without speaking with your doctor first, of course. They may also want you to "rotate" the ambien with a different drug so that you switch back and forth between them every few months to reduce the tendency to develop tolerance to them.

Best, H.