Posted by Mark H. on April 17, 2000, at 16:48:04
In reply to Ambien and sleep medications, posted by JIM on April 16, 2000, at 16:04:56
Hi Jim, I prefer clonazepam (half of a 0.5mg tab) as it assists without leaving me exhausted the next afternoon. Ambien is great -- almost unbelievably effective, at least for a few hours -- but you wouldn't want to take it every night, in my opinion. I think it would wear you out and keep you from getting the type of sleep you need (seems to deprive me of REM or "dreaming" sleep).
There is more to developing good sleep habits than taking another med, of course. If you're still drinking caffeine, you might want to cut back or quit altogether. If you take Tagamet for heart-burn, note that it will keep caffeine (and many other drugs) in your system hours longer than normal, which can affect your sleep. Standard advice also includes getting some exercise during the day (not at night), not watching the evening news or other upsetting TV before going to bed, and keeping a regular, adequate sleep schedule.
For that once-in-awhile need, Ambien (and Sonata, I'm told) are both excellent. But if you have to take something every night, ask your doctor if it would appropriate for you to try clonazepam. It is the least addictive of the benzodiazepines, the easiest to stop taking, and probably has the fewest side-effects (like drug hangovers and difficulty getting out of bed in the morning).
Every "body" is a little different -- your mileage may vary.
Good luck and sweet dreams!
Mark H.
poster:Mark H.
thread:30232
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000411/msgs/30367.html