List your Ambien withdrawal symptoms

For the past four years I've medicated myself to achieve sleep. And in that process lost the ability to nap or sleep without medication. First I began using Nyquil, then Benydryl, and then eventually ended up on Ambien &/or Xanax. I've successfully jumped from Xanax roughly 45 days ago after a rough taper.

 

I'm now trying to get away from Ambien, but I'm getting some weird symptoms. Anytime I would try to sleep without medication I would develop a dull aching, squeezing headache that would center around my temples and forehead. After I reduced my Ambien dose from 10mg to 5mg, these headaches would occur in the evening. Now one week into the taper I have them almost all day. I also have a weird intermittent ache / / twinge / pain on the right side of my neck and under my jaw. 

 

Lord knows I've already spent enough money toward my insurance deductible chasing down symptoms that were probably Xanax withdrawal symptoms, and I don't want to do it again. Has anyone else had symptoms such as these? If not, what symptoms have some of you had while trying to kick Ambien. Any assistance or insight would be greatly appreciated.

For the past four years I've medicated myself to achieve sleep. And in that process lost the ability to nap or sleep without medication. First I began using Nyquil, then Benydryl, and then eventually ended up on Ambien &/or Xanax. I've successfully jumped from Xanax roughly 45 days ago after a rough taper.

 

I'm now trying to get away from Ambien, but I'm getting some weird symptoms. Anytime I would try to sleep without medication I would develop a dull aching, squeezing headache that would center around my temples and forehead. After I reduced my Ambien dose from 10mg to 5mg, these headaches would occur in the evening. Now one week into the taper I have them almost all day. I also have a weird intermittent ache / / twinge / pain on the right side of my neck and under my jaw. 

 

Lord knows I've already spent enough money toward my insurance deductible chasing down symptoms that were probably Xanax withdrawal symptoms, and I don't want to do it again. Has anyone else had symptoms such as these? If not, what symptoms have some of you had while trying to kick Ambien. Any assistance or insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

Overwatch,

 

As you may know, Ambien, like Xanax, has a short half life.  It is only active for about 4-6 hours for most people.  Your "weird" symptoms are most likely inter-dose withdrawal.  After the drug wears off, you experience symptoms between doeses.  Also, it seems like 5mg is a huge one week cut unless I misread your post and it took longer to go from 10mg to 5mg?  Since Ambien works pretty much like Xanax, or at least on Gabba receptors in your brain and body pretty much the same way, the symptoms are usually the same?  Alohafromhawaii is an expert with Ambien WD.  Hopefully he will chime in on this thread?  All of the symptoms you are experiencing are "normal" and it is most likely not just Ambien causing them, but the Xanax withdrawal too.  Unfortunately you will experience WD symptoms longer than you would like and until you are drug free, your body will not start to heal.  I would check out the section on this site for how to do a proper taper with Ambien or consult the Ashton Manual.

 

I tell everyone the same thing, Drugs are never the answer as you realized.  You reached "Dependence" by not being able to sleep or nap without them.  Your body will begin to heal after you are drug free and finished your Ambien taper.  Expect it to be pretty rough for some time.  I wish I had better news, but the only way out of your WD is to go through it.  Time and prayer will help you recover.  You WILL recover.  You WILL sleep again normally after some time.  Your messed up brain chemistry will fix itself slowly over time and you will no longer need anything to sleep with.  Also, after you finish your Ambien taper, don't get any more drugs in the house and avoid anything with alcohol.  Stay away from Benydryl and Nyquil, etc.  You don't want to keep sending your mind and body the message that you "must" take something in order to sleep.  That is not true.  I thought the same thing and now I sleep fairly well most nights without taking anything.  You will get through this.

For the past four years I've medicated myself to achieve sleep. And in that process lost the ability to nap or sleep without medication. First I began using Nyquil, then Benydryl, and then eventually ended up on Ambien &/or Xanax. I've successfully jumped from Xanax roughly 45 days ago after a rough taper.

 

I'm now trying to get away from Ambien, but I'm getting some weird symptoms. Anytime I would try to sleep without medication I would develop a dull aching, squeezing headache that would center around my temples and forehead. After I reduced my Ambien dose from 10mg to 5mg, these headaches would occur in the evening. Now one week into the taper I have them almost all day. I also have a weird intermittent ache / / twinge / pain on the right side of my neck and under my jaw. 

 

Lord knows I've already spent enough money toward my insurance deductible chasing down symptoms that were probably Xanax withdrawal symptoms, and I don't want to do it again. Has anyone else had symptoms such as these? If not, what symptoms have some of you had while trying to kick Ambien. Any assistance or insight would be greatly appreciated.

GET OFF of ambien it is hard on your GABA receptors and your weird symptoms are from it and the longer you take it the more problems you will have. It takes time to heal and you will not get a lot of sleep while healing but you will sleep like a baby when you are healed.

Thank you both for the time and the insight. I've been able to hold at 5mg while I try to get a handle on these symptoms. Right now I cannot distinguish between these withdrawal symptoms to know if they are a result of my Xanax taper, Ambien dose reduction, or simply a return of my anxiety. I do know that lack of sleep is what triggers a rapid "downward spiral" of anxiety, into insomnia, into health anxiety, into insomnia, etc, etc. My dose last night was probably 3mg, due to the cut, and it equated to about 6 hours of sleep. But I woke up with a pressure band style headache and the loudest / highest pitch tinnitus I've had to date.

 

Could someone point me in the direction of the Ambien taper guide? I've gotten such varying degrees of advice on stopping Ambien, I don't know what to do. My PDoc said to tamper from 10mg to 5mg in one week, and then in the same conversation recommended "cold turkey". My Pharmacist, who sometimes knows far more about the drugs than my PDoc, said to taper it 25% every week. Advice on this board seems to vary as well.

Thank you both for the time and the insight. I've been able to hold at 5mg while I try to get a handle on these symptoms. Right now I cannot distinguish between these withdrawal symptoms to know if they are a result of my Xanax taper, Ambien dose reduction, or simply a return of my anxiety. I do know that lack of sleep is what triggers a rapid "downward spiral" of anxiety, into insomnia, into health anxiety, into insomnia, etc, etc. My dose last night was probably 3mg, due to the cut, and it equated to about 6 hours of sleep. But I woke up with a pressure band style headache and the loudest / highest pitch tinnitus I've had to date.

 

Could someone point me in the direction of the Ambien taper guide? I've gotten such varying degrees of advice on stopping Ambien, I don't know what to do. My PDoc said to tamper from 10mg to 5mg in one week, and then in the same conversation recommended "cold turkey". My Pharmacist, who sometimes knows far more about the drugs than my PDoc, said to taper it 25% every week. Advice on this board seems to vary as well.

I wish I had tapered but I didn't. Use Ashton Manuel if you can find info on it. I would only cut back by 10% over a month or more. Do not do a fast taper. GO SLOW real slow. So your brain can adjust.

My ambien WD symptoms are noted in my signature line. Good luck to you. You are going to be OK.

I was put on both Ambien (10mg) and clonazepam 0.5 mgs in late 1990 for insomnia. About 5-7 years in, I tried to taper off both drugs. I got off of Clonazepam, but could not sleep going off of Ambien. I had gone to visit my mother and thought it would be an easy transition off. I was down to 1/4th ambien and stopped the first night, as I took no pills with me. I didn't sleep the entire week and when I got home, I went back on both drugs for sleep. (little did I know)

In 2015, my doctor changed my HRT to a lower dose. They were white and oblong, but had a slight bulge in the middle. One night, I added the few Ambien pills to the new bottle, but it wasn't ambien, it was HRT. About a week or so later, I noticed the Ambien had a bulge in it and upon examination, I realized I had mixed up the two. I was sleeping sort of okay, so made a decision to just stop the Ambien. I has no withdrawal, but I was still on 1 mg Clonazepam. It took another two yeas to start tapering off of C, but this withdrawal has been brutal. I felt like the C kept the CT from Ambien symptoms at bay. In all honesty, I had been feeling so horrible over the last few years, if I was having withdrawal, I didn't put it to the drugs until I found this site and realized what was going on.

Thank you all for the replies and information. Like you "nightengale", I was also on a benzo (Xanax) and Ambien for sleep. When I would start to develop a tolerance to one, I'd be switched by my PDoc to the other. I would feel horrible for about a week and then whichever of the two medications I was switched to would essentially take over. Going from Ambien to Xanax was much easier than going from Xanax to Ambien.

 

I'm still holding at 5mg of Ambien after reducing 50% a week ago. My all-day, daily squeezing headaches have subsided mostly, and the tinnitus has decreased in volume / pitch. And my sleep has went from 7 hours to about 6. I would be proud of that if 5mg wasn't an adult dose. Still, if I try to sleep or nap without Ambien, it instantly triggers a headache, slight anxiety, agitation and general malaise. I think I may hold at 5mg one more week and then try to reduce 25%. And I say 25% because that is about the finest of cut I think I can make on a 10mg pill. I may ask my PDoc for 5mg pills so I can make smaller cuts, but I despise the thought of paying him one more cent for his BS. We'll see.

 

"Alohafromhawaii" has been assisting me via PM, which I'm eternally grateful for.

Overwatch, my OBGYN, said some years back, when I tried to taper off of ambien, that the 10mg dosage was too high.  He suggested getting a new script from my prescribing doctor for 5 mgs. I had failed in my attempt,  right before I saw him.  I gave up for a time after that until 2/2017, when I began my final and last taper off of clonazepam. I had CT the Ambien in Feb. 2015 (sort of), when I mixed them up with my HRT pills. Strange how I was able to finally get off of Ambien. 

Overwatch, my OBGYN, said some years back, when I tried to taper off of ambien, that the 10mg dosage was too high.  He suggested getting a new script from my prescribing doctor for 5 mgs. I had failed in my attempt,  right before I saw him.  I gave up for a time after that until 2/2017, when I began my final and last taper off of clonazepam. I had CT the Ambien in Feb. 2015 (sort of), when I mixed them up with my HRT pills. Strange how I was able to finally get off of Ambien. 

 

Thanks for the note. I'm currently still holding at 5mg per night and trying to inch my way toward a stretch of days off I'll have coming up from work. I think a week or so prior to these days off I'll try to cut the 5mg halves down and then jump at the start of my "vacation". I seriously considered having my PDoc give me a 5mg script to cut down, but I've become so morally opposed to giving that guy another dime of my money. To me, it would be like a rape victim thanking the rapist. I just can't do it.

Overwatch, I totally "get" what you are saying about asking for another prescription of Ambien from your doctor, but you are doing this for you, not him.  I have been on rants now and then about the doctor who put me on both drugs in the first place. She didn't explain the dangers to me of taking the drug and I was naive enough to not ask because I had no idea doctors would prescribe such a dangerous drug to people without an explanation. The only warning I ever received was from the pharmacy, which was listed on the side effects that the medication could cause amnesia. I thought I could deal with that.

I wish you the best!

Overwatch, I totally "get" what you are saying about asking for another prescription of Ambien from your doctor, but you are doing this for you, not him.  I have been on rants now and then about the doctor who put me on both drugs in the first place. She didn't explain the dangers to me of taking the drug and I was naive enough to not ask because I had no idea doctors would prescribe such a dangerous drug to people without an explanation. The only warning I ever received was from the pharmacy, which was listed on the side effects that the medication could cause amnesia. I thought I could deal with that.

I wish you the best!

 

The FDA's prescribing info for Ambien states that the drug is intended for short-term usage and it is recommended that women not exceed 5 mg. daily and men 10 mg. daily. The listed potential side-effects assumes the drug is being prescribed and used per these instructions. Deviate from these prescribing directions and all bets are off (as we all already know). Far too many doctors seem not to read what is printed about Ambien when they give it to their patients. When taken once in awhile, a person might experience loss of memory regarding phone calls or binge eating at night, but taken nightly until tolerance sets in, a person can expect to face the worst period of their lives.

I'm currently holding at 5mg nightly for the next several weeks until I reach a scheduled multi-week vacation period I have from work. A week or so prior to the start of that, I'll try to razor cut a 10mg pill into 2.5mg and take that. My plan is to taper from 2.5mg into Melatonin and Benadryl, then just stop taking the Benadryl. I have noticed that Benadryl, now that I'm benzo free, will make me somewhat sleepy again. Perhaps I should get a script for 5mg to simplify the cut. We'll see how things go.