My Last Ambien

Yup Weesa,

I get you.  Your counselor will probably read you the riot act if you keep them around much longer, but have theysuggested a non addictive sleep aide?  I use Benadryl sometimes or Tylenol PM (generic ones are cheaper).  Hard to get off the Ambien after that long I'm sure.

Stay strong!

Sharon

weesa, why do you feel like you need to stop ambien if it is working for you?  Sorry if this is a stupid question.

I was taking Ambien every night for almost a year, but about two months ago, I went off.  Since then, I've kept them around for occasional problems.  If I have a night, once a week or so, when I find myself still awake after an hour - or if I get radically off my sleep schedule, I take a half Ambien.  Remember, it is not like an opiate in terms of craving.  We use them because we are worried about not sleeping.   However, if I found myself using them more than occasionally, I might reconsider my options.

 Weesa, if you, hwever, are worried about falling back into using them, I have a suggestion, if you don't live alone - have whoever you live with take charge of the pills and hide them.  Also see a sleep doctor.  Maybe you need to work on sleep techniques.  

Weesa:

I went cold turkey.  I did it because I found they were less and less effective, and I had some early mosrning grogginess that i attributed to the ambien. I also just prefer to take as few meds as i can get away with taking. The first night, I barely slept at all, had incredibly vivid dreams.  Took maybe another night or two before I could sleep. Now I mostly sleep, but i wake up a few times in the night.  there are sleep techniques that i find help - including listening to a book on tape in bed - prefereably one where i know the story so the suspense doesn't keep me up, turning off the computer 1 hour before bed, no afternon or evening caffein, and a regular schedule.  If i screw up and take a half ambien for one night, I can go back off it with no side effects. If I stay on for a few nights, then i have another rough night getting off.  I try to stay off.

Good luck.

Alex

I am going to stick with my ambien. Been on it since 2009 and I love it that I can sleep at night.

I remember back when Ambien first came out the doctors would only prescribe it for 10 days stating "you need to get into a normal sleep pattern and that takes 10 days and then you will be fine"

Ok, can I shoot those doctors?  I was a major insomniac for over 20 years - it sucks royally.

And yes....Rachel benedryl interacts with Tamoxifen. 

However, on ocassion I have allergic reactions and don't have a choice but to take benedryl as I did 2 nights ago when my fingers started swelling up and my palm started itching really bad.  Still don't know why I had the allergic reaction which gets frustrating.  I have not been able to pinpoint those to any particular drugs or foods, etc.

I've got an alternative to ambien for you, Weesa, that will help you fall asleep. I'll send my boyfriend over to talk to you about physics and electronic circuitry. Five minutes of that, and I guarantee you'll be snoring! Works on me!

Seriously, have you tried melatonin? Do you need to stop ambien? Is your sleeplessness pain related or do you just not feel sleepy? Sometimes the arimidex aches and pains keep me awake; taking a couple of ibuprofen helps and enables me to sleep.

BlueCowgirl - loved the haiku! LOL! I needed that this morning!

I have HORRIBLE insomna and my Dr sent me to a sleep Dr. Long story short I was on Ambien 10mg for close to 2 years and they stopped working so  my Dr changed me to clonazapam and so far so good. I switched straight from ambien to that with no issues.

So all this talk about ambien.  I have been taking faithfully for years, with good results, I am not even going to read the cancer story (sorry, my DH thinks Diet Coke caused my cancer).  Once I retire (no time soon) I will give it up and nap all day if I need to.  For now I will wait for the walrus.

sweet dreams, good luck weesa!

I also am in no hurry to say goodbye to my little friend. I have been responsible and only take it as pprescribed. Without it I truly don't think I could have made it through the surgeries and treatments.I understand the need to get off some meds. This time a year ago I was on no medication.

My oncologist also knows that I take benadryl with tamoxifen.  I've been taking benadryl for years now.  I am a little groggy in the morning but I shake it fairly quickly.  I have noticed over the years that one does nothing for me now.  I have to take two, sometimes three if I have a lot on my mind.  I still wake up several times during the night but I go back to sleep quickly.

I tried to switch to melatonin and had CRAZY dreams.  I'm naturally a heavy dreamer, always have been, but melatonin really put me over the top.

I can't take ambien.  I tried it a long time ago and I'm definitely one of those people who ended up doing things that I didn't remember the next morning.  Very scary for me!

Good luck Weesa!

Just found this, Weesa. Addicted or not, it sounds like you're pretty strong once you've made a decision. I'm pulling for you...blowing an extra dose of Resolve your way if your counsellor will allow that .



I never took Ambien but went to the mats for a prescription for Trazadone to take with the 5mg of Melatonin I already took for sleep and prevention. I was clear that not sleeping was debilitating for me. Together, they've worked like a charm 2 years. If I do wake up, I read myself back to sleep. I get sleepy quickly and wake up with no grogginess. Trazadone is cheap and nonaddictive. I take very low dose 50mg. and think the mild antidepressant effect is an added help for me. Have not had to up the dose so far.



Good luck and take care, Weesa. ........Molly

Missyby62, thanks for sharing your experience. This topic hasn't been active for quite a long time, but it's a good one to reactivate. We welcome you warmly to Breastcancer.org, and appreciate your insights!

Warmly, The Mods