Has anyone taken Ambien?

I posted yesterday about my sleep difficulties. The dr.'s office called me back this morning and she is prescribing Ambien to take when needed. I don't want to have a "hangover" effect. Does anyone have experience with this medication?

My doctor prescribed 10mg, but I found out that for me, it was too strong. I didn't have a hangover effect from it, but if I awoke during the night to get a drink or pee, I would feel myself stagger. If I need it, I break it in half and take 5mg and this really works fine for me. I wake up refreshed and no lingering drugged feeling. Also, if you do take it, it has a window of 10 min. when it will work. So you need to take it when you are comfortable and ready to go to sleep, not before you wash the dishes. Hope this helps.

I have been on Ambien for about 3 years now and I still break the 10mg in half at times. You typically need about 8 hours of sleep to not feel "hungover" when you take it. It has been a lifesaver to me but fair warning, take it and then go lay down or you might find yourself doing some silly things...Ambien is a hypnotic drug.

Good Luck...not being able to sleep is the pits!

Kristi

Dr. prescribed to me without asking. Told her I am a heavy sleeper and didn't need it but she wanted me to take it. I break in half also and find it works fine and I do not have any side effects.

My doc gave me Ambien 10 mg. at 9 weeks post-op to take as needed. I don't need it often but have taken it. I have always had bouts of insomnia as long as I can remember. And because of bladder issues was usually up 3-4 times a night for that. Which is unusal. I personally haven't had any side effects. I take it and go on to bed. I sleep 7-8 hours and it is restful. And so far no hang overs, which it says is one of the side effects. As I said I don't take it every day just when I see myself falling into the pattern of not sleeping much for several days.

Good luck I hope you have positive results.

Theresa

I've been prescribed both the 5 mg and 10 mg caplet. The 5 mg is strong enough for me. I have a pill splitter that I use to make 2 doses out of the 10 mg. You really have to devote 7 to 8 hours for sleep like the commercials and print ads recommend. You will awake in a kinda-sorta "drunken" state if you try to get less sleep, but it will help you get some restful sleep.

Good luck to you!

Carol

Dr (both PCP and Surgeon and also a couple weeks ago on an ER trip= that Dr gave me the same thing by shot in arm as well- being on the phone to my PCP to give me that) put me on Ativan way back a week before my hyst to help me calm down. He has had me off and on it throughout that time since and I am on it now with Tramodol through the day and Ativan at night. I never tried the Ambien because he thought Ativan would work for me better. I do know it DOES help me calm down to sleep and it helps with my heart pains I have at night due to the aorta problem they found. Probably why he still has me on it and at the ERoom, had them give me a shot before I went home and another Rx for it to hold me over till next appt. I admit that if you want to SLOW DOWN (they want me to burn less calories and hope that helps because my entire intestinal system has been disrupted with the aorta problems) you can count on the Ativan to help you sleep. I swear- it's a good thing I am disabled and not working because I sleep about 16 hours a day and have to fight it if I want to get up and get any little things done. DH thinks it is GOOD because he is a firm believer that rest will help make you well again. Yeah- but he is NEVER sick !!! He also knows how I have never stopped doing things and always been the MomOnTheGo. So he is really happy to have me slowed down and at home. I have trouble wearing anything with a waistline so he VERY happily loves the pretty nightgowns and pink housecoat I wear during the days. hahahaha= most men would HATE their wife laying around all day watching old movies and only doing the housework to keep up with it (but I always was very neat and fanatically clean, so although I had to stop alot of that, my house is still very neat and clean). He always worried that I did WAY too much and how hard it was for me to STOP IN MY TRACKS with all this happening. Dr had me get some simple crafts that I always do and just stick with that for now. So that little getaway trip for my birthday over the weekend was a BIG DEAL for me !!!
Another Specialist appt tomorrow as the diarheah is still very bad (since June) and is still very painful. They are doing more tests as I rest in between. My weight is still very low and it is a big concern. Well, shoot, if you had everything just coming right out, you'd get tired of trying to make anything stay in there too !!!!

I have been on it for about 3 years, no hang-over effect at all.

I've taken ambien. It does help me fall asleep quickly, but then I still wake several times with it. If I take it more than several days in a row, I get dizzy during the day. I'm thinking about trying lunesta. I'm sure that it's very similar though. I've heard pros and cons.

Ambien worked wonderfully for me post op. Be sure you have time to get at least 8 hours and you will wake up refreshed. Funny story... DH was having trouble sleeping and I told him he could take one of my Ambien, but I told him it works really fast. He gave me a big puffed chest, man of the house look and said "That crap won't do anything to me" I said OK fine. He took one to "prove me wrong". We started watching a movie and in about 20 minutes (or less) he was drooling on his pillow! At least I did not have to share my popcorn!