Guest guest Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 My Sweethusband, , was also precribed Ambien by his dr. Soon enough I discovered that it simply wouldn't do! They laid around the kitchen cabinet for a few months until I had my scheduled 'clean out the cabinets' day. I checked it out and decided, what the hay...I'll just take them myself, judiciously, of course.....I began with half a pill and proceeded to finish off the small container. They worked for me, allowed me to wake and function when I was needed with no side effects at all (I thought) Of course when the bottle was empty I had it refilled. did that 2 more times...by then I was Hooked, good....let's make that BAD! When his oncologist asked if I needed refills, of course I shook my head in the affirmattive. Crappidity, this went on and on and on ad naseum. I finally sat myself down and inforned myself that I was quitting this crutch. I tried melatonin, a natural sleep aid, I couldn't believe it but it worked.....after a few weeks I was able to fall asleep without the ambian, eventually without the melatonin, also. Long story short.....I self-medicate now with a bottle of Mike's hard lenonaide each night just before bedtime. I can easily wake up each time cries out, snores, moans, you name it. Don't know how it might work to relax an LBDpatient..... hmmmmmmm.....thinking, perhaps we'll try it and see....am I Bad?  Jo >________________________________ > >To: LBDcaregivers >Sent: Monday, October 3, 2011 12:46 PM >Subject: Ambien > > > >I am writing--yet again--in bewilderment and frustration for other caregivers. I was contacted by a caregiver who lives in New York regarding her mother who is in an assisted living facility in Sacramento, CA. She is flying out there this week and will handle the situation the best that she can now that she has better information. The daughter was aware of not giving anti-psychotics drugs but had no idea that AMBIEN should not be given. My frustration lies with the doctors who are giving AMBIEN on a regular basis to ANY elderly person (she is 84 years old), let alone a person with LBD. Here is what she wrote: > >On Sept 2009,and before,she was on the 5 mg Ambien not extended release >On November 2009, her dosage was increase to 10 mg Ambien, but not extended release >On Feb 2011 her Ambien dosage increased again to 12.5 mg but EXTENDED RELEASE -- RESEARCH SAYS NO ONE SHOULD BE ON IT FOR MORE THAN 2 WEEKS --she's been on it for 8 MONTHS!!! no wonder she can't move or function during the day like she used to!!! > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 I just joined this group. I am a full-time caregiver for my 87-year-old husband with LBD. Before he was diagnosed, his doctor prescribed Ambien when he asked for sleep meds. We tried 2 nights with it and not only did it not put him to sleep, but he was babbling all night with hallucinations. After he was diagnosed with LBD, I read where patients are extremely sensitive to all meds and doctors must be very careful what sleep meds they prescribe. I still have the Ambien, but have been afraid to take it myself when I have problems sleeping and it is on the " do not prescribe list " for LBD patients. Cassie Levy To: LBDcaregivers From: maryjoblume98@... Date: Mon, 3 Oct 2011 14:01:10 -0700 Subject: Re: **AMBIAN** My Sweethusband, , was also precribed Ambien by his dr. Soon enough I discovered that it simply wouldn't do! They laid around the kitchen cabinet for a few months until I had my scheduled 'clean out the cabinets' day. I checked it out and decided, what the hay...I'll just take them myself, judiciously, of course.....I began with half a pill and proceeded to finish off the small container. They worked for me, allowed me to wake and function when I was needed with no side effects at all (I thought) Of course when the bottle was empty I had it refilled. did that 2 more times...by then I was Hooked, good....let's make that BAD! When his oncologist asked if I needed refills, of course I shook my head in the affirmattive. Crappidity, this went on and on and on ad naseum. I finally sat myself down and inforned myself that I was quitting this crutch. I tried melatonin, a natural sleep aid, I couldn't believe it but it worked.....after a few weeks I was able to fall asleep without the ambian, eventually without the melatonin, also. Long story short.....I self-medicate now with a bottle of Mike's hard lenonaide each night just before bedtime. I can easily wake up each time cries out, snores, moans, you name it. Don't know how it might work to relax an LBDpatient..... hmmmmmmm.....thinking, perhaps we'll try it and see....am I Bad? Jo >________________________________ > >To: LBDcaregivers >Sent: Monday, October 3, 2011 12:46 PM >Subject: Ambien > > > >I am writing--yet again--in bewilderment and frustration for other caregivers. I was contacted by a caregiver who lives in New York regarding her mother who is in an assisted living facility in Sacramento, CA. She is flying out there this week and will handle the situation the best that she can now that she has better information. The daughter was aware of not giving anti-psychotics drugs but had no idea that AMBIEN should not be given. My frustration lies with the doctors who are giving AMBIEN on a regular basis to ANY elderly person (she is 84 years old), let alone a person with LBD. Here is what she wrote: > >On Sept 2009,and before,she was on the 5 mg Ambien not extended release >On November 2009, her dosage was increase to 10 mg Ambien, but not extended release >On Feb 2011 her Ambien dosage increased again to 12.5 mg but EXTENDED RELEASE -- RESEARCH SAYS NO ONE SHOULD BE ON IT FOR MORE THAN 2 WEEKS --she's been on it for 8 MONTHS!!! no wonder she can't move or function during the day like she used to!!! > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 It is an insidious drug for sure! Glad you were able to get off it without a lot of trouble Jo J Ambien can be tough. My husband took it and got the sleep walk stuff with it – we would wake up and eat or take the dog out and not remember. He spoke with his sister on the phone one night and had no memory of it. I had been telling him the things he was doing late at night and he didn’t believe me but when his sister confirmed he had done something and had no memory he decided he better stop taking it. It took three weeks that he could sleep. The first two weeks were hard on him and he actually had to take time off work. It’s ok for short term but seems to be risky if taken long term. I also tried Ambien but after a few weeks found it made my tongue swell! A mild allergic reaction L So that was it for me. As for sleep at night I find a half a glass of good zin does well for me - a whole glass if it’s been a particularly stressful day. My mil cannot tolerate Ambien at all – and we have been trying all kinds of things to get her to sleep at night (with doctor’s blessings of course). It makes her agitated and hallucinate (worse). She yells all night off and on, “help me somebody help me pleeaassseeeeee†and soon. Lately she is seeing ghosts but so far they are not threatening. They have bright yellow hair and she says they are stupid and don’t talk. She talks all night to them, telling them about her family etc. and alternates between that and calling to her husband (deceased nearly 30 years ago) who she calls “Daddyâ€. Every night I wonder if she was in a nursing home what drugs would they try giving her to get her to sleep – when everything we’ve tried (small amounts) just make it worse? I understand it’s pretty standard if a person doesn’t sleep and carries on at night the protocol is drugs. Dorothy From: LBDcaregivers [mailto:LBDcaregivers ] On Behalf Of Jo Blume Sent: Monday, October 03, 2011 2:01 PM To: LBDcaregivers Subject: Re: **AMBIAN** My Sweethusband, , was also precribed Ambien by his dr. Soon enough I discovered that it simply wouldn't do! They laid around the kitchen cabinet for a few months until I had my scheduled 'clean out the cabinets' day. I checked it out and decided, what the hay...I'll just take them myself, judiciously, of course.....I began with half a pill and proceeded to finish off the small container. They worked for me, allowed me to wake and function when I was needed with no side effects at all (I thought) Of course when the bottle was empty I had it refilled. did that 2 more times...by then I was Hooked, good....let's make that BAD! When his oncologist asked if I needed refills, of course I shook my head in the affirmattive. Crappidity, this went on and on and on ad naseum. I finally sat myself down and inforned myself that I was quitting this crutch. I tried melatonin, a natural sleep aid, I couldn't believe it but it worked.....after a few weeks I was able to fall asleep without the ambian, eventually without the melatonin, also. Long story short.....I self-medicate now with a bottle of Mike's hard lenonaide each night just before bedtime. I can easily wake up each time cries out, snores, moans, you name it. Don't know how it might work to relax an LBDpatient..... hmmmmmmm.....thinking, perhaps we'll try it and see....am I Bad? Jo >________________________________ >From: Norma <Normal@... <mailto:Normal%40nytimes.com> > >To: LBDcaregivers <mailto:LBDcaregivers%40yahoogroups.com> >Sent: Monday, October 3, 2011 12:46 PM >Subject: Ambien > > > >I am writing--yet again--in bewilderment and frustration for other caregivers. I was contacted by a caregiver who lives in New York regarding her mother who is in an assisted living facility in Sacramento, CA. She is flying out there this week and will handle the situation the best that she can now that she has better information. The daughter was aware of not giving anti-psychotics drugs but had no idea that AMBIEN should not be given. My frustration lies with the doctors who are giving AMBIEN on a regular basis to ANY elderly person (she is 84 years old), let alone a person with LBD. Here is what she wrote: > >On Sept 2009,and before,she was on the 5 mg Ambien not extended release >On November 2009, her dosage was increase to 10 mg Ambien, but not extended release >On Feb 2011 her Ambien dosage increased again to 12.5 mg but EXTENDED RELEASE -- RESEARCH SAYS NO ONE SHOULD BE ON IT FOR MORE THAN 2 WEEKS --she's been on it for 8 MONTHS!!! no wonder she can't move or function during the day like she used to!!! > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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