Ambien add-on medications

[zcbeach]

I take 20mg of Ambien at night for sleep. I have tried everything, including taking time off the medication to get it to work. However, nothing seems to be working. Recently, my doctor added Trazodone 100mg to help the Ambien work. Can anyone think of anything that would work like this?

[joycekatherine]

Have you tried generic Remeron, it's called mirtazapine? I don't think it's very expensive...

[CareerLady]

Meds are definitely iffy. One of the best treatments for insomnia doesn't even require medicine. It's called Cognitive Behavior Therapy. It teaches you to have attitudes and behaviors that make sleep come more easily and help you get to sleep more quickly if you wake up.

Also, )and this may sound surprising) insomnia is one symptom of sleep breathing disorders. Apnea is only one of them. Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome is another sleep breathing disorder that has only mild symptoms (sometimes snoring, sometimes not) You should ask your doctor about it. Not everyone with sleep breathing problems is older and overweight.

I took Remeron, and while it helped me sleep, I was always tired. It turns out my sleeping was disturbed by breathing problems (148 disturbances in 6 hours) so even though I felt like I was sleeping, I was still tired.

Also, meds that help you sleep can also cause you to have withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking them. You should follow your doctor's orders. But there are surprises!

[Miss_Cassondra]

I had an allergic reaction to ambien so I can not personally reccomend it.  However I loved my lunesta, it worked very fast.  Now, just like with pain pills when you take sleeping pills be prepared to go to sleep.  They are aiding you not making you go to sleep.  It is not anesthesia so don't expect it to work as such.  

I no longer can afford the lunesta I go to my local VA for my medications and they don't carry lunesta.  They do carry Trazadone which is just ok, but I can't take it because it gives me horrible congestion.  I would rather breath throgh my nose than sleep.

So to sum it up depending on what type of sleep aid you take some kick in within 20-30 mins such as Lunesta, others take over an hour such as Trazadone, get yourself ready for bed then take your pills.  After you take your pills  that should be nothing but down time relax time, you should not be working up untill the time you fall asleep, that includes cleaning.  Once you feel that very first hint of your pills kkicking in get into bed and close your eyes.  I have aslo found it helpful to get a cover for my eyes (can't think of the name, then again its 5:45 and I'm still not to bed yet).

I hope this is helpful.  I know exactly how to get sleep now(after years of trial and error and sleepless nights with exhausted days)  I just can't afford the pills that work for my body to be able to get the sleep.


Best of Luck
Cassondra

[joycekatherine]

Are you asking for a suggestion of another med for helping you sleep??  If so, I take generic Remeron 45 mg, the generic is called mirtazapine...I have been taking it for a couple of yrs and it works every time and I am highly resistant to meds, my body gets immune to them very fast!!  Hope this helps...sweet dreams