LynnK Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 I'm taking Ambien to counter med-related insomnia. It takes at least an hour to kick in for me, so I take it and then brush my teeth and put on pajamas and get in bed and wait for a while. I know that memory loss for the time period between taking Ambien and falling asleep is a typical side effect (anterograde amnesia). But is anterograde amnesia associated with lowered inhibitions or unusual behavior during the lost time, like an alcohol-related blackout? I have roommates, and I vaguely remember having a conversation with one of them last night when I went to brush my teeth, but it's so hazy it's more like a dream. She's a new roommate, so I'm too embarrassed to just ask her. (Uh, you know when we were talking last night about getting an air conditioner? Did you think I was, um, stoned? Er... did we even talk about air conditioners last night?) I'm hoping the memory loss is only that... memory loss for a period of normal behavior. Reassurances? Or otherwise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cetkat Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Best way to know is to ask. Just say, "hey, did we talk about getting an A/C last night? I was kinda out of it and I don't know if I just dreamed that or not?" Then, if you were out of it, she'd say so, like an "I know you were." If she says that she didn't notice or just gives a yes or no answer.. there you go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 I find the best way to handle my ambien is to get in bed with a book after I take it, and not leave. I'm not particularly prone to its hypnotic effects and stuff (never sleep walked, sleep talked, sleep had sex, sleep driven, or any of that) but it can and does make some people a bit freaky after taking it. your best bet is to chain yourself to the bed with a book, if you are liking the ambien otherwise. that being said, if this is a bothersome side effect for you, it may be worth investigating other sleep options. I also believe (though this is not backed up by anything but anecdota) that if you get that s.e. it puts you at slightly more risk of the doing stuff in your sleep side effect, which is really the one you gotta watch out for. as far as talking to your roommmate.... yeah, just ask her, and say you were tired and a bit out of it last night. she probably will not think it's any big deal at all. anna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LynnK Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 Thanks, guys. I guess I could suck it up and ask her, but I'm really uncomfortable doing so. Oy. I know the other roommate much better and she's in the know on the whole med thing, so maybe I can take one tonight and then track her down and drunkenly ask her, "Ambien! Because of my crazymeds! Lalala! Am I being weird?? Oooh, write it down so I remember tomorrow!" -- or more hopefully, I'd non-drunkely say, "Hey there, I'm taking Ambien because I can't sleep on the MAOI, and I'm worried that it might be affecting my behavior, so can you confirm or deny?" but yeah, I guess if I knew how it'd come out I wouldn't be worried to start with. For a little while I'd tried just taking the Ambien right before getting in bed. All my life I've read myself to sleep, but now it doesn't work so well because the next day I don't remember what I read the night before. I can only reread the same chapter so any times before I run out of library renewals! If it's likely I'm making a fool of myself, then yeah, I guess I'll take it just before bed again and resign myself to staring at the ceiling for an hour or two, but I prefer to spend at least some of the time while I wait for it to kick in getting ready for bed, just to salvage a little more of the evening. This is the first sleep med I've tried, so if things were to get bad there are still other options out there. But I've had a ton of med changes in the past year and it's been a seriously bumpy road, so I'm hesitant to change something that's working otherwise just because of a non-life-threatening side effect. Well, non-life-threatening unless I sleep drive, I suppose. But I don't have a car so I should be safe unless I take my roommate's keys (which I guess is a possibility, but it seems like even my Ambien-ed brain would think that's weird). Thankfully, I haven't woken up with brownie mix on my shirt from sleep eating yet, and I'm single, so if I start with the sleep sex, well, then my roommates will definitely know something's up, and we can have a whole 'nother level of awkward conversation... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cetkat Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Yeah, I woke up with the pre-mixed cookie dough batter in the tub next to me with a fork in it. One of a few things that have happened between Ambien and me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LynnK Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 Yeah, I woke up with the pre-mixed cookie dough batter in the tub next to me with a fork in it. One of a few things that have happened between Ambien and me. Ha. I can see why it's on your Ex-RX list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpladybug Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 I get in bed with a book like Anna does. Nevertheless I still wake up with food in the bed, or this morning I was in a chair! with an empty pint container of ice cream on the floor. My husband sometimes has conversations with me that I do not recall. He is used to it. It would be much more difficult if they were roommates. But, why not tell your roommate that you take something to help you sleep and sometimes have memory loss? Often the truth is the easiest thing. Would you feel so vulnerable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LynnK Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 I get in bed with a book like Anna does. Nevertheless I still wake up with food in the bed, or this morning I was in a chair! with an empty pint container of ice cream on the floor. My husband sometimes has conversations with me that I do not recall. He is used to it. It would be much more difficult if they were roommates. But, why not tell your roommate that you take something to help you sleep and sometimes have memory loss? Often the truth is the easiest thing. Would you feel so vulnerable? Yipes. Does your husband ever wake up during these midnight snack jaunts? Has he ever tried waking you, or are you dead to the world? Vulnerable is probably the right word. She only moved in a few weeks ago and we're still feeling each other out -- everyone's getting along fine, but it's more along the lines of figuring out whether far-left political jokes are okay or liable to offend, or in this case, is she anti-psychiatry, anti-med, anti-Ambien? (No Scientology books left lying around so far...) But perhaps you're right; everyone is suggesting I just bring it up with her, so maybe I should reconsider. This thread is making me realize that maybe I'm getting bogged down more by my own hangups about taking a medication for sleep than any reasonable expectation of outside criticism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dedoubt Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 But is anterograde amnesia associated with lowered inhibitions or unusual behavior during the lost time, like an alcohol-related blackout? From my personal experience, and knowing others that have taken Ambien, yes, lowered inhibitions/weirdness of many sorts is possible whilst on it. My partner totaled his car the first time he took Ambien, and doesn't remember any of it-- that includes the ambulance trip/hospital/police. He almost burnt our house down (slight exaggeration- he left the stove on, a pan handle was over it, and the handle turned to ash). I do all sorts of weird things and don't remember them-- drawing weird stuff, writing in my blog or e-mails (funny, but what if I wrote the wrong person- like my ex-in-laws? "FUSH YUUSH! I HATESM U!"), wandering the house, having sex, and prolly stuff I don't know about that would scare and/or amuse me. It's standard that I will have long rambling conversations with partner when I take it and not remember. The last time, I was laughing hysterically about tiny little penguins. Many of my friends that have taken it have had similar incidents. So, if all you did was have a conversation about air conditioners, you're doing pretty well. According to what I have heard from my pdoc, I think Anna is right that you might have a higher chance of sleep-doing than others that don't have the amnesia problem. I still have a 'script for it, because when I need sleep without feeling super groggy in the morning, I sometimes use it. But I do NOT use it when my kids are here, only when they are at their dad's house. If I set fire to the house, I want to be the only one to kick it. If I really need sleep when they're here, I take the Vistaril or trazodone, though the Vistaril doesn't work that well, and the trazodone makes me feel uber hungover. oops, I didn't post this, and now it's hours later-- I hope I didn't repeat too much of what everyone else has said....Oh! Also, I agree with everyone that you ought to just tell your roomate. If you are going to live with her, it is probably best for her to know, in case of emergencies. Say there is a fire, and she assumes you aren't there because you didn't run outside? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LynnK Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 [ I do all sorts of weird things and don't remember them-- drawing weird stuff, writing in my blog or e-mails (funny, but what if I wrote the wrong person- like my ex-in-laws? "FUSH YUUSH! I HATESM U!"), wandering the house, having sex, and prolly stuff I don't know about that would scare and/or amuse me. Haha, I wondered if I should have some setting on my email or phone to keep me from Ambien-dialing, like those programs to protect against drunk-dialing. But given all these sleep-activities I might be at a higher risk of trying, I'm starting to think I should padlock myself into my room before bed... At least this is all putting into perspective my worries about a probably-sedate conversation about air conditioners on a hot night. Also, I agree with everyone that you ought to just tell your roomate. If you are going to live with her, it is probably best for her to know, in case of emergencies. Say there is a fire, and she assumes you aren't there because you didn't run outside? Argh, another good reason. Actually, it's crossed my mind whether I should worry about hearing/waking up from the smoke alarm if I'm Ambiened up. I take it not later than 10 pm and I often wake up at 3 am, and once for some reason at midnight, so I don't think I'm completely down for the count and dead to the world without any chance of waking up if necessary, but it still bothers me. (On the morbid side, the house we live in is old and shoddy and I imagine has a burn time of about 30 seconds, so if there is a fire in the middle of the night, we're probably toast anyway... might be better to sleep through a fiery death!) But yeah. I guess you are right. I should let them know. Bah. Humbug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LynnK Posted June 1, 2011 Author Share Posted June 1, 2011 Hahaha! I woke up just now to a note next to my bed: "Dear [LynnK], Don't worry. You took Ambien at 10pm, and I'm writing this 40 minutes later. In the meanwhile, you had a shower without incident, brushed your teeth and flossed as normal, and did not have any conversations about tiny penguins. You also were the only person to remember that tomorrow is alternate side of the street parking and reminded all the apt-mates and the folks downstairs to move their cars in the morning. And nobody commented on weird behavior. They were just glad you remembered. Yay. Bedtime now. Love, [LynnK]" I laughed so hard this morning when I found this. I have NO MEMORY of any of this, or of the letter itself. But the spelling and handwriting are fine, so I guess I wasn't too blitzed. And my favorite part: underneath, I added, "Rosebud." Which I think is a joke meaning I should start writing myself notes at night telling me the spoilers in the novels I read before I fall asleep. I AM SUCH A DORK! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveyoursanity Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Lynn, that's hilarious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 hahaha. On the note. But seriously, you guys that take ambien whilst hallucinating and without memory? Rethink. Srsly, if I ever did ANY of that stuff, I would move on to a different sleep med. The risks aren't worth it. There ARE other sleep options out there. Hell, I'd rather be taking quel for sleep than setting fire to my stove, etc. At least talk to ones doctors about it. There's rosarem, temazepam, quel, and a bunch of other options out there..... Anna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dedoubt Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 That note is amazing. I especially like the part about "Rosebud." But seriously, you guys that take ambien whilst hallucinating and without memory? Rethink. I know, and I have had talks with my pdoc about this. My problem is that the other things that knock me out when I can't sleep (which is usually caused by being hypo.) knock me out for a really long time (like 12 hours) and leave me with a nasty hangover. As a single mom, I need to be able to get up at the crack of dawn, which would leave me taking sleep meds at dinnertime (also a no-go). I've been 'round & 'round about this, which is why I keep the Ambien around for when the kids aren't here (and take precautions, like hiding my keys, locking all the doors, etc.). There are times that the only thing that helps me get out of continuing on towards mania is to get one or two good night's sleep. I hate my brain sometimes. (I also hate that I keep forgetting to post things once written...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catnapper Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Try taking it on a completely empty stomach, and see if that helps any. It works for me, and the advantage for me is now I have a new behavior of skipping dinner because it's too late, because dinner would cause the Ambien to take too long to kick in and/or won't work as well. Since I need to lose a lot of weight, this has been a good thing for me. I am worried about doing weird stuff, so I always take my Ambien immediately before climbing into bed. On nights when I'm more wound up, I always think I'll never get to sleep and keep reading, but if I turn out the light, I must go right to sleep, since I never remember laying there awake, or even turning out the light. I can also get up in the night okay to pee, so presumably the smoke detector would wake me up. My cat is able to wake me up really early if he wants to, so I don't think I go into an incapacitating deep sleep. If I were you, I would wait until you were actually in bed before taking it, read a few minutes, and then turn out the light. I bet you will fall right asleep, especially since you say you don't remember what you read the night before. I think maybe you are fighting it too much (not trying to be offensive! ), and taking it after getting in bed may work well for you. Good luck, not sleeping is awful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LynnK Posted June 3, 2011 Author Share Posted June 3, 2011 Thanks, Catnapper! I'll give it a try. (And no offense taken!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
water Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 If I were you, I would wait until you were actually in bed before taking it, read a few minutes, and then turn out the light. This is what I do and it has been working perfectly. I wait until I am in bed. Ambien and a glass of water are are ready and waiting on my night table. I usually read a bit after taking the pill and then turn out the light. But teeth brushed, pj's on, family settled, covers turned down, scruffy bear nearby and my body horizontal, all before I take my magic sleeping pill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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