I’ve been talking Ambien for 20 years on a nightly basis. I fall asleep easily then wake between 1 and 3:30 and can’t get back to sleep. So I take 5 mg of Ambien (zolpidem).
Some people say I’m more likely to get dementia if I keep taking zolpidem but I need my sleep more than I need to worry about the future 😬😀
But I’ve never had a problem getting it. All the primary care doctors I’ve had prescribe it with no hesitation.
I too depended on Ambien for years until my PCP decided to only give me refill every 4 months. Then a friend turned me on to chelated magnesium, 250 mg to start. I got it up to 750 mg a night and it worked great. Only side effect is, true to magnesium, stool loosener. Which might be a plus for some. I stayed on that regimen for years. Then another friend recommended thc gummies, my new best nighttime friend. No cat piss in my orange bliss.
I'm good at falling asleep, but I wake up too early. If any of your readers are in THAT boat, my doctor prescribed me Hydroxyzine, which has been amazing, letting me go from 5am wake-ups to 7:30/8am wake-ups.
I honestly do not know how people are able to function without sleep. Having sleep troubles and having tried many things myself, I still get it one way or another or am a shell of a human being.
On a related note from longtime reader who (knock on wood) has no sleep dysfunction, regarding my anxiety, I could write the same ode to Xanax. Which also reduces perceptible tinnitus as well as anxiety, both of which I have too much of.
I’ve got a cochlear implant in one ear and a hearing aid in other ear. Mysterious hearing loss disease began in 1999 when I was 39. I’m a trial lawyer and drummer. All docs agree loss not caused by noise but auto immune ear disease (AIED). Now I hear great. But the tinnitus is still there when the cochlear implant and ha comes out. Xanax is my friend. The hearing accessories have tinnitus blocking tech. I don’t know how this works but it does. But once they’re removed I am in the middle of Tinnitus City.
I’m hearing great now. Had CI for ten years this month. Tried my first jury trial solo 7 months after implantation. Took a few years but now I’m drumming in bands again and can hear the other musicians. Mike, I’ve been touched on the head by God.
I have often wished that I could just sign some kind of waiver or release to get pain pills that would actually work for me. I don't care how fun and recreational and addictive they might be. I broke my neck in a car accident in 2006 and I live in constant pain.
Let me get addicted, you a-holes. It's *my* life. And it freaking hurts.
I hope you're able to get the Ambien you need. Insomnia is torture.
Agree completely. Multiple spinal birth defects and they random drug test us like criminals. I hate it. I hate taking pain meds, but without it I have a very quality of life. It doesn’t ever take away all the pain, but it takes the edge off and I’m not as worn down.
When the pandemic first arrived (Howdy, new friend!), I also suffered from frequent insomnia. I would stay up late or get up in the wee hours, with no energy to concentrate on anything other than watching bad horror movies. (I actually didn't mind catching up on my watchlist, the one boon from insomnia.) Over time, though, it thankfully waned and I was able to sleep relatively regularly. Night before last, I was hit with a return of good ol' sleeplessness. Went to bed at 11pm, woke up at 3am. Tossed and turned until 430am then got out of bed and watched THE MONSTER OF THE OPERA (1964). It was pretty good! But, I dragged the rest of the day. Last night, I decided to nip it in the bud and took zzzQuil Ultra, something my wife had picked up. Popped the pill, read for 15 minutes, lights out at 10:40pm, woke up at 10am. Shazam!!! So, I think there's definitely a time and a need for such things as Ambien...maybe just not *all* the time. YMMV.
During these days when the days are shorter and more grey, my sleep patterns start unwinding and I feel more depressed and agitated.
Since your post about depression and your sleep cycle both occurred when I started feeling the effects of my seasonal depression creeping in, I can’t help but think that you may be suffering from lack of natural light too.
I mentioned this on your last post and I’ll mention it again; I use a SAD light for about 15 minutes every morning while I’m reading and it definitely takes the edge off.
I would also recommend you get outside whenever the sun is shining, as you’re able, because even tho the SAD light does work, it doesn’t work as well as the sun.
Thanks for this - as I write to you now, I'm sitting in my dining room which is flooded with sunlight. I don't think light is the problem for me - in Savannah, where I live, we've got good sunshine all year round, and while the days are shorter, I feel like I still get plenty of sun.
I’ve been talking Ambien for 20 years on a nightly basis. I fall asleep easily then wake between 1 and 3:30 and can’t get back to sleep. So I take 5 mg of Ambien (zolpidem).
Some people say I’m more likely to get dementia if I keep taking zolpidem but I need my sleep more than I need to worry about the future 😬😀
But I’ve never had a problem getting it. All the primary care doctors I’ve had prescribe it with no hesitation.
I too depended on Ambien for years until my PCP decided to only give me refill every 4 months. Then a friend turned me on to chelated magnesium, 250 mg to start. I got it up to 750 mg a night and it worked great. Only side effect is, true to magnesium, stool loosener. Which might be a plus for some. I stayed on that regimen for years. Then another friend recommended thc gummies, my new best nighttime friend. No cat piss in my orange bliss.
So many zingers in this one! OMG how I loved the line “Big pharma might be an evil multi-headed hell hound, but they got this one just right.”
And the “my Ambien addiction also created a Hint of Lime Tostitos addiction.” Who can resist those Tostitos?
And “…raspberry gummy….I buy from a white dude with dreadlocks who has trouble working the cash register.”
Brilliant observation.
I hope you sleep well tonight, Michael.
Is that the same as steak tartare??
cat piss og doesnt sound too bad IMO
I'm good at falling asleep, but I wake up too early. If any of your readers are in THAT boat, my doctor prescribed me Hydroxyzine, which has been amazing, letting me go from 5am wake-ups to 7:30/8am wake-ups.
I honestly do not know how people are able to function without sleep. Having sleep troubles and having tried many things myself, I still get it one way or another or am a shell of a human being.
I wanna feel floaty and light!
On a related note from longtime reader who (knock on wood) has no sleep dysfunction, regarding my anxiety, I could write the same ode to Xanax. Which also reduces perceptible tinnitus as well as anxiety, both of which I have too much of.
Right there with you!
Xanax reduces tinnitus? Now I need Xanax!!!
I’ve got a cochlear implant in one ear and a hearing aid in other ear. Mysterious hearing loss disease began in 1999 when I was 39. I’m a trial lawyer and drummer. All docs agree loss not caused by noise but auto immune ear disease (AIED). Now I hear great. But the tinnitus is still there when the cochlear implant and ha comes out. Xanax is my friend. The hearing accessories have tinnitus blocking tech. I don’t know how this works but it does. But once they’re removed I am in the middle of Tinnitus City.
I’m hearing great now. Had CI for ten years this month. Tried my first jury trial solo 7 months after implantation. Took a few years but now I’m drumming in bands again and can hear the other musicians. Mike, I’ve been touched on the head by God.
For me, it reduces my perceived tinnitus by about 75% and more importantly, makes me not give AF about what I can still hear tinnitus wise.
I have often wished that I could just sign some kind of waiver or release to get pain pills that would actually work for me. I don't care how fun and recreational and addictive they might be. I broke my neck in a car accident in 2006 and I live in constant pain.
Let me get addicted, you a-holes. It's *my* life. And it freaking hurts.
I hope you're able to get the Ambien you need. Insomnia is torture.
Agree completely. Multiple spinal birth defects and they random drug test us like criminals. I hate it. I hate taking pain meds, but without it I have a very quality of life. It doesn’t ever take away all the pain, but it takes the edge off and I’m not as worn down.
When the pandemic first arrived (Howdy, new friend!), I also suffered from frequent insomnia. I would stay up late or get up in the wee hours, with no energy to concentrate on anything other than watching bad horror movies. (I actually didn't mind catching up on my watchlist, the one boon from insomnia.) Over time, though, it thankfully waned and I was able to sleep relatively regularly. Night before last, I was hit with a return of good ol' sleeplessness. Went to bed at 11pm, woke up at 3am. Tossed and turned until 430am then got out of bed and watched THE MONSTER OF THE OPERA (1964). It was pretty good! But, I dragged the rest of the day. Last night, I decided to nip it in the bud and took zzzQuil Ultra, something my wife had picked up. Popped the pill, read for 15 minutes, lights out at 10:40pm, woke up at 10am. Shazam!!! So, I think there's definitely a time and a need for such things as Ambien...maybe just not *all* the time. YMMV.
During these days when the days are shorter and more grey, my sleep patterns start unwinding and I feel more depressed and agitated.
Since your post about depression and your sleep cycle both occurred when I started feeling the effects of my seasonal depression creeping in, I can’t help but think that you may be suffering from lack of natural light too.
I mentioned this on your last post and I’ll mention it again; I use a SAD light for about 15 minutes every morning while I’m reading and it definitely takes the edge off.
I would also recommend you get outside whenever the sun is shining, as you’re able, because even tho the SAD light does work, it doesn’t work as well as the sun.
Here’s a link to the light I use:
https://www.amazon.com/New-Verilux%C2%AE-HappyLight%C2%AE-Lumi-Plus/dp/B08BCLLYN5/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?crid=K8ENQTZ01U7M&keywords=sad+light+therapy+lamp&qid=1701878101&sprefix=sad+lig%2Caps%2C100&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1
Thanks for this - as I write to you now, I'm sitting in my dining room which is flooded with sunlight. I don't think light is the problem for me - in Savannah, where I live, we've got good sunshine all year round, and while the days are shorter, I feel like I still get plenty of sun.