Sleeping pills

marty1985

I don't really know how the habit started (well, a doc recommended it and kept prescribing it) because I was never really an insomniac to begin with, but I began to take sleeping pills (ambien aka stilnox) over 2 years ago and continued to take them almost every night since. Dumb, I know, but...

Loads of weird experiences, most of which I never remember, such as eating, cooking, going out to the shops (clothed)... I think it's just gives temporary memory loss instead of sleep. It's also pretty common to receive replies to emails and texts the following day, and have no idea what the person is talking about. Checking my sent items, the messages wouldn't be slurred like a drunk text, so it's pretty odd. Not to mention receiving items in the post that I bought online while "sleeping".

Anyone else had weird experiences on sleeping pills?

By the by, I kicked the habit two weeks ago (apart from 1 night where I caved in!) and I think I can relate to someone who has given up smoking, it's so hard to get off them after becoming so dependent on them. They're really dangerous to be honest. Hoping I can stay off them but I heard the withdrawal symptoms wouldn't have started yet!

starbelgrade

Your doctor shouldn't have been prescribing you sleeping pills for such a prolonged period. Really, they should only be used as a temporary stop gap to help people get some sleep.

Best of luck with your recovery - I'd recommend changing doctors too. He / she might be able to help you kick the habit too.

marty1985

Absolutely, but it made him my favourite person in the world.

Also, he doesn't speak a whole lot of English, but he smiles a lot.

Dennis the Stone

I was dependent on them for too long a time. Lots of very weird experiences. If you take one and then stay up you get a wonderful feeling, but then things quickly descend into an episode of the Twilight Zone.

PseudoFamous

Them sleeping tablets worry me, I took one for a flight last year, and I found myself in a weird, numb stupor for the next three days. Sort of worrying that there are people on these all the time, and is especially worrying that so many of these people are driving.

pragmatic1

Take panadol night the odd time. Just have mad dreams on them.

marty1985

I think there's a website called BanStilnox.com or something. It's very prevalent in court cases, people blaming it for car accidents and such.

Jack Nicholson said he took it once, and woke up in his car, a mile from home.

He said this after the death of Heath Ledger, who I think overdosed on it.

It is so dangerous.

marty1985

I think it's all an insurance scam, it's a win-win for the doctors and the manufacturers. ThisAmericanLife did a show on it, and I listened to the podcast and realised in certain situations the doctors are not helping anyone at all, just being a Doctor Robert.

Oh_Noes

There must be something in it. My doctor got a prescription from my hospital consultant for sleeping pills just after I was discharged from a long hospital stay three years ago. They were to help me to adjust my routine back to normal. I've collected that same prescription every month for the last three years and the doctor couldn't seem to care less. The medication itself says on the leaflet it should only be prescribed for two to three weeks maximum.

marty1985

But someone amassing a collection of sleeping pills is a recipe for disaster, in the wrong hands. I'm sure I heard of this in a court case, and the doctor was questioned about it.

Novella

Took sleeping pills myself for a while - Stilnoct and Zimovane - and yeah, had a few experiences. Just things like sending text messages and having absolutely no memory of doing so.

Green Back

I took Zopiclone for six weeks recently. 4 of the weeks in hospital and the last two at home.
By week 6 I was taking 6 x the dosage I started out on and decided that I wouldnt take anymore.
I can understand how people can get addicted to them, they are great in the sense that you know you'll get a decent nights sleep rather than laying in bed all night until the sun comes up. Also before you go asleep they make you feel good - you know that content feeling you get just before you drift off on a deep sleep. So it was tough stopping but I knew in the long run it was only going to do harm.

Can't understand how a doctor could proscribe them for so long, surely common sense at least would stop a doctor repestedly proscribing.

obplayer

Took temazipan one time, on prescription. Friday night luckily. Woke up next day, checked watch and it was 8 O' Clock. Fkuc, what to do at 8 on a Saturday morning. Turned on tv and it was casualty. What is casualty doing on at 8 in the morn.... 24 hours out cold. Felt better though.

Links234

I've had pretty bad insomnia and sometimes need medication. even then, my doctor advised a serious amount of caution when using them, I'm shocked you were prescribed them for such a long time. I've been halving the tablets and I wouldn't take them 2 nights in a row unless I really needed to.

marty1985

The worst is when you take it and still can't sleep.

It just leaves you with an awful hangover the next day. The one night I took stilnox last week, I still only slept maybe 2 hours, and at work the next day I was just in a daze.

Green Back

marty1985 wrote: »

The worst is when you take it and still can't sleep.

It just leaves you with an awful hangover the next day. The one night I took stilnox last week, I still only slept maybe 2 hours, and at work the next day I was just in a daze.

Can I ask why you were proscribed them in the first place?
Are you still having trouble sleeping?

Chuck Stone

marty1985 wrote: »

The worst is when you take it and still can't sleep.

That's because you've built up a resistance and that's one of the reasons why they shouldn't be taken for an extended period.

Its often something that's happening to a person in their life that causes insomnia.

marty1985

Green Back wrote: »

Can I ask why you were proscribed them in the first place?
Are you still having trouble sleeping?

I was talking to the doctor for other reasons, and he asked about my sleeping patterns, thinking it could be related. I didn't think I had any trouble, any more than most people anyway, and he said it sounded to him like I had a form of insomnia (because I was a very light sleeper). He prescribed Stilnox for a week, and told me to come back. At first, I thought it was an absolute wonder drug, but then the weekly prescription turned into a monthly prescription, and I became pretty much dependent on them, and then the prescription itself doubled.

Now I have the sleeping problem. Before this, I had no real sleeping problem to speak of.

Green Back

marty1985 wrote: »

I was talking to the doctor for other reasons, and he asked about my sleeping patterns, thinking it could be related. I didn't think I had any trouble, any more than most people anyway, and he said it sounded to him like I had a form of insomnia (because I was a very light sleeper). He prescribed Stilnox for a week, and told me to come back. At first, I thought it was an absolute wonder drug, but then the weekly prescription turned into a monthly prescription, and I became pretty much dependent on them, and then the prescription itself doubled.

Now I have the sleeping problem. Before this, I had no real sleeping problem to speak of.

Sorry to hear that.
I had a bad experience with a doctor as well but not to the same extent as you. Unfortunately like any profession medicine has members who are lazy or incompetent but the consequences are potentially much worse.

You should change your GP as soon as possible. The doctor I have now is excellent and personable, restored by faith in the system. Hopefully you get yourself set up with a new doctor who deals with your particular situation rather than just signing off on script.

Best wishes

Mike 1972

Links234 wrote: »

I've had pretty bad insomnia and sometimes need medication. even then, my doctor advised a serious amount of caution when using them, I'm shocked you were prescribed them for such a long time. I've been halving the tablets and I wouldn't take them 2 nights in a row unless I really needed to.

When it comes to prescribing medications in general (and sleeping pills in particular) most doctors Ive encountered tend to adopt one extreme or the other.

Either be ludicrously over-cautious or chuck em out like candy.

Temaz

Stilnoct is what I take also and it's pretty trippy stuff if you stay awake on it. As mentioned, sending e-mail,txt,making food all with no memory of doing these things the next day!

Some users have reported unexplained sleepwalking[16] while using zolpidem, and a few have reported driving, binge eating, sleep talking, and performing other daily tasks while sleeping

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambien

Super-Rush

Please do not give any medical advice.

This is for discussion on your experiences with sleeping pills only. Anything else can be taken to personal issues or to your doctor.

Stench Blossoms

I used to take Stilnoct and Zolpidem for about 3 years. Been weened off them lately with another one called Valdoxin which aparantly is a new super drug.

I used to text, email, go to the shop etc. I once drove.

Nobody could tell by talking to me that I was asleep except my sister. She said my eyes were funny.

I've had full blown conversations and not remembered them. Crazy stuff.

rubadub

marty1985 wrote: »

Absolutely, but it made him my favourite person in the world.

Also, he doesn't speak a whole lot of English, but he smiles a lot.

marty1985 wrote: »

He prescribed Stilnox for a week, and told me to come back....the weekly prescription turned into a monthly prescription,

I say he does smile a lot, having come up with such an easy method of getting a return customer to his business. You probably could have been on OTC sleeping pills, but sure theres no profit for him in that.

Temptamperu

I have serious bouts of insomnia but i dont like the pills... its not real sleep and it dosent refresh you and its so easy to get hooked.

Hot Chocolate with nutmeg is great though

sidneykidney

I was on sleeping pills for ten years. A lot of GP's in Ireland seem happy enough to sign off on a prescription for them.

marty1985

rubadub wrote: »

I say he does smile a lot, having come up with such an easy method of getting a return customer to his business. You probably could have been on OTC sleeping pills, but sure theres no profit for him in that.

Sure. But this makes it a win-win-win situation, as I was losing no money due to the insurance system where I am. It was basically almost free for me. In Ireland, I guess it would cost a lot. I was happy to be getting it. Also, given that I don't speak much of his native tongue, he probably didn't see the point in discussing risks involved. I don't blame him or absolve myself of any responsibility whatsoever. In fact, when the prescription was given each time, I felt like giving a huge sigh of relief because I was afraid that he'd say it's time to stop.

The sad thing is, everytime I was there, I'd see boxes and boxes of an antidepressant drug with a certain brand name that I just can't remember right now (drawing a blank), and I always remembered a woman on Liveline describing her experience with that particular drug. She said after being on it for some time, she told her doctor she wanted to get off it, and the doctor said "What are you talking about? You'll never be off it." I felt sorry for her, and think of how easy it is for people to fall into the trap of getting addicted to a drug without realising it. At the same time, I'd be smiling to myself about getting my prescription, and thinking "that poor woman."

l.m

Had really weird experiences about 20 minutes after taking one. I'd be half awake, half asleep. Would start illusioning, seeing two heads on people or six eyes etc, also couldn't walk properly, it was like i was really drunk or something.

Little Miss Lady

Jesus, My doc would never prescribe sleeping tablets for any longer than two weeks at a time and I can see why.
I used to take Stillnoct the odd time and would feel ten times worse after. Weird lucid dreams, no recollection of mails or texts plus feel like I'd been out on the beer for days.
I think just plain old exercise is the key now.
How your doctor continuously prescribed sleeping tablets like that is beyond me.
Good luck staying off them.

alphabeat

if you want to sleep like youve never slept before , or get 8 hours sleep in one hour - or just want to feel deep relaxation .

try one of these

http://www.meditationsuk.com/meditation_machines/procyon.htm?gclid=CM6au_X58qoCFcSCDgod22qFNg

once you get used to it its unreal .


Note - forget about it if your are epeleptic- its all flashing lights .

best thing i ever bought .

Randomer.

alphabeat wrote: »

if you want to sleep like youve never slept before , or get 8 hours sleep in one hour - or just want to feel deep relaxation .

try one of these

http://www.meditationsuk.com/meditation_machines/procyon.htm?gclid=CM6au_X58qoCFcSCDgod22qFNg

once you get used to it its unreal .


Note - forget about it if your are epeleptic- its all flashing lights .

best thing i ever bought .

This interests me, tell me more.

rubadub

alphabeat wrote: »

try one of these

http://www.meditationsuk.com/meditation_machines/procyon.htm?gclid=CM6au_X58qoCFcSCDgod22qFNg

I have a device that looks something like that, was far less than £185 though, think I might have got it on ebay cheap enough about 10 years ago, but new ones were cheaper than that at the time.

Must get it going again, it did work to some degree.

This interests me, tell me more.

The lights are at a frequency and your brainwaves are meant to synchronize with them, or something like that, so it mimics dreaming states.

EDIT: mine was the proteus http://www.meditationsuk.com/meditation_machines/proteus.htm I got it on ebay for £65 6 years ago.

helena838

Hi ,I have been taking 5mg stilnoct for a few years now due to suffering chronic insomnia
In the beginning I did have the weird hallucinations but that went and in the morning I feel rested and full of beans. My GP Dose not recognize insomnia so I get them from a friend in France,sometime i have to go maybe 6 weeks without them in which time I suffer no withdrawal symptom except the obvious of been unable to sleep.To me they are a life saver.

marty1985

helena838 wrote: »

Hi ,I have been taking 5mg stilnoct for a few years now due to suffering chronic insomnia
In the beginning I did have the weird hallucinations but that went and in the morning I feel rested and full of beans. My GP Dose not recognize insomnia so I get them from a friend in France,sometime i have to go maybe 6 weeks without them in which time I suffer no withdrawal symptom except the obvious of been unable to sleep.To me they are a life saver.

Must be something else you can try, perhaps something you can buy over the counter here that can help with sleep? You don't want to be relying on stilnoct.

WoollyRedHat

Doctors who charge to throw pills at people, charge €50 for a petty subscription, sometimes I don't know.

Sometimes you'd be better off getting medical advice online than going to a doctor that doesn't have a clue/ doesn't care. Finding a good doctor and keeping them is important.

yore

Sleeping pills don't feckin work at all.

Sure amn't I only after trying them by taking a handful of them just there and I don't feel tired at all. I reckon thatikhkjbkubyiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitudfcryihtciiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiifrhyyyyyyjmbbbbb vctdeuxuryc gthbkjulkibxderdgtfhygjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjtufhyk cyirttcbrtycyik g cvhtvtukdctrycvtyujyhkgbvyujh vuhjbvghvhgvvhgcvhgcychyg

degausserxo

I took them pretty regularly over five years, but after last month, never again - took the first tablet of the 28 packet, thought I went to sleep, grand. Went to take one the next day and they were all gone, I'd obviously stayed awake and taken the lot, but I've no recollection of it. Absolutely shocked when I found out, luckily nothing bad happened!

MungBean

They suit me I think. Was on Zimovane for 5 months and never had to increase the dosage, went to sleep grand and woke up early in the morning fresh and clear headed. Never had anything weird happen when on them. Since the prescription ran out I've been sleeping later and feel like a zombie.

Dont wanna be on them long term so I'm reluctant to go back to the doctor and she would probably be reluctant to keep giving them to me. But I have never been a good sleeper, always had trouble getting to sleep and getting up apart from when I was on the Zimovane.

Kurz

MungBean wrote: »

They suit me I think. Was on Zimovane for 5 months and never had to increase the dosage, went to sleep grand and woke up early in the morning fresh and clear headed. Never had anything weird happen when on them. Since the prescription ran out I've been sleeping later and feel like a zombie.

Dont wanna be on them long term so I'm reluctant to go back to the doctor and she would probably be reluctant to keep giving them to me. But I have never been a good sleeper, always had trouble getting to sleep and getting up apart from when I was on the Zimovane.

Been on it four years myself and never had to increase the dose. It's nice to go to bed knowing you're guaranteed a full night's sleep. I haven't seen my GP in four years either. She still writes the script as a matter of routine though, without question.

Yakult

Use them now and again if stuck. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't until I actually get sleeping. But I can tell you every time its a new adventure according to my parents/gf. Done some whacky stuff under their influence that I'm zero aware of. My gf was freaked one night when I got out of the bed and just stood beside her for an hour and she couldn't wake me and was afraid to do anything more than yell & shake. I try to avoid at all costs as you can get way too dependent on them.

le la rat

Was on a mixture of them for 3 years a bit crazy as i was prescribed them while in rehab for alcohol and gambling. They worked for a long while but im off them for the last 4 months. I also didnt have access to them by myself ( unless I found them). Still suffering from the insomnia but wont go back on them.

helena838

marty1985 wrote: »

Must be something else you can try, perhaps something you can buy over the counter here that can help with sleep? You don't want to be relying on stilnoct.

Believe me i have tried everything herbal remedies ,relaxation cd and even did a course of floatation tank sessions. As i said feel fine on stilnoct , never did anything weird on then and have not had to up the dose. Much better to take then as opposed to been awake some times for 2 day, Thanks for your concern.

helena838

Taking too many can have the opposite affect.

saywhatyousee

Valium and Weed will knock you out better than any sleeping pill

marty1985

helena838 wrote: »

Believe me i have tried everything herbal remedies ,relaxation cd and even did a course of floatation tank sessions. As i said feel fine on stilnoct , never did anything weird on then and have not had to up the dose. Much better to take then as opposed to been awake some times for 2 day, Thanks for your concern.

Well, I can't offer any advice really (anyway the mods wouldn't allow it). Our situations are different. You genuinely have insomnia, I just got hooked on the drug without ever really having insomnia in the first place, through my own stupidity. But I hope it gets better for you. Keep searching for tips and advice and try any new things, you never know what might work.

mickrock

helena838 wrote: »

sometime i have to go maybe 6 weeks without them in which time I suffer no withdrawal symptom except the obvious of been unable to sleep.

Panadol Night is probably the best OTC sleep aid. It contains a sedating antihistamine, diphenhydramine.

Dudess

Personally I'd avoid. Even oversleeping and tablets that cause drowsiness leave me a sluggish mess.

imitation

I got some in the US in a chemist to use on the flight back, I can never sleep on a plane. Obviously they aren't as crazy as some of the prescription stuff. I have to say though, they have never helped me sleep, I always I just feel groggy after I take them. Whats worse is they last forever, I took them once when I genuinely couldn't sleep, I still couldn't sleep but when I got up the next day I was completely exhausted at work all morning.

Formation

Oh_Noes wrote: »

There must be something in it. My doctor got a prescription from my hospital consultant for sleeping pills just after I was discharged from a long hospital stay three years ago. They were to help me to adjust my routine back to normal. I've collected that same prescription every month for the last three years and the doctor couldn't seem to care less. The medication itself says on the leaflet it should only be prescribed for two to three weeks maximum.

.... The bank shouldn't have lent me so much money