Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had serious problems with insomnia 20+ years ago. I have never heard or experienced a specialist (psychiatrist) prescribing a tranquilizer or hypnotic sleep aid for more than a few months. There is usually an underlying cause- i.e. depression. The insomnia in turn makes the already present anxiety and depression worse. I am not belittling OP's symptoms at all but I do think she needs to see a specialist if not doing so already. AGAIN OP, I know how serious and disabling this is, but get a second opinion from a specialist, PLEASE.

Actually insomnia can be something on its own--without depression or anxiety as an underlying factor. It can trigger anxiety/depression but it's not always the case of depression triggering the insomnia. It can be insomnia triggering the depression. Trust me. Ive been there. Ive seen the doctors. Ive talked to the specialists. I suffer from insomnia. I dont suffer from depression or anxiety And lots of psychiatrist prescribe ambien for long term use. Mine does--but i still have to see them on a regular basis. I would do anything not to rely on ambien. I have a small baby so there are many nights when my DH isn't home and I cant take anything so I am AWAKE, begging my body to sleep but it doesn't happen. It's not an issue to dismiss.

PP here. I would NEVER dismiss this issue EVER. It's just why would OP be asking her question if a trusted specialist approved? No one asks "How bad is it to take Lexapro or Zoloft everyday?"

Not the PP you're addressing, but I would assume it's because you don't hear all kinds of scare stories on Lexapro and Zoloft. But you do about Ambien.

Sort of like, if my dr prescribed me lengthy course of oxycontin, I'd be like "is this really ok?" NOT because I thought I didn't need to be on a painkiller, but because there's so many scary stories about oxycontin out there.

(OP, I was worried when I went on ambien, too -- I was sure I was going to sleep drive or sex murder my husband or something. Nothing happened except I got a good night's sleep. I am really vigilant about not drinking alcohol or taking it too long before bed, though).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had serious problems with insomnia 20+ years ago. I have never heard or experienced a specialist (psychiatrist) prescribing a tranquilizer or hypnotic sleep aid for more than a few months. There is usually an underlying cause- i.e. depression. The insomnia in turn makes the already present anxiety and depression worse. I am not belittling OP's symptoms at all but I do think she needs to see a specialist if not doing so already. AGAIN OP, I know how serious and disabling this is, but get a second opinion from a specialist, PLEASE.

Actually insomnia can be something on its own--without depression or anxiety as an underlying factor. It can trigger anxiety/depression but it's not always the case of depression triggering the insomnia. It can be insomnia triggering the depression. Trust me. Ive been there. Ive seen the doctors. Ive talked to the specialists. I suffer from insomnia. I dont suffer from depression or anxiety And lots of psychiatrist prescribe ambien for long term use. Mine does--but i still have to see them on a regular basis. I would do anything not to rely on ambien. I have a small baby so there are many nights when my DH isn't home and I cant take anything so I am AWAKE, begging my body to sleep but it doesn't happen. It's not an issue to dismiss.

PP here. I would NEVER dismiss this issue EVER. It's just why would OP be asking her question if a trusted specialist approved? No one asks "How bad is it to take Lexapro or Zoloft everyday?"

Anonymous wrote:I had serious problems with insomnia 20+ years ago. I have never heard or experienced a specialist (psychiatrist) prescribing a tranquilizer or hypnotic sleep aid for more than a few months. There is usually an underlying cause- i.e. depression. The insomnia in turn makes the already present anxiety and depression worse. I am not belittling OP's symptoms at all but I do think she needs to see a specialist if not doing so already. AGAIN OP, I know how serious and disabling this is, but get a second opinion from a specialist, PLEASE.

Actually insomnia can be something on its own--without depression or anxiety as an underlying factor. It can trigger anxiety/depression but it's not always the case of depression triggering the insomnia. It can be insomnia triggering the depression. Trust me. Ive been there. Ive seen the doctors. Ive talked to the specialists. I suffer from insomnia. I dont suffer from depression or anxiety And lots of psychiatrist prescribe ambien for long term use. Mine does--but i still have to see them on a regular basis. I would do anything not to rely on ambien. I have a small baby so there are many nights when my DH isn't home and I cant take anything so I am AWAKE, begging my body to sleep but it doesn't happen. It's not an issue to dismiss.

Anonymous wrote:Not that I owe anyone an explanation, but children with autism have sleep problems. It is better for them to get a good nights sleep than to be up all night getting into trouble and being tired the next day. Melatonin is NOT addictive. It is a hormone that is naturally produced in your body. Autistic children with guy dysfunction don't have the ability to produce as much melatonin as normal children. Supplementing with melatonin is safe and natural as it mimics your own body's sleep mechanisms.

This is spot-on. They've actually found that, genetically, parents of kids with ASD are more likely to produce low levels of melatonin, and that it appears to be genetic.

Not saying it's a great idea for all kids, but it's certainly something parents of ASD kids should look into, to correct the natural imbalance.

I had serious problems with insomnia 20+ years ago. I have never heard or experienced a specialist (psychiatrist) prescribing a tranquilizer or hypnotic sleep aid for more than a few months. There is usually an underlying cause- i.e. depression. The insomnia in turn makes the already present anxiety and depression worse. I am not belittling OP's symptoms at all but I do think she needs to see a specialist if not doing so already. AGAIN OP, I know how serious and disabling this is, but get a second opinion from a specialist, PLEASE.

Here's the thing about Ambien: sleep eating. And sleep sex. I hate it. I like to be awake for both those things--ambien makes me think I'm awake but I'm not. It's gross. But that's just me. I had to take a big break from it. The ambien, I mean. Heh.

And I'm thinking there's a lot of Ambien posting here on DCUM too, btw.

gut dysfunction...not guy dysfunction...sorry for the typo

Anonymous wrote:Doesn't taking melatonin regularly inhibit your body from producing its own, thereby actually making it harder to sleep? Shoot. I read something recently about this. Can't remember where, though.

Good question. I know some hormones are produced in lower quantities in the body when receptors detect excess in the bloodstream. However, isn't melatonin produced primarily in response to light/dark cycles on the retina? If that's the case, it's possible taking extra won't affect you.

Any endocrinologists out there who can answer this?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, have you ever tried melatonin? It's a more natural solution that is non-addictive.

I use this on my son on nights that he is "keyed up" and it works beautifully. Usually within 1/2 hour of taking the drops, he is asleep.

Please tell me this is a joke.

Why would it be a joke? The better option isn't always what you see advertised on TV. And it's a lot safer than drugging your children with antihistamines.....and yeah, I've seen people on this board admit to it.

How about not drugging your kid with anything so they don't grow up to be someone who can't sleep without drugs.

Not that I owe anyone an explanation, but children with autism have sleep problems. It is better for them to get a good nights sleep than to be up all night getting into trouble and being tired the next day. Melatonin is NOT addictive. It is a hormone that is naturally produced in your body. Autistic children with guy dysfunction don't have the ability to produce as much melatonin as normal children. Supplementing with melatonin is safe and natural as it mimics your own body's sleep mechanisms.

This is what the product literature says about long term use:

Your sleep problems should improve within 7-10 days after you start taking zolpidem. Call your doctor if your sleep problems do not improve during this time or if they get worse at any time during your treatment.

Zolpidem should normally be taken for short periods of time. If you take zolpidem for 2 weeks or longer, zolpidem may not help you sleep as well as it did when you first began to take the medication. If you take zolpidem for a long time, you also may develop dependence ('addiction,' a need to continue taking the medication) on zolpidem. Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking zolpidem for 2 weeks or longer. Do not take a larger dose of zolpidem, take it more often, or take it for a longer time than prescribed by your doctor.

Do not stop taking zolpidem without talking to your doctor, especially if you have taken it for longer than 2 weeks. If you suddenly stop taking zolpidem, you may develop unpleasant feelings or you may experience more severe withdrawal symptoms such as shakiness, stomach and muscle cramps, vomiting, sweating, and rarely, seizures.

You may have more difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep on the first night after you stop taking zolpidem than you did before you started taking the medication. This is normal and usually gets better without treatment after one or two nights.

Anonymous wrote:I think i am a little late for this post but I take Ambien and have for more than 3 years. I took it through my first pregnancy and now am taking it through my 2nd. I have tried EVERYTHING. Insomnia is debilitating. It was for me. It caused me anxiety. It caused me depression. I have tried dealing with the latter two in addition to the insomnia but ultimately, my doctor and I decided that i suffer from insomnia. So we treat the insomnia with Ambien. It works. It has no side effects. I still wake up regularly during the night but it's better than nothing. Please dont judge people who seriously suffer from insomnia. And just saying "have you tried warm milk? how about melatonin?" is probably the most insulting and upsetting thing I hear. YES, i have tried EVERYTHING. I dont take Ambien because it's fun. I take it because it works.

This. Exactly this. I have insomnia, not just trouble sleeping. Yes, I have tried all of the sleep hygiene tricks and melatonin, valerian root, warm milk, yoga, meditation, prayer, therapy, sleep studies, EVERYTHING. For some of us, nothing but medication works. For some unlucky few, even medication doesn't work.

BTW, if I have insomnia for more than about a week (and by "insomnia" I mean less than 2 hours of sleep per night, sometimes none, not just a hard time getting to sleep like I think some non-sufferers think of it), I start having panic attacks. If it goes for more than two weeks, much like PP, I get seriously depressed. There is nothing worse than wanting and needing to sleep and not being able to. Eventually, before I started taking ambien for my insomnia, I would sometimes to drink alcohol to knock myself out every night for weeks (and you know how bad your sleep is when you've drunk alcohol, right?), or else I would get to the depression stage and just seriously consider how much easier oblivion would be than insomnia was. It is very scary how much loss of sleep can ruin your life.

When I told my doctor, he told me to try ambien right away, rather than drink and hurt my liver (he was really concerned about that), or get to a stage where my mental health was suffering so badly (I see a therapist regularly, and he was even more concerned about the depression). It's been a miracle for me. I have used it for 4 years, not every night, but at least every week. I know some people have problems with it, but much like other serious medicine that people can have problems with (painkillers, benzos, etc), it can really help people if it's the right drug for them. My life has completely 180'd and I am so grateful for my doctor. When I think about those years of insomnia, I want to cry.

I think i am a little late for this post but I take Ambien and have for more than 3 years. I took it through my first pregnancy and now am taking it through my 2nd. I have tried EVERYTHING. Insomnia is debilitating. It was for me. It caused me anxiety. It caused me depression. I have tried dealing with the latter two in addition to the insomnia but ultimately, my doctor and I decided that i suffer from insomnia. So we treat the insomnia with Ambien. It works. It has no side effects. I still wake up regularly during the night but it's better than nothing. Please dont judge people who seriously suffer from insomnia. And just saying "have you tried warm milk? how about melatonin?" is probably the most insulting and upsetting thing I hear. YES, i have tried EVERYTHING. I dont take Ambien because it's fun. I take it because it works.

Doesn't taking melatonin regularly inhibit your body from producing its own, thereby actually making it harder to sleep? Shoot. I read something recently about this. Can't remember where, though.

We have no idea what OP has tried before Ambien. It's all relative. If OP has done all the right things and still can't sleep, sure, take some ambien. But if it's a crutch because s/he can't adopt better habits, then it's time to go back and work on it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, have you ever tried melatonin? It's a more natural solution that is non-addictive.

I use this on my son on nights that he is "keyed up" and it works beautifully. Usually within 1/2 hour of taking the drops, he is asleep.

Please tell me this is a joke.

Why would it be a joke? The better option isn't always what you see advertised on TV. And it's a lot safer than drugging your children with antihistamines.....and yeah, I've seen people on this board admit to it.

How about not drugging your kid with anything so they don't grow up to be someone who can't sleep without drugs.