How much Ambien is too much?

eric_sleeper · Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 2

My girlfriend takes Ambien just about every night to help her get to sleep. Maybe once every week or two she can manage to skip a night.

She takes between anywhere between 3 to 10 mg before she goes to bed each night.

If she gets at all stressed out, then she takes it for sure and probably at the higher dose (10mg) (and she does get stressed out quite easily in my opinion.) Often she can sleep well past the time the drug wears off (I think it wears off after about 4-5 hours, and sometimes (like on weekends) she can sleep 8-10 hours.)

She's been on Ambien for about 2 years now.

She has talked about getting off of it, but has done little more than reduce the dosage on occassional nights and I really don't see her getting off it given her current lifestyle (full time job, etc.)

So I'm just wondering how seriously she is addicted to Ambien and how seriously her current addition should be taken. What sorts of short term and long term risks she is exposing herself to, and with what urgency, if any, should she attempt to get off this stuff?

Mickie513 · Joined: 20 Jan 2007 Posts: 10 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio

The recommended dose for adults is 10 mg immediately before bedtime. (www.rxlist.com)

I had the same thing with Ambien, I'd only sleep for 4 to 5 hours. Ambien is for sleep onset and I have an early waking problem. I can fall asleep on my own just fine.

I was on Lunesta for about 2 years in addition to Doxepin and would still wake up in 6 hours feeling like warmed over death.

For years Doxepin worked well for me. The sedating effects wear off pretty quickly but it keeps the lengthening effect. If she added Doxepin to her Ambien she may sleep longer. Most of the older tricyclic antidepressants work to help you sleep but they do have some side effects... weight gain is one which is why I'm not on it now.

If she is wound up from work maybe some meditation tapes would help reduce her need at night. It couldn't hurt.

ZZzzZZss · Joined: 25 Feb 2006 Posts: 143 Location: California

Almost 2 years on Abien was anightmare to quit for me. It took 2 years and I'm still not fully recovered. Many others on this site have reported similar problems.

eric_sleeper · Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 2

OK, but how do you address the original problem of not being able to fall asleep in the first place?

nyccheeto · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 1

Good questions. I am new to this board and searching for answers. I have been on Ambien for over 2 years now. I have an occiassional night without it but usually I have supplemented with something else (codeine, tramadol). I have recently started Klonazapam and it mellows me out out but doesn't get em tired enough to sleep. My doctor will not prescribe both ambien and klonazapam at the same time but the klonazapam is not working and I found some old ambiens in the cabinet and am wanting to take a little to get some sleep but I am afraid. Is it lethal to combine the two?

mosspa · Joined: 16 Mar 2006 Posts: 489