# Tell me about your Ambien (and other sleep aids) experiences... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 3, 2010, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-ambien-and-other-sleep-aids-experiences/534795 "2010-04-03T01:05:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-ambien-and-other-sleep-aids-experiences/534795/61 "2010-05-08T02:34:41Z")
A quick question for you Ambienoids… How long after you take one, would you say it would be before you feel safe driving again? I’ve got a CPAP trial tomorrow night, and am planning on taking an Ambien to help me sleep despite the mask. I’d probably take it about 9 PM. Most likely they’d wake me up at 5:30ish AM. Should I plan on having my poor, suffering, sainted spouse come and get me or is that outside the “don’t drive” time? Any links to a discussion of the expected duration would be gratefully perused. If I do drive myself there tomorrow, I might give my keys to the tech and tell her “don’t give them back until 5:30, call my husband for me if I want to leave before that”. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-ambien-and-other-sleep-aids-experiences/534795/62 "2010-05-08T03:40:14Z")
I take about 1 Ambien a week. It usually works well if my stomach is fairly empty. If I’ve had a big meal, it won’t do anything. When it does work, it works _fast._ My advice is usually, lie down and then take a pill. The CR version works the best but it isn’t available in a generic. IME, Halcyon works better than anything but it works so well it’s scary. I could see getting hooked on it very easily. Like others, Benadryl makes my RLS go wild. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-ambien-and-other-sleep-aids-experiences/534795/63 "2010-05-08T03:56:32Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > I take about 1 Ambien a week. It usually works well if my stomach is fairly empty. If I’ve had a big meal, it won’t do anything. When it does work, it works _fast._ My advice is usually, lie down and then take a pill. The CR version works the best but it isn’t available in a generic. > > IME, Halcyon works better than anything but it works so well it’s scary. I could see getting hooked on it very easily. > > Like others, Benadryl makes my RLS go wild. Oooooh yeah - Benadryl is a BIG RLS aggravator. Halcion works dandy also… I have a couple of tablets (literally 1-2) from a scrip from the dentist for high-anxiety procedures. I took one before an MRI a few months ago and was pretty much tilting as I staggered into the room where they sent me to change clothes. Being a benzo, though, it’s a bit scary to me. And apparently in some folks it can cause bizarre behavior… no reports of it hitting me that way though, aside from me listing about 15 degrees off vertical at a guinea pig funeral after I had some dental work done :). That’s some goooood stuff! ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-ambien-and-other-sleep-aids-experiences/534795/64 "2010-05-08T06:47:19Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > A quick question for you Ambienoids… How long after you take one, would you say it would be before you feel safe driving again? > > I’ve got a CPAP trial tomorrow night, and am planning on taking an Ambien to help me sleep despite the mask. I’d probably take it about 9 PM. > > Most likely they’d wake me up at 5:30ish AM. > > Should I plan on having my poor, suffering, sainted spouse come and get me or is that outside the “don’t drive” time? Any links to a discussion of the expected duration would be gratefully perused. > > If I do drive myself there tomorrow, I might give my keys to the tech and tell her “don’t give them back until 5:30, call my husband for me if I want to leave before that”. That would be safe for ME. Only experience will tell you if it is safe for _you_. But they do say 7-8 hours of sleep, and you have that covered. \*\*If concerned, consult your personal MD. \*\* Weird story- A couple nights ago I wanted something salty, and I remember opening a can of peanuts, wanting to eat maybe a handful. In the morning, I found I had “sleep eaten” my way through 3/4 of the can. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-ambien-and-other-sleep-aids-experiences/534795/65 "2010-05-08T08:10:27Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Or “I am not really drowsy yet so I can just [sit up and read the message boards](http://quirkyalone.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2745&highlight=) until the Ambien kicks in.” Oh my! Yes, my mom and sis have described my “ambien talk” as being close to what this post says (sort of says?). But it was kind of pretty in a fuzzy sort of way. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-ambien-and-other-sleep-aids-experiences/534795/66 "2010-05-08T08:46:54Z")
OTC stuff is much more effective than Ambien is for me. Nyquil is more effective for me than Ambien. With the stuff I find on shelves, I’ll be out about 1/2 hour after taking the pill, stay asleep for 7-8 hours and wake up kind of groggy, but functional and it wears off quickly. With Ambien, I eventually may fall asleep, but I don’t feel like I’m being knocked out, I’m only asleep for 4-5 hours, and when I wake up I don’t feel either particularly rested or particularly tired. Then again, I don’t suffer from extreme insomnia. ---
**Author:** ![longPath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@longPath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/longPath)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-ambien-and-other-sleep-aids-experiences/534795/67 "2010-05-08T11:13:01Z")
Sorry for the drive-by posting… I’ve been taking Zopiclone (7.5) for the past 5 months. It works great and no groggies in the morning. I am usually wary of benzos but so far so good. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-ambien-and-other-sleep-aids-experiences/534795/68 "2010-05-08T16:17:21Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > OTC stuff is much more effective than Ambien is for me. Nyquil is more effective for me than Ambien.. What’s making you drowsy with Nyquil is the Benadryl and maybe a little alcohol. You can get generic benadryl quite cheaply. It’s not good to take all the other drugs just of the effects of one of them. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-ambien-and-other-sleep-aids-experiences/534795/69 "2010-05-08T16:24:00Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > What’s making you drowsy with Nyquil is the Benadryl and maybe a little alcohol. You can get generic benadryl quite cheaply. It’s not good to take all the other drugs just of the effects of one of them. I don’t. I take Nyquil when I’m sick (coughing, sneezing, stuffy head) & want to sleep and it knocks me out while relieving the cold symptoms. Ambien doesn’t. (I have no idea what it would do with the coughing sneezing, or stuffy head, but I’d be awake during whatever happened). ---
**Author:** ![A\_Spoonful\_of\_Awesome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@A\_Spoonful\_of\_Awesome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Spoonful_of_Awesome)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-ambien-and-other-sleep-aids-experiences/534795/70 "2010-05-10T09:54:59Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Or “I am not really drowsy yet so I can just [sit up and read the message boards](http://quirkyalone.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2745&highlight=) until the Ambien kicks in.” Haha. [I concur.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=544862) Good times. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Arglefraster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3bc359/32.png) [@Arglefraster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arglefraster)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2010, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-ambien-and-other-sleep-aids-experiences/534795/71 "2010-05-11T18:34:53Z")
> [@Waffle\_Decider](#): > > At one point I started abusing it, taking multiple doses (sometimes with alcohol!) and deliberately staying awake to enjoy the hallucination. I realized it was a dangerous and stupid thing to do, however, and I gradually weaned myself off it. My husband told me he did this when he was young and stupid. He also had a habit of making embarrasing phone calls to his family while under the effects of Ambien. He once called his mom to ask her if she’d ever had a lesbian experience. He still wonders about the fact that she refused to answer the question instead of just saying “no”. 😃 Then he realized, like you did, that what he was doing was probably a Bad Idea. So he quit cold turkey. :smack: He later told a doctor about the experience, and the doctor said that quiting Ambien cold turkey after his level of abuse was “worse than heroine withdrawl”. I’m not sure how true that is, but yeah, if you take Ambien, don’t abuse it. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2010, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-ambien-and-other-sleep-aids-experiences/534795/72 "2010-05-12T22:17:35Z")
> [@taxi78cab](#): > > I’ve had good luck with Ambien. I took it once or twice a week for about a 4 month stretch when I was going through a stressful period. I didn’t have trouble stopping after that, but I wasn’t taking it daily. > > One other thing to try that I haven’t seen mentioned here - Unisom contains doxylamine succinate, which is a different drug than benadryl and works better for some people, me included. A whole Unisom will leave me hung over if I don’t take it 12 hours before I have to be awake, but a half dose at bed time relaxes me, makes me drowsy, and lets me fall asleep easily. I can get up at my normal time with no problem, although I do find that a morning workout does help to chase away the last of the drug’s effects. If benadryl hasn’t worked, I’d give Unisom a try (or the non-brand equivalent… just look for doxylamine succinate on the label) starting with half a pill. Yar, the doxylamine succinate does nothing for me, at all. There’s even a type that’s _almost_ the same name as what’s in Tylenol PM, but is different, and THAT doesn’t work either; I end up waking up after 2 hours, no matter what. (Which isn’t what I do normally, btw, but booze and that drug both wake me up when they wear off, don’t know why) So it’s worth it to try a couple different types of off-the-shelf things to see what might work. You won’t get addicted, not sure you CAN. I’ll see if I can find out what my niece has used. She was born with a brain defect in her sleep center, and she hasn’t slept naturally since she was an infant. She is a normal kid in every other way \ but just has no way to shut down her brain naturally. (I’d ask my brother more about this, but that would require hours of face-to-face and we don’t live near each other anymore) Now I am curious what they have used on her; I know they’ve gone through several different drugs, and I’m wondering what’s working for her lately, as she’s more of an adult now and that must be different than what you’d use for a child. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2010, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-ambien-and-other-sleep-aids-experiences/534795/73 "2010-05-13T15:35:42Z")
A sleep mask and a white-noise generator might be worth trying. If she’s lying awake with racing thoughts, she migh look into whether she has anxiety issues. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2010, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-ambien-and-other-sleep-aids-experiences/534795/74 "2010-05-14T03:04:38Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I recommend meditation for everyone who suffers from sleep problems, but nobody seems to be interested in something that doesn’t come in a pill. Agreed. I don’t meditate per se, but I do have some podcasts that I like because they help relax me enough that I can fall asleep. If I wake up during the night, I put on another one and go right back out. And if I still can’t sleep, I’m at least entertained. When I do need to meditate to relax, I have some excellent Vince Guaraldi. I don’t like new-agey music, but the Guaraldi does the job. ---
**Author:** ![goodhealthyoga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@goodhealthyoga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/goodhealthyoga)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-ambien-and-other-sleep-aids-experiences/534795/75 "2013-03-05T01:07:31Z")
Ive always had trouble sleeping since i was 3-4 years old in my teens i used to drink myself to sleep then about 5 years ago my doctor priscribed me zopiclone/imovane my life changed i was able to sleep and was awake and fresh during the day My doctor has now retired and i cant find another doctor that will prescribe for me My life is a misery again and do not want to start drinking. does anyone have any suggestions ? or know a doctor in calgary that would prescribe,would a private doctor be more likley to prescribe for me. i also have the chance to visit a friend in London ontario anyone know a doctor there that might help Help ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-ambien-and-other-sleep-aids-experiences/534795/76 "2013-03-05T01:30:32Z")
(There’ll be folks in her shortly mumbling about zombies eating brains to fall asleep ;)) Right now, after years of use of the zopiclone, your brain is wired to not be able to fall asleep without it. There’s a term “hypnotic dependent syndrome” which describe that. I don’t know how to force your brain to get rewired. I would think you need to find a sleep specialist who can help you get a handle on things - and help you find a way to sleep - whether it’s by the use of zopiclone, some other medication, or some other method. Start calling around to find such a clinic. There may be a wait to get into such a place, I don’t know whether going private-pay might let you jump the line. Calgary’s a big enough place that there should be several choices, and there’s always Edmonton which is a bit more accessible than Ontario. They might want to do a sleep study to find out whether you’ve got screwy “sleep architecture”. Unfortunately for your sanity, they may ALSO insist you do that without benefit of any pharmaceutical assistance. Good luck, and I’m sorry your doctor’s retirement is leaving you high and dry. Really he should have tried to arrange for some continuity for you, or at least set things in motion for a referral to a sleep specialist for an evaluation. I’m a firm believer that a primary care doctor should be able to handle normal prescriptions and medical issues, but sleep issues mandating years of sleep medication are a bit outside the norm and should be revisited a specialist occasionally. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-ambien-and-other-sleep-aids-experiences/534795/77 "2013-03-05T01:35:31Z")
FYI, a quick Google turns up a few hits in Calgary: > **[Centre for Sleep & Human Performance | Calgary, Alberta](https://centreforsleep.com/)** > > Don’t just dream of a better sleep. Actually have one. Serving Calgary and the surrounding communities. Learn More Now. [http://www.ratemds.com/doctor-ratings/45277/Dr-Adam-Moscovitch-Calgary-AB.html](http://www.ratemds.com/doctor-ratings/45277/Dr-Adam-Moscovitch-Calgary-AB.html) [http://www.medsleep.com/clinic-locations/detail/medsleep-calgary](http://www.medsleep.com/clinic-locations/detail/medsleep-calgary) (and more, of course). Good for you for not wanting to go back to using alcohol. As you’ve no doubt read elsewhere, it may help you fall asleep, but sets you up for much worse sleep quality during the rest of the night. Certainly the 2 or 3 times I’ve tried it, I wound up waking up insanely early in the morning and feeling worse than if I hadn’t bothered! ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-ambien-and-other-sleep-aids-experiences/534795/78 "2013-03-05T01:46:45Z")
I don’t need eight hours of sleep. I normally get 6-6.5. On the weekends I might sleep 7. More than two nights in a row of 5 or less is an issue, and that happens 6-10 times a year. If Tylenol PM doesn’t work, I don’t try anything else and just suck it up. Why? Ambien gave me big scary hallucinations for an hour and made me throw up a lot. So I’ve only taken a full dose of it once (and only a half dose before the giant spider crawled across the ceiling and a massive hand tried to grab me, and muppets tried to block the way out of my room…the thread about that’s probably still around here somewhere) . ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-ambien-and-other-sleep-aids-experiences/534795/79 "2013-03-05T02:12:48Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > … > > Ambien gave me big scary hallucinations for an hour and made me throw up a lot. So I’ve only taken a full dose of it once (and only a half dose before the giant spider crawled across the ceiling and a massive hand tried to grab me, and muppets tried to block the way out of my room…the thread about that’s probably still around here somewhere) . [It is indeed!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=175197) Surprisingly, that doesn’t sound like fun at all. Ambien has never done anything out of the ordinary for me. ---
**Author:** ![Kepler1571](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/db5fbb/32.png) [@Kepler1571](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kepler1571)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-ambien-and-other-sleep-aids-experiences/534795/80 "2013-03-05T02:28:59Z")
\*Our \*experiences really don’t matter. Sleep aids’ effectiveness and side effects differ greatly with the user. Your mileage will vary from ours – don’t listen to us. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-ambien-and-other-sleep-aids-experiences/534795.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-about-your-ambien-and-other-sleep-aids-experiences/534795.md?page=5)