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18070169 tn?1463175914

Ambien withdrawal

I have taken 10 mg a night for 5 years.  Off and on I would get aches under my rib, but they would go.  Nothing else seemed off.  I had a hysterectomy (major surgery) and after that, it seems that ALOT of side effects of ambien started.  I'm going to list some and see if others have had the same thing.  High anxiety/panic attacks, face flushing, sweating, my right side hurt (like I either had kidney stones or gall bladder stones - which I don't have either since I had an ultra sound), my bladder hurt (dr thought I had a UTI, which I didn't) and my right eye was really sore.  I quit ct (which after reading, I probably shouldn't have) and am on almost two weeks.  The first week was hell.  Especially the panic attacks.  I used an over the counter sleep aid, because I knew that if I had to deal with no sleep at all and all this other stuff, I would be in the hospital.  Most of the day things are gone - I actually feel pretty good - almost to my normal.  I have cut my over the counter sleep aid in half and will go on something more natural in the next few days.  It seems the only lasting effect is a side pain by my lower right rib.  I touch it and it is sore.  I think it is myalgia.  Anyone have any of these symptons and how long will it take to really clear from my system?
28 Responses
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4522800 tn?1470325834
Hello Again!
I know the Drs do not like to prescribe Ambien these days because of it being Addicting.  I do know when I went c/t off my 3 meds, one was prescribed Methadone, street bought Adderral and prescribed Klons (benzo). It was one of the worst w/ds I have ever experienced and it went on forever. Even when I ran out of Hydos/Oxys it was not as intense or long. The pharmacist told me it had alot to do with the Benzo. I did not know how dangerous it was to just stop a benzo. So this all could be from the Ambien. Also, Yes having a Hysterectomy plays a Big role in your Hormones too!! I had a complete one, but I was still on my meds. I noticed after I stopped my pills, that I had such a hard time, do to my Hormone Balance. Even at almost 4 yrs I still have some issues. Seems like it should be gone by now, but the Dr told me some women can stop menopause soon and other can go one for around 10-17yrs. Oh MY!!!!!
Anyway..I am sure YOU will balance out soon. Maybe go and talk with the Dr about your Hormones. They can do a blood test. I was thinking of doing this myself, but it is kind of expensive. Look up some natural remedies too.
I take the same thing you do for my Stomach, as I was told to do when I had my Colonoscopy. However, I do not need to add any more pills, to my already have to take Heart Pills. So, I have been taking Ginger root or you can find organic Turmeric Ginger tea. This will help with the inflammation and also I am drinking Aloe-Vera to help heal the inside.
You can keep n touch with me anytime. My Computer is doing something strange right now, so it is hard to get from one area to another. This here will Pass! Ha!
Bless U
Vickie
Helpful - 0
18070169 tn?1463175914
And yes, my back pain is really different to ones that I have had in the past and they didn't show up until after I quit Ambien.  
Helpful - 0
18070169 tn?1463175914
Thanks for your answer.  I left you a message, you can disregard it.  I agree with the statement about how Ambien withdrawal is affecting me, it's weird.  I was not on anything else, so I can only attribute it to Ambien.  I think something altered in my body chemistry after my hysterectomy.  I know that sounds weird.  But my sister had major surgery and afterwards became highly allergic to shell fish (which she had no issues with before).  I seem to have become very sensitive to rx's.  Before surgery, I would sometimes have aches under my ribs (typical ambien crap), but after the surgery, a lot of ambien side effects started showing up and that is why I decided to quit.  So the withdrawal may be harder because of my new sensitivity.  Sounds weird, but I always had a high tolerance and no side effects of any drug.  But now, I started taking the omeprazole for my acid and I got pains in my colon and bad headaches (side effects of it) - which in the past, I never had.  So I tried Zantac - huge headache.  I figure I need to leave all rx drugs alone and try nature.  Apparently by body does not like synthetic stuff anymore.
Helpful - 0
4522800 tn?1470325834
Hi.
NSAIDS means any  anti-Inflammatory type of pill. Maybe I am not spelling it right..Ha!!!
It does take some time for our stomach receptors to clear up too, but I am not to experienced with the Ambien.
I just remember going to the meetings & at 40 days or more I would ask others if they had experienced this type of back ache. That is when some ppl told me about the lower sac in our spine. I do believe it was true because it was a kind of back pain I had never felt and also it went on for awhile and then stopped. I can not remember how long, this was back in 2012. I think it went on for at least 2-4 months??
It kind of baffles me that you are having such a hard time off this med. It goes to show us that we really have to be careful what we let the Dr give us these days, unless we do our homework. I do you wish you the best and I am sure you will be fine in more Time.
Congrats on your hard work so far, and thanks for sticking around!!
Bless
Vickie
Helpful - 0
18070169 tn?1463175914
How long before your back felt better?  Did you ever go to a chiropractor to see if that would help with your back?
Helpful - 0
18070169 tn?1463175914
Day 45 - it has been a crazy ride.  Never would I have thought that going ct off of Ambien would be so hard.  Just thought I would go through lack of sleep.  But all the other stuff has been crazy.  It is getting better each day and I am feeling more like myself.  I have discovered that if I take a Zantac when I am starting to feel anxious - that helps a ton with my anxiety and my stomach.  I think my stomach gets upset and makes me more anxious (vicious cycle).  Thanks for everyone's comments.  I hope to help someone else if there is a need.
Helpful - 0
4522800 tn?1470325834
Hi Again sicraw.
When you had that colon looked at did they go down the throat and look at your stomach?? The reason why I ask, is that I too felt like you did in the morning for yrs & yrs. Come to find out my bottom of my stomach was highly inflamed. That alone is enough to drive you crazy and make you feel sick. I now can NOT take any INSIAD and have to take Omeprazole (can not spell the original name brand..lol).  Hate to take pills so I am trying to heal this with Ginger and Aloevera too. Also, since you did have a Hysterectomy (me too) how is your Hormone level. The hormones are all part of the picture here and have to balance out, but when we no longer have them, it can make a Big Difference in your life!!! Far as that lower back, it took me a few months for that pain to go away. Like I had described above about it. Hang in..YOU are getting better & better.
Bless
Vickie
Helpful - 0
3 Comments
What is an Insiad?  My dr did give me a prescription for omeprazole because I had some acid indigestion.  I haven't been taking it - perhaps I should.
Regarding hysterectomy - I had a partial - they left my ovaries, but, who knows, I could be going through menopause.  If my anxiety doesn't taper within the next month, I will go see my ob/gyn and see if they can check my hormone levels.  It is hard to tell if I am menopausal as I don't have periods.  My sister started at 50 and I that age as well, so it could be all that is happening in my body - hysterectomy, withdrawals, and menopause.  Just my luck it would all happen together :)  I didn't have a scope down my throat - it was a regular colonoscopy scan you have at 50.
One more question for you - my back pain is my sciatic and my right side of my lower back.  Would that fall under back issues?
18070169 tn?1463175914
Day 40 - another question for those out there.  I still wake up a little nausea - not bad, but have no appetite for breakfast and can eat very little.  Once the day starts and my anxiety isn't high, my appetite returns and usually by evening have no issues and can eat a nice dinner and relax.  Is this normal?
Helpful - 0
18070169 tn?1463175914
Day 38 - sleeping well through the night (yeah).  My anxiety is still there - but less, I just have to not think about stuff that stresses me (which is really hard).  I still have the right side ache in my back and my sciatic is still sore (especially at night).  I am assuming this is from withdrawals, because these symptoms came on after I quit.  Just wondering, if someone else had these back aches, how long it lasted for them?  I just want to make sure I'm not stressing over something that will just take time.  I have no issues with my kidneys, liver, bladder (did a blood test and ultra sound on those) and just had a colonoscopy and all is well there, so I can only deduce it is from withdrawals.  Thanks for everyone's support - it has been so helpful.  
Helpful - 0
1198664 tn?1368647812
Ambien without fail gives me crazy pain in my upper abdomen almost right under my upper left rib cage.
I don't know why but it wrecks my upper stomach. Had a scope done. No issues seen. Takes weeks to go back to normal sometimes longer. It also jacks with my equilibrium, nasty stuff for me.
Helpful - 0
4522800 tn?1470325834
Hi again.
Back when I had that Anxiety go on forever it seemed, I had to step back and realize it had come down alot. I tried my best not to be around any Negative ppl, Drama or Stress. Get up in the morning and Pray that today is going to be a good day. If we keep thinking about it, it only gets worse. Other then that, you just have to ride it out.  
I found that taking my magnesium, D3 at night really help me to relax. It was mostly the evening that would make me Anxious after I had a few yrs in. Mostly I had to just stay away from certain ppl or there phone calls.
YOU will get better in time.
Bless
Vickie
Helpful - 0
18070169 tn?1463175914
Day 33 - I have had anxiety for the past three days.  It was fine this last weekend and I seemed super good.  Still a little backache, but ate just fine, felt good and at peace.  Tuesday morning was good, then that afternoon the anxiety kicked in.  It was so so for the rest of the day and all day yesterday, but my appetite was ok.  Today, I woke up anxious and knew it would be another bad day.  Man . . . Seriously, most of the physical stuff is gone, but these anxiety issues are so hard.  How do you get through the days where you feel so anxious over everything?  How do I stop it?  Any helpful ideas out there?
Helpful - 0
4522800 tn?1470325834
Congratulations on your 31 days!

I would like to share something with you, even through I was not on the abmien, I did c/t off of 3 meds back in 2012 and 1 of them was a benzo added to the mess. It was one of the worst w/ds I have ever experienced. I thought it was mostly due to the Methadone or the illegal Adderral, but the pharmacist told me it went on & on for months due to the benzo. I too never experienced high anxiety like this before. It did ease up in time but it did take many months to do so. All our brain chemistry has to adjust back and the body. Like CIK said, we do so much to the nervous system too. We also due have a small sac at the bottom of our spine, that takes time to rid those toxins. Just keep going, one day at a time. However, if your stomach does not get better after a few months, I would have it looked at. BUT it is all part of detoxing too. Wishing you the best!!!
Bless
Vickie
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
So it has been 38 days and my lower right side of my back still hurts and my sciatic nerve - is it common to last this long?
18070169 tn?1463175914
Day 31 - most of my complaints are gone.  Some times my back hurts.  Good weekend, but today feel anxious.  I hate that feeling.  I hope this anxiety leaves me totally.  Never had anxiety before, so it is a weird thing for me to feel.  Hopefully, this will go away soon.
Helpful - 0
18070169 tn?1463175914
Day 23 - better today.  I actually woke up with no nausea and able to eat breakfast - yeah!  My back still aches but not as bad as a few days ago.  I hope I am on the downslope of it all.  Just want my aches to go away.  I am posting this for those who are going through the same thing.  I think my w/d was worse (with the pains in the side and such) because I was having the pains start before I went off ambien, that is what really pushed me to stop.  For years I didn't have any bad symptons of Ambien, but after major surgery - I had a list of them crop up.  A lot that were on the rare side effects when you google ambien, which I never had before the surgery.  I think my body just quit liking the ambien.  So . . . day 23 and life seems more manageable - thank goodness.
Helpful - 0
18070169 tn?1463175914
Day 21 - ambien withdrawal has kicked my butt. Yesterday was great. No nausea and energy. But by evening my back really ached. It seems ok during the day, but by evening, it's awful and then my sciatic nerve starts hurting, ugh!  Today woke up nauseated but it is ebbing away. Man, I am so tired of feeling crappy. Is there anyone else out there that has had such extreme Ambien withdrawal like me?  I keep reading about people who have taken it for years and the only withdrawal is no sleep.
Helpful - 0
18070169 tn?1463175914
Day 19 - woke of a little nauseated - but today is better than Tuesday - same as yesterday.  I find that if I think about something stressful it puts me in a little panic attack.  I have to consciously not think about stressful things right now.  Again - this has been such a crazy ride.  I have read old posts and some people, who have been on it for years, have had no w/d symptons other then no sleep.  Wow - I guess everyone else is different.  I am sleeping ok (I think Melatonin helps) - but it is the day stuff that is killing me.  A little nauseous, appetite is small (which I guess isn't all bad since I have lost weight - not recommended though), anxiety, etc.  I know everyone handles things differently.  Ready to be at peace again though.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
I'm amending this last one.  Today isn't as bad as Tuesday, but definitely not as good as yesterday - ugh!
18070169 tn?1463175914
Thanks. the more information I get, the better I can deal with the symptoms.  Everyone has been so great to answer questions and support.
Helpful - 0
3197167 tn?1348968606
Yes, we have pain receptors in our backs and a hypnotic drug like Ambien affects those receptors.  We call it "rebound pain".  It gets intense at first, and with time (I know, there's that dang word!) it will settle down and get better.  You're doing great!  I know 2 family members on Ambien and they have been on it for YEARS!!  So glad you are getting off of it.  It's a difficult feat, but you will be so proud of yourself when you look back on this time.

P.S.  If you want to read about the rebound pain, the Wikipedia explanation of "opiate induced hyperalgesia" will help explain it.  I realize Ambien isn't an opiate, but the nervous system and pain receptors are still affected by all those meds classified as a "hypnotic or sedative".
Helpful - 0
18070169 tn?1463175914
Is it normal to have backaches during recovery?  My lower back is sore.
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495284 tn?1333894042
COMMUNITY LEADER
We are glad you found us and could help.  Today is a new day!!  Oh and we are all a little nuts around here!! lol
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Quick question for you Dominosarah - you have been posting awhile - did you go through this or are you a counselor to help others?
18070169 tn?1463175914
Wow - on day 18. Better so far, but yesterday was one of my worst. At work and couldn't accomplish anything. Searched and found an empty office and laid on the floor in the dark on and off - wow is all I can say. Couldn't eat anything. It is so weird, but Monday and Tuesday were h3ll but around 6 pm each night, it just tapers away and I can get a little food in me and by bedtime, I feel great. Today, I woke up nauseous but forced food down and it feels like it will be a better one. I also have found that getting up from my desk and going outside periodically to walk a bit helps. I should have called in sick yesterday, I was useless. It is hard to focus at work some days, but I get there. Who knew coming off of Ambien would be so hard. Never had to come off pain meds, but if it is worse than this, my heart goes out to all of you!  I am now on a nautical sleep aid (melatonin) and it seems to work pretty well. Should have tried that first :). Thanks everyone out there giving advice. I don't think you realize how helpful it is when it feels like you are nuts.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Natural sleep aid - not nautical.
495284 tn?1333894042
COMMUNITY LEADER
You are doing great so keep it going.  This is normal so you are NOT nuts! This part is only temporary.  Keep yourself busy today.  Tomorrow will be a better day~
Helpful - 0
1742220 tn?1331356727
Totally normal ... that's the drill for Benzo  w/d.  So sorry you I going thru this ... I know s*cks is not intense enough to describe how awful it is.  It *will* get better gradually.   You are doing great!
Helpful - 0
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