ambien

[lorrainejoan]

I have been suffering from severe insomnia. cant fall asleep or stay asleep. I been taking xanex, norco & ambien.Now I cant think straight, have no energy no appetite & am starting to get really depressed. Does anyone know if the ambien is making it worse & making me feel drugged or is it the lack of sleep? Any help would be really appreciated.

[kimmieb]

yep, there ARE some anti-depressants (like amitryptiline, nortryptiline, etc. mentioned just above) that have the side effect of causing drowsiness and are sometimes therefore prescribed for people with sleep issues.....however, they do tend to cause severe headaches in people prone to migraines or tension headaches, so beware of that (that's why i can't take them).....also, they're anti-depressants, so that's just another avenue you may or may not want to head down....as for me, i didn't and still don't want to go down that road....i still haven't found the perfect solution for my sleep problems, and i'm still working on it, too, so please post again and let us know how you're doing and if you've seen a physician and whether or not you've discovered something that's working for you....i'd love to hear about it!!  best of luck and many blessings for some GOOD sleep...  

[worried878]

also if otc drugs dont work for u..there are some non-habit forming drugs like amitryptilline that can help u sleep..helped me after my divorce immensely

[worried878]

talk t ur doctor...u can not just stop the 2 mg of xanax..u will need to taper that down...the norco u can stop..the ambien if only after 2 nights u can stop...talk with ur physician and find an alternative that works..the seroquil mentioned above works for many with severe insomnia...ambien will not help bad insomnia only occasional sleepless nights....and u never know which drug will hit ur "button" and cause u to abuse it...for me it is narcotics..for some benzos and others ambien...u need to be safe and mixing all those drugs every night is not safe

[lady67]

Almost killed myself a couple of times from druiving after taking ambien.  I did so much and I can't remember any of it.  I abused them for 2 years and it almost ruined my life.  I hope you can find an alternative and soon.  

[kimmieb]

oh, you sound just like me!!!  yes, narcotics DO wreak havoc with your sleep pattern....i was on lortabs for pain AND ativan ( a benzo, like xanax) for sleep.....my tolerance to both increased, but especially my tolerance to the ativan....i finally found a doctor who helped me taper completely off the ativan....i can't say my sleep is good now.....it really still *****....but i've just been prescribed "clonidine"....it's a blood pressure med (and I DO have high blood pressure, otherwise he said he couldn't give it to me because my blood pressure wouldn't be able to take it), but one of the side effects is drowsiness and they've found that it helps people sleep better.....so i'm just starting to try it.....very small dose though....it certainly doesn't give me the same feeling as the ativan used to (that "ahhhhhhhhh" feeling of relaxation), but if it helps me to sleep more than 3-4 hours every night, i'll take it!).....also, yes, the mixture of all those medications will make you feel the way you say you're feeling....when i read your post, i thought i was reading about myself.....

[lorrainejoan]

Tried melatonin with mixture of valerian but didnt help.Just so tired cant think straight.Do these meds stop working after a while esp norco & xanex. I have been on those for a while. Can I just stop them? I am afraid it will get worse if I do. I have been taking 6-10 norco & 2mg of xanex. Norco for back pain that I thought was making sleep worse. Xanex was just to sleep.Now both not working well. Started ambien 2 nights ago. Just feel really weird dont know how much is to lack of sleep or ambien.

[youngdude421]

i dont have severe insomnia but i have to take medication to sleep at night, i know all about ambien i abused them 4 years take em and stay awake and trip. It dosent even make me sleep it just gets me high, my doctor put me on seroquel its non narcotic and it knocks me right out im on 200mg a night but ive been taking less i only take 50mg b/c the full 200 is too much. i dont know whats making u not think straight.... probably the lack of sleep ur on 3 controlled substances perhaps the cocktail but im no doctor. Im on klonopin(in the xannax fam) b/c i have panic disorder but the klonopin makes me think more clearly, b4 i was put on it i couldnt think straight b/c i was wrapped in anxiety (i guess thats y i need it)i'd talk to ur doctor if i was u

[worried878]

Ambien can aggravte depression....small doses such as 2.5-5 mg a night and only as needed...my friend takes 20 mg to sleep..that is excessive and shemay need to find something else for sleep....i have never developed a tolerence to ambien and have used it off and on for over 10 years///i still take around 2.5 mg and it works...it is not a drug to take and "stay up"..it is designed to be taken right before u get in the bed...drinking on it is a no no as u will black out.....and people do abuse it..take it a stay up and party and stuff...how i do not know as i am asleep 10 minutes later

U r taking 3 drugs...r u sure it is the ambien?  it could be a mixture?  all 3 drugs aggravate depression and out of the 3 ambien is categorized as the least addictive of the three drugs u r taking.....i would talk to my doctor and find another alternative for sleep....taking these every night could get u into trouble..have u tried the natural sleep aids like melatonin, valerian, etc?

[raingrrl]

Ambien can have some really weird effects.  It can make you sleepwalk, drive in your sleep, and can generally make you a hazard to yourself and others.  But a lot of people use it without any problem.

I've been througha lot with insomnia myself.  And every sleep doctor I have spoken to says that narcotics cause serious problems with sleep.  So consider: maybe it's the Norco.

Best of luck to you.