Insomnia

Approximately 60 million adults in the U.S are affected by insomnia which is defined as having difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep. Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder and has a negative impact on the next day.

According to National Sleep Foundation, symptoms of insomnia include:

• Difficulty falling sleep
• Waking up frequently during the night
• Difficulty returning to sleep
• Waking up too early in the morning
• Un-refreshing sleep
• Daytime sleepiness
• Difficulty concentrating
• Irritability

Ambien Cautions

While the need to get a good night’s sleep is paramount to a person’s overall health and well-being, careful consideration should be given to the sleep aid that a person selects.

The pharmaceutical manufacturer advises that before taking this medication, a person should tell their doctor if they are allergic to any drugs or if they have:

• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Lung disease such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Sleep apnea (breathing stops during sleep)
• Myasthenia gravis
• A history of depression, mental illness or suicidal thoughts
• A history of drug or alcohol addiction

Ambien Drug Interactions

Ambien drug interactions

• When imipramine (which is an anti-depressant) and Ambien are taken at the same time, patients may have an additional decrease in awareness.
• Used to treat nausea, vomiting and other conditions, chlorpromazine can interact with Ambien and decrease mental functioning and coordination.
• It appears that Zoloft (which is used to treat depression and panic attacks) and Ambien increase the amount of Ambien in the blood, which may lead the body to believe that the dosage of the Ambien is greater than what the person took.
• When Rifampin (an antibiotic) and Ambien are taken together, neither may work as originally intended.
  Ambien can also increase the effects of alcohol.

Get Help for Ambien Abuse

If you or someone you know is addicted to Ambien, call our toll free number today at (888) 371-5716. We are available 24 hours a day to answer any questions you might have about Ambien addiction treatment. We are here to help.

Ambien comes in 5 mg and 10 mg tablets. Ambien 5 mg tablets are capsule-shaped, pink, film coated tablets with AMB 5 on one side and 5401 on the other. Whereas, Ambien 10 mg tablets are white with AMB 10 on one side and 5421 on the other side. Typically the dosage for an adult would be 10 mg a day to be taken directly before bed either in tablet for or spray form. With spray form, 2 sprays equal 10 mg. If taking Ambien CR, the typical adult dosage is 12.5 mg or 6.25 mg to be taken in the capsule form right before bed.

Ambien and Other CNS Drugs
Ambien has a CNS (central nervous system) depressant effect, which is why the patient falls asleep shortly after taking the medication and should refrain from operating heavy machinery. Because of this, dosages for Ambien when mixed with other CNS drugs will need to be adjusted depending on what drug it is being mixed with. There could be potentially harmful or undesirable effects that follow the mixture of drugs because the CNS depressant effect may be enhanced.

Typically, patients using Ambien should not mix it with Fospropofol and Tapentadol. However, it is sometimes necessary. In these cases, the doctor will change the dosages. Ambien can be mixed with Bupropion, Desipramine, Ketoconazole, Rifampin, Sertraline and Venlafaxine; however, certain side effects may be increased and once again, the doctor will want to adjust dosages.

Facts About Ambien

Ambien is a prescription drug that is classified as a sedative or hypnotic. It is used as a short-term treatment for patients with insomnia. Insomnia is a disorder in which the person is unable to fall asleep.

Ambien works by affecting unbalanced chemicals in the brain that cause sleep problems. It will definitely make the patient fall asleep, so it is important to be able to devote seven to eight hours to sleep before taking the medications.

It is important to only take the dosage the doctor prescribes for as long as the doctor prescribes because Ambien is a highly dependent drug. Typically, Ambien should not be used for longer than four to five consecutive weeks. After taking Ambien for several days or weeks in a row, it is important to discontinue use properly to ensure symptoms of withdrawal do not occur. Since it is a dependent drug, it is important to keep it away from children and those with a history of drug abuse.

Ambien Addiction Help

If you or a loved one is addicted to Ambien, it is important to seek help. Ambien is a highly dependent drug. Once addicted, the effects are devastating. If you are interested in receiving information on Ambien detox or rehab, please call the toll free number at (888) 371-5716.

Ambien Treatment for Insomnia

People with insomnia have one or more of the following symptoms:

• Difficulty falling asleep
• Waking up often during the night and having trouble going back to sleep
• Waking up too early in the morning
• Non-refreshing sleep

There are several types of insomnia. Insomnia types are often based on how long the insomnia lasts and how often it occurs.

Short-term (acute) insomnia can last from one night to a few weeks. It is often caused by emotional or physical discomfort, and can be related to a single specific event. It is often caused by emotional or physical discomfort, and can be related to a single specific event. Causes of acute insomnia can include:

• Significant life stress (job loss or change, death of a loved one, moving, etc.)
• Environmental factors like noise, light, or extreme temperatures (hot or cold) that interfere with sleep
• Illness
• Things that throw off a normal sleep schedule (like jet lag or switching from a day to night shift)
  Transient insomnia is a type of insomnia that comes and goes, with periods of time when a person has no sleep problems.

Chronic (long-term) insomnia is when a person has insomnia at least three nights a week for one month or longer. It can be caused by many things and often occurs along with other health problems. Common chronic insomnia causes are:

• Depression
• Chronic stress
• Pain or discomfort at night

Each year, about 60 million Americans have insomnia.

How Does Ambien Help?

Ambien is part of a class of medications called sedative/hypnotics, which are known more commonly as sleep medicine. Otherwise known by its generic name, Zolpidem, it is closely related to a family of sedatives called benzodiazepines. These drugs cause sedation, muscle relaxation, act as anti-convulsants (anti-seizure) and reduce anxiety. Zolpidem has selectivity in that it has little of the muscle relaxant and anti-seizure effects and more of the sedative effect. Therefore, it is used as a medication for sleep. Based on clinical studies, when compared to people who did not take Ambien, people who took Ambien:

• Fell asleep faster
• Slept longer
• Had higher-quality sleep
• Had fewer awakenings

Some people using this medicine have engaged in activity such as driving, eating, or making phone calls and later had no memory of the activity. Ambien can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. A user may still feel sleepy the morning after taking the medication. A user must be aware of how this medication will affect them, especially during waking hours.

Be careful of driving, operating machinery, piloting an airplane, or do anything that requires one to be awake and alert. Do not drink alcohol while taking this medication. It can increase some of the side effects of Ambien, including drowsiness. This medication may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for.

Ambien vs. Ambien CR

Ambien, and its generic form, are approved to help you fall asleep. Ambien CR is considered a non-benzodiazepine and is different from older prescription sleep medications. Ambien CR is the only form of Ambien that is FDA-approved to help you fall asleep and stay asleep—so you can wake up less frequently and fall back to sleep faster. Only Ambien CR has two layers that address both problems. The first layer dissolves quickly to help you fall asleep fast, while the second dissolves slowly to help you stay asleep, so when you wake up you can concentrate on the day ahead. In fact, in clinical studies, Ambien CR was proven effective for up to seven hours. Ambien CR can be taken for as long as your healthcare professional recommends.

Ambien Addiction Treatment

If you or someone you know is struggling with an ambient addiction, we can help. Please call our toll free number at (888) 371-5716. We are available 24 hours a day to answer your questions on ambien addiction and treatment.

Ambien CR is an extended release version. It helps you get to sleep within 15 to 30 minutes, and the new extended release portion helps you stay asleep. You should not take Ambien or Ambien CR unless you are able to get a full night’s sleep — at least seven to eight hours. It also should only be prescribed for a short-term need of sleep maintenance.

Ambien promotes the activity of GABA receptors, a special type of neurotransmitter. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that serve as messengers between nerve cells (neurons). The additional activity of the GABA receptors inhibits neuron activity that contributes to insomnia.

The FDA has approved a prescription oral spray called Zolpimist, which contains Ambien’s active ingredient, for the short-term treatment of insomnia brought on by difficulty falling asleep.

What is Insomnia?

Insomnia is a symptom, not a stand-alone diagnosis or a disease. By definition, insomnia is “difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep or both” and it may be due to inadequate quality or quantity of sleep. Insomnia is not defined by a specific number of hours of sleep that one gets, since individuals vary widely in their sleep needs and practices. Although most of us know what insomnia is and how we feel and perform after one or more sleepless nights, few seek medical advice. Many people remain unaware of the behavioral and medical options available to treat insomnia.

Insomnia is generally classified based on the duration of the problem. Not everyone agrees on one definition, but generally:

• Transient insomnia- symptoms lasting less than one week
• Short-term insomnia- symptoms between one to three weeks
• Chronic insomnia- symptoms that last longer than three weeks

Insomnia affects all age groups. Among adults, insomnia affects women more often than men. The incidence tends to increase with age. It is typically more common in people in lower socioeconomic (income) groups, chronic alcoholics, and mental health patients. Stress most commonly triggers short-term or acute insomnia. If you do not address your insomnia, however, it may develop into chronic insomnia.

Aside from the common reason Ambien is used for, it has also been known to help treat:

• Bipolar II Disorder
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Fibromyalgia Syndrome
• Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
• Myofascial Pain Syndrome
• Narcolepsy
• Polycystic ovarian Syndrome
• Postpartum depression
• Restless legs syndrome
• Sleep apnea

h2>Differences of Medication for Sleep Disorders

The main difference between the medications for sleep disorders is their duration of action, which actually makes one preferable depending on the type of insomnia the patient suffers from. For instance, if the patient’s problem is initiating sleep, but they are able to stay asleep once sleep has come, a short-acting medication would be sufficient. If the main problem is maintaining sleep, long-acting medication can be prescribed. The draw-back of using a long-acting medication is that, in some patients, the effects might carry over to the day and cause them a “hang-over” effect.

Ambien Addiction Treatment

If you or someone you know is struggling with an Ambien addiction, we can help. Please call the toll free number at (888) 371-5716. We are available 24 hours a day to answer your questions on Ambien addiction and treatment.