Is it considered kindling?

[[La...]]

Hi I just want to ask/clarify about kindling. 

I started ambien sometime June 11.  About 2 weeks into using it I was switched to trazodone by the psych. And it did not work. Then tried lunesta. Did not work tlo. 

In between the changes, of things did not work I would not sleep and so the next night I would take ambien. After couple of days try for lunesta and trazodone I ultimately went back to ambien. 

I remember one morning I felt so bad while switching ( i think I was trying trazodone that time), I was so restless/agitated with suicidal ideation and started vomiting. 

Now I realize it might have been withdrawal?  Because I did not taper, just switched directly back and forth. 

My question is was I kindled? Will I have a difficult withdrawal now because of it?

I was on 10mg pill. I was managed to get it down to 3/4 pill but only getting 3-4 hrs a night (even at 10 mg pill). 

But I really want off of it but I wonder if I am already damaged. I developed anxiety and keep vomiting and losing weight. I am sleep deprived. My body aches. 

But wonder if I'll be able to sleep again. This makes me scared

[[de...]]

It is hard to say if you are experiencing kindling.   And yes, I would agree that you were experiencing withdrawal symptoms during this time.   Here is something else to consider; Ambien can have a paradoxical effect.  This means it might cause the very thing that you were taking it for i.e. insomnia.   

Please do not worry as to whether you are "damaged" or not, or if you will have a difficult withdrawal.     If you want to discontinue Ambien you will need to taper very slowly.   The taper could take several months depending on how your body responds.   We normally recommend reducing 5%-10% every couple of weeks.   However if this causes symptoms that cause you to be non-functioning, you should slow down.

Are you under the care of doctor? Do you have a plan to taper?   If you want to taper, you will find lot of help if you post in the 'Taper Planning and Adjustment" section.   

 

[[La...]]

@[de...] yes I have a benzo specialist that will help me taper. Not sure what the drop will be. Will chat on Sep 29.

My fear is how will I be able to sleep after withdrawal. I am inly sleeping 4 hrs now with ambien. 

This is making me anxious and think crazy and I have not even started yet. 

I have body pains when I dont sleep. I am vomiting losing wieght my anxiety is high. And I have not even started tapering yet.

 

Anybody who has the same story as mine? 

 

[[Pa...]]

Ambien did strange things to my thinking process, I became profoundly afraid of not sleeping, which caused me to take it in ever increasing doses just to get and stay asleep.  Once I stopped taking it, I realized that while going without sleep for a night or two is unpleasant, its not the end of the world. 

I thought I was broken, that I couldn’t and would never sleep on my own, but that wasn’t true, it was the drug lying to me.  Once I stopped and recovered from my use, I was able to sleep, its still not my best subject, it never has been but I get enough to be happy and productive. 

I don’t think you’re kindled, your use doesn’t fit the criteria but you are fearful and getting off of the drug will eliminate that. The symptoms the Ambien is causing you are making you miserable, the nausea, the fear, the anxiety, all are being caused by it.  Is being miserable every waking minute worth the few hours of sleep it affords you?  I had to answer this question too and the answer for me was, NO. 

[[La...]]

@[Pa...] you are totaly right. I feel like these meds are just making me more sick all for 3-4 sleep a night. It's not worth it. 

Did you also felt brain fogged. I felt like my brain processing  is slow as well.

Will that heal as well? 

[[Pa...]]

@[La...], I used to marvel at how the only time I felt relief was when I was asleep but that was false because I didn’t feel relief, how could I, I was asleep.  And as soon as I woke up, the misery started again and the sleep I got wasn’t restful, not like real sleep where you wake up slowly from a deep slumber. 

But yes, I was walking around in a haze, the drug takes so much from us but when we stop it, we get back to our baseline.  Of course, for many of us, our baseline isn’t that great because we went on the drug because we had difficulty sleeping.  But after experiencing the nightmare caused by the drug, my normal stuff was easy to deal with.  Benzo’s and z-drugs show us how bad it can get. 

[[La...]]

@[Pa...] were you even working when you were in withdrawal? did you function daily?

[[Pa...]]

Yes, I worked all but the first 3 weeks of my Klonopin cold turkey and worked through my Ambien cold turkey as well.  

[[al...]]

@[La...]  , who is your benzos specialist?   Is it someone who practices in more than one state?  I've been searching for another provider?   I'm in PA

[[La...]]

@[al...] Dr Nathaniel Lepp. I think he's just local in CA.