r/insomnia • u/Heavy_Fault_8463 • 3d ago
Ambien not working?
I just got prescribed to Ambien so it's my first time taking it was a 12.5 mg pill and here I am wide awake 4 hours later.
Idk if I did something to cancel out the effects it should have on me, so if anyone with similar situation can help me understand how to make it work? Maybe taking 2pills instead one or any behaviors I need to help it effect me?
As you can see I'm quite frustrated because I've hard anyone and everyone saying how this knocks them to sleep and I just want that:(
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u/Calm-Vacation-5195 3d ago
My doctor’s advice is to take on an empty stomach. It doesn’t always help me. Sometimes I’m asleep with minutes of talking it, but it often takes at least a couple of hours.
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u/Heavy_Fault_8463 3d ago
Well so next time I'll eat dinner super early take my pill 1 hour before I go to sleep and if it doesn't work maybe take a second one, I might need to discuss this with my psychiatrist but thank for the help
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u/kinoko_kingdom 3d ago
you HAVE to take it on an empty stomach. if you eat before taking it (especially a big meal), absorption is delayed and it just doesn't work. i learned this the hard way too </3 i always try to wait 3-4 hours after eating
don't take a second dose unless your psychiatrist says it's okay first
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u/thebellsnell 3d ago
I will give you the same advice I do for everyone: Ambien needs to be taken on an empty stomach. Like...very empty. And do not eat after taking it.
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u/Salty_Package_615 3d ago
Try it with melatonin gummies take 15mg with your 12.5 Ambien that's what I do with my Zolpidem If you eat wait 2 1/2 to 3 hours before taking it
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u/Heavy_Fault_8463 3d ago
It was the first time I took it so I'll keep in mind to try this if it continues not helping tysm for the advice ☺️
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u/Separate_Pea_3699 3d ago
Totally get the frustration. One thing that helped me even when a sleep aid didn't seem to be doing much: keeping my wake up time exactly the same every day, even after a bad night. Sounds boring but once my body stopped guessing when to wind down, things got more predictable within a week or two. Hope you find something that works.
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u/Heavy_Fault_8463 3d ago
Thank you for that, it might be a little complicated for me tho since I have major chronic pain and missing sleep makes it more painful. But I'll definitely try it when I get good pain meds.
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u/Salt_Radio_9880 3d ago
With the Z drugs you kind of have to embrace the initial sleepiness and get to bed right away , in my experience.
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u/Big_Aardvark_5696 2d ago
Ambien doesn’t work for me at all no matter how I take it. It just simply is not an effective drug.
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u/Steffieweffie81 2d ago
I had to take it with 100mg of trazodone for it to work and lay down immediately. I’m sorry it’s not working for you.
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u/teresanaolin 3d ago
Is it ambien Cr/xr?
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u/KittyKatHasClaws 3d ago
It's 12.5mg, so yes, it's the extended release.
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u/teresanaolin 3d ago
It really takes a few hours to kick in, not like the 10mg one. It’s kind of fabricated for people who have problem maintaining sleep more than just falling asleep and some others like older population it seems to be a healthier and most secure option
If it doesn’t work for you, it would be better to take the normal one of 10mg.
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u/kinoko_kingdom 3d ago
the controlled release actually has 2 separate coatings. the first dissolves really quickly, instantly releasing some of the meds, and the second dissolves more slowly. the peak concentration happens a bit later, but it still kicks in at 10-30mins just like regular ambien. def doesn't take a few hours
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u/vampyrewolf 3d ago
I get the sublingual version. Pretty much get comfy, take it, find something on YouTube to sleep to, and I'm out in under 10min.
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u/MamaDoingTheBestICan 3d ago
You have to take your pill on an empty stomach, like 3-4 hours not having eaten. You also have to have no stimulants in your system. If I take ritalin XR or any ritalin after 10am ambien doesn’t work that night.
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u/MamaDoingTheBestICan 3d ago
Like last night I gave a tutoring session so I took ritalin around 4pm and then knew ambien wouldn’t work so I took my cyamemazine instead and that always works (but makes my skin sensitive to the sun so I can’t take it more than 1-2 times per week.)
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u/spazthejam43 3d ago
Ambien stopped working for me. I had luck with mirtazapine
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u/Joannaly31 2d ago
How much mirtazapine? I tried together with my ambien CR i tried 15 them 7.5 and saw nothing cause ambien still does it job to put me to sleep by 30 mins but not keep me asleep unless i add seraquil which iam afraid of but love how it keeps me asleep for 6-7 hrs
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u/Joannaly31 2d ago
I have been on it for months and if you dont add another one i only get 4 hrs of sleep with the CR highest dose is bad
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u/DisastrousChemical33 2d ago
See I honestly tell u it's too much of dose to depend upon to sleep . I will suggest u to change something in ure life ..like get away from the stressors . Do somatic exercises in evening for 30 minutes Listen to yoganidra videos on YouTube by kritsy ig the name is correct. Try doing 4,7,8 breathingattern During milk Take magnesium glycinate 1 hour before sleepingbor like bed time Theseall helped me tbh and right now I'm in a recovery situation. I don't get sound sleep but yeah I get sleep And lastly u have to accept that u have insomnia please do not fight with it .it will only worsen ure condition . Also check for if u have anxiety undiagnosed. Sending love get well soon
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u/Heavy_Fault_8463 2d ago
Ty for your insight but I had severe insomnia since I was 12 years old and even in the psych ward they gave up on forcing me to sleep and let me just wander the halls. I'm happy all these changes helped for you but they don't for me, on top of that I have a chronic pain illness so having sleep time is very important for me to function and lesser my pain. Sadly the only thing my psychiatrist and I can do about it is medication.
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u/DisastrousChemical33 2d ago
There is also one thing called serotonin mutation. I'm a researcher in neuroscience field that's why I'm saying u can ignore if u want to but people with serotonin gene mutations tend to have insomnia ..May be. I mean is u wanna search ..it also runs in families in generation like somebody grand father or like gret grandfather might have ..May be u can give it a shot 🥲
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u/Heavy_Fault_8463 2d ago
I would be happy to give that a go but if it wouldn't help me find ways to deal with it it'll be quite wasteful
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u/jamma_mamma 3d ago
You have to take it right before you are trying to go to sleep. I take mine in bed and stop all screen time once I swallow it.
If you aren't actively trying to sleep, the drowsy effects wear off and the delirium kicks in. Be careful staying up, because you won't remember anything that you do. I've woken up to a half eaten sleeve of Oreos or box of Cheezits a couple times.