Ambien Addiction PLEASE SHARE YOUR STORY

I'm a case study for you. I have 16 years worth of Ambien stories. Getting lost, family disasters, financial disasters, rehab, lost businesses... all because of my inability to deal with Ambien addiction.I wish it did not exist.

I know you posted this four years ago, but I would be glad to share my personal experience with this evil drug. This "medicine" is the devil in a pill. It led to a long dark path of addiction for me, and I would love to see a book with varied stories. I am a professional woman, I nearly lost everything, including my life, at the expense of this drug.

I have been taking ambien on and off again since I was about 10 years old (I'm now 27) due to a multitude of health problems that result in insomnia.  I have several experiences to share regarding this.  Some are funny, some are scary, some are discouraging, and some are rewarding!  I have also taken it leisurely (alone and in group settings) and have some good stories from that as well.  I'd love to share my experiences!

Sounds like we've had similar experiences, I'd love to hear your story as well!

Did anyone happen to jot down the woman's name, number and email address from ABC?

Thanks!

Tell your doctor. I did. TheY can work out a plan to help

I can relate to your wife as I struggle with sever insomnia and have taken up to 60 pills a night. And to be quite honest I didn't even feel anything off the 60 pills. That was what made it so scary and surreal. Most people would never believe that you can survive when you told them it or they just wouldnt believe it in general. Madness. I am glad that I do not do that anymore but I can absolutely relate to those numbers.

iv been on it for over 10 years and im getting scared of it but its the only way I can go to sleep I have insomnia bad

I need help getting of this stuf and I want to just quit im going to pray that I can do it and have a testimony to help someone else

I have been horrible addicted to ambien for over 10 years, I am now at my worst facing legal trouble and losing my professional license. It is hell to stop. I have gone through approximately 25-35 in a 24 hour period over and over. If I can get a bottle of 30 to last me more than a day, it's an accomplishment. I detoxes for 4 days and was using the same day I got out. It's ruining my family. I have 4 children. This is the worst thing I have ever faced in my life. I even think about suicide.

I have been struggling with ambient addiction for years and it has lead me to a very dark place in my life. I am swell writing a book on my ambient addiction and would love to share ideas and stories. I'm jennifer.

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I started taking ambien when I was about 17. I was at a camp and helping my folks oversee primary school kids, (We're all in the education "business"). No AC, T.V or liqour to lull me to sleep, so my old man gave me an ambien. I took it and decided to go for a stroll just to wait for the tiredness to kick in, I was instead stricken with an amazing euphoria. The kids were all asleep. I just wandered around in awe of my surroundings and got a little bit lost. I found my way to my room and enjoyed the closed-eye-visuals and drifted off.

Today, 8 lears later, I still take it every day. The euphoria is no longer there, I just need it to make me feel better. It's consumed me. Every day I struggle through angst, frustration and depression until I get my four o'clock fix. I experience absolutely no pleasure from anything in life apart from the 20 or so minutes of the "high" I get from ambien. It's all I live for, and that's not a life at all.

I am living an ambien nightmare. I took 10mg ambien nightly for 2.5 years as prescribed by my doctor. I went into tolerance WD on ambien and suffered excruitiating back pain and neuropathic pain. I went cold turkey 9 months ago off ambien and suffer harsh physical WDs (back pain, neuropathic pain, vibrations, numbness, pins and needles sensations, neurological sxs) and mental WDs (anxiety, panic, crying). Ambien was the only drug I ever took. I do not even drink. There are many others like me who have suffered horrific physical pain and anxiety, panic, depression because of ambien. Ambien reacts on the same gaba receptors as benzos and have similiar WDs.

It may take me 2 years to recover. Ambien was only approved for short term use 14days only, my doctor renewed my prescription monthly. It is truly criminal.

I have been on off for over 10 years and when I go on a bender, people get hurt, things get lost or broken, and often legal issues insue. Bizzarre doesn't even begin to cover it. I become a totally different person, capable of anything and I have no memory. I'm on my third marriage and because of ambien, I have lost his trust and the future of us is unknown. I think there must have been ambien lingering in my system last week at work because everyone thought I was "off". So almost lost my job. So many stories to share. This drug should be illegal.

I have been taking Ambien for about 9 years.  Take either 12.5 mg or 2-10mg. at bedtime but lately have been waking up at 4am and lie in bed for HOURS trying to go back to sleep.  Have tried not taking any and just lie there.  If I don't sleep, I have migraines.  Started taking them to help me sleep while working night shift.  Have ALWAYS had trouble sleeping and started taking Ambien after having a sleep study done.  I KNOW I'm addicted and want to stop taking them but also don't want migraines.  Have Fibro and other health issues as well but I want to feel better! 

Thanks to others for your posts.  Will take your advice to heart and thankfully, I have a good doctor who, I'm sure, will help me all he can.