Posted by Elroy on November 18, 2005, at 20:10:47
In reply to Re: Remeron and Cortisol, posted by Tenifer on November 18, 2005, at 19:11:15
Dave,
My psych said to pass on the Ambien CR, that it is just a scam. She said that the patent for Ambien is getting ready to expire and that the parent company is (was) desperately looking for a new angle, a modified version that they could "re-patent".
So they developed the CR version. I'm like "OK, so what?". She then proceeds to tell me that Ambien has a half life of about 3.5 hours, which is why you wake up (if you have bad insomnia) after it starts wearing off. And I'm like, Okay, so what... isn't that what makes the CR version better"? She laughed and said "better???". She then pointed out that she looked up the studies and that the CR version has a half-life of like 3.9 hours. It was then my turn to laugh (grimace actually). Just another con. She said that she tried a few of her hardcore insomiacs and that they still had the same problem.
She was also surprised that I was on Ambien at all as she almost never uses Ambien with her tougher insomnia cases. For the reasons that we've discussed. I pointed out that when I first started seeing her back in mid 2002 with the milder anxiety that the therapist had recommended that I ask her (the psych) about getting some Ambien to help sleep and that Ambien back then did the trick (I just had trouble falling asleep but once asleep would sleep fine).
That was when she told me about her preference for low dose (50mg) of Trazadone or low dose (25mg) of Seroquel for sleep aids in the tougher cases. I actually used the Seroquel for a couple days (before NIH got back to me and advised "no-no") and it seemed to work quite well. Slept around 7 hours, but all straight through....
Elroy
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> Elro,
>
> You might want to investigate the CR version of Ambien. That might get you a longer effect and more sleep. I tend to wake up early myself (like after 4 hours) and can't get back to sleep again unless I pop an Ambien. I just start getting anxious and worried that I won't be able to sleep again...kinda a self-fulfilling prophecy.
>
> I'm thinking of asking for the CR version myself on my next visit.
>
> Hang in there brother!
> God bless you,
>
> David
poster:Elroy
thread:124535
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20051112/msgs/580231.html