Insomnia

Insomnia,
Have question regarding insomnia. Can anyone suggest how to start melatonin and wean off ambien. I started having insomnia shortly after surgery and have been struggling ever since on and off, mostly not sleeping. Thanks.

They say to start with 3mg of timed released melatonin. If you need more, go up slightly in mg.

I used melatonin prior to surgery. Post op, I too have insomnia, so I am on Ambien and take the melatonin too. I am also on HRT minivelle patch for the surgical menopause.

I am nervous about trying to get off the Ambien as it helps to get me to sleep. However, I only have a couple more weeks worth. I find the melatonin just does not have the same effect.

I took have insomnia ....trying to ween myself off ambein also .......I was waiting for that mack truck to hit me after surgery and sleep, sleep , sleep....never happened ...the only thing that knocked me out was the perkocet.....but after those......NO SLEEP.....and this one incision is killing me ........other than that I am good ...so I shouldn't complain

My doc has told me that if I take the Ambien every night, it won't be as effective.
I too am struggling w the insomnia beast.
I try and only take 1/2 a pill which is 5mg according to my prescription and only every other night...I said I "try" but it doesn't always happen.
Geesh....after all we are going through...wish we could at least sleep at night.

Sprinkling sand man dust over all us sisters!

Here is an article about Insomnia after Hysterectomy. As you ladies have discovered, insomnia sort of comes with the territory. It does slowly go away, and, in my case, I think getting my hormones more settled helped a lot. I got the best advice about how to wean off Ambien from my pharmacist. He told me to go from taking 10mg/night, to 5mg/night for 5 days, then to take 2.5 mg/night for 5 days. He told me that when I got down to 2.5 mg to take Advil PM or just unisom or sominex. While I was there he called my doc to make sure that was good, and they agreed. I suggest you do the same because my pharmacist told me not to take tylenol PM and it's a good thing. At the time I was on a medication that could have reacted with it. The good new is that the insomnia does go away.

Thank you Elsie. I will give that a try. Makes good sense. I have been on Ambien for 2 years (5 mg) so I think I will have to take it slow on weaning off of it. I appreciate your help.