![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by PhoenixGirl on April 11, 2001, at 16:40:08
I have a terrible insomnia problem, and have been treated with Ambien. Right now I'm taking over the counter sleep meds every night, and I want to stop because they dry out my eyes and mouth. Ambien worked well as a sleep med, and for about a half hour after taking it I would have a mild euphoria. It was this lazy, everything's-gonna-be-alright, the-world-is-beautiful feeling. I'm not taking it presently because I've only just gotten health insurance again, and it's too pricey without insurance. Anyway, I would really like to stop taking sleep medications altogether eventually. I think that I want to take Ambien again now and then wean off of it if possible. What are the pros and cons of Ambien, especially longer-term use? Does it have sexual side effects?
Posted by SalArmy4me on April 11, 2001, at 17:44:34
In reply to Ambien for sleep, pros and cons? I got euphoria..., posted by PhoenixGirl on April 11, 2001, at 16:40:08
Well, if you can't afford Ambien, you can always fall back on Serax or Restoril. Those might provide the same benefits as Ambien. And I know that those don't have sexual side-effects from personal experience.
> I have a terrible insomnia problem, and have been treated with Ambien. Right now I'm taking over the counter sleep meds every night, and I want to stop because they dry out my eyes and mouth. Ambien worked well as a sleep med, and for about a half hour after taking it I would have a mild euphoria. It was this lazy, everything's-gonna-be-alright, the-world-is-beautiful feeling. I'm not taking it presently because I've only just gotten health insurance again, and it's too pricey without insurance. Anyway, I would really like to stop taking sleep medications altogether eventually. I think that I want to take Ambien again now and then wean off of it if possible. What are the pros and cons of Ambien, especially longer-term use? Does it have sexual side effects?
Posted by Bill L on April 12, 2001, at 9:01:53
In reply to Ambien for sleep, pros and cons? I got euphoria..., posted by PhoenixGirl on April 11, 2001, at 16:40:08
I have never heard of sexual side effects from Ambien. As for long term use, I have done a lot of reading and have not heard of any problems with long term use. Some people find that it becomes less effective in the long term and some don't. There may be a "psychological" dependence meaning that you get used to Ambien and you want to keep taking it to help fall asleep. But it's not a physical addiction.
People who develop a tolerance to drugs such as Ambien sometimes rotate medications. Take Ambien for a month, then something else for a month, then something else for a month, then Ambien again.
> I have a terrible insomnia problem, and have been treated with Ambien. Right now I'm taking over the counter sleep meds every night, and I want to stop because they dry out my eyes and mouth. Ambien worked well as a sleep med, and for about a half hour after taking it I would have a mild euphoria. It was this lazy, everything's-gonna-be-alright, the-world-is-beautiful feeling. I'm not taking it presently because I've only just gotten health insurance again, and it's too pricey without insurance. Anyway, I would really like to stop taking sleep medications altogether eventually. I think that I want to take Ambien again now and then wean off of it if possible. What are the pros and cons of Ambien, especially longer-term use? Does it have sexual side effects?
Posted by Ted on April 12, 2001, at 11:04:21
In reply to Ambien for sleep, pros and cons? I got euphoria..., posted by PhoenixGirl on April 11, 2001, at 16:40:08
The jury is out on tendency for addiction. It is related to the benzodiazepines, which are addictive. I take Ambien nightly, and it never causes the euphoria, but I have heard about euphoria and hallucinations from a recovering addict who said it occurs only with high doses (20+ mg). I think you should avoid OTC sleep aids -- they are all either diphenhydramine (benadryl) or melantonin, which is not good to take if you are already having trouble with your neurotransmitters (which you are, or you wouldn't be here!).
Ambien has no sexual side effects, unless you consider falling asleep in the middle of the fun a side effect. :-)
My experience is that I will lay still in bed, relax, and the next thing I know is I am in the middle of a dream. I break 5mg tablets and take only about 3-4 mg nightly, and it puts me out for 9 hours. I wake up refreshed and feeling well.
Feel free to write if you have any more questions.
Ted
> I have a terrible insomnia problem, and have been treated with Ambien. Right now I'm taking over the counter sleep meds every night, and I want to stop because they dry out my eyes and mouth. Ambien worked well as a sleep med, and for about a half hour after taking it I would have a mild euphoria. It was this lazy, everything's-gonna-be-alright, the-world-is-beautiful feeling. I'm not taking it presently because I've only just gotten health insurance again, and it's too pricey without insurance. Anyway, I would really like to stop taking sleep medications altogether eventually. I think that I want to take Ambien again now and then wean off of it if possible. What are the pros and cons of Ambien, especially longer-term use? Does it have sexual side effects?
Posted by Joy on April 13, 2001, at 12:58:32
In reply to Ambien for sleep, pros and cons? I got euphoria..., posted by PhoenixGirl on April 11, 2001, at 16:40:08
Some people take it every night. 5 mg did nothing for me, and 10 mg, well, I slept 4 hours and then couldn't go back to sleep. I take generic Xanax; Ambien did not work well for me. If it's too pricey many people take Trazodone. I'm considering taking that. I did not get euphoric at all on Ambien, but nothing wrong with that for a little while!
Joy
> I have a terrible insomnia problem, and have been treated with Ambien. Right now I'm taking over the counter sleep meds every night, and I want to stop because they dry out my eyes and mouth. Ambien worked well as a sleep med, and for about a half hour after taking it I would have a mild euphoria. It was this lazy, everything's-gonna-be-alright, the-world-is-beautiful feeling. I'm not taking it presently because I've only just gotten health insurance again, and it's too pricey without insurance. Anyway, I would really like to stop taking sleep medications altogether eventually. I think that I want to take Ambien again now and then wean off of it if possible. What are the pros and cons of Ambien, especially longer-term use? Does it have sexual side effects?
Posted by Pari on April 14, 2001, at 1:35:14
In reply to Re: Ambien for sleep, pros and cons? I got euphoria..., posted by Joy on April 13, 2001, at 12:58:32
I take one ambien every night to sleep and it works well enough, and it is worn off by the time I wake. The only euphoria I have noticed is really just a lack of tension and my thoughts slowing down. But I have now been taking it regularly for six months and the feww times I haven't taken it I have been unable to sleep at all. I have began to wonder if I have grown too dependant on it to sleep. Trazadone has an interesting side effect in men, it can cause erections that linger until the dose wears off. Trazadone seems to stay in my system longer than ambien, and I feel a little lethargic when I wake but it soon wears off. Xanax has a higher potential for abuse and addiction so be careful there, however it is effective. Hope this helps.
Pari
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.