I (am not sure I) wanna be sedated...

[usernamenumber]

So ok. At this point all of y'all probably know that I have been frenemies with sleep pretty much my whole life. As I've mentioned before, In the last year or so I've started working with doctors to try and actually deal with this stuff, with... limited success.

This week it's been worse than ever, and I'm not sure why. Ok yeah I barely slept while I was at DragonCon, and I know one doesn't recover from that overnight, but a week? Every morning this week I've woken up feeling like I barely slept at all. M says that I've been tossing and turning and twitching even more than usual, so I've been getting on my doctor about trying to figure something out.

This morning I got an email from the doc, who is making an effort but I'm pretty sure is stumped as to what the actual problem with me is, suggested two medications for me to try, both with the aim of helping me get into a deep sleep quickly and/or encourage deep breathing while asleep, and to increase my tolerance for the CPAP.

The first is Ambien, and the other is a "diuretic" (I'm glad we were having this conversation via email instead of over the phone or I would have been extremely confused by this word) called Diamox. In the past he's also suggested something for my twitchy legs... I don't remember the name, but he says it's normally used for treating Parkinson's, which kind of makes sense, but still... O.o

So, ok. I've heard a lot of horror stories about Ambien, like people sleepwalking and doing crazy things, and I've got an active enough imagination that I really worry about me doing that-- and yet it's still in use, so maybe these stories have been exaggerated?

I know bugger all about the others.

Of course I'm going do some proper research too, but do any of y'all have comments or advice?

Edit: Hmmm... this seems to describe too small a study for it to be completely conclusive, but it makes me a bit more tempted to at least try the Ambien...

Comments

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

friendsfriends surfed here:

Took Ambien in Iraq in '04 - learned the hard way that I need to be in bed, ready to go to sleep, before I put the pill in my mouth.

Was found collapsed out of downward facing dog position from yoga, because I didn't think it would hit that fast (less than ten minutes).

Didn't learn my lesson until I took it and tried to have an IM conversation. Keyboard went squamous and rugose.

Took Ambien again when I went to Afghanistan, and I found that half a tab will not put me out on a C-130 ride from Kuwait to Bagram, nor will the second half help.

All the other Ambien use I have been smart enough to do so sitting in bed, or near enough.

No hallucination or odd dreams while sleeping, no bed-wetting (which has been a reported side effect), no sleep walking which was good as I was in a loft bed.

[valadil.livejournal.com]

I've seen one of my friends on it. He gets loopy, but not dangerous. Once he's asleep he tends to stay asleep. YYMV of course.

[marphod.livejournal.com]

Almost every drug is going to have 'worst case' patients. They (hopefully) only take it once and have a story about it.

Ambien works mighty well for some people. Me, I had a blackout from it.

If you try it, start in small dosages, have M keep an eye on you, don't try to do anything that would require informed consent, and see. If you respond badly, don't take it again.

[offside7.livejournal.com]

Someone directed me to this post, hope you don't mind. I have a lot of experience and opinions on insomnia and treating it.

I was puzzled by the diuretics, but wikipedia says Diamox can "assist patients with central sleep apnea by lowering blood pH and encouraging respiration" so... alright then.

I've tried many over the counter options and never found anything helpful- melatonin, herbal stuff, whatever. I also used to take anti-histamines until I developed a bit of a tolerance.

My experience has been that if I take ambien and actually go to bed, it knocks me out and that's that. Sometimes, I'm a bit sleepier in the morning (and can fall in and out of dreams very easily) but once my feet are on the ground, I just need one cup of coffee and I'm fine. Taking it and purposefully staying awake isn't a great idea, but it's never caused any real problems. And driving and sleepwalking and all that is extremely rare.

If you ever want to hear more details about my experience with its effects, or my experience with it over time, or thoughts on another common sleep aid, Lunesta, feel free to ask.

Insomnia sucks. I've gone three days without sleep and I wanted to blow my brains out just so I wouldn't have to be awake anymore. I hope you find a successful remedy.

[usernamenumber.livejournal.com]

Thanks very much for the advice, it is always welcome!

[curly-chick.livejournal.com]

With most sleep meds, there are side effects. The question is whether the benefits outweigh the side effects.

After many bouts with insomnia, my doctor told me just to take benadryl at night. It works and has very few side effects for me.

[laura47.livejournal.com]

my experience with ambien is that many of not most problems can be avoided by only taking it while lying down in a dark room in bed. DO NOT take it while you still have a "a few more things to do" before bed. I actually have my own ambien horror story that i'm not comfortable posting here, but ping me if you want to know.

[scorchus.livejournal.com]

Ask M some time about my Ambien experience. She'll remember it vividly.

[preraphaelite.livejournal.com]

I do. It's true.

[londo.livejournal.com]

As someone who also has a fraught relationship with sleep, I find the comments here re: The Sleephammer helpful.

[satyrgrl.livejournal.com]

Have you tried a good, ol' fashioned benzo like Ativan? That's what my med person gives me for anxiety and insomnia. It's not the knock-out pill that Ambien is, but .5mg chills me out and 1mg ensures several hours of uninterrupted sleep with no (or at least no additional) grogginess in the morning. It's kinda like taking Nyquil. Your problems may be more than a low dose benzo can handle, but it might be worth trying if you haven't yet.

If you have obstructive sleep apnea they may be reluctant to give you a benzo, as the internet tells me that because it is a CNS depressant it can make apnea worse. It isn't clear to me why Ambien doesn't do the same thing...

Point is, perhaps a more mild sedative might be worth a try.

[nurrynur.livejournal.com]

(Personal experience, tho not as a sleep aid). Ativan is habit forming and I had terrible side effects when trying to stop taking it. Please consider very very carefully. It (as a feature not a bug!!) causes amnesia.

[real-green-tea.livejournal.com]

Once upon a time I tried ambien. It made me sleepy. Not in the knock you out way, just in a kind of, maybe I can sleep, maybe I can't way.

...for about 24 hours.

I would say I wasn't in a state to drive, do schoolwork, or much of anything else.

That having been said? -- I'd say without a doubt it's worth a try, as your mileage may vary -- and unlike other stuff (benzos, narcotics, antihisthamines...) it isn't habit forming (whereas, truthfully, all the others can be).

Short of that, you could try like, you know, valerian, or hypnotherapy. Or see if a super-routinized, early schedule works. I know these suggestions verge on horseshit and/or unrealistic ...but do work for some people.

[freetobeme18.livejournal.com]

The stories have been exaggerated, and that stuff generally only happens with Ambien if you don't take it correctly (mostly, if you take it and then stay up, which causes hallucinations among other things.) Some people still get side-effects like sleepwalking, but most don't. It's worth a try and you can always stop if you have problems. I also have a very active imagination and Ambien has worked wonders for me.

[mirrored-echo.livejournal.com]

My experience with Ambien was pretty bad -- although people's mileage with it really seems to vary. I wasn't quite hallucinating, but it was pretty close. I've met people who swear by it, though -- so, it's really hard to recommend for someone else.

It's less good if you're trying to take it every day, too -- I think after about 2 weeks it stops working. But if you mostly want something to take at cons or special events where you'd normally be really wired, but are okay on your own most of the time, it might work well.

[bester.livejournal.com]

I've taken Diamox. The diuretic effects are noticeable, but not bad. If you have a normal-sized bladder, make sure to empty it right before you go to bed or you'll be getting up at least once. It doesn't suppress the urge, though, so you don't need to worry—you'll wake up.

The really noticeable side effect is that it makes anything carbonated taste weird. Not bad, just... not how you expect them to taste.

The side effects also depend on how much you're taking. I still have the bottle (I use it to store quarters in my car), so I can check after work tonight how much I was taking. I'll note that I slept right through each night except the first with no interruptions, and was constantly drinking water during the day.