ambien question need answers

[lisa4484]

I have been taking ambien (zolpidem) 10 mg everynight for over a month. It worked good at putting me to sleep but the last few days I have been waking up with terrible anxiety and shaking. I want to stop taking it tonight. Can I just stop or do I need to slowly reduce it? I would like to just stop taking it if I could. I don't know if the ambien is what is causing my morning anxity and shakes but I don't want to feel like that again in the morning. It's so terrible.

[DCrose]

I've been on it for over 6 years lately I need more and more and don't know how to stop.

[mammo]

Always consult with your doctor before stopping this medication.  After two weeks you become addicted to it, and stopping it abruptly could cause you serious withdrawals. I think it's good that you are getting off of it, I refused to take it when my doctor recommended it. Take care....

[p0rtzer0]

Please concern the doctor you prescribe that medicine to you before abruptly discontinuing it.

[kimshaver10]

That stuff is horrible!  I took it and I wouldn't go to sleep, I would do really weird things and think I was completely ok....until the next morning!  It really freaked my husband out and it freaked me out too!  I would binge eat, order stuff online and sometimes even drive?!  How scary...get off of that and maybe have your dr try and have you take something else that would be better for you!

[Lauren53]

Hi Lisa,  I was on zolpidem for 2 years .....this stuff is awful.  I was getting up in the middle of the night and binge eating and didn't even remember it.  Get off it!  You haven't been on it for that long, but I would still reduce it slowly.  Break it in half at first for around a week and then a quarter for the next week or so.  Hope this helps.  Good luck.