Does anybody with neuro Lyme and history of paradoxical reactions have success with ambien to sleep?
I am a little afraid to try with my brain symptoms and in the past, only benzos have worked. Right now they don't work because I am taking rifampin and zith and haven't slept since I added the rifampin (5 days ago). I have a script for ambien and am pondering it.
Has anybody had any terrible effects from ambien? Or great results?
I have one friend with Lyme who had psychosis for the night that he took it. He then had to take klonopin all night and pray that he would not lose his mind. I am similar to him with my Lyme symptoms so am a little wary...
Thanks! I would love to get some sleep!
[ 25. April 2007, 11:33 PM: Message edited by: luvdogs ]
Posts: 588 | From Rhode Island | Registered: Jun 2006
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posted
I have used Ambien and Ambien CR and have had excellent results with both of them. It has enabled me to sleep at night and getting enough sleep has made a positive impact on my recovery.
If you are a little nervous about using it, then you might want to try splitting the pill in half. If that works for you, then great. If not, don't be nervous about taking a whole pill. Just make sure that you take it close to bedtime and be prepared to sleep for about 7 or 8 hours.
Posts: 45 | From Medford, NJ | Registered: Mar 2007
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Beverly
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 1271
posted
Hi luvdogs,
I primarily take Elavil, Melatonin and sleepytime tea for sleep and add the Ambien in when I am herxing and need the extra help. I have had good success with Ambien so far. I did start out with a very small dosage 5 mg.
I don't know what I would do if I didn't get any sleep. I hope you find something that helps.
Posts: 6638 | From Michigan | Registered: Jun 2001
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Vermont_Lymie
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Member # 9780
posted
I use Ambien, but only one-half pill and only when really needed, like no more than once per week. It makes me feel a bit confused and weird the next day. Taking one Advil and homeopathic (Hyland) Calms works better for me.
Posts: 2557 | From home | Registered: Aug 2006
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Cobweb
Unregistered
posted
I started with half an ambien , no problem. Now take whole pill but still only sleep about 6 hours at night.
posted
Thanks so much you guys. This is encouraging. I am not seeing too many negative reactions here, and I think that if I start with a tiny tiny maybe quarter of a pill, it cannot do too much harm and maybe even help!
It would be nice to have something besides the benzos to help me. I have weird reactions to all of the natural things too - including teas and herbs to help me sleep. Last night I slept after taking an herbal product to help me sleep - but that gave me an allergic reaction and so I had to take tons of antihiistamines - and I think it was the anithistamines that helped me to sleep!
Thanks again, Sara
Posts: 588 | From Rhode Island | Registered: Jun 2006
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Lymelighter
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5310
posted
Amb CR works VERY well for me.
Posts: 1010 | From Mars | Registered: Feb 2004
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Yes--5mg (half a pill) keeps me asleep through the pain for six or seven hours. There's something unnatural about the quality of sleep, but I can't quite describe it.
It beats laying awake all night long, it works better than anything else for me.
Check for drug interactions.
Posts: 353 | From Florida boonies | Registered: Nov 2005
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Cass A
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11134
posted
Some B vitamins and lots of B1, C and magnesium might help better without the possiblity of having a psychotic reaction. If you've already been without sleep for 5 days, I'd go with the vitamins first!! Say, 100 mg of B complex, 300 mg B1, about 1-2 grams of C, and a magnesium suppliment. You'd need to work on the doses of C and Magnesium, as they both tend to loosen the bowels up.
Also helpful would be to walk as far as you can until you get exhausted, then turn around and walk back.
Love,
Cass A
Posts: 1245 | From Thousand Oaks, CA | Registered: Feb 2007
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
I tried it, but I didn't like it. I'm so sensitive I cut it in half.
It was like I had died. You know when you're under anesthesia, you are completely out...
I cut it in fourths, and still was completely out. The house could have burned down and I would not have been able to wake up.
Sorry, I didn't like the feeling of having absolutely no control. I'd just rather cat-nap and be aware of my surroundings.
Besides, my husband travels a lot and I don't like being that out. Anything could happen....
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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posted
Thanks again for your replies... I have not taken it yet and seem to be sleeping with the antihistamine for now.
Cass - I appreciate your thoughts, but I am a paradoxical reaction type person. B vitamins wire me so bad that I I can't even take a supplement that has b vitamins in it in the morning and be able to sleep that night. They also make me very anxious. I manage to get some b vitamins in my EmergenC in the a.m. and that does not seem to affect me.
As for the C and magnesium - I take large quantities of each. Probably about 1000 mgs of magnesium (my Lyme doc said I could even do more up until I have loose stools). Normally it helps me sleep but it seems not now. Also the C - I am actually on about 6 grams of C (in the ascorbate / non-acidic form) right now. Normally I take about 3 grams a day but recently ramped it up for other reasons.
But I am glad that you wrote this here because it might help others as I know that B complex is supposed to be great for the nervous system. I also wrote mine here instead of in a PM so that others could see what happens with some people.
In Chinese medicine when we studied nutrition and B vitamins, my teacher said that B vitamins were too "warming" for some people, and those people would not be able to take them. I have a lot of "heat" from a chinese med perspective and so that could help to explain some of it.
I am trying to avoid the ambien as much as possible... and think I might succeed. I think the lack of sleep right now is mostly the drug withdrawel induced by the rifampin. It feels like it is reaching a stable point, and hopefully after that, things will get better.
Thanks everybody and may you all sleep well whatever it takes!!
Posts: 588 | From Rhode Island | Registered: Jun 2006
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I'm glad you mentioned the paradoxical reactions. I rarely see this mentioned. Nothing works for my sleep, including benzos and Ambien and Ambien CR. I recently tried Xyrem at the full dose and that didn't work either, didn't put me to sleep.
I am at a total loss for what to do about my sleep. I didn't have a bad reaction to the Ambien it just didn't help me. But I have had a lot of paradoxical reactions to things. Nothing works for me.
~cat woman
Posts: 255 | From where we don't have Lyme disease | Registered: Jan 2007
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Foggy
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1584
posted
My sleep disorder improved with Cortef, believe it or not.
Posts: 2451 | From Lyme Central | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
Worked like a charm for me for 4 years...but I would caution that you build tolerance and require more and more over time to get the effect. I started with one fourth of a 10 mg pill and now take 10 mgs. Also, it can make you unable to sleep without....
Sweet dreams~ Pom
Posts: 309 | From CA | Registered: Nov 2002
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posted
I also had a terrible time with sleep. My LLMD , Dr. F, recommended Klonopin Wafer and I couldn't believe the results. I sleep through the night and have numerous dreams. It has certainly helped me improve my immune system so that the meds can work better. Just another something to think about. Best of luck. Getting good night sleep is very important. if nothing else works!
Posts: 31 | From Bloomfield, New Jersey | Registered: Nov 2006
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I do believe that Cortef would help your sleep disorder. I've heard it can be helpful for that. I personally didn't have success with Cortef for sleep but I've heard others have.
~catwoman
Posts: 255 | From where we don't have Lyme disease | Registered: Jan 2007
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posted
Ambien caused serious memory problems for me!! At first I did not notice it. It only became noticeable around 4 months of use. It was so bad, I seriously wondered about ALzheimers!!
My dr. said this was a common side effect.
Anneke
Posts: 364 | From California | Registered: Sep 2005
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