REQUESTING ADVICE PLEASE

May I please have some comments on the following sleeping pills from those who have had some experience in taking them. Thank you

AMBIEN

SILENOR

SONATA

ROZEREM

[Joolsg]

I take ambien ( in the UK under the name zolpidem) every 4th night & it does help me get 2 hrs sleep in one go. Together with OxyContin & pregabalin I am now managing around 6 hrs in 1.5/ 2 hrs at a time with around 15 mins before I fall asleep again. That is such a vast improvement for me. I don't have side effects from the sleeping tablets.

[lorrinet in reply to Joolsg]

I imagine Zolpiden is in the same family of drugs as Zopiclone, which is what I take. Zopiclone is a very effective sleeping tablet which I take twice a week with no side effects.

[Hidden in reply to Joolsg]

I somehow doubt the drs over here will prescribe me OxyContin (but is worth a try). Have never heard of pregabalinso will give it a Google.

Zolpidem ... is that the same as Irmavane? Will check that one out too. If it is I have been on that before and am afraid it did SFA for me. Temaze is still my hero ATM.

Truelly appreciate your reply.

[Joolsg in reply to Hidden]

If you are in the USA, pregabalin is marketed as Lyrica. Here in U.K. and Europe, we can get the cheaper generic version- pregabalin.

Zolpidem tartrate is marketed in US as Ambien.

Understand it is difficult to get hold of opioids like OxyContin in the US after the FDA crack down on such drugs but Dr Buchfuhrer says you can still find doctors specialising in RLS who will prescribe it.

[Hidden in reply to Joolsg]

Ok just checked Pregalin and over here (in Oz) it is marketed as Lyrica. Been there ... done that. It's more of a pain killer than a sleeper. Albeit quite a good pain killer.

[Madlegs1]

I just take Halcion ( not available in UK) maybe once a week.

I find it works well and I split the smallest tablet.

There are a lot of bad reviews about all these pills. I have a strong feeling that in a lot of cases they are being taken wrongly. For the short term ones, you need to go to bed immediately - not go playing computer games or starting a tv thriller- as I have come across .

The long acting ones will keep you groggy during the next day and are unnecessary for rls.

Some of the shortacting ones (Ambien eg) can have weird side effects and should be used at lowest possible dose at first and with supervision.

Obviously, keep good sleep hygiene as well - no late caffeine ,alcohol or exciting activities, and a quiet dark bedroom with minimal electrical gear.

That's just my tuppence worth.

Cheers.

[Hidden in reply to Madlegs1]

Halcion ... just Googled it, very impressive. Think I might discuss the prospect with my specialist whom I have an appt with in December.

Appreciate your reply

[Kmoore464]

I was taken off ambian due to memory issues and I'm doing well on trazadone. Hubby sleep walks w ambian

[Hidden in reply to Kmoore464]

Thanks for your reply. Trazadone looks promising as well. I have major depression with anxiety so this med might be right up my alley.

Appreciate

[Hidden]

I used to take 10mg Stilnoct. I think this is the same as Ambien, which you list, so I will reply.

I did not take this every night for fear of dependence, but when I did I had things that scared me:

Extreme brain fog in the morning

Doing things I don't remember. Examples: turning around in bed and knocking my bedside lamp off the nightstand (was very surprised to find it on the floor the next day) and posting something on this forum. (I know this list would be longer if I had stayed on that pill for longer. I just didn't stay on it long enough it find out.)

My legs thrashed around so badly that my husband couldn't sleep. I was totally unaware of this -- my husband had to tell me.

Hope this helps.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Addiction/dependence does not concern me in the slightest. I have an extremely addictive personality anyway, so there is not a lot that I can do about it.

I haven't mentioned this before (as didn't feel it necessary) but I am an alcoholic (albeit sober over 20 years). Best decision I've ever made. It is nothing short of a living nightmare.

So ... my lack of fear of addiction and/or dependence might now be understood.

At the age of 64, quite honestly ... I don't give a damn.

[Kazamie]

I had a very short stint on Ambien. Suffered from severe memory loss. I literally could not remember anything after I had taken my dose for the night. My 13 yr old daughter would enlighten me on the nights events the next day. I wouldn't even remember my boyfriend spend g the night and would wake up almost freaked out when he was there in the mornings. I had severe mood swings and was extremely foggy in the mornings, usually suffering from a crazy, almost hangover like headache

[Hidden]

Ok thanks looks like Ambien can be deleted from my list of 'maybes'. Appreciate your reply. Thanks

[Retren]

I took Ambien once only don,t know the dose but only took half the pill and was literally knocked out for a week. My son takes the whole pill every night and barely sleeps.again we are all different.Oh forgot to mention also fell out of bed same response to early treatment for RLS that time fell into a sunken bath tub meanwhile a neighbor was tossing the stuff back like popcorn.nedless to say do not take any soporific.s