Posted by sova on January 30, 2008 at 11:45:07:In Reply to: How long to get off Ambien? posted by kklovedbyGod on January 29, 2008 at 11:01:08:
I stopped ambien after about 20 years! The first 2 weeks were the hardest, because there was a lot of rebound insomnia, and I was so axious about the whole thing. I don't think I ever would have had the courage to stop if it weren't for the fact that the ambien wasn't working, and I was feeling so bad after taking it. that I figured I couldn't feel any worse if I had no sleep at all. And it turned out that I was right. Taking ambien and not sleeping is way worse than not taking anything and not sleeping!
I was really fearful that after such a long time, my brain had somehow forgotten how to sleep on its own- happily, this was not the case. After that first few weeks, after I had gotten all the ambien out of my system and my brain accustomed to the fact that it wasn't going to get any ambien, I got tired enough and somehow relaxed enough that I DID sleep, and realizing that I COULD sleep made it a lot easier.
You are on the right track to just lie in bad and try not to get too anxious about not sleeping. I
I have found it really helpful to listen to books on tape while I am lying there in bed. It totally takes my mind off my own thoughts, and usually I'm asleep pretty quickly. If not, at least I can listen to a good book.Good luck--you have already won half the battle. I tell everyone, if I could do it, then so can you. I was so dependent on my sleeping pills and fought every suggestion that it would be better not to be on them. Just keep up the good work.
Sova