Ambien long term? - Interstitial Cystitis Network Support Forum

Lily Chip · 01-02-2005, 10:08 AM

I have taken Ambien for several years since it is the only thing that has allowed me to sleep for more than an hour at a time--has anyone else taken it for months or years and it is still working for you? My doctor keeps telling me it will quit working, but so far it still works--also, what about long-term side effects? I have not noticed any...

radstudent · 01-02-2005, 01:22 PM

I have used Ambien for at least 4 months now. It still works for me. I keep getting freaked out about all the commercials that I see that says you shouldn't take it for more than 7-10 days. I do know that if I do not take it, I do not sleep.

***Katrina*** · 01-03-2005, 09:04 PM

I know I know of people taking it long term with success.

jeanababy · 01-04-2005, 06:55 AM

There is a new drug for insomnia called Lunesta that was approved by the FDA in December (www.lunesta.com). It will be available sometime this month. It is a non-narcotic sleep aid that helps you get to sleep and stay asleep and is approved for long term use versus the usual 7-10 days for Ambien.

BugJem · 01-04-2005, 07:57 AM

I used to take Ambien and I felt so much better after getting a good nights sleep. My doctor has me on Elavil and I've been afraid to take the Ambien while taking the Elavil. I will see the doctor next week and ask if it's ok.

Is anyone else taking Elavil who takes Ambien?

ibtracy · 01-04-2005, 04:01 PM

Hi there. A few years back I was on Ambien for about 2 years. I just simply couldn't sleep without it. But I ended up having to wean myself off because it became a "chemical sleep induced sleep" and I was dependent on them to make me go to sleep so I just quit taking them. They work wonderfully if you use them short term but eventually your body needs more to fall asleep and then you're getting yourself into trouble.

How long have you been on them now?

Just be careful that's all I can say....

Tracy K.

michelesgirl · 01-11-2005, 07:07 AM

My daughter has been on Ambien since August. She got switched to Trazadone for a month then back to ambien. Since October she has also been on hydroxizyne and amitriptlyne. She didn't need to take the ambien when she first started these drugs but now she needs them and at times takes up to 2 pills to sleep. She suffers from insomnia due to hormonal changes from having been on Lupron for 6 months for endometriosis. Her body is extremely confused at this point...so scary...plus all the major pain meds that don't seem to effect her ...I'm gonna have her ask her Dr. about the new drug you mentioned....I'm so worried that she will never get off all this medication....

Michele

radstudent · 01-11-2005, 07:32 AM

I take Ambien and Elavil. I am on 10mg Ambien and 25-50mg of Elavil. I too am dependent on the Ambien. If I don't take it I DON'T sleep. My sister just had a baby last week. I was at the hospital with her. I was awake from 10am on Wednesday morning until 4pm on Friday afternoon. I didn't take the Ambien on Wednesday night because she was in labor and I didn't want to miss the birth. Then on Thursday night I didn't take it because the baby was not breathing when he was born and was very lethargic the entire night...and everybody else was out cold. I was so afraid that the baby would stop breathing, which he did, and nobody would know about it. Thank God I was awake to get him breathing again. Anyway, aftr everybody woke up on Friday morning, I decided I needed to go to sleep. I tried for 8 hours to go to sleep. The nurses were yelling at me to go to sleep. I just couldn't. I finally broke down and took an Ambien and got some sleep. I thought that after being up for 54 hours straight, going to sleep would not be a problem. Boy was I wrong. I guess I should tell that during that time I didn't take any of my meds including the ambien and elavil.

mayray518 · 01-12-2005, 07:05 AM

How have you been rad, its teresa. I heard somewhere that you should not take ambien long term. I take restoril but they only give me a few months worth. I know how much better you feel when you get a good night's sleep. There may be something you can take long term. A long time ago I took xanax and it helped me sleep and I took it for a long time. I dont know how it would interact with the elavil, you may be conked out all day.